Ralph Compton Books

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Ralph Compton was an American author that wrote western fiction. Born in 1934 in St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton attended St. Clair County High School, Odenville. The author had the misfortune of being born during the Depression.

Because his family was poor, Compton couldn’t rely on his family to meet all his needs. The only way to pay for his high school education was to pursue odd jobs. Fortunately, the author was a diligent worker, and he found a way to pay for his necessities.

Compton stood out in high school because of his talent for writing. The author’s principal took note of his abilities and pushed him to pursue subjects like literature and history that suited his gifts. However, it took a while for Compton to find his footing as a novelist.

Although, writing followed him wherever he went. The author pursued songwriting after moving to Nashville in the late 1970s. By the time he entered the publishing arena, Compton had developed a knack for telling compelling stories.

But even though his friends and family were well aware of his aptitude for storytelling, no one expected ‘The Goodnight Trail,’ the author’s first novel, to do so well. The book struck a chord among readers because of the personal nature of the topic.

‘The Goodnight Trail’ explored the hard life Compton lived as a child that had to grow up during the Great Depression. Some people read it because they had experienced the struggles in the author’s book. Others wanted a glimpse at an era they barely understood.

Eventually, ‘The Goodnight Trail’ sold a million copies. If Compton had doubts about his future as a published author, they disappeared once ‘The Goodnight Trail’ came out. He wrote several critically acclaimed and financially successful books in the years that followed.

He was 64 when he died. Doctors blamed cancer. But his legacy has persisted, and not just in his hometown. His estate has hired various authors over the years to write and publish new books under his name.

Ralph Compton Awards

Compton was nominated for a Medicine Pipe Bearer Award (Western Writers of America).

Best Ralph Compton Books

The author’s talents were not limited to storytelling. He also worked as a musician, record producer, and newspaper columnist. Compton’s best books include:

The Dawn of Fury: Nathan Stone was tougher than most men. Circumstances had led him through various battlefields. But he had emerged victorious, and when he went home, Nathan expected a warm welcome.

Unfortunately, a nightmare is all that awaited him. His father was dead. Someone murdered him. His mother and sister had fared no better. The killers had raped the women before claiming their lives.

The family’s former slave was barely alive when Nathan came home. It was from this final victim that Nathan learned the truth. Several northern ruffians had swept through and decimated his family before moving on.

They should have waited until Nathan came home. They should have killed him along with everyone else because now Nathan is furious, and he won’t stop until he kills every last one of them.

Death Rides A Chestnut Mare: Daniel Strange was a loving husband and father. But the Wild West was a ruthless place that rarely rewarded the good deeds of men. In Daniel’s case, he found himself in lawless Indian territory at the wrong time.

Daniel was the best gunsmith in St. Joseph, Missouri. But that hardly equipped him to overcome impossible odds. The cowboy was on his way to Texas to make a purchase when he met his end.

The outlaws that killed him went so far as to hang his lifeless body from a rope. But if they thought their misdeeds would go unpunished, they were dead wrong.

A mysterious gunslinger was on the loose. The fact that he was picking Daniel’s killers off one at a time wasn’t a surprise. After all, men of that ilk had plenty of enemies. But this gunslinger was something new, something disturbing.

First of all, his weapon of choice was Daniel’s Colt. Secondly, he only answered to Daniel’s name. Those who knew Daniel before he died noticed that the stranger had the same green eyes and fiery temper. But who was he, and what did he want?

When Does The Next Ralph Compton book come out?

Ralph Compton doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Devil's Canyon and was released on September, 3rd 2013. It is the newest book in the Sundown Riders Series.

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