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Even before becoming part of a nation, the drive, determination, and ingenuity of the early settlers who would later be known as Americans were on display. It takes a lot of pluck to leave one’s home country and set off to make a new life in a foreign land. James Robertson, the second oldest of ten siblings, came from such stock. In 1769, at the age of twenty-eight, Robertson was with a group of five men who were crossing the Appalachian Mountains and looking to settle lands in “the West.” Eventually, Robertson would be a driving force in the settlement of what would later become Tennessee.
Robertson's family, like many others expanding westward, would face countless hardships. Not only did they need to bring all their provisions and build all the necessary buildings for homes and towns, but they also had to interact with the widely varying Native American populations who had been living off these lands for centuries. Remarkably, the men and women Robertson worked with, mentored, and fought beside would be part of a group of individuals who had profound and lasting contributions to the birth and development of the nation.
Bays' novel displays a passion for his subject, the history of the state of Tennessee, and the establishment of the United States. History lovers will enjoy how Bays weaves an extraordinary amount of research into the narrative structure of Robertson’s life. His explanation of the influences and manipulations of both the British and Spanish on the hostilities early Americans had with Native Americans is illuminating. There is some repetition in the text, and the narrative flow becomes a bit convoluted when switching between locations and additional remarkable persons. Still, the writing is easy to read, and the exploits of these intrepid explorers will engage most readers.