Riders of The Purple Sage - Zane Grey

Published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd: London, 2007 (1912).

 A good friend of mine is an avid reader of Westerns and has recommended Zane Grey to me as an author he enjoys, but this is the first time I have read any of his works.

The story of Riders of the Purple Sage is fascinating to read in our modern world, as it chooses the make a Mormon community the villains - something that feels like it would be less acceptable today. Indeed, the movie versions that have been produced from this book (none of which I have seen) have almost universally changed the villains from Mormons to a more "acceptable" group of people.

There are two main storylines going on in the novel. In the first we are introduced to Jane Withersteen, a woman attempting to keep her ranch operating after the death of her father, who has to fend off the advances of the local Mormons, particularly Elder Tull, who wants Jane to become his third wife. Jane gets help from the infamous Jim Lassiter, known for killing numerous Mormons over the years, and seeks to soften Jim while still surviving in the community. The second storyline follows Jane's non-Mormon ranch-hand Bern Venters, who tracks Jane's stolen cattle into a canyon, learns the identity of the feared 'Masked Rider', and discovers an enclosed canyon where he sets up life for a time.

The story is well-told, and one that kept me turning the page. Indeed, having learned there is a sequel, I may have to ask my friend if he has it so I can read on. I can see from this book why Zane Grey was successful... he is definitely not "deep" literature, but very entertaining.

Completed 23 December 2019.

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