Beloved Over All: Historical Fiction

by Irene Sandell

Stella Carter and her husband left the racial strife of Kentucky searching for a safe haven in Texas. Benjamin Walters came west seeking to escape the violent secrets of his past in Missouri. Henry Prescott was one step ahead of the law when he left Arkansas for the cattle range of the Southwest. Unimagined hardships, Indian wars, captivity, and outlaws await these pioneers in the maelstrom of events that engulf the Texas frontier following the Civil War. The lives of buffalo hunters, Indians, soldiers, cowboys and settlers intertwine in the struggle to find their place in this beloved land. Based on true characters and events, this novel weaves an action-packed saga of the American frontier.

488 pages, Paperback

Published March 2, 2016

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book following three main characters: Stella, Benjamin and Henry set in Texas during the late 1800's. Stella Carter was captured by Indians and lived with them as a slave for seven years. Her African American husband was killed during the raid and her young daughter, Amanda, was taken from her. Stella's long search for her daughter is her main focus of her story line. The chapters are broken up into sections which focus on each of the main characters.
Benjamin Walters is next and he is an orphan who is raised by a cruel "adopted father" in Missouri. Benjamin commits an unspeakable but necessary act (in his mind) and then heads for a new life in Texas. However, he becomes a great leader and sharpshooter in the Army. He really turns his life around, becoming a rancher later on.
The last main character introduced is Henry Prescott who gets into trouble with the local gang at the beginning of his story. Due to this trouble, he runs away from his family in Arkansas and learns about how to be a cowboy with a Texas rancher.
It is not until the latter part of the book, that all three of these story lines start to intersect such as that Benjamin and Henry are both neighbors and ranchers with families. Stella has a promising life in the future too.
I enjoyed this book, probably more than I expected. Highly recommended.

[Deborah Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Beloved Over All,” is a work of historical fiction, based on actual characters by Irene Sandell, an award-winning author. In this novel, Ms. Sandell delves deep into early Texas history, fusing fact with fiction to tell a story of endurance, survival, tortured lives, and loves lost. Follow along as the author eloquently expounds on the life of three pioneers seeking a new life on the Texas frontier, an often unforgiving land during the mid-1800s. Survival was foremost in the minds of these settlers. Forces of nature were merciless. Illness and death are a fact of life. During the Indian wars, tribes fought against the U.S. Calvary, desperately trying to hold on to land that had been theirs for generations.
Ms. Sandell excellently portrays these pioneers who were willing to risk all for their part in settling Texas. Published in 2015, this fast-paced and captivating book won the Will Rogers Medallion Award and Women Writing the West Willa Literary Award.
Stella Carter, a white woman who along with her common-law husband, a free black man she’d loved since a young girl, flee Kentucky post-Civil War fearing for their lives as racial tensions rise. A new life running a trading post in Texas during the Indian uprisings soon finds them fighting for their lives. In an instant, Stella becomes a widow taken captive by the Comanche and indentured as a slave. Ms. Sandell brilliantly and respectfully describes the plight of Stella’s tortuous seven years in captivity and the brutality she endured.
Benjamin Walters will eventually find himself a part of Stella’s life. As a young boy, he is easily swayed into doing someone else’s deadly deeds. Running from emotional torments, Benjamin heads towards Texas, turning his life around and eventually joining the Calvary, where his skills as a sharpshooter are welcomed. With words, Ms. Sandell expertly paints a vivid picture for the reader. She’ll have you following along with the hardships of the troop’s daily lives, the conditions of the forts, their bravery and fears in battle, and their frustrations over often-time inept leaders. Benjamin’s experience in the Calvary has him growing up fast in order to survive the hardships of pioneer life.
Henry Prescott would also become a part of Stella’s life. He was a young man from Arkansas, who found himself associating with unsavory characters on the wrong side of the law. Realizing what he’d become, he changed the course of his life and headed to Texas. Taking on odd jobs in order to survive, he ultimately wanted to be a cowboy. Learning the ropes wasn’t going to be trouble-free. Hardships prevailed, and nefarious characters lurked on every trail.
History is not often kind; some say it’s even brutal. But, those willing to take risks of settling the west are well portrayed by Ms. Sandell. She does an excellent job of uniting three lives that were ultimately destined to meet on the stunning, yet often unforgiving plains of the early Texas frontier. This book has many fascinating details, including characters who became an actual part of Texas history.
Next, I recommend reading Ms. Sandell’s book, River of the Arms of God, where she follows up with Benjamin Walter’s family saga. Another great read.