Riders of the Purple Sage

This was the first Western I read when I was young. It made an impression on me, not only as a Western, but as a classic story of good and evil with sharply drawn characters that make it come alive to the reader. Grey’s writing puts the reader right in the middle of every scene. And it has an ending you don’t see coming, but one that fits perfectly.

Here is a great classic taking us back in time to southern Utah and the early ranches and Mormon settlements. I love Grey’s perspective on the history of this region. Here, horses are king, and those that ride them are their worshippers. Hero Lassiter falls in love with the lovely, independent ranch owner, Jane Withersteen, who is being stalked by wife-hunting Mormons. But the most compelling part for me is Vetner’s (a second male protagonist) discovery of the hidden redoubt he names Surprise Valley, a forgotten home of ancient cliff dwellers, and described by Grey with all the amygdala-rousing prose… show more.