Riders of the Purple Sage, with eBook Audiobook

" Not a typical "western" in my opinion, but had a much deeper context of the people settling the land in Utah. I found the connection between the cattle rustler and his "black masked gunman" (aka somewhat adopted daughter) to be unique. How could someone who made his living this way become attached to this girl enough to raise her as his own and protect her as he did? "

" Another unexpected new favorite. There's romance, religious hypocrisy, more romance, western style swashbuckling, (I LOVE a good swashbuckle!) and a satisfying ending. "

" I've had half a dozen Zane Grey novels sitting on my bookcase for so long that I don't remember how or why they got there. So I decided to read one, and chose this title because it's supposed to be his best. Oh my, if this is his best I'd hate to read the others. I suffered through almost fifty pages and had to give up. The writing is so bad it's like unintentional humor - except that it's more like a bad pun than ha-ha funny. At least now I can give his books away and clear a little shelf space. "

" Riders of the Purple Sage felt very dated and stilted to me. "

" I found this book to be quite an eye opener of the way the Mormons lived in Western Utah in the turn of the century. Breathtaking narrative on the landscape of the Sage plains and horsemanship. "

" Westerns get me every time. "

" Very dated with alot of prejudice towards Mormons. The basic story was good and although I figured out the end early on it still was a pleasant read to see how the author got you to the end. "

" Gotta luv Mr. Grey. The goodness of Man always wins out in his stroies. "

" Phenomenal story. Though I generally avoid bloodshed, this is a perfectly crafted combo of adventure and romance. A Shakespearean plot that reaches joyous and surprising conclusions. "

" Good writing, just not my cup of tea. "

" That quintessential element of the lone good guy that might just shoot you weighs heavy in this book. And perhaps because this book is the originator of the Western genre none of it seems rote. The themes of a man stuck around alien people (mormons) is not as compelling as the author's intense description of landscape and how that landscape shapes all those it envelopes. "

" have read this 3 times at least. not necessarily pc, but fuck pc. zane grey loves the red desert, and this is a beautifully written love story, a love affair with landscape. well written. "

" I had heard a lot about Zane Grey westerns and wanted to read one. While his descriptions are pretty good and he can tell a story his historical accuracy is deficient. "

" Phenomenal story. Though I generally avoid bloodshed, this is a perfectly crafted combo of adventure and romance. A Shakespearean plot that reaches joyous and surprising conclusions. "

" I finally finished this after months and months of work-related reading. It would never fly today, but Zane Grey gets a whole lot of points, and two stars, on the strength of his skill as a wordsmith. I know he still has a lot of fans, and I think it will be some time before traditional Westerns fall completely out of favor. I could forgive a lot of his missteps (occasional unrealistic dialogue and things like that), but the ending? Holy moly! That could be the worst ending ever, especially considering the popularity of the book. "

" I found this book to be, first and foremost, anti-Mormon, and I am not Mormon. "

" Zane Grey seems to be somewhat anti mormon without having really known Mormonism. Some of the things he says in the book about Mormonism is untrue. I tried to read up on how he did his research for his novel but I didn't come up with much. I really liked the story though... especially the end. "

" Gotta luv Mr. Grey. The goodness of Man always wins out in his stroies. "

" Story a little obvious but western writing is Grey's expertise. "

" Amazing in some parts, amazingly melodramatic in others. Great settings, great descriptions, great action, but laughable characters and dialogue. Not sure what to make of it, but I am glad I read it, as I have never read Zane Grey before (and probably never will again). "

" For a book that is considered one of the definitive works of the western genre, this seemed ridiculously heavy on the romance. But then, I have never claimed to be a fan of westerns (at least, not ones set in this galaxy...) "

" I had been looking forward to reading more by this author of classic Western tales, and I was not disappointed. This is not the deepest form of intellectual tale, but it is an enjoyable, diverting read just for the fun of it. There is plenty of hard-hitting gun play and equestrian action, which is what I read Westerns for. I definitely will read more Zane Grey. "

" I read this after my dad's enthusiastic review. I hated it. My biggest problem is that I could not imagine the landscape the characters were traveling over, and since a great deal of the book is devoted to describing the surroundings, I was bored stiff. "

" I was surprised I liked this, I didn't use to like reading westerns. Dan and Carlos love Zane Grey's books. I decided to read this one of Zane Grey's, when I was riding with Dan and did not have anything else to read. I would have liked it more but, I do not like reading about murder for vengeance, otherwise I would have given this book a four. Now I will read the sequel and hope it is as good or better than this one. "

" Read a lot of the zane grey books as a young teen. I was the only one of my friends who read westerns, sci fi, and fairy tales all at the same time. "

" It seems to be such a famous example of the Western genre, so I wanted to read it. I had not read anything by Zane Grey before, so that also seemed compelling. In the end, much of it seemed cliche/classic genre fiction. However, it is my impression that he really created the genre and these cliches, so it's hard for me to separate out the book from its historical context. I loved the descriptions of the Southwest, probably my favorite part of the book. I probably won't read anything more of his, but I am glad to have read this classic book. "

" I picked up the book because I'd never read a Zane Grey novel. I couldn't get through it. I really needed tightening, and the characters were pretty one-dimensional. Not my cup of tea. "

" Who knew there were so many ways to describe sagebrush? I think he thought of them all. "

" A timeless story with that fires the imagination. Possibly the best chase on horseback in any book or movie I've seen or read. "

" Zane Grey books are simple uncomplicated enjoyment. "

" This was a very good story. A classic western by Zane Grey. Story of three people thrown together in Utah, Mormonism is paramount as a catalyst to the story. Characters were well drawn and the description of the western landscape made you feel a part of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the ending was a pleasant surprise. "

" Riders of the Purple Sage felt very dated and stilted to me. "

" Sophomore Writing Class (high school) "

" Westerns grew out of Greek myth and the Homeric epics. After reading this novel, I'm more sure of that now than ever before. "

" Okay for the entire library. "

" Story a little obvious but western writing is Grey's expertise. "

" The book would have been decent western, but Grey's animosity towards Mormon's made it more of a twisted Mormon bashing book unfounded on any logic. It would have worked if he had made the individuals corrupt rather than the religion. "

" The first time I have ever read Zane Grey. What a terrific story teller he was. "

" I don't think I've ever read any "classic" western fiction, so this was an experiment. It was actually pretty enjoyable. I mean, there weren't a lot of surprises, and it wasn't exactly PC, but it was diverting. I can see the appeal, even though I probably won't be reading any more of Grey's work. "

" My favorite Zane Grey book! Great characters, lots of action and even a romance. Learned about lot about bison and the hunters, too. "

" This was the first Zane Grey book I read, and probably the best of them. I enjoyed the story of revenge and the mystery surrounding the rider Lassiter. Zane Grey's description of places and people makes them seem real. It's a classic western story. "

" A timeless story with that fires the imagination. Possibly the best chase on horseback in any book or movie I've seen or read. "

" Zane Grey vividly painted the old West before Louis Lamour could write. If you like Westerns, Grey is the one to read. This one is my all time favorite. "

" Disappointed in the writing but loved the story line. I have seen the purple sage and it is beautiful. It just does not deserve three pages of description repeated over and over. Sorry Zane Grey. "

" Zane Grey books are simple uncomplicated enjoyment. "

" Also read this for a class. More of a romance than L'Amour. This novel had quite a bit of anti-Mormon sentiment. I didn't really enjoy the book much. "

" I am sure that my review is skewed by the fact that my dad and I each read so many Zane Grey and I have fond memories of my own cowboy father. "

" Okay for the entire library. "

" it never gets old :) "

" I picked this up because I really like Betty Zane. This was not as good. I found most of the characters to be fairly annoying and the plot rather contrived. "

" Possibly his most famous book, but I still like "Nevada" better. "

" I was shocked by this famous book. It is incredibly, baldfaced, overt anti Mormon. Mormons are the bad guys, murderers, rustlers. This book was written and serialized in popular magazines in 1912. I can't help but think this opinion was commonly accepted among non Mormons in the early 20th century. "

" Zane Grey's novels made me swoon in junior high school! Makes me nostalgic to think about them. I longed to be a modern day cowgirl, until I went riding a few times with friends and realized the sad truth -- that horses were born to try and kill me! Sigh..... "

" A beautiful and grandiose portrait of frontier life if at times a little too verbose. ;D "

" not my bag. read about 5o pages had to put it down. And a purported classic, too. meh "

" If you only read one book by Zane Gray this is the one to read. It's been over 20 years since I read it. I barely recall the plot, something about rogue Mormans. I recall thinking it was good rood for a western. "

" I loved Zane Grey's ability to describe scenes and also the emotional environment. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. My mother had loved his books and had read all of them. So, my reading them brought me closer to her memory, she passed away back in 2005. "

" not my bag. read about 5o pages had to put it down. And a purported classic, too. meh "

" Rediculous to a modern reader "

" This gets four stars because...well, I don't know... Maybe because the phrase "Meanwhile, back at the ranch" really does appear in the book. A book with polygamist Mormons and crossdressing girls in the first few chapters? Bring it on, Mr. Gray. "

" The archetypal Western novel that led to a much celebrated modern genre; not to mention a powerful statement against religious extremism and it's tendency to marginalize women. "

" 1871, Utah, female heroine, cattle ranchers. Probably for female readers. "

" not my bag. read about 5o pages had to put it down. And a purported classic, too. meh "

" Ok, now I can say I've read one western. "

" Started off interesting but got slow and bogged down by the end "

" I read this for the book club at our library. I'd not read a western for a long time, but I loved it. Love and hate, religion and horses, nature at it's best. A wonderful book. "

" Classic Zane Grey. Love it! A great western that gives insight into the frontier life. Set in southern Utah. "

" Zane Grey vividly painted the old West before Louis Lamour could write. If you like Westerns, Grey is the one to read. This one is my all time favorite. "

" A book as cheesy as its title. I'm not a reader of westerns, but I thought I'd try one. Stereotypes abound, as do flat characters with weak motivation and predictable action. Read a plot summary and save yourself 12 hours you'll never get back. "

" My special topics lit class this semester is "representation of mormons in literature and film." This was the first book we read and is was definately anti-mormon. Having said that, it was really entertaining if not a little frustrating. "

" I enjoyed this western more than I thought I would. The book reminded me of the westerns that came on Saturday afternoon tv when I was growing up. The book had a little drama, a little romance and some rustling :) Religious prejudice concerning Mormonism was also a central theme in this book. "

" Very good book. Have read it twice now. "

" Ever wonder where the supermarket romance's urgent anthropomorphic landscape and tardy heroine self-realization come from? Well, look no further. Zane Grey was the most successful American author in the first half of the 20th century. Applaud. "

" I love Westerns. I love Southern Utah. I loved this book. "

" I'ts a great western, but I think I like Louis Lamour better. "

" I love this book. it is SO good. "

" My absolute favorite Western and that is saying alot because they aren't my first choice. I can still recall the thrill of the race that comes towards the end. If authors can be said to reflect the likes and dislikes in their books then Zane Grey was not too fond of Mormons. "

" Totally ridiculous. A romance novel in boots. There's a pun to be made here about purple prose, but I won't. Still, I'm glad I read it. I was glad to read an early example of the Western genre. "

" I've read this book so many times I've lost count. Obviously it's one of my all-time favorites. "

" Part of my giving this book 5 stars is the fact that I listened to the audio version. I loved the reader, his way with voices, and his very Western rhythms. Fun story, too. "

" A book as cheesy as its title. I'm not a reader of westerns, but I thought I'd try one. Stereotypes abound, as do flat characters with weak motivation and predictable action. Read a plot summary and save yourself 12 hours you'll never get back. "

" This is such a classic Zane Grey story. I cannot imagine never reading this book! "

" I really enjoyed this book. Just picked it up out of curiosity because I had not read a Zane Grey book, but I was pleasantly surprised how good the book is and enjoyed his beautiful descriptions of Utah. "

" My absolute favorite Western and that is saying alot because they aren't my first choice. I can still recall the thrill of the race that comes towards the end. If authors can be said to reflect the likes and dislikes in their books then Zane Grey was not too fond of Mormons. "

" I'm glad to be finally done and won't venture down this trail again. "

" I love the expressiveness and color of Zane Grey westerns. This is one of his very best. If you have a love of good western fiction woven into the tapestry of the old Southwest with its canyons, desert, passions and scoundrels, you need to read this and others in the series. "

" the story was intriguing however, I was put off by the unmitigated bias against the Mormon faith. "

" Amazing in some parts, amazingly melodramatic in others. Great settings, great descriptions, great action, but laughable characters and dialogue. Not sure what to make of it, but I am glad I read it, as I have never read Zane Grey before (and probably never will again). "

" Great western! One of my first experiences reading a western & I really enjoyed it. "

" My absolute favorite Western and that is saying alot because they aren't my first choice. I can still recall the thrill of the race that comes towards the end. If authors can be said to reflect the likes and dislikes in their books then Zane Grey was not too fond of Mormons. "

" read it when i was 12 and again 2 years ago great descriptions of the american painted desert "

" For a book that is considered one of the definitive works of the western genre, this seemed ridiculously heavy on the romance. But then, I have never claimed to be a fan of westerns (at least, not ones set in this galaxy...) "

" Very dated with alot of prejudice towards Mormons. The basic story was good and although I figured out the end early on it still was a pleasant read to see how the author got you to the end. "

" I love this book. it is SO good. "

" Very early western novel. Too much romance. "

" Very early western novel. Too much romance. "

" Very early western novel. Too much romance. "

" Very early western novel. Too much romance. "

" I haven't read a Zane Grey novel in years, but I recalled from before that his descriptions of western landscapes were nearly epic. And so they are. Worthy reading for that alone. "

" I haven't read a Zane Grey novel in years, but I recalled from before that his descriptions of western landscapes were nearly epic. And so they are. Worthy reading for that alone. "

" I haven't read a Zane Grey novel in years, but I recalled from before that his descriptions of western landscapes were nearly epic. And so they are. Worthy reading for that alone. "

" I haven't read a Zane Grey novel in years, but I recalled from before that his descriptions of western landscapes were nearly epic. And so they are. Worthy reading for that alone. "

" Ok, now I can say I've read one western. "

" Ok, now I can say I've read one western. "

" Ok, now I can say I've read one western. "

" Ok, now I can say I've read one western. "

" I found this book to be quite an eye opener of the way the Mormons lived in Western Utah in the turn of the century. Breathtaking narrative on the landscape of the Sage plains and horsemanship. "

" I found this book to be quite an eye opener of the way the Mormons lived in Western Utah in the turn of the century. Breathtaking narrative on the landscape of the Sage plains and horsemanship. "

" I found this book to be quite an eye opener of the way the Mormons lived in Western Utah in the turn of the century. Breathtaking narrative on the landscape of the Sage plains and horsemanship. "

" I found this book to be quite an eye opener of the way the Mormons lived in Western Utah in the turn of the century. Breathtaking narrative on the landscape of the Sage plains and horsemanship. "

" A good western read includes interesting outside look of the Mormons of Southern Utah. "

" A good western read includes interesting outside look of the Mormons of Southern Utah. "

" A good western read includes interesting outside look of the Mormons of Southern Utah. "

" A good western read includes interesting outside look of the Mormons of Southern Utah. "

" I am sure that my review is skewed by the fact that my dad and I each read so many Zane Grey and I have fond memories of my own cowboy father. "

" I am sure that my review is skewed by the fact that my dad and I each read so many Zane Grey and I have fond memories of my own cowboy father. "

" I am sure that my review is skewed by the fact that my dad and I each read so many Zane Grey and I have fond memories of my own cowboy father. "

" I am sure that my review is skewed by the fact that my dad and I each read so many Zane Grey and I have fond memories of my own cowboy father. "

" I've been curious about this book for years. It was a fun read, but deserves all the criticism it receives. The writing is very hyperbolic and not in a good way. It is easy to see where it started so many Western cliches. "

" I've been curious about this book for years. It was a fun read, but deserves all the criticism it receives. The writing is very hyperbolic and not in a good way. It is easy to see where it started so many Western cliches. "

" I've been curious about this book for years. It was a fun read, but deserves all the criticism it receives. The writing is very hyperbolic and not in a good way. It is easy to see where it started so many Western cliches. "

" I've been curious about this book for years. It was a fun read, but deserves all the criticism it receives. The writing is very hyperbolic and not in a good way. It is easy to see where it started so many Western cliches. "

" Way more description of the land than the characters, and I never really understood why the main character acted the way she did, other than to cause problems for lots of other people. "

" I would be a liar if I said I did not enjoy reading this book at all.Beyond that, not so sure what to say. The plot, obviously, is somewhat bankrupt, not surprising for what it is. But, entertaining anyway. "

" I would be a liar if I said I did not enjoy reading this book at all.Beyond that, not so sure what to say. The plot, obviously, is somewhat bankrupt, not surprising for what it is. But, entertaining anyway. "

" I would be a liar if I said I did not enjoy reading this book at all.Beyond that, not so sure what to say. The plot, obviously, is somewhat bankrupt, not surprising for what it is. But, entertaining anyway. "

" I would be a liar if I said I did not enjoy reading this book at all.Beyond that, not so sure what to say. The plot, obviously, is somewhat bankrupt, not surprising for what it is. But, entertaining anyway. "

" Totally ridiculous. A romance novel in boots. There's a pun to be made here about purple prose, but I won't. Still, I'm glad I read it. I was glad to read an early example of the Western genre. "

" I love Zane Grey novels, but prefer those set in the mountains and woods instead of the barren desert. In addition, I don't care for the pervading Mormon influence. "

" Good writing, just not my cup of tea. "

" This is a great book. I could almost smell the sage and see the place. I see why it has lasted. "

" Story a little obvious but western writing is Grey's expertise. "

" read it when i was 12 and again 2 years ago great descriptions of the american painted desert "