The amulet: A novel

In the quiet hours of a moonlit night on the western frontier, a young Englishwoman stands at a tiny window of the commandant’s log house, watching the silver sphere hover over the snow‑capped Smoky Mountains. The wilderness around her is stark and beautiful, its isolation stirring both awe and a sense of mystery. As she asks her father for the Cherokee word for “moon,” the scene introduces a blend of cultured curiosity and the raw, untamed world that surrounds the fort.

Against this backdrop, the newly arrived Howard family adjusts to life at Fort Prince George, while the seasoned officers—steady, loyal, and bound by a deep camaraderie—navigate the uneasy peace that follows the Seven Years’ War. Their conversations hint at lingering tensions with the Cherokee and the promise of new opportunities, setting the stage for personal discoveries and the subtle clash between old superstitions and emerging realities.