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Ransom Wilcox was born in Taber, Alberta, Canada, in 1907. His family moved to Vina, north of Chico, California. They farmed, tended livestock, and did a lot of hunting and fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Many elements of Wilcox’s stories come from his early experiences.
College media instructor Karl Beckstrand is the best-selling author of 27 titles (65 e-books) with reviews by Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. Raised in San Jose, California, he has a B.A. in journalism, an M.A. in conflict resolution, and a broadcast & film certificate. His western, To Swallow the Earth, won a 2016 International Book Award. Beckstrand’s mysteries, nonfiction, STEM, and Spanish/bilingual books feature diverse characters—and usually end with a twist.
Reviewed by Paul Johnson for Readers' Favorite
In To Swallow the Earth by Ransom Wilcox and Karl Beckstrand, Wade Forester has a big problem. His problem, it seems, is that everyone wants to shoot him. When he comes home after a long absence, he finds everything has changed. His father has disappeared and his sister won’t speak a word to anyone. And to make matters worse, someone else is living in his house, running his family ranch, and trying to kill him. Then Wade meets beautiful Patricia Laughlin who is searching for her family as well. Patricia is a strong woman and few people gain her trust or approval. There may be one, though, and Bridger Calhoun just might be the man to do it.
A clash between Wade and Bridger throws them on opposite sides. All three must make possibly life changing decisions. Wade must decide if risking his life to help Patricia is worth the trouble. Bridger decides he must win Patricia’s heart if his plans are to come together. Patricia must learn which of the two killers to trust with her life.
The challenge for a Western writer is how to tell the story in a manner that keeps the readers interested. In this case, how do they get to where they’re going? With this story, the authors did it very well. The characterization was good with the development of the relationship between the main characters. The action starts with the first page and doesn’t stop, keeping the reader's interest from start to finish. The dialogue was done well, with a little expected standard Western jargon thrown in. To Swallow the Earth is a good read for all Western fans.
