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Riders of the Purple Sage

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

The story you're about to hear took place primarily in what is Southern Utah and has been called the quintessential western, meaning simply it is a top-notch example of quality.

It is composed of an extensive list of ingredients; adventure, action, violence, crisis, suspense, conflict, sentimentalism, and sex; they are all there. This classic of the western genre was the kind of story the public clamored for and author Zane Grey had great skill in supplying the desire. Not at the beginning however. One of his early efforts was rejected in 1909 and an editor told him, "I do not see anything in this to convince me you can write either narrative or fiction."

That was shortsighted for the time being and just three years later, Grey produced this story. It was his all-time bestseller and led to his becoming a household name. By listening now you'll find out why.

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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Zane Grey's first (1912) and most popular bestseller defined the mythical Wild West for subsequent generations. A saintly Mormon girl of Utah battling unremittingly evil "Mor-men" finds a protector and wooer in a chivalric, albeit homicidal, gunslinger, whilst another paladin of the plains shoots, then saves, then falls for a masked rustlerette, the pawn of the villain who's been stealing the Mormon girl's cattle. Possessed of a pleasant and manly baritone, John Hitchcock gives a straightforward and colorless rendition of the derring-do. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      The most famous of Zane Grey's classic Western novels is presented here unembellished. It launched a career that saw more than 80 more over the years. The flat intonations of reader Pat Bottino remind this listener of actor Henry Fonda--the same middle-American voice without a large range of inflection or emotion. One can detect a tightening of the voice when the villains appear; but the women are not delineated, and very little distinguishes the characters. Nevertheless, the novel, set in the Mormon country of southern Utah, is so powerful that the package doesn't disappoint. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      The St. Charles Players portray a multitude of characters in the highly entertaining radio-theater-style production. Professional effects will enthrall listeners with sounds of gunfire, stampeding stock, and the wildlife of Utah. Each character has a unique male or female voice, making this true "theater of the mind." Jane Witherspoon runs a large, prosperous cattle ranch; but when she disobeys Mormon elders, her stock and hired men start disappearing. Help comes in the form of a gunfighter, Lassiter. Listeners will enjoy the excitement and intrigue of the Western frontier created by players and author. S.C.A. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Gunman Lassiter helps a wealthy Mormon rancher protect her ranch from cattle rustlers and the church. In the Recorded Books' lightly dramatized production Donald Buka's twang and clear voice accent the tale well; even though his reading is dry, he delivers at the dramatic points. E.L.C. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

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  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

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