Isaac Beard & Sons — Gary McCarthy

Isaac Beard … a giant who works hard and honestly for every small blessing, including his frail but loving wife. Now comes another spring in the bustling riverfront town of St. Louis where Isaac stands behind a merchant's counter wearing an apron and suffering the insults of his father-in-law. Isaac dreams of the high mountains where a man can make his fortune trapping beaver in a single season. He means to buy Mr. Wilke's mercantile store for his family's future.

Jim Savage … he offers Isaac a chance to learn to trap beaver in the Shining Mountains. But Savage is filled with demons…enough to get Isaac and himself scalped.

Nathan Beard … he grew up hearing of his father's legends as the best of the mountain men…but blames Isaac for the death of his mother. Nathan tracks Isaac to the Rocky Mountains intending to kill him.

Matthew Beard … the youngest and fiercest of the Beard men, he is determined to make his fortune buying ships to supply the Forty-Niners. A gambler, fearless fighter and rogue, Matthew will discover peace on the high seas and on the great Colorado River paddlewheel steamers. And one day he will find his brother and finally learn the truths about his famed mountain man father.

From the wild waterfront of St. Louis…to the Shining Mountains, home of the Ute People…across the blistering deserts to the famed Forty-Niner Gold Rush…and finally to the dangers of navigating the mighty and untamed Colorado River, this is an epic saga of a mountain man named Isaac Beard and his two adventurous sons.