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Riders of the Purple Sage

Book 1 in the series:Riders of the Purple Sage

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Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey is a classic Western novel set in Utah in 1871. The story follows Jane Withersteen, a wealthy landowner who defies the Mormon community and faces opposition from church leaders. The plot includes elements typical of the Western genre such as gunfights, rustlers, and a love story between Jane and the mysterious Lassiter. Grey's lush descriptions of Utah's wilderness and vivid portrayal of the conflict between the characters create a slow-moving but engaging plot that culminates in dramatic endings.

Characters:

Characters include a strong female lead, a conflicted gunslinger, and various supporting figures that amplify the themes of love and conflict.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines lyrical descriptions with melodrama and dated dialogue, focusing on character emotion and the landscape.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around a strong woman confronting societal challenges in a prejudiced community, featuring intertwined love stories and action involving gunfights and rivalry.

Setting:

Set in 1871 Utah, the story vividly portrays a community under Mormon influence within a rugged western landscape.

Pacing:

Pacing fluctuates between slow descriptive passages and increased tension during action scenes, culminating in dramatic climaxes.
Jane Withersteen gazed down the wide purple slope with dreamy andtroubled eyes. A rider had just left her and it was his messagethat held her thoughtful and almost sad, awaiting the churchmenwho were ...

Notes:

Riders of the Purple Sage was published in 1912 and is considered one of the first Western novels.
The author, Zane Grey, was born in Ohio in 1872 and studied dentistry before pursuing writing.
The story is set in the Utah territory in 1871 during a time of religious conflict and intolerance.
The main character, Jane Withersteen, is a strong female figure who inherits her father’s ranch and defies societal conventions.
The novel explores themes of gender roles and religious oppression within the Mormon community.
It features elements typical of Westerns, such as cattle rustlers, gunmen, and dramatic landscapes.
Grey's descriptive writing vividly portrays the Utah landscape, which many readers find engaging.
The plot includes a love story between Jane and Lassiter, a gunslinger, challenging traditional gender roles.
The book has remained popular since its publication, influencing the Western genre significantly.
Riders of the Purple Sage presents a critical view of Mormons, reflecting historical prejudices of the time.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of religious oppression, violence, and the nuanced portrayal of a religious community.

Has Romance?

There are significant romantic elements in the story, particularly the relationships between the main characters.

From The Publisher:

No book has a better claim to have invented the myth of the American West.

It is 1871 in Cottonwoods, Utah.

This is the story of the gunman, Lassiter, and the Mormon rancher, Jane Withersteen.

Ratings (9)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (2)
Liked It (4)
It Was OK (2)

Reader Stats (18):

Read It (8)
Want To Read (6)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (3)

2 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

Shame of Zane Grey for creating a well written engaged novel that makes me revaluate how I feel about western novels!

Riders of the Purple Sage tells the story of Jane Withersteen, a rich Morman woman who is at odds with Elder Tull due to her helping non Mormans aka Gentile Ben Venters. When the books begins, Venters is about to be severely whipped by Tull due to him befriending Jane. Just before Venters is taken by Tull and his men, a man rides up on his horse and saves the day by intervening. Tull's men don't know who this interloper is but they know they don't appreciate his butting in. The unknown man is about to come to blows with Tull and his men when Venters announces that the unknown man is the infamous Lassiter.

Lassister has arrived in Cottonwoods to see the grave of Millie Ern although the connection between the two of them isn't made clear. Over time, Lassiter and Jane establish a relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

Through this book, there are two intersecting story lines which is what's happening with Jane and Lassister and what is happening to Venters once he leaves Jane's home. While Venters is away, he shoots a rustler and during the course of the book, Venters finds out that the rustler he shot is not a man but actually a woman. Venters feels so bad for shooting her, he stays by her side and nurses her back to health.

Initially, Jane decides to shower affection on Lassister so he won't kill any Mormon men eventually, she grows to love Lassiter despite him not being Mormon.

I liked that this book had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged. From wanting to know how Lassiter is connected to Millie Ern to finding out the true identity of the rustler, this book is a great way to be introduced to the western reading genre.

 
It Was OK
1 month

Not really sure about this one. It is an old western, so I expect much of the dialog and horse riding, and with it a certain amount of 'romance', be it for the land, for the frontier itself, and between man and woman.

What I did not expect was for every chapter to reference the SAGE - Oh, my, how the sage is in each and every chapter. And it is never doing anything except being purple, reminding us of the title of the book.

Also, I know that this is an old novel, but I Despise the use of the word 'ejaculated' instead of exclaimed or shouted or even said excitedly. This book 'ejaculated' a few times to my recollection.

The part the leaves me in the state of unease is, the ending just ends. One minute there is a chase scene into the mountains and then - end. Abrupt and not very satisfying. I will say that this is not a great book, though a classic, one that will not remain in my collection.

 

About the Author:

The father of the western novel, Zane Grey (1872 - 1939) was born in Zanesville, Ohio. He wrote 58 westerns and almost 30 other books. Over 130 films have been based on his work.

 
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