Reviews

Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey

literaryshots's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

smolfroglad's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

oh my God make it stop

larsenc23's review against another edition

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3.0

Short read, which sadly a lot of it is filler. Story of Lassiter and Venters (terrible names) and their love interests Jane and Bess. I'm not a big fan of romance and was disappointed that it's the primary arc. Around page 200 of 280 I was anxiously still waiting for "something" to happen as the first 200 pages felt very light on action. The last 80 are worth it, albeit by how much I struggle to say. The chapter with Wrangle's race is the most exciting until the ending, but it's not until page 200 or so. The first chapter was great, but it's pretty tough going until the last 80 pages. Majority of the text seems to be descriptors and imagery. Grey seems to be some kind of purple fetishist.

This was likely a great book when it was published in 1912, however I don't think it's held up well in age. The Goodreads page reads "the most famous novel of the American West" and it makes me cringe so hard. There are countless Westerns that are far better than this - Lonesome Dove comes to mind and often while reading this I wished I was re-reading Lonesome Dove instead. The Son by Philipp Meyer is another Western miles ahead.


Reminded me a lot of Mountain Men by Vardis Fisher, some great crumbs of action but overall left me underwhelmed and somewhat betrayed by lack of action. Most of all reminded me of the Hank the Cowdog series from my childhood.

cymo01's review against another edition

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3.0

This is the seminal western. Grey is at his best describing the beauty of the Utah landscape. He's not quite as good with dialog: "I've been thinking--too," she cried, with quivering smile and swelling breast. "I've discovered myself--too. I'm young--I'm alive--I'm so full--oh! I'm a woman!" There are other over-the-top statements.

But the story is, overall, pretty good for a western. And considering it was published in 1912. Yes, there are the stereotypes, the laconic men, the stalwart women. But it's fun to read about the "invisible hand" of the Mormon cult. (Read Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" for a similar treatment of the brutal and nefarious Mormons.) I don't believe such a treatment of Christian religion as pure evil would be tolerated today. "Riders" is an OK oater especially so as this is really the first in the genre. But the hifalutin dialog is a bit wearying after a while. Recommended for fans of Westerns; recommended with reservations (for bouts of silly dialog) for everyone else.

gerald_author's review against another edition

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3.0

Well, it is what it is. We read this for our Pub Book Club. I didn't know, until the discussion, that it was published in 1912. Although the writing style is clunky, it doesn't read like a book over 100 years old.
Writing style aside, it's an interesting story, and I must say that I enjoyed reading it, especially towards the end. But I began to hate the adjective-ridden descriptions of canyons. Hats off to the author for managing to find a thousand different ways of describing, what must have been, almost identical pieces of scenery.
Sort of recommended as a beach read, perhaps.

zachlittrell's review against another edition

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3.0

There's a pretty good cowboy story tucked away in the buttcrack of this one, if you're willing to go digging for it. A heroic murderer, a cruel community elder, a gun-toting bishop, a masked rider, and a female Mormon landowner who has the freaking patience of Job and the intense desire to tame herself a cowboy.

Shoot, the opening chapter was pretty damn exciting and didn't dick around about setting up the entire book: Elder Tull hates gentiles and wants to marry Jane, Jane likes gentiles and does NOT want to marry Tull, Elder Tull will ruin Jane's life if necessary, and Lassiter shoots Mormons. Here we freaking go!

But Grey drops the ball. He's at least aware of his weaknesses as a writer (the dialogue, oh goodness), but the exciting scenes are separated by loooong stretches of nothing. There are some interesting twists at the end, but they don't do much to cover the more problematic elements of the story. Biggest is probably the character Bess, who is basically a talking piece of scenery, and Mormons in general are given an uncomfortably broad stroke (the few 'good' ones usually have a guilt complex or are women, or both).

It's kinda fun, though. And while Grey can be an obnoxious trumpet of adjectives, adverbs, and other verbal upchuck, he does set alive a gorgeous, thundering scene every once in a while.

stephaniejean's review against another edition

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3.0

Loved the ending!

soniapage's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.0

californianorma's review against another edition

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4.0

That was fun. Except for a couple of places where the animal lover in me just had to put the book down. It certainly took my mind off of current realities! And that was the plan.

plt333's review against another edition

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3.0

need to re-read