Beauty and danger are the twin truths of Texas after the Civil War, especially the wild country known as the Llano Estacado. Surviving the dangerous weather and violent wildlife is only the beginning, as Comanche warriors and outlaw gangs roam the plains preying on the weak and vulnerable. First among these dangerous marauders are the Raiders, a brutal band of criminals who attempt to run settlers from the land with fiery, murderous brutality. Yance Cummings, fresh from the bloody front lines of Virginia, returns home to start a new life in this dangerous but promising land. Alongside his new wife Katie and his friends Big Sam, Colonel Chauncey Farnsworth, and the Comanche chief Young Horse, Yance fights to make the Llano Estacado a safe place to live.