In 1867, Otter travels from Three Willows Village in China toCalifornia -- the Land of the Golden Mountain. There he will joinhis father and uncle.
In spite of the presence of family, Otter is a stranger amongthe other Chinese in this new land. And where he expected to see aland of goldfields, he sees only vast, cold whiteness. But Otter'sdream is to learn all he can, take the technology back to theMiddle Kingdom, and free China from the Manchu invaders.
Otter and the others board a machine that will change his life-- a train for which he would open the Dragon's Gate.