Post by tintin on Jun 27, 2012 12:20:05 GMT 1
Zane Grey is perhaps the doyen of Western writers. He always intended to write novels which just happened to be set in the Wild West, rather than formulaic “Westerns”.
First a general comment. This is only the third Zane Grey book I’ve read. None of them have been his classic Westerns, so these comments probably only apply to “Wildfire” rather than his books as a whole.
The book was published in 1917.
“Wildfire” is distinguished by somewhat purple prose and is a bit slow to get going. However, when it gets into its stride it is quite gripping. It appears to be set in the Wild West in the late 1850’s/early 1860’s in the Wyoming/Utah area.
PLOT AND CHARACTERS
There are, at first, two plots.
Firstly, the affairs of the village centreing around the Bostil family and their ranch and their inter-relations with two other families, the Creechs and the Cordts. These relations chiefly focus on rivalries around horse racing.The Bostil daughter Lucy, has just turned 18 and is an avid rider with a natural rapport for horses.
Secondly, the obsessive hunt of a cowboy, Lin Sloane, for the wild stallion Wildfire.
These two plot lines intersect when Sloane almost dies due to his exertions in the pursuit of Wildfire and is found out on the trail by Lucy who nurses him back to health. They fall in love and Sloane gives Wildfire to Lucy.
This has all been kept secret and all starts to come out when Lucy brings out Wildfire by surprise for a horse race. Wildfire is only very slightly tame and defeats Mr Bostil’s favourite horse Sage King, not uncontroversially.
Tensions now rise in the community culminating in Lucy being kidnapped by the Creechs, re-kidnapped by the Cordts and rescued by Sloane who then has to save her from a forest fire. Wildfire perishes from exhaustion after an epic race against the fire.
Even more happens than this, but this is the basics.
COMMENTS
Very much a Western and, though anyone can enjoy it, people who are into Western riding or the west generally will get most out of it.
Complex well drawn characters.
Very prescient description of stalker behaviour in the Joel Creech character, amazing to think this was written in 1917.
Possibly the prototype of all “obsessive search for a wild stallion” books. There are even echoes of Wildfire in Phantom Horse, although in terms of delinquency Phantom is at Borstal level whereas Wildfire is more Special Hospital.
I purchased a cheap copy from a library sale, but the book can be read free on Project Gutenberg
First a general comment. This is only the third Zane Grey book I’ve read. None of them have been his classic Westerns, so these comments probably only apply to “Wildfire” rather than his books as a whole.
The book was published in 1917.
“Wildfire” is distinguished by somewhat purple prose and is a bit slow to get going. However, when it gets into its stride it is quite gripping. It appears to be set in the Wild West in the late 1850’s/early 1860’s in the Wyoming/Utah area.
PLOT AND CHARACTERS
There are, at first, two plots.
Firstly, the affairs of the village centreing around the Bostil family and their ranch and their inter-relations with two other families, the Creechs and the Cordts. These relations chiefly focus on rivalries around horse racing.The Bostil daughter Lucy, has just turned 18 and is an avid rider with a natural rapport for horses.
Secondly, the obsessive hunt of a cowboy, Lin Sloane, for the wild stallion Wildfire.
These two plot lines intersect when Sloane almost dies due to his exertions in the pursuit of Wildfire and is found out on the trail by Lucy who nurses him back to health. They fall in love and Sloane gives Wildfire to Lucy.
This has all been kept secret and all starts to come out when Lucy brings out Wildfire by surprise for a horse race. Wildfire is only very slightly tame and defeats Mr Bostil’s favourite horse Sage King, not uncontroversially.
Tensions now rise in the community culminating in Lucy being kidnapped by the Creechs, re-kidnapped by the Cordts and rescued by Sloane who then has to save her from a forest fire. Wildfire perishes from exhaustion after an epic race against the fire.
Even more happens than this, but this is the basics.
COMMENTS
Very much a Western and, though anyone can enjoy it, people who are into Western riding or the west generally will get most out of it.
Complex well drawn characters.
Very prescient description of stalker behaviour in the Joel Creech character, amazing to think this was written in 1917.
Possibly the prototype of all “obsessive search for a wild stallion” books. There are even echoes of Wildfire in Phantom Horse, although in terms of delinquency Phantom is at Borstal level whereas Wildfire is more Special Hospital.
I purchased a cheap copy from a library sale, but the book can be read free on Project Gutenberg