There are many legends of the Old West. From Billy the Kid to Doc Holliday, Jesse James, Pat Garrett, and a host of others, the western expansion of the United States is filled with more colorful characters than any era following the American Revolution. Add to that list Logan Vandeveer, a man whose life was far too big to be lost in the annals of history.

Following the life of one of Texas’ unsung heroes, author Austin Thomas investigates the key moments of Vandeveer’s life in a fascinating work of historical fiction. While few people outside of his own descendants remember or have even heard of him, without Vandeveer, central Texas would have a much different history—and likely a more troubled one as well. A rousing tale of adventure, the events of his life and exploits with best friend/cousin Will Magill read like a manifesto embodying the American spirit: he fought at the pivotal Battle of San Jacinto, where he was severely wounded; he was one of the first members of the Texas Rangers, serving the Republic of Texas for ten years; he was a loving husband and father of seven; he worked as the first Postmaster in Burnet, Texas; he built the first schoolhouse in the area—and hired an Oxford graduate to teach; he built a 2,500 acre cattle ranch long before icons Richard King or Charlie Goodnight began their empires; and he forged close friendships/kinships with the Comanche war chief Yellow Wolf as well as the Kiowa and Apache tribes. In an era of violence and danger, Logan was a man of action and empathy far ahead of his time.