At first, Scott Walker is torn. It is obvious that this beautiful Shawnee woman needs help, but tending to her will slow him down, and he must be quick or risk being caught by the tribe of a friend, killed accidentally by Scott's own arrow.

But in this wild and dangerously beautiful land, companionship has innate benefits, so Scott sees to the woman's wounds. Soon he finds himself grateful for her company, her hard work, and eventually her love. When the pair is joined by another Shawnee, the silent hunter, Man-with-no-hair, the little tribe is complete, strong and self-sufficient despite their size.

"One with the Land" is a realistically detailed look at survival in the unmapped wilderness of America in the 1600's. Scott Walker and his two Indian companions create a life for themselves in a world that is at the same time as beautiful as it is unpredictable. Despite the harshness of the setting, the characters display a myriad of human emotions, from revengeful fury between warring Indian tribes, to an unpretentious romance between Scott Walker and the beautiful Shawnee, Dew-on-the-grass-in-the-moon-when-the- leaves-fall. All of this with the back drop of the untouched land, described with an obvious admiration and respect for nature's beauty and power.

The writing is straightforward and uncluttered, directed by the demands of survival made necessary by the untamed setting. It may take the reader awhile to get comfortable with this terse style, depending on what they are used to reading: at first it feels quite a bit like a screenplay. However, once I became accustom to the writing style, and repeatedly reading the very long name of Scott Walker's female companion, I found myself earnestly anticipating the next challenge they would face.

Filled with insights into native culture and history, and intriguing wilderness survival skills, this book is a must-read for those of us who harbour the unfulfilled desire to test their strength and aptitude against Mother Nature.