Back to God's Country and Other Stories

Set against the rugged gold‑seeking rivers of British Columbia, the story follows Shan Tung, a shrewd Chinaman who rides north with his massive Great Dane, Tao, and a prized cue that marks him as a contender among the fevered prospectors. When a drunken Irishman covets the cue, a sudden clash ends Shan Tung’s quest in blood, while Tao is seized by the victor’s followers and thrust into a nomadic life far beyond the pines of his first home.

Across four decades Tao’s mighty line spreads through the Cree, Chippewa and even Inuit camps, each new master pulling the dog ever northward. The narrative arrives at Wapi, a towering descendant born on the icy shores of the Coronation Gulf, whose ferocious strength and solitary nature make him both feared predator and reluctant protector in a stark Arctic world. The tale weaves adventure, survival, and the lingering echo of a lost cue into a vivid portrait of frontier life and the restless spirit of a legendary canine lineage.