What do you think?
Rate this book
Abandoned: A YA Western
A massacre stole everything—the trail to El Paso might give him a reason to keep going…
Fourteen-year-old Benjie Willow should’ve died with the rest of his family. Hidden in a water well as Comanche raiders swept through his ranch on the Red River, he emerged into a world he no longer recognized—alone, grieving, and hunted.
When seasoned frontiersman Malvo Tanner and the quiet Choctaw warrior Chito-Oche spot smoke on the horizon, they don't expect to find a terrified boy as the only survivor. Taking Benjie in, they set off for El Paso, dragging him through lawless lands where danger rides faster than justice…and the past haunts every mile.
But the West isn’t kind to orphans, and as Benjie struggles to find his place in this brutal new world, he'll have to learn what it means to survive…not just in body, but in spirit.
Will the trail harden him into something unrecognizable…or forge a future he never dared to imagine?
Perfect for fans of gritty Teen & Young Adult Westerns and Coming-of-Age tales set in the rugged days of the American frontier. Order your copy now.
Fourteen-year-old Benjie Willow should’ve died with the rest of his family. Hidden in a water well as Comanche raiders swept through his ranch on the Red River, he emerged into a world he no longer recognized—alone, grieving, and hunted.
When seasoned frontiersman Malvo Tanner and the quiet Choctaw warrior Chito-Oche spot smoke on the horizon, they don't expect to find a terrified boy as the only survivor. Taking Benjie in, they set off for El Paso, dragging him through lawless lands where danger rides faster than justice…and the past haunts every mile.
But the West isn’t kind to orphans, and as Benjie struggles to find his place in this brutal new world, he'll have to learn what it means to survive…not just in body, but in spirit.
Will the trail harden him into something unrecognizable…or forge a future he never dared to imagine?
Perfect for fans of gritty Teen & Young Adult Westerns and Coming-of-Age tales set in the rugged days of the American frontier. Order your copy now.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2025
107 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Ash Lingam
199 books22 followersAsh Lingam was born and raised in Southern Ohio, not far from the mighty Ohio River. He had somewhat of an isolated upbringing on a family farm with his sisters. His best friends were his horse, Sugar, and his grandfather.
Born in 1886, the family patriarch grew crops, raised cattle, and doted on the young boy. At his grandfather’s side, Ash learned about livestock and firearms at an early age. His grandad carried an old Colt with him at all times, helping spawn a young boy’s dreams of yesteryear.
Ash was only eight years old when his grandad taught him how to trap muskrats to prevent them from draining the farm’s ponds. He gave him a double-barreled shotgun at twelve and taught him how to hunt to put food on the table.
It wasn’t long before Ash was breaking horses. His spirited Tennessee Walker never allowed any other rider on her back. Together, they searched through the plowed fields in the spring, looking for Miami Indian arrowheads to add to his grandfather’s ample collection.
Ash’s family was among the early settlers in pre-Revolutionary America. He has traced his lineage back to around 1746 when his ancestors immigrated from Europe to the aspiring American Colonies.
A retired marketing executive, Ash devotes his spare time to training police dogs and writing novels. He has found his niche in the Western, historical fiction, and adventure genres. With his vast vault of experience, he never runs out of sources for new stories. He has lived in eleven different countries and worked in a total of forty-six,
To date, Ash has written approximately 130 novels, short stories, and poems. More than one hundred of his eclectic titles help the American frontier come alive for his readers.
Born in 1886, the family patriarch grew crops, raised cattle, and doted on the young boy. At his grandfather’s side, Ash learned about livestock and firearms at an early age. His grandad carried an old Colt with him at all times, helping spawn a young boy’s dreams of yesteryear.
Ash was only eight years old when his grandad taught him how to trap muskrats to prevent them from draining the farm’s ponds. He gave him a double-barreled shotgun at twelve and taught him how to hunt to put food on the table.
It wasn’t long before Ash was breaking horses. His spirited Tennessee Walker never allowed any other rider on her back. Together, they searched through the plowed fields in the spring, looking for Miami Indian arrowheads to add to his grandfather’s ample collection.
Ash’s family was among the early settlers in pre-Revolutionary America. He has traced his lineage back to around 1746 when his ancestors immigrated from Europe to the aspiring American Colonies.
A retired marketing executive, Ash devotes his spare time to training police dogs and writing novels. He has found his niche in the Western, historical fiction, and adventure genres. With his vast vault of experience, he never runs out of sources for new stories. He has lived in eleven different countries and worked in a total of forty-six,
To date, Ash has written approximately 130 novels, short stories, and poems. More than one hundred of his eclectic titles help the American frontier come alive for his readers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 2, 2025
A massacre leaves one boy alone—grief-stricken, hunted, and forced to survive the wild frontier.
A brutal Comanche raid leaves fourteen-year-old Benjie Willow the sole survivor of his family’s massacre. Hidden in a water well and haunted by loss, he’s thrust into a savage frontier where survival means more than staying alive—it means finding purpose. Taken in by a grizzled frontiersman and a silent Choctaw warrior, Benjie journeys toward El Paso through lawless lands where danger rides fast and justice is scarce. Abandoned is a gritty, coming-of-age Western that explores grief, resilience, and the forging of identity in the wild American West. Get your copy now and ride into a tale where every mile tests the soul.
• ASIN: B0FJSJF16S
• Publisher: Wise Wolf Books
• Publication Date: 9/2/2025
• File Size: 4.8 MB
• Print Length: 210 pages
• Genre: Teen & Young Adult Westerns Fiction eBooks - Teen & Young Adult Westerns - Teen & Young Adult Classic eBooks
A brutal Comanche raid leaves fourteen-year-old Benjie Willow the sole survivor of his family’s massacre. Hidden in a water well and haunted by loss, he’s thrust into a savage frontier where survival means more than staying alive—it means finding purpose. Taken in by a grizzled frontiersman and a silent Choctaw warrior, Benjie journeys toward El Paso through lawless lands where danger rides fast and justice is scarce. Abandoned is a gritty, coming-of-age Western that explores grief, resilience, and the forging of identity in the wild American West. Get your copy now and ride into a tale where every mile tests the soul.
• ASIN: B0FJSJF16S
• Publisher: Wise Wolf Books
• Publication Date: 9/2/2025
• File Size: 4.8 MB
• Print Length: 210 pages
• Genre: Teen & Young Adult Westerns Fiction eBooks - Teen & Young Adult Westerns - Teen & Young Adult Classic eBooks
September 24, 2025
great
I retired 23 years ago and have read westerns by Zane, Grey, and Louis l’Amour as a kid,.. I don’t write reviews, but couldn’t help myself. I’m telling you I loved you story and the way you’re right….looking forward to orphan book 2… I usually buy all my books from Amazon, hope to see you then…
I retired 23 years ago and have read westerns by Zane, Grey, and Louis l’Amour as a kid,.. I don’t write reviews, but couldn’t help myself. I’m telling you I loved you story and the way you’re right….looking forward to orphan book 2… I usually buy all my books from Amazon, hope to see you then…
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews