I must confess that two things that I have loved are the western movies and the books of that turbulent period referred to as the ‘wild West in nineteenth-century American history. This was a period that created its own legends in the form of Doc Holiday, Billy the Kid, and many other characters.
One writer who revived that period was Zane Grey. This man has many distinctions. He was the first millionaire writer and his popularity can be gauged by the fact that 34 of his books were published posthumously.
I have read at least 25 of his books, but the book that has impressed me the most is his ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’. This novel is written in a racy style and once one starts reading it one cannot put it down.
‘Riders of the Purple Sage‘is a book that more than any other Wild West novel has helped bring the legend of the Wild West to life.. For information only, the Wild West period refers to the period after the American Civil War.
The book has all the makings of a boiling pot with a black-clad gunslinger, an outlaw capo, and a charming frontierswoman torn between love and the law. Zane Gray brings these figures to life. This Zane Gray novel is not just a western, but a novel that brings out the deepest emotions of the human heart such as love, honor and bravery.
The plot is something like this. There is a beautiful young girl named Jane Withersteen, who inherits a ranch when her father dies. The sad part is that the ranch is located in the Cottonwoods, which is an area dominated by Mormons.
The Mormons were an offshoot of the Christian faith and had some strange customs and rituals that included multiple marriages within the same clan. The story takes place in Utah in 1871 when the area was not properly policed.
There is a small stream called Amber Springs that runs through his property and is coveted by the Mormon Church. This creek supplies all the water to the Mormon settlement
Mormon elders land on the ranch and wish to force Jane to marry another Mormon named Elder Tull. She refuses and Mormons led by Elder Tull break into her ranch and arrest her foreman. They plan to flog him. A helpless Jane prays to Jesus for his deliverance, and behold, a horseman dressed in black appears. He is Lassitor, who is after the Mormons who have kidnapped his sister.
Zane Gray has created a more lovable, masculine character in Lassitier. A man who is quick on the draw and can shoot weapons like a greased bolt. He is the archetype of the mythical western gunslinger.
Later novelists, who made a name for themselves, based their characters on Lassitor, Zane Grey’s creation. Jane hires Lassitor and falls in love with him. Zane Gray made his heroines virtuous and charming and his male heroes strong and good lovers. Needless to say, Lassitor cleans up the shady Mormon-dominated settlement and marries Jane.
This is one of the best Zane Gray books. It is still very popular in the United States. He is a master storyteller who brings the Wild West to life. It is also one of his bestsellers and sold millions of copies. The best thing is his prose which is simple and direct. He knows how to tell a story.
I have read this book three times and each time and have marveled at its grip on the reader. I think it’s like classic American frontier fiction, colorful and authentic. It fulfills an average man’s dream of a beautiful heroine and a strong man. Zane Gray has certainly carved out a niche for himself. Last but not least, Zane Gray also has a clientele in India.