A Voice in the Wilderness

Arizona Duology #2

by Grace Livingston Hill

While on her way to Arizona to teach school, beautiful Margaret Earle suddenly finds herself lost in the wilderness. When a ragged man happens across her in the middle of the night, she believes help has arrived--but he turns out to be even more threatening than the wilderness, and Margaret runs from him in desperation. Lost once more, besieged by the elements, terrified by the howling of wild beasts around her, Margaret wonders how she will survive.

Enter Lance Gardley, a handsome young cowboy who rides out of the darkness to save Margaret's life--and together they discover a new understanding of true friendship . . . and love.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian Romance, Classics

315 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1916

About the author

also wrote under the pseudonym Marcia MacDonald
also published under the name Grace Livingston Hill Lutz

A popular author of her day, she wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories of religious and Christian fiction. Her characters were most often young female ingénues, frequently strong Christian women or those who become so within the confines of the story.

niece to Isabella MacDonald Alden

Reviews

[Majenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked Catherine Marshall's CHRISTY, you might like this. As in CHRISTY, a young woman of the early 20th century leaves her comfortable home and journeys to an unknown and "wild" location to teach the children and perhaps positively influence some of the adults.

Grace Livingston Hill introduces us to Margaret Earle (one of several of her "Margaret" heroines) and her harrowing introduction to the Arizona territory that makes her question whether she really belongs there after all. And it isn't just being rescued that answers her--it's learning to know her rescuer. Then once she actually reaches her destination, she gets to know the locals, including Bud Tanner, a friendly, spunky, slang-slinging young fellow who fills her ears with tidbits about his classmates. He also shares her uneasiness about the first minister she meets on the place, a fellow boardinghouse resident. And, especially from the safety of walls around her and a ceiling and roof above her, but also JUST BECAUSE, the Arizona scenery....

"The mountain was bathed in a wonderful ruby light fading into amethyst, and all the path between was many-colored like a pavement of jewels set in filigree. While she looked the picture changed, glowed, softened, and changed again, making her thing of the chapter about the Holy City in Revelation. She started at last when some one knocked hesitatingly on the door, for the wonderful sunset light had made her forget for the moment where she was, and it seemed a desecration to have mere mortals step in and announce supper, although the odor of pork and cabbage had been proclaiming it dumbly for some time." (p. 16)

Natural beauty, the promise of food...things will go better now, or she'll be better able to face what still doesn't!...

"'Captain. What a good name for him. He looks as if he were a captain, and he waves that tail grandly, almost as if it might be a badge of office.'" (Margaret admiring Bud's dog on p. 17)

"'You could not shake my faith in Christ because I KNOW HIM.'" (Margaret to that questionable minister on p. 23)

"It was wonderful how many different things that man could look like for a person as insignificant as he really was!" (p. 30)

"For a moment now he was impressed with the wonder of the Cross, and it suddenly seemed as if he were being arraigned before the eyes of Him with Whom we all have to do." (p. 47)

"'I ain't any sort of a Christian myself, but I just can't stand it to see a parson floatin' round that don't even know the name of the firm he's workin' for.'" (VERY well said at p. 47)

"Margaret wondered whether she was altogether right in attempting to win the girl through her vanity, and yet what other weak place was there to storm the silly little citadel of her soul?" (p. 55)

"They were in a distinct sense 'company,' for they had the air, as they entered, of having come to look on and be amused, not to partake in the worship with the rest." (p. 66)

"the truly wonderful effect she produced upon the listeners was due to the fact that she was playing a prayer with her heart." (p. 72)

"'GO TO IT!' said Jasper Kemp under his breath in the same tone some men say 'Amen!'" (p. 80)

"She could not be lost where God was." (p. 98)

"She wondered if into the heart of this dark sister there ever crept any of the rebellion which led some of her white sisters to cry aloud for 'rights' and 'emancipation.'" (p. 98)

Could Margaret's time in Arizona be one of the best things that ever happened to her? I hope you'll follow A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.

Thanks for reading!

[Charles van Buren · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star edition of a book by a great author

This review pertains to the following edition only:

Product Details
ASIN: B08QV7QNFJ
Publication date: December 16, 2020
Language: English
File size: 2093 KB
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported
Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Print length: 322 pages
Lending: Enabled

Free with Kindle Unlimited
Currently this edition has a brown toned cover with a photograph of a man who looks like Will Rogers to me but my wife says it isn't.

A Grace Livingston Hill book should normally rate three to five stars...and this one might in another edition. This edition is so bad that I stopped reading after a few lines of the first chapter. Here is a sample:

"CHAPTER I
With a lurch the teach came to a useless prevent and Margaret Earle, unexpectedly accumulating up her assets, moved quickly down the aisle and got out into the night.

It occurred to her, as she swung her heavy healthy-case down the as an alternative lengthy step to the ground, after which cautiously swung herself after it, that it was strange that neither conductor, brakeman, nor porter had come to assist her off the educate, while all 3 had taken the hassle to tell her that hers was the next station; but she may want to listen voices up in advance. Perhaps some thing turned into the matter with the engine that detained them and that they had forgotten her for the moment.

The floor was difficult wherein she stood, and there regarded no signal of a platform. Did they now not have structures on this wild Western land, or become the train so long that her vehicle had stopped before reaching it?"

Are optical scanners that bad? Or maybe this was translated into another language then back into what passes for English?

Anyway this is a one star edition of a book by a great author.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this on my Kindle for $0.00 and loved the sweet and wholesome romance. The beginning is priceless as the heroine gets off her train accidently in the middle of the Arizona desert and is rescued by the cowboy hero. The romance is beautiful, patient, and strong. The side characters are well-developed and add such character and warmth to the the whole story. There was neither profanity nor overt sexuality and I appreciated that.

[Lady Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 / 5

There is a charm to Grace Livingston Hill's writing style and novels that has drawn me in time and time again, despite my usual aversion to "romance only", "obviously cheesy" works. What can I say in my defense except that some writers can pull it off and Hill is one such writer?

The summary of Margaret Earle getting lost in the wilderness and then saved by Lance Gardley literally only encompasses maybe 2-3 chapters of the novel. The rest is a simple and pleasant look on how her life progresses as the schoolteacher of the town, with a lot of emphasis put on Christian prayer and thought as well as a budding romance. Unlike the novels I've read by Hill before, while romance was still definitely the main theme of this work, it's not as prevalent as in her previous works. I think that Hill's main focus is on the Christian definition of love rather than romantic love between man and woman, and, honestly, it's refreshing not to have to read chapters of lovesickness until it's finally cured via marriage.

This was a calming read at just the right time when I needed something calm and simple, and for that I'm thankful. If I had wanted something like a trek through the desert wherein the man and woman are in each other's proximity and must learn to maintain a proper distance even though they're falling for each other (which is what I expected, to be honest), then this book would have been a disappointment to me. But, as it was, I went into it with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised by, well...the appreciation of small things in life and how nicely they can be written about.

All in all, a charming read, and so far my favourite of Hill's works. (And I'm not discouraged in the least from seeing what else she may have written. Fifty or so years from now, little ol' lady me will be rereading these, I'm sure.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not her best work, but still good. There were several good quotes, but this one was my favorite:
"You couldn't shake my faith in Christ, because I know Him. If I'd never felt His presence or been guided by His leading, such words might possibly trouble me, but having seen 'Him that is invisible,' I know
Also, I laughed so hard when the group of men "convert" the city preacher.

[Caryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. While this novel isn't epic or anything, it is a truly enjoyable story, great characters and I love how the author can incorporate true Christian faith (and struggle) in a strong but not awkward way. It flows naturally into the story, and into the character's lives as they have their faith journeys alongside one another. The heroine draws people to be more of who they were created to be by her love for them and her desire to see God's glory through them. She draws men to be the men they can be, not by nagging or trying to take over, but naturally inviting it out of their depths by being who she is created to be. She is not perfect in anyway, and is honest in her own distrust of characters and wrestling with her own shortcomings as well. What a sweet picture of how we can embrace who He truly has made us and draw that out in others, and to want to know Him more. Not many novels seem to do that well.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 2 out of 5]

We must overscrupulously observe the Sabbath, but may completely toss out biblical injunctions regarding women teaching in church. 🙄

Women are almighty saviors whose sweetness and light inexorably draw men back from the error of their ways. 🙄

Women are also inexorable temptresses temptresses whose wiles can lead all men astray (except, of course, the ones who lead the astrayer. 🙄

Girls should be brought up to unquestioningly respect and go along with all clergymen, no matter how inappropriately they're behaving, unless and until they spout heresy. 🙄🤦‍♀️

The one redeeming but was the fate of the said heretic. GLH missed her calling — should have gone a more Wodehousian route — because this was some pretty hysterical rough justice. 👍

One of her dumber endeavors.

The readers ranged from bad to dreadful. Think of Edward Ferrars awkwardly attempting to read Cowper. Some of the contributors here made him look like Lawrence Olivier by comparison.

[Naomi Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't the edition I read, but I LOVE the cover art. Again, I just needed something relaxing. This was a lot of fun. Our heroine, young schoolmarm-to-be, gets off the train accidentally at a water stop, and is stranded in the middle of the Arizona wilds in the early days of statehood. Only in a Hill novel would such a scenario lead to her discovering God's man, er, God's will for her life. Expected features: A sort of altar call in prose; romance guided by the hand of God; painful use of dialect; women in peril. Unexpected features: A kind of ethnography (not without dated stereotypes) of Arizona's Indians; an oddly chaste performance of Midsummer Night's Dream; roughnecks with hearts of gold.

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Grace Livingston Hill... This one had a heavier dose of religion in it than the other books of hers that I have read, but the main character was a minister's daughter, so it didn't seem too out of place or forced. The side characters were almost better than the main characters in this one too, which I always like. I'm so glad I discovered GLH - I will be reading more by her soon!

[Luci · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the GLH books I have read so far, this was my least favorite. I didn't get the whole Frederick West subplot, and the Rosa subplot ends without any real explanation of what happens to her. There were some sweet lines and thoughts here and there, but overall it was just kind of "eh" for me.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way these books tie together. Some of the characters in this book are the main characters in Man in the Desert. Great!

[Simone Scafe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This was a wonderful story with God at the centre of it. A true life story depicting how God delivers us from hate, greed and jealousy. Young adults should read this book.

[Janie Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful! The story, the scenery and the characters...

[Barbara]

Another Livingston quaint book with romance and spirituality woven within the story.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I consider GLH one of my favorites but some of her titles are misses for me and unfortunately this was one of them. It started out enjoyable but lost me around the middle, and felt overly long for one of her titles.

While I know it was a product of its time (1910s) the portrayal of Native Americans as savages with a penchant for firewater was off putting as well.

To be fair, this was my first experience listening to a book through LibriVox and it had four different narrators - the final one that read the bulk of the book had a strong southern accent that was distracting and did not fit the characters at all. I may have enjoyed the book more had I read it and been able to get through it faster.

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Companion novel, and sort of a sequel, to GLH's The Man of the Desert, although they can certainly be read independently. The characters of that book are offstage for the first half or so of this book, but are mentioned earlier. I'd say the romances reflect each other in some ways, as well, but overall the plots are very different.

Kelly in her review said that it's "a little more feminist than usual for GLH," and I'd agree with that. The heroine is a "managing female," for sure, and likes to be in charge, but at the same time she's a good manager, not a bully, and not particularly bossy, and if the book feels a mite Mary Sue at times, it's not totally unbelievable that her methods would work.

Some nice evocative passages on the scenery, which is something I like about GLH, and the plot, although dependent on a lot of coincidence, makes sense, which isn't always the case with her books. Not a personal favorite, since GLH has others I love more, but I enjoyed it.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spunky and beautiful young woman from New York takes her first school-teaching position way out in the wilds of Arizona. She mistakenly gets off her train out in the middle of nowhere, and naively accepts help from an old geezer who happens along as it was getting dark. Eventually a strong and handsome cowboy comes to her rescue, and we follow her path as she gets to know the interesting variety of people living in her new hometown. Several intriguing characters emerge: some adore her, one especially hates her, but she seems to have a way of getting people to become more than they thought they could. Not everyone she interacts with grows in positive ways, but her sincere Christian faith and love for others helps many. This is a sweet romance with some rather suspenseful situations. First published in 1916. I listened to this novel as a free download from LibriVox.org.

[Shari Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another quick read. It was fun reading a book that was published in 1916. The story takes place in Arizona where a young woman has taken her first teaching assignment. She has one student that hates her, another student that is the kind of student a teacher would dream about. At the beginning of the book she is stuck out in the middle of no where at night accidently. Towards the end of the book you think about a story that very little children are told and how the story gets the children out of trouble. You how you can rely on God when times are tough.

[Lo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot seemed a little more fragmented than some of the author's other stories. A major character leaves halfway through the story and there remains a loose end at the story's conclusion. A little unsatisfying, but that's how real life often goes. One scene was meant to be funny but I personally found it to be in bad taste. Nice characters as always, but a bit inconsistent this time. Nevertheless, there is action and a number of very sweet and tender moments between Margaret and Gardley. Good for fans of Grace Livingston Hill, but there are better titles for a first-timer.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little more feminist than usual for GLH. Much too "saintly woman is the salvation of the sinful man". 3.5 stars

**spoiler about something which is secondary to the plot**


The best part was when the cowboys dunked the heretical preacher in the local pond until he recanted and said he believed in Hell, the atonement, the inerrancy of Scripture, etc. Then they made him write it all down and sent a copy of it to his church elder board (which church he'd left in the middle of a terrible split because of his wickedness and false teaching). I'm not gonna lie, I kind of like that idea.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this early-era author, but although this was a sweet story, it wasn't my favorite. The main character was too much without flaws, able to influence just about EVERYONE she came in contact with. Hmm. Set in early 20th century old west, an unusual setting for Ms. Hill's books.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Livingston Hill’s second of her Arizona Duology- “A Voice in the Wilderness” and continues with different characters and including the Brownleighs from book 1, doing a bit part. A religious romantic read, I loved both stories but I especially liked about the non believer pastor who espouses that the Bible deals with fairy tales. I loved that Margaret and even the camp men knew that preacher was false and self centered. I loved thst the prodigal son finds his way in the end.

Story in short- Margaret decides to come to Arizona for a teaching job but soon finds things are very different and with the help of others she finds her way but will the prodigal young man win her heart!





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"Oh, thank you!" she gasped, with a quick little relieved sob in her voice. "I am so glad you have come. I was —just a little—frightened, I think." She attempted to rise, but her foot caught in her skirt and she sank wearily back to the sand again. The Boy stooped over and lifted her to her feet. "You certainly are some plucky girl!" he commented, looking down at her slender height as she stood beside him. "A 'little frightened,' were you? Well, I should say you had a right to be."
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"Well, not exactly frightened, you know," said Margaret, taking a deep breath and trying to steady her voice. "I think perhaps I was more mortified than frightened, to think I made such a blunder as to get off the train before I reached my station. You see, I'd made up my mind not to be frightened, but when I heard that awful howl of some beast—And then that terrible man!" She shuddered and put her hands suddenly over her eyes as if to shut out all memory of it.
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"More than one kind of beasts!" commented the Boy, briefly. "Well, you needn't worry about him; he's having his supper and he'll be sound asleep by the time we get back." "Oh, have we got to go where he is?" gasped Margaret. "Isn't there some other place? Is Ashland very far away? That is where I am going." "No other place where you could go tonight. Ashland's a good twenty-five miles from here. But you'll be all right. Mom Wallis 'll look out for you. She isn't much of a looker,
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but she has a kind heart. She pulled me through once when I was just about flickering out. Come on. You'll be pretty tired. We better be getting back. Mom Wallis 'll make you comfortable, and then you can get off good and early in the morning."

*** Margaret Earle has left her parents for a school teacher's job in Arizona... thinking she has reached the station, she departs of the train but soon found her mistake when the train taking a water break goes away without knowing her plight. Ashland is 25 miles away and she is quite frightened by the older drunk man who talks of the stubborn young girl which causes the young man to find her.

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There was a strange mingling of culture and roughness in his speech. The girl could not make him out; yet there had been a palpitating earnestness in his description that showed he had felt the dawn in his very soul.
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"You are—a—poet, perhaps?" she asked, half shyly. "Or an artist?" she hazarded. He laughed roughly and seemed embarrassed. "No, I'm just a—bum! A sort of roughneck out of a job." She was silent, watching him against the starlight, a kind of embarrassment upon her after his last remark. "You—have been here long?" she asked, at last. "Three years." He said it almost curtly and turned his head away, as
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if there were something in his face he would hide. She knew there was something unhappy in his life. Unconsciously her tone took on a sympathetic sound. "And do you get homesick and want to go back, ever?" she asked. His tone was fairly savage now. "No!"
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They would send post-haste for me to come back if they knew what a mess I have made of things right at the start—getting out of the train in the desert." "But you're not discouraged?" said her companion, half wonderingly. "Some nerve you have with you. I guess you'll manage to hit it off in Ashland. It's the limit as far as discipline is concerned, I understand, but I guess you'll put one over on
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them. I'll bank on you after tonight, sure thing!" She turned a laughing face toward him. "Thank you!" she said. "But I don't see how you know all that. I'm sure I didn't do anything particularly nervy. There wasn't anything else to do but what I did, if I'd tried." "Most girls would have fainted and screamed, and fainted again when they were rescued," stated the Boy, out of a vast experience.

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I loved that Margaret was not fooled by West or Forysthe, she had faith in Lance which helped him atone for his past and become a believer. I liked Bud and all the camp men especially when they escorted West out of town. I loved that Grace shows the non believers and the importance of the Bible in our lives and the importance of prayer!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keep in mind, I read this a long time ago, but at the time I thought it was one of the best of Grace L. Hill's novels. I don't remember much about it.

[Rebecca Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book. I like the writing style of GLH. I especially liked her books Story of a Whim and The Witness.

[Charity U · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun Grace Livingston Hill! A sweet story as usual. I recommend it!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always love Grace Livingston Hill.

[Duane Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A typical GLH book with a Christian message and a simple plot. Very light reading with a happy ending guaranteed.

[Maureen Caturia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story!

A sweet love story. Full of suspense. Great romance for young children to begin with. Grace Livingston Hill has a way to keep her audience captivated.v

[Krystal Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't terrible. Not my favorite genre, so it probably just wasn't my cup of tea. There were some parts I did like though.

[Polina Parubenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice novel, but too naive for me, making it a little dull nearing the end. The protagonist is depicted as a perfect human being, so out of this world the whole story seems unrealistic.