In 1992 Doug Preston and his family rode horseback across 400 miles of desert in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. They were retracing the route of the Navajo deity Naayéé' neizghání, the Slayer of Alien Gods, on his quest to restore beauty and balance to the Earth. More than a travelogue, Preston's account of the journey is a tale of two cultures meeting in a sacred land.

"A gripping adventure that blends Navajo mysticism, prophecy and the epic story of creation with the day-to-day account of a family's physical struggle across the Southwest's deserts and mountains--and their spiritual struggle to find their place in the world."--Phoenix Gazette

"As fresh and charming as it is originally conceived and smartly executed."--Outside

"A thought-provoking study of the intricate relationships among geography, religions and cultures in the modern Southwest. . . .Preston, a superb researcher, presents difficult concepts in lucid language."--Susan Lowell, Cleveland Plain Dealer