Rainbow Trail [Paperback]

I wouldn't have liked this book as much if I didn't live in Kayenta. It is the author's description of Red Lake, Kayenta, and Tsegi among others that makes this book so interesting. My Doctor told me about it, I bought it and have been passing it around to other people in town. Sorry Amazon. Sometimes the story drags a bit but that is Zane Grey. Sometimes his treatement of the Navajo is a bit stereotyped. Come to the four corners, stay awhile. Hike among the canyons and mesas. Get to know the people. Than read the book. You'll get much more out of it. There's an isolated cliff dwelling out here (somewhere near Tsegi Canyon, no more hints) where Zane Grey carved his name into the sandstone. He writes a pretty good description of the area and its people.

This review refers to the Kindle edition of "The Rainbow Trail" by Zane Grey.

One of my very favorite characters of western literature is Zane Grey's tough and cool gunman, Lassiter(Riders of the Purple Sage). I am even always on the look-out for and reading Zane Loren Grey's(Grey's son) continuing series of Lassiter.

Although I knew going into this story that Lassiter was not the main focus - Grey in a foreword, says that although this is an independent story(and it was)it may answer some questions of ROTPS fans - I was a bit disappointed in the role Lassiter played in the story.
***If you haven't read Riders Of The Purple Sage, this next paragraph may contain a spoiler of that one***

Now in The Rainbow Trail, we meet the next generation. Shefford, the main character, is an ex-preacher who has lost his faith and his way in the world. After hearing the story of what happened in Riders, from a mutual friend of his and Lassiter's, and how Lassiter, Jane and little Fay were trapped in Surprise Valley, he makes it his mission to head out West and save the family, and has especially tender thoughts of Fay who must be a beautiful young woman by now.

He meets with many obstacles in his journey to find this hidden Canyon as well as redemption, and must learn the life styles, the ways and codes of the West. Bad guys, the perils of being in the desert(including some very mean fire ants),and a group of very religious old style Mormons(that we met in Riders) are causing delays in his quest.

If you didn't know this was a Zane Grey novel when you picked up this book and you have read any of his other works, you will recognize immediately his very descriptive style and characterizations. The story as always was very enjoyable and there are new heroes to root for, villains to despise and loveable new horses too! Shefford aligns with some very likeable friends he meets. A trader, some of the younger generations of Mormons, and he especially becomes close with Nas Ta Bega, a Navajo that becomes a true brother to him. We also get to spend some time with Nas Ta Bega's family and like Shefford get a good look at their life in those times.

So it really pains me in a way to give only 3 stars to a Zane Grey novel - especially one that involves Lassiter - but without giving too much away, as I said above I was disappointed with the revival of the once great and much feared gunman I came to love. If you haven't read Riders of the Purple Sage, and love westerns, you should do yourself a good deed and read it! This saga does stand on it's own, especially for readers who may be unfamiliar with the Lassiter character. Even though I give only three stars - and Amazon categorizes that as a "critical" review, I am still recommending it. You can just get lost in Grey's descriptions of the desert, the old west, and his stories.

The Kindle edition: Locations - 3629. You can't go wrong - it's free! There were a few typo errors, mostly in the last 25% of the book, but nothing that will take away from from Grey's words. No table of contents, but there are Chapter titles and as mentioned there is a foreword by Grey and in the first sentence of that he has you hooked:
"The spell of the desert comes back to me, as it always will come." - I feel the same way! Saddle up for another Zane Gray adventure........Laurie

I do not read Zane Grey very often. I was glad I read this book. I truly loved the picture Grey painted of the geography and the trials and tribulations the characters had to undergo to survive in this hostile terrain. I was able to feel their plight.