Giants in the earth

The novel follows the story of Per Hansa and his wife Beret as they pursue their dreams of homesteading on the untamed Dakota prairie.

It explores themes of love, loss, faith, cultural identity, and the enduring human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.

The book depicts the grim realities of pioneering, including snow storms, locusts, poverty, hunger, loneliness, and the difficulty of fitting into a new culture.

It is part of a trilogy and is based partly on Rølvaag's personal experiences and those of his wife’s family who were immigrant homesteaders.