Destiny's Way

by Ben H. English

A Novel of the Big Bend Kate Blanchard woke up one morning in a dream home she could no longer afford, a young son who needed a man's influence and not a friend among those who had claimed to be prior to her husband's mysterious disappearance. About all she could lay claim to was a ramshackle ranch along Terlingua Creek, sitting forlornly in the desolate reaches of the lower Big Bend in Texas. It was the only place left she could go. There she finds a home, and a presence of something strange yet comforting that she can't fully put her finger on or understand. With that ethereal presence comes Solomon Zacatecas, a loner with his own past and a knowledge of her land near uncanny in nature. He helps her when no one else can and is honest when no one else will be, but she suspicions that he is not completely so. Yet her quiet, unassuming neighbor proves to be more than capable in whatever situation arises. That includes when standing alone against those who would take everything else that Kate had, including her life as well as her son's. EXCERPT The lone rider had found them again.Two hours before, as the morning sun first peeked over the Sierra del Carmen, he had flushed them out along a nameless creek west of the Tornillo. There had been seven but now they only numbered six, one of the Villistas lay dead in that same arroyo where he first came upon them. Now the renegades were heading for the river, moving fast with horses taken during a murderous spree above the Alto Relex. Raiding his ranch had been their first mistake, assuming he was someplace else was their second. Not knowing the land as he did was going to be their third. Their rattled, ill-considered route taken after the first deadly brush was a more roundabout one, and when the rider topped the rise ahead he knew they would be within rifle range again. The big buckskin powered himself across the last of the eroding draw, nostrils distended as the animal took in and exhaled air in cadence with his ground pounding stride. The last fifteen miles had been hard ones, doubly so when arrowing across unforgiving country by the dark of the moon. But the buckskin was game for the chase and seemed to have no quit in him.At the head of the narrowing draw the stud horse hit the steep part and shot up through it, ears laid back and stretching his head out as if running for the roses. Just as he topped out the rider reined him in, leaning back in the Texas-style saddle and reaching for the Model 95 as the animal squatted on his rear haunches and slid on the broken shale. But even as the buckskin did so, the rider had the long-barreled Winchester out and was jacking a round into the chamber. Letting go of the reins, he stepped off at a scramble and moved quickly to where he had a good firing angle. Below, the trailing Villista was riding directly away from his position, pushing the stolen horses to certain sanctuary now less than a mile away. Dropping into a semi-kneeling position the rider estimated the range, timing his breathing as he squeezed the trigger. The Model 1895 boomed, sending a soft-nosed .30 Army bullet that knocked the raider off his mount. Five faces full of fear turned in unison to the outcropping where the shot had come from. Five men urged their near exhausted mounts on even faster, giving no further thought to the stolen remuda that two of their fellows had paid in the most precious coin for. Their only goal in mind now was to stay alive, and across that river and away from this unrelenting demonio. The rider on the rise levered another two quick shots at the fleeing Villistas and was on the buckskin again, guiding the big horse by knee pressure with the reins in his teeth while reloading the Winchester. He knew the raiders had to be pushed hard and given no time to think, or they might take cover and make a stand of it, or far worse split up and flank him from both sides.

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2020

About the author

Ben H. English is an eighth-generation Texan who grew up in the Big Bend. At seventeen he joined the Marines, ultimately becoming a chief scout-sniper as well as an infantry platoon sergeant. Later he worked as a counterintelligence specialist and traveled to over thirty countries on four continents.

At Angelo State University he graduated Magna Cum Laude along with other honors. Afterwards Ben had a career in the Texas Highway Patrol, holding several instructor billets involving firearms, driving, patrol procedures and defensive tactics.

After retirement and a few years of teaching high school, he decided to try his hand at writing. His first effort, ‘Yonderings,’ was accepted immediately by a university press and garnered several awards. His second, ‘Destiny’s Way,’ led to a long term, multi-book contract.

This was followed by ‘Out There: Essays on the Lower Big Bend’ and his second historical fiction work, ‘The Uvalde Raider.’

Ben’s fifth effort, ‘Black and White: Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol,’ was released in June and stayed on the Amazon Number One Release list for six weeks straight. This book has already been mentioned for more literary awards, and many claim it is the best book they have read in years.

The great western novelist Louis L’Amour once advised to ‘write what you know.’ When Ben started writing six years ago, he took that experienced advice to heart.

His intimate knowledge of what he writes about lends credence and authenticity to his work. Ben knows how it feels to get hit and hit back, or being thirsty, cold, wet, hungry, alone or exhausted beyond imagination. Finally he knows of not only being the hunter, but also the hunted.

Ben and his wife have two sons who both graduated from Annapolis, and served their country with distinction. He still likes nothing better than grabbing a pack and some canteens, and heading out to where few others will ever venture.

Just as he has done throughout most of his life…

Reviews

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To be remembered, someone has to be present enough to leave a lingering impression on someone else."

Destiny's Way by Ben H. English is as big a Western story as its setting: Big Bend in West Texas. This modern story is about Solomon Zacatecas, who will do anything to protect his inherited land that is valuable to those who want it as a prime location for smuggling contraband to and from Mexico. Solomon has spent his entire life fending off attacks from people who despise, ridicule, and hurt him for his mixed lineage, but he lives his life with truth and integrity—and with his gun. Kate Blanchard and her young son, Jamie, now live on adjacent land to Solomon’s, following the mysterious disappearance of her husband, Tom. A flat tire along a lonely road changes the worlds of Solomon, Kate, and Jamie forever.

The author injects many historical aspects about this part of Texas, and he provides Solomon and his ancestry with a rich history full of danger, love, and honor. These forays into the history of the Big Bend area are not intrusive or boring but interesting, bringing the rugged, dangerous, and beautiful land of West Texas to life. Kate and Solomon form an interesting relationship, originally filled with distrust based on the actions and rumors from mutual acquaintances but slowly and delicately changing into trust and respect. Solomon in turn takes young Jamie under his wing and shows him how to become an honorable man. But trouble has a way of festering and brewing before exploding into evil, and the only way to fight what is coming is for Solomon, Kate, and Jamie to band together, along with the local sheriff, to create a sturdy united front.

Ben H. English’s writing flows richly across the pages, painting the unique West Texas landscape with broad strokes and creating characters, both good and evil, that you will swear are real. The romance in Destiny's Way is gentle and quite beautiful, mimicking the slowly evolving beauty of this land over time. And the relationship between Solomon and Jamie is a wonderful reminder that good men do exist and are willing to help the next generation grow to become noble and just.

Destiny’s Way is like no other Western historical fiction I have read. It is certainly about showdowns and gunfights; evil versus good, but it is more about nurturing positive relationships, seeing the good in people and reacting to that goodness in kind. It is about honoring the past, present, and future with equal determination. It is about sacrifice and love. But most of all, Destiny’s Way is one fine novel that will stick with you for its unique main characters and its rich, panoramic setting.

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.

[Lorilei Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destiny’s Way by Ben H. English quotes La Golondria, which is played during a dance scene in the book. I decided to fire up the version by Nana Mouskouri on YouTube to set the mood as I write this review. It is a lovely song to listen to and you get a sense of longing even if you don’t understand the lyrics. In retrospect, the longing and anguish of the swallow unable to return home can be understood by several characters in the novel, both living and nonliving.

The prologue is an action scene out of a good western – nothing flashy or corny – with grit and the grim reaper waiting in the wings. It is a very different scene and tone from the first chapter that takes place about 60 years later. English’s knack for writing exquisite detail takes a break from the tactical to give the reader a real sense of what the Big Bend looks and feels like. He takes us through Kate’s impression of the area to a geography lesson-like description and finishes off with a theological rendition of how the Big Bend was created. With just that one page of description, I understood how different that area was from anywhere else I have been to in Texas, but I could see how it comforted Kate in some way.

I wanted nothing but good things for Kate from the very beginning. Once you know what she has been through and had to overcome while raising a young boy alone, you can’t help but place yourself firmly in her corner. And it was a relief when Solomon the “Wolf” came into their lives. Don’t get me wrong; Kate is definitely not a damsel in distress. She is a very strong and capable woman with a very big heart. And when you adore a character with those qualities, you want them to be cherished and respected. English writes her so beautifully in stark contrast to the vile men who have nothing but bad intentions. And somewhere outside of that spectrum, the author gifts us with the enigma that is Solomon. I really enjoyed the characterizations in this book (even the baddies) but Solomon was so deep and wide.

The life lessons that Solomon teaches Jamie really resonated with me since I have a young son myself. I think that the code that he lives his life by is honorable and can be adopted by anyone regardless of gender or age. While their growing bond and Jamie’s transition to manhood are not the main storyline, they fueled my enthusiasm for the book because without them, Solomon would not be the protector of the small family and he likely would end up on the wrong side of the law to exact revenge. I have nothing but respect for people who follow through with their morals and lead by example.

In addition to writing quite a yarn, complete with spectral visitations, English very obviously knows his stuff when it comes to the locale, the animals, the weapons, and strategy. While I could have read hundreds of more pages about how Solomon helped Kate improve her home, I was truly gripped by the suspense and smarts behind the last act. English has a subtle touch when it comes to uncomfortable situations, so if you’re worried you can’t handle violence, don’t. I think that this book will appeal to many different readers: lovers of historical romance, historical fiction, westerns, you name it.

[Clueless Gent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destiny’s Way is a thoroughly engaging story of life in west Texas, specifically in the Big Bend area. This does not include the tourists that may flock there when the weather isn’t too hot. This is about some of the people that made it their home, accepting the hardships - and the beauty - of that area.

This is a novel, a work of fiction, but the author tells us that much of the terrain mentioned in the story (and there’s a lot of it) actually exists or used to exist. Further, many of the characters are based on people known by the author, who blended their traits into some formidable people on both sides of the law.

Ben English’s love and knowledge of the Big Bend are evident from the very beginning. I have never been to that specific part of Texas, yet I now have a better understanding of the type of people who established a homestead there, as well as some of the hardships they faced.

The Characters of Destiny’s Way

One thing I liked about this story was that, with only one exception, the characters were all what-you-see-is-what-you-get. Meaning, if a character was a good guy (or gal), then they were truly good. The same could be said of the bad folks; bad was bad. The exception to this rule was the main antagonist. On the outside, he seemed friendly and generous, but on the inside he was somewhat ruthless.

The two main protagonists, Kate and Solomon, are as different as night and day. They are neighbors in the wilderness, each stubbornly independent, yet each lacking something substantial in their lives. A good part of the story is dedicated to the unlikely bond these two characters form.

We all know the story can’t end there, and it doesn’t. The antagonist, with seemingly unlimited resources, wants something from each of them - something dear. The rest of the story is about how this spoiled, pot-bellied slime ball goes after what he desires.

The characters are really marvelous. They are all flawed, of course, yet some have traits that make them truly exceptional human beings. Thanks to the third-person narrator, we get to take a good look into their hearts and minds.

Technically Speaking

The story was well written, but I think a few more commas would have been in order. This did not take away from my enjoyment of the story in any way.

The character arcs were as expected, except for one twist which we are treated to near the end.

The pacing was quite good. In the beginning (not counting the prologue), as Kate and Solomon meet and begin a friendship, the pacing is perfectly slow. The reader learns about the Big Bend, and there’s enough going on to keep the reader engaged. When the author starts the build to the climax, the pacing makes a wonderful crescendo. Further, post climax, the author doesn’t leave the reader hanging. He gives us enough additional information to bring closure to a great read.

One thing I considered very clever was the parallel a reader can draw between the prologue and the rest of the story. But it’s up to the reader to do it. The author won’t lead you to it. However, when you see it, it’ll give you just that much more satisfaction.

I highly recommend this story!

[Christena · Rating 5 out of 5]

“True love only comes around once in this life, even if you’re lucky. Blessings are a different matter entirely. Take a hard hold when they do, be grateful, and don’t let go.”

I was not sure what to expect with Ben English’s latest book, Destiny’s Way. As always, I do not read the synopsis of books I’m reviewing to influence any part of my reading of a story and I’m really glad I did not on this one.

Destiny’s Way setting and the backdrop are in the Big Bend region of Texas. It is an area that is vast, with rarely cool days, and with desert-like terrain that is unforgiving to many who visit. Enter the story of Katherine and her son Jamie. She moves to a piece of land that was owned by her and husband. Her husband disappeared without a trace and she is left all alone with her son. Not far away from her land is a man building a house nicknamed Wolf whose bad reputation is as big as the Big Bend.

When I thought the story was about love blossoming between the two main characters it turns into a larger-than-life story of a kidnapping and then outright revenge and lastly justice, with a couple of ghosts in the mix.

By mid-point of this story, it became a couldn’t put down book due to English’s crisp writing style and the story itself.

The historical and modern touches in this book carry this story even further with the guns and rifles used by the characters. Along the way, there is a history lesson on mules. Here is a historical fact about George Washington he played a major role in the development of the mule population in America, as well as became the first American mule breeder.

“And I will tell you something else, my young friend,” added Solomon in a confidential tone. “They are far smarter than the horse. So, do not ever mistreat one because they will never forget or forgive you for it. Yet if you treat them well, no dog could ever be more loyal.”

If you love a story that takes you on a journey of friendship, love, and hope with touches of authentic history combined with a movie-style twist then check out Destiny’s Way.

[Mim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. We loved losing ourselves in a world of Country in words with flowing thoughts. The READERS GROUP listened drifting along with the articulation manifestation a reality of feelings as wandering around a new world of imagination.
The author of this Narrative had you believing in the moment. Outstanding Author.
The Reading was to be weekly, oh my, hours later folk were sprawled out in every corner of the reading room. The fate of Destinys way will become a Standard Overnight Success. Buy it! We are all going to Texas to relive the Arthurs Knowledge of Country.
Footnote : our Readers Group are Australian Residents. The Term ” Country” is Aussie Slang for Historic Places 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[Elizabeth Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure, treachery and the wild, hard, yet beautiful landscape of the Big Bend area of Texas.
I love the Big Bend area and reading this book took me there with descriptions of roads I have been down and places I’ve seen. The author weaves a story through the landscape that includes history and the unpleasant realities of the worst of human nature and greed. There are also men of great honor and a woman with a young son who is becoming a young man. There’s also a dog, a cat, a mule and a couple of ghosts.
I did not want this story to end.
(Editors note—there were a couple of chapters that seem to have gotten reversed in my Kindle edition.)

[Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Really Was Destiny

This is a great novel set in the Big Bend of Texas. Part romance, part action and part ghost story it will take you on a wild ride!
I read "Out There " by the same author and it really helped me to see the actual locations of the book. I highly recommend that book as well.

[Debra Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful setting for this tale. Really enjoyed the descriptions and the history surrounding the unique Big Bend area. Great characters keep you engaged in the story. The author is clearly expert in many areas that add so much to the story.

[Carrie L. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than Good!

This was an enlightening and engaging story based on real places and likenesses of real people - tough people!
What a Great read! Thank You Ben!

[Lone Star Literary Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 5 stars.

[Robert Ruesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read! Not only was the storyline well thought out, but the characters also had depth and you felt you knew them as you read the book. Ben H. English also teaches you about the unforgiving land of west Texas, yet he makes you want to go there and explore. The history of the land was a bonus.
A book was well worth investing your time to read. Ben has a gift as an author.

[regena may · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful read. Ben has done an excellent job with this suspensful must read, Vividly written. A bit of a love story that you just can't put down