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Outlaws of Ravenhurst
If he had not shoved the muzzle-loader down the bear's throat on page 10 and blown bruin's head off on page 11, George would have been shredded wheat and this would be a short story.
As it is, Uncle Roger comes from Scotland, identifies George as Sir Charles Gordon, Lord Rock Raven, heir of Ravenhurst, and takes him to Scotland.
For generations, Ravenhurst had been the stronghold of Scottish chiefs who lead Clan Gordon to battle "for God and Our Lady!" It was filled with memories of persecution for their Faith. It was the scene of the last stand of the great Earl, Sir Angus. Back against the altar and the desecrated Precious Blood, outnumbered twenty to one, the giant grasped his two-handed claymore and laid the sacrilegious enemies of his God around his feet "like sproutings clipped from a hedgerow."
But when the boy Gordon rode across the drawbridge, he did not know these things, nor that Catholics were outlaws, that hearing Mass in seventeenth-century Scotland meant death—that he must choose between death here or hereafter.
He did not see the outlaws peering through the bracken, studying him. In their eyes was the question: would he take up the claymore where it had fallen from the bleeding fingers of Sir Angus?
As it is, Uncle Roger comes from Scotland, identifies George as Sir Charles Gordon, Lord Rock Raven, heir of Ravenhurst, and takes him to Scotland.
For generations, Ravenhurst had been the stronghold of Scottish chiefs who lead Clan Gordon to battle "for God and Our Lady!" It was filled with memories of persecution for their Faith. It was the scene of the last stand of the great Earl, Sir Angus. Back against the altar and the desecrated Precious Blood, outnumbered twenty to one, the giant grasped his two-handed claymore and laid the sacrilegious enemies of his God around his feet "like sproutings clipped from a hedgerow."
But when the boy Gordon rode across the drawbridge, he did not know these things, nor that Catholics were outlaws, that hearing Mass in seventeenth-century Scotland meant death—that he must choose between death here or hereafter.
He did not see the outlaws peering through the bracken, studying him. In their eyes was the question: would he take up the claymore where it had fallen from the bleeding fingers of Sir Angus?
231 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1923
8 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
M. Imelda Wallace
4 books7 followersSister Mary Imelda Wallace, SL (born Lorabel Marie Wallace (1884 - ).
Sister Mary Imelda was born in the forest-slashing of Michigan, 1884, of parents so long in exile from Scotland that they were, perhaps, more Scotch than Sir Walter Scott.
When the pioneer family trekked to Arizona, the "Last Frontier," they settled in Flagstaff where the whispering pines and the mountains gave them a highland hearth well suited for the telling of old-world legends: clans and chieftains, defeats and victories, loyalties to laird, to king and to the King of kings.
Sister Imelda writes: "I have many book length stories that I tell to students or to Sisters to tell. Like Outlaws, they show God's dealing with main, religion as lived at the period, and are full of adventure. Extending from the Greece of Socrates to the Arizona of my childhood, they give roughly the history of man, with Christ at the center."
Her classrooms have been the proving ground for her stories, students being her most exacting critics.
She graduated from Arizona State Teachers College in 1903, converted to Catholicism in 1908 and joined the Sisters of Loretto (the Loretto Community), earned a BA from Loretto Heights College in 1934, and became an award-winning children's author.
Her books include:
The Outlaws of Ravenhurst (1923)
The Lure of the West (1924)
Learning My Religion (1935)
The Story of Beautiful (1938)
Sister Mary Imelda was born in the forest-slashing of Michigan, 1884, of parents so long in exile from Scotland that they were, perhaps, more Scotch than Sir Walter Scott.
When the pioneer family trekked to Arizona, the "Last Frontier," they settled in Flagstaff where the whispering pines and the mountains gave them a highland hearth well suited for the telling of old-world legends: clans and chieftains, defeats and victories, loyalties to laird, to king and to the King of kings.
Sister Imelda writes: "I have many book length stories that I tell to students or to Sisters to tell. Like Outlaws, they show God's dealing with main, religion as lived at the period, and are full of adventure. Extending from the Greece of Socrates to the Arizona of my childhood, they give roughly the history of man, with Christ at the center."
Her classrooms have been the proving ground for her stories, students being her most exacting critics.
She graduated from Arizona State Teachers College in 1903, converted to Catholicism in 1908 and joined the Sisters of Loretto (the Loretto Community), earned a BA from Loretto Heights College in 1934, and became an award-winning children's author.
Her books include:
The Outlaws of Ravenhurst (1923)
The Lure of the West (1924)
Learning My Religion (1935)
The Story of Beautiful (1938)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 31, 2025
Ten-year-old George has grown up with a poor farmer's family in the colony of Maryland, but he discovers that he is actually a Scottish lord and his uncle takes him back to Scotland to be the chief of the Gordon clan. The Gordon clan are traditionally Catholic, but Catholicism has been outlawed in Scotland, and the young chief must now decide if he will risk his life for his faith.
This book has such a great adventure plot as young George explores a secret passage, discovers prisoners kept in the dungeon, and finds a ruined chapel in the forest. He secretly meets with a priest, and when his mother disappears, he must rescue her from the evil machinations of his uncle.
As George learns more about the history of the Gordon clan, he is inspired to dare any danger to keep his Catholic faith. His uncle insists that they must comply with the laws, and tries to mislead George into renouncing Catholicism.
Being a Protestant myself, I was interested to see how this historic conflict was handled. Not once do we see a true believing Protestant character in the story. The whole conflict is between faithful Catholics and greedy politicians who comply with Protestantism as a way to gain power but who have no Christian faith of their own. I also thought it was interesting that while the evil uncle is very keen to get George to renounce Catholicism, there is no mention of him trying to convert George to Protestantism. They don't attend a Protestant church. He never speaks to a Protestant preacher. There is simply no mention of the Protestant faith at all. As if it doesn't even exist.
The writing is excellent! I loved all the adventure and suspense. George's character is really wonderful, as he faces all these horrible challenges but remains courageous and steadfast. Such a good story!
There is quite a lot of violence in this book as different battles are described or people escape from torture and imprisonment and tell of the terrible things they endured. It's not too graphic though, so it was fine.
To see all the instances of violence in this book, you can check it out on the Screen It First website!
https://screenitfirst.com/book/outlaw...
This book has such a great adventure plot as young George explores a secret passage, discovers prisoners kept in the dungeon, and finds a ruined chapel in the forest. He secretly meets with a priest, and when his mother disappears, he must rescue her from the evil machinations of his uncle.
As George learns more about the history of the Gordon clan, he is inspired to dare any danger to keep his Catholic faith. His uncle insists that they must comply with the laws, and tries to mislead George into renouncing Catholicism.
Being a Protestant myself, I was interested to see how this historic conflict was handled. Not once do we see a true believing Protestant character in the story. The whole conflict is between faithful Catholics and greedy politicians who comply with Protestantism as a way to gain power but who have no Christian faith of their own. I also thought it was interesting that while the evil uncle is very keen to get George to renounce Catholicism, there is no mention of him trying to convert George to Protestantism. They don't attend a Protestant church. He never speaks to a Protestant preacher. There is simply no mention of the Protestant faith at all. As if it doesn't even exist.
The writing is excellent! I loved all the adventure and suspense. George's character is really wonderful, as he faces all these horrible challenges but remains courageous and steadfast. Such a good story!
There is quite a lot of violence in this book as different battles are described or people escape from torture and imprisonment and tell of the terrible things they endured. It's not too graphic though, so it was fine.
To see all the instances of violence in this book, you can check it out on the Screen It First website!
https://screenitfirst.com/book/outlaw...
December 5, 2021
Read this years ago as a read-a-loud to the family. We could barely put it down!! I've read it more than once and it's a book you will want on your shelf!
February 17, 2019
Beautiful story of the Gordon Clan of Scotland to be enjoyed by young and old alike. I love how it speaks of loyalty to the Faith despite trials, physical and spiritual difficulties.
October 5, 2008
A lovley book written by Sister M. Imelda Wallace. My mom read this to my sister and a a while ago when we were learning about the English taking over Ireland. Really expresses the brutality of the way they treated the Irish,abused and tried to abolish their faith. Has some interwoven plots. A good story, not 'GREAT' but good.
February 25, 2017
A very inspiring book. With little jokes here and there, Outlaws of Ravenhurst is the wonderful tale of a little 10 year old Maryland boy who suddenly becomes a Scottish lord. He must be brave and true to Jesus and His Mother to win a battle against his ruthless uncle who is trying to make him give up his Catholic Faith, and to save his true parents, wherever they were.
May 15, 2020
The favorite book of our childhoods of every member of my immediate family, the "Outlaws of Ravenhurst" has inspired three families I know to make movies. This is Pulitzer-prize winning historical fiction about Catholics in Scotland will inspire children and delight adults.
September 14, 2018
This story is simply hard to follow. The author jumps around from place to place, it took me a long time to even get a little hooked into this book. I had no idea where she was going with this story.
As an educator, I would never recommend this book to my students as a representative of good literature.
This book is poorly written. I can tell you that I had a hard time following this writer.
I have no idea what she was thinking.
The print of this book lacks proper spacing between words, this is the editor and publishers fault. A book representing the Catholic Faith ought to be perfect.
I pushed myself to read this book, I didn't finish it because I just didn't like it at all. I was about 20 pages from finishing it. I'm donating this book to the Immaculate Seminary Library in Lloyd Harbor and I'm going to ask the librarian there to read and critique this book.
As an educator, I would never recommend this book to my students as a representative of good literature.
This book is poorly written. I can tell you that I had a hard time following this writer.
I have no idea what she was thinking.
The print of this book lacks proper spacing between words, this is the editor and publishers fault. A book representing the Catholic Faith ought to be perfect.
I pushed myself to read this book, I didn't finish it because I just didn't like it at all. I was about 20 pages from finishing it. I'm donating this book to the Immaculate Seminary Library in Lloyd Harbor and I'm going to ask the librarian there to read and critique this book.
July 3, 2020
94/100 (= 5.6/6) ≈ 5 Stars
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Just extraordinary. Like others have said, if only she had written more! 2nd reading, three years later, this time as a read aloud for the kids -- even better than the first time!
You've gotta look pretty darn hard to find this book's equal! It's a bit like the book "Little Lord Fauntleroy", just better, and Catholic.
Breathtakingly Catholic in fact. Captivating, inspiring, exciting. An wonderful look into the faith of the loyal old Scots at a time when the new faith was rampant.
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Just extraordinary. Like others have said, if only she had written more! 2nd reading, three years later, this time as a read aloud for the kids -- even better than the first time!
You've gotta look pretty darn hard to find this book's equal! It's a bit like the book "Little Lord Fauntleroy", just better, and Catholic.
Breathtakingly Catholic in fact. Captivating, inspiring, exciting. An wonderful look into the faith of the loyal old Scots at a time when the new faith was rampant.
September 15, 2010
This is a uber-pious book written by a nun, but a fun read regardless involving Scotland after the Protestant "Reformatiion" and a lost heir and the fight to retain your Catholicism in the face of oppression and torture. Enjoyable for the younger or older reader, but geared towards the younger.
October 8, 2013
SO VERY POORLY WRITTEN, FOR SLOW WITTED READERS PERHAPS, READ THREE YEARS AGO AND JUST CAME ACROSS MY REVIEW
July 1, 2014
A great family read aloud. Everyone enjoyed it!
April 19, 2016
A nice Catholic book with a very interesting plot!
July 16, 2017
When a young American boy suddenly discovers that he is a Scottish Earl, he finds himself embroiled in a confusing web of deceit, loyalty, hate and love. Raised a devout Catholic, he finds that religious freedom does not exist in Scotland, and Catholics are cruelly persecuted. As he struggles to continue to practice his Faith, secrets begin to come out, and Scotland becomes more dangerous than ever.
This may possibly be the best book ever written.
This may possibly be the best book ever written.
May 17, 2018
Nice clean adventure with an historical lesson. Meant for young adults but it was a great audiobook (on Libravox) for a long car ride. In the New World the boy was poor but loved and tangled with bears and other beasts....in the old world he experienced greed, scandal and treachery mixed in with unmerciful bigotry but he also had great wealth. The better world was the new one...
July 28, 2022
Very promising Catholic recusancy novel set in Scotland, with some exciting bits. Even for - or perhaps especially for - a children's book, it could have been a little subtler. The baddies were bad. The goodies were good. The New World is the new hope. My 11 and 9 year olds enjoyed it as their bed-time story.
January 30, 2023
This was such a great book. I guess I just love historical fiction. A young boy growing up in Maryland during the 17th century finds himself being taken to Scotland as the new Lord of Ravenhurst. What he decides in the end will make a difference on his life and where he will live out his life.
October 30, 2019
This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I’ve read it probably three times at least.
November 5, 2019
Pretty darn good, as I recall.
May 11, 2020
This is an amazing adventure! I wish there were more books like this.
December 17, 2020
This is one of the best books I have ever read. I loved the story, I did not want it to end.
May 13, 2021
A book I read and loved in 8th grade - revisited. Even more enjoyable and engaging.
April 12, 2022
When I remembered this book I went "oooooOoOoOhh...."
I really liked this book.
I really liked this book.
October 6, 2023
Great book especially for 8 and up.
March 2, 2024
I can't quite say if I enjoyed this book or not. It's a family-favorite with my in-laws, and I can see why, but it was...not subtle. Other than that, it was a fun little story, and it incorporated aspects of history very well.
December 9, 2022
Though this is not the same edition, (mine was from Seton Press and is softcover), it is still the same thrilling and engaging story I remember! It will always be a favorite of mine. The characters are well-crafted, as is the plot and resolution. It will keep you up late reading, just to find out what happens! Why this has not been made into a movie yet, I do not know. Sr. Imela Wallace is certainly a buried treasure of an author!
August 14, 2015
A strong story about standing up for your faith, country and honor. I read this as a school assigned book, but I still liked it. It is an old read, but it has adventure and humor, and while I'm more for the modern dystopian books, I actually enjoyed this.
March 21, 2008
What a great adventure. This story made a great impression on me when I was young. Highly recommended.
October 20, 2008
This was a very good book, well these I have to read for my school book reports..but of course I still like to comment on them!it's a good story I enjoyed reading it!
April 30, 2014
I really liked. I found the charictors too perfect, but besides that it was an excellent historical-fiction. I'm a big fan of Scottish history.
August 13, 2024
I forgot how enjoyable this book was. The nostalgia is real...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews