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Forlorn River
Driven away from home and hearth--and his sweetheart--by his father's interference, Ben Ide seeks refuge in the remote wilderness of Forlorn River and gets involved in a cattle rustling scheme. Reprint.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1926
84 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Zane Grey
2,082 books591 followersPearl Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the rugged Old West. As of June 2007, the Internet Movie Database credits Grey with 110 films, one TV episode, and a series, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater based loosely on his novels and short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 18, 2023
Ben Ide knew well what his father thought of him - it was his mother and sister, Hettie, he missed the most. But his home was Forlorn River, which he'd named himself, and his two companions, Nevada and Moloc, kept him company. Ben's big love was the wild horses in the area, and his quest to own California Red, a big red stallion he'd watched from afar, was well known. His other love was Ina Blaine - they'd been childhood sweethearts - and he still felt the same way, but wasn't sure if she did.
Cattle rustlers were in the area, up in the mountains, and there were those who said Ben, Nevada and Moloc were part of them. So the trio devised a plan to catch them, to deliver them to the Sheriff, and clear Ben's name once and for all. But it wouldn't be that simple...
Forlorn River by Zane Grey was originally published in 1926, and even though it's almost 100 years since, it's still a rollicking tale, set in Nevada, California, in the vast mountains with its raw beauty. With plenty of cowboys, some crooked and sly men, and one Indian (Moloc), my enjoyment of my first by this author means I'll look at reading more by him. Recommended.
Cattle rustlers were in the area, up in the mountains, and there were those who said Ben, Nevada and Moloc were part of them. So the trio devised a plan to catch them, to deliver them to the Sheriff, and clear Ben's name once and for all. But it wouldn't be that simple...
Forlorn River by Zane Grey was originally published in 1926, and even though it's almost 100 years since, it's still a rollicking tale, set in Nevada, California, in the vast mountains with its raw beauty. With plenty of cowboys, some crooked and sly men, and one Indian (Moloc), my enjoyment of my first by this author means I'll look at reading more by him. Recommended.
May 25, 2024
Book 11 of the
2024 Read Your Hoard Challenge
I picked this up second hand, remembering how much I enjoyed Grey's Nevada as a teen. That book I haven't been able to find, but lucky me, I can borrow the audiobook through the library! In about two weeks time I will revisit an old favourite.
In the meantime, in Forlorn River, we meet Ben Ide. Estranged from his father, Ben has purchased a homestead in the wilderness and spends his time catching and training wild horses. He especially covets a spectacular stallion known as California Red. Rumour around town says that Ben is rustling cattle too and there are always folk ready to believe the worst of others.
But the horse is not the only thing Ben longs for. When he hears that Ina Blaine is home from college and is visiting his sister and mother, Ben is convinced to come back to visit when his father's away. Ina doesn't give the rumour mill any credence and tells him so plainly. She hints pretty strongly that she's his girl, but of course there must be some suffering before they seal the deal.
Also introduced is Ben's friend, Nevada, who we are given to suspect is a bad hombre. We don't learn his true name (that's for the next book) but he has big ideas for the two men to earn cash, buy more land, and get set up for business when the drought breaks. He steadies the more emotional Ben, gets him steered towards financial stability and Ina, while managing to gain the regard of Ben's sister.
It's a typical Grey novel, complete with rather honourable outlaws, dishonorable businessmen, plenty of horseback riding, camping, cowboys, and a strong love story. It definitely shows its age, especially in Ben's Indian companion, Modoc. But you can feel Grey's love of the wilderness and horses on every page.
I picked this up second hand, remembering how much I enjoyed Grey's Nevada as a teen. That book I haven't been able to find, but lucky me, I can borrow the audiobook through the library! In about two weeks time I will revisit an old favourite.
In the meantime, in Forlorn River, we meet Ben Ide. Estranged from his father, Ben has purchased a homestead in the wilderness and spends his time catching and training wild horses. He especially covets a spectacular stallion known as California Red. Rumour around town says that Ben is rustling cattle too and there are always folk ready to believe the worst of others.
But the horse is not the only thing Ben longs for. When he hears that Ina Blaine is home from college and is visiting his sister and mother, Ben is convinced to come back to visit when his father's away. Ina doesn't give the rumour mill any credence and tells him so plainly. She hints pretty strongly that she's his girl, but of course there must be some suffering before they seal the deal.
Also introduced is Ben's friend, Nevada, who we are given to suspect is a bad hombre. We don't learn his true name (that's for the next book) but he has big ideas for the two men to earn cash, buy more land, and get set up for business when the drought breaks. He steadies the more emotional Ben, gets him steered towards financial stability and Ina, while managing to gain the regard of Ben's sister.
It's a typical Grey novel, complete with rather honourable outlaws, dishonorable businessmen, plenty of horseback riding, camping, cowboys, and a strong love story. It definitely shows its age, especially in Ben's Indian companion, Modoc. But you can feel Grey's love of the wilderness and horses on every page.
January 23, 2017
I was in elementary school when I read Nevada, arguably Zane Grey’s best novel and one of the best selling westerns of all time. I treasured that book, but I had no idea that it was a sequel until a couple of years later when I stumbled across Forlorn River.
Back then, this book suffered in comparison. Not only was the story not as exciting as its sequel, I had trouble picturing this younger version of Ben Ide. Unlike Nevada, where Ben is a supporting character and is somewhat boring as a respectable husband and father, this book gives him center stage as a restless young hunter of wild horses.
Rereading it now for the first time in decades, I am able to appreciate it much more on its own terms. Unlike some of Grey’s melodramatic love stories, the obstacles Ben and Ina face are easily believed, and the ensuing drama seems natural, if a bit schmaltzy.
But where Nevada is the story of a heroic gunfighter hell-bent to clear his name, Forlorn River is an interesting glimpse of a very brief period of history. Even as the first settlers were realizing the challenges of raising cattle in this inhospitable and drought-devastated area of northeastern California, others were recognizing the potential for irrigation to transform the region into some of the most profitable farmland on earth.
Grey does a good job here of making apparent the threats to Ina that occur “off-stage” without violating the sensibilities of pop-fiction audiences of the 20s. Without too much of his usual melodramatic exposition, he makes it clear that there is more than just Ina’s reputation at stake.
That said, I do find a couple of problems with this book:
Early on, Grey establishes the location by having a character look northward from Forlorn River toward Oregon, with Mt. Shasta protruding skyward in the distance. But all of the action in the book takes place near Tule Lake and the lava fields, which are all north and east of Shasta.
Also, as is always the case, I hesitate to recommend Zane Grey to other readers because of the laughable dialogue. Usually, it’s the exaggerated dialects that prevent people from taking the characters seriously, but occasionally the dialogue itself becomes absurd—as with this exchange between Nevada and Ben:
“Say, clean forgot that red son-of-a-gun. Shore now it’d be bothersome as the devil if while we was rounding’ up these rustlers we’d run plumb into Red, wouldn’t it?”
“Heavens! it’d be terrible! It’d ruin us!” exclaimed Ben, aghast.
“How so? I don’t savvy.”
“You know I’d quit anything under the sun to chase and catch that wild horse.”
“Shore, but I forgot. You darned locoed puddin’ headed spineless wild-hoss chasin jackass!” ejaculated Nevada, with most consummate wonder and ridicule.
Ben dropped his head in shame. He knew he deserved all Nevada called him and infinitely more.
Despite that unfortunate example, the dialogue is considerably better than some of Grey’s other books. I’m looking forward to rereading Nevada to see how it compares to my memory and to see if Ben is ever able to recover from the brutality of Nevada’s ejaculation.
Back then, this book suffered in comparison. Not only was the story not as exciting as its sequel, I had trouble picturing this younger version of Ben Ide. Unlike Nevada, where Ben is a supporting character and is somewhat boring as a respectable husband and father, this book gives him center stage as a restless young hunter of wild horses.
Rereading it now for the first time in decades, I am able to appreciate it much more on its own terms. Unlike some of Grey’s melodramatic love stories, the obstacles Ben and Ina face are easily believed, and the ensuing drama seems natural, if a bit schmaltzy.
But where Nevada is the story of a heroic gunfighter hell-bent to clear his name, Forlorn River is an interesting glimpse of a very brief period of history. Even as the first settlers were realizing the challenges of raising cattle in this inhospitable and drought-devastated area of northeastern California, others were recognizing the potential for irrigation to transform the region into some of the most profitable farmland on earth.
Grey does a good job here of making apparent the threats to Ina that occur “off-stage” without violating the sensibilities of pop-fiction audiences of the 20s. Without too much of his usual melodramatic exposition, he makes it clear that there is more than just Ina’s reputation at stake.
That said, I do find a couple of problems with this book:
Early on, Grey establishes the location by having a character look northward from Forlorn River toward Oregon, with Mt. Shasta protruding skyward in the distance. But all of the action in the book takes place near Tule Lake and the lava fields, which are all north and east of Shasta.
Also, as is always the case, I hesitate to recommend Zane Grey to other readers because of the laughable dialogue. Usually, it’s the exaggerated dialects that prevent people from taking the characters seriously, but occasionally the dialogue itself becomes absurd—as with this exchange between Nevada and Ben:
“Say, clean forgot that red son-of-a-gun. Shore now it’d be bothersome as the devil if while we was rounding’ up these rustlers we’d run plumb into Red, wouldn’t it?”
“Heavens! it’d be terrible! It’d ruin us!” exclaimed Ben, aghast.
“How so? I don’t savvy.”
“You know I’d quit anything under the sun to chase and catch that wild horse.”
“Shore, but I forgot. You darned locoed puddin’ headed spineless wild-hoss chasin jackass!” ejaculated Nevada, with most consummate wonder and ridicule.
Ben dropped his head in shame. He knew he deserved all Nevada called him and infinitely more.
Despite that unfortunate example, the dialogue is considerably better than some of Grey’s other books. I’m looking forward to rereading Nevada to see how it compares to my memory and to see if Ben is ever able to recover from the brutality of Nevada’s ejaculation.
August 1, 2019
I picked up Grey’s popular “Nevada”, but when I found it was a sequel to this book, I decided to read them in order. In “Forlorn River”, I was treated with a story about as I expected. Grey’s writing is more modern than I expected in this 1926 Western. Less of the flowery prose of some of Grey’s other stories, this seemed more direct. Grey did have a tendency to latch on to a word and re-use it to excess – the word of this book is “ejaculated”, in the non-porn sense. Listening to this on audio, I was glad I was using my headphones. The story was typical Western fare, with honor and coyboying along side romance with the rancher’s daughter, who in this book just got back from college. The characters were well written and acted their parts. It was disappointing to see the token Indian treated much like a minor character, doing things for unsatisfactorily explained reasons, and disappearing entirely while apparently on-stage and part of the action near the end. And the plot seemed too contrived at places – the hero conveniently does exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time here to generate the climax. I found the naivety unappealing for an otherwise winning character. The narrator in the version of the audiobook I listened to, Jack Sondericker, did a good job with the various voices, best with hero Ben and his group. All told, I found it an enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more from Grey.
April 9, 2024
Ieri sera l'ho terminato.
Partirò dai punti di forza del romanzo, che sono pochi. Le forme gergali della parlata dei personaggi sono state una bella scoperta, ma anche uno sforzo interpretativo notevole all'inizio. Grey scrive in un buon inglese per la parte narrata, ma i dialoghi sono molto realistici e "dialettali" e il linguaggio tecnico dei cowboy, se non lo avessi già conosciuto, sarebbe stato un bel problema.
L'altro punto di forza sono le belle descrizioni paesaggistiche.
Veniamo ad alcuni dei molti punti deboli: non è un romanzo western, è un romanzo rosa.
Lo avessero inserito nella collana Harmony sarebbe stato più appropriato.
In un anno imprecisato del secolo scorso, direi tra il 1910 ed il 1914, tra la California e l'Oregon avvengono i fatti narrati. Tule Lake è già prosciugato, e c'è una lunga siccità. Ci sono questi due che si ritrovano innamorati dopo anni che non si vedono. Lui è un domatore di cavalli selvaggi, amico di uno che ha fama di ladro di bestiame e di un indiano Modoc.
Per chi non conoscesse i Modoc invito alla lettura di Tex Albo Speciale n. 31: Capitan Jack o anche Storia del West: Sangue di guerriero.
Tra i punti deboli i lunghi capitoli iniziali in cui si intrecciano le storie dei protagonisti e degli antagonisti. Molto noiosi, quasi 100 pagine che potevano essere ridotte a forse 15 pagine evitando l'annaccquatura.
Idem per la parte d'azione: risulta assente per quattro quinti del romanzo, coinvolgendo giusto le ultime 40 pagine.
Ed io dovrei leggere altri due romanzi (li possiedo oramai) di Zane Grey, dei quali uno, Riders of the Purple Sage con recensioni che mi fanno rabbrividire per quanto mieloso e rosa è?
Ma datemi cento Luis L'amour per carità!
2 stelle ma molto molto stiracchiate.
Partirò dai punti di forza del romanzo, che sono pochi. Le forme gergali della parlata dei personaggi sono state una bella scoperta, ma anche uno sforzo interpretativo notevole all'inizio. Grey scrive in un buon inglese per la parte narrata, ma i dialoghi sono molto realistici e "dialettali" e il linguaggio tecnico dei cowboy, se non lo avessi già conosciuto, sarebbe stato un bel problema.
L'altro punto di forza sono le belle descrizioni paesaggistiche.
Veniamo ad alcuni dei molti punti deboli: non è un romanzo western, è un romanzo rosa.
Lo avessero inserito nella collana Harmony sarebbe stato più appropriato.
In un anno imprecisato del secolo scorso, direi tra il 1910 ed il 1914, tra la California e l'Oregon avvengono i fatti narrati. Tule Lake è già prosciugato, e c'è una lunga siccità. Ci sono questi due che si ritrovano innamorati dopo anni che non si vedono. Lui è un domatore di cavalli selvaggi, amico di uno che ha fama di ladro di bestiame e di un indiano Modoc.
Per chi non conoscesse i Modoc invito alla lettura di Tex Albo Speciale n. 31: Capitan Jack o anche Storia del West: Sangue di guerriero.
Tra i punti deboli i lunghi capitoli iniziali in cui si intrecciano le storie dei protagonisti e degli antagonisti. Molto noiosi, quasi 100 pagine che potevano essere ridotte a forse 15 pagine evitando l'annaccquatura.
Idem per la parte d'azione: risulta assente per quattro quinti del romanzo, coinvolgendo giusto le ultime 40 pagine.
Ed io dovrei leggere altri due romanzi (li possiedo oramai) di Zane Grey, dei quali uno, Riders of the Purple Sage con recensioni che mi fanno rabbrividire per quanto mieloso e rosa è?
Ma datemi cento Luis L'amour per carità!
2 stelle ma molto molto stiracchiate.
November 11, 2012
Forlorn River and its sequel, Nevada, are my two favorite Zane Grey novels.
I find these novels brimming with Grey's loving descriptions of frontier wilderness. They also maintain Grey's tradition of simplifying characterization to maximize the epic qualities of all people trying to lead good lives in the face of evil.
I like to escape into these novels--and it's easier with these two novels in particular because the cultural biases present in Grey's lifetime are not as prevalent in these novels as in others, even though they are present.
--Women are more sensitive, insightful, and intuitive than men. This attitude is really a slam against both men and women. In these novels, though, the women characters come across as very strong and the men as capable of love and loyalty.
--"Injuns and Greasers": Minorities get minimized by Zane Grey, and that is true in this novel also, yet to a lesser degree. One minor character, "Modoc," has a significant role in the novel.
--"Steely-eyed Mormon men": Hidden wives and bold-eyed Mormon men are given a pass-through in the novel as the protagonists pass through a Mormon town with their wagons.
Both novels follow the same plotline. Good people are conned by bad people, eventually to be saved by a good man who possesses a hidden, bad past--and a large, deadly pistol.
In Forlorn River (published in 1927), young Ben Ide is cast out by his rich dad, branded a wild horse hunter and possible rustler. Ide befriends a wounded man, whom he nicknames "Nevada." Ide does the same for "Modoc," an Indian he pulls out of a saloon. All three men form bonds of loyalty in their isolated state as they hunt wild horses in the California wilderness.
Meanwhile, as in all romances, there is romance. Ina Blaine comes back from college with a degree of sophistication and independence that her parents find disturbing. She hasn't forgotten her early values, though--or Ben. In addition to this, Hettie Ide, sixteen years old, finds the mysterious Nevada to be tall, dark, and handsome.
In Nevada (published in 1928), another romantic couple comes along, Marvie Blaine, and the daughter of backwoods rustlers, Rose Hatt. The primary action of this novel is in Arizona, where the forces of good and evil clash as honest ranchers are threatened by pernicious rustlers. All conflicts are resolved, and lovingkindness breaks out at the end of the novel--after the gunfight.
In the biographical material at the end of Nevada (Thorndike edition), Loren Grey, Zane Grey's son, is quoted as saying, "There was so much unexpressed feeling that could not be entirely portrayed that, in later years, [Zane Grey] would weep when reading one of his own books."
The Thorndike edition biography also states, "Zane Grey was not a realistic writer, but rather one who charted the interiors of the soul through encounters with the wilderness."
The fact that those souls he charted were white, Anglo-Saxon souls wears thin about a hundred years after the writing. The cultural landscapes are always too lily white, even within the beautifully painted descriptions of the American frontier wilderness. Forlorn River and Nevada do not project so obviously the prejudices of the time--or rather do so within the context of main characters stepping beyond or around those stereotypes.
Mostly, though, I like how even a hundred years ago, in the end, goodness and happiness can prevail.
I find these novels brimming with Grey's loving descriptions of frontier wilderness. They also maintain Grey's tradition of simplifying characterization to maximize the epic qualities of all people trying to lead good lives in the face of evil.
I like to escape into these novels--and it's easier with these two novels in particular because the cultural biases present in Grey's lifetime are not as prevalent in these novels as in others, even though they are present.
--Women are more sensitive, insightful, and intuitive than men. This attitude is really a slam against both men and women. In these novels, though, the women characters come across as very strong and the men as capable of love and loyalty.
--"Injuns and Greasers": Minorities get minimized by Zane Grey, and that is true in this novel also, yet to a lesser degree. One minor character, "Modoc," has a significant role in the novel.
--"Steely-eyed Mormon men": Hidden wives and bold-eyed Mormon men are given a pass-through in the novel as the protagonists pass through a Mormon town with their wagons.
Both novels follow the same plotline. Good people are conned by bad people, eventually to be saved by a good man who possesses a hidden, bad past--and a large, deadly pistol.
In Forlorn River (published in 1927), young Ben Ide is cast out by his rich dad, branded a wild horse hunter and possible rustler. Ide befriends a wounded man, whom he nicknames "Nevada." Ide does the same for "Modoc," an Indian he pulls out of a saloon. All three men form bonds of loyalty in their isolated state as they hunt wild horses in the California wilderness.
Meanwhile, as in all romances, there is romance. Ina Blaine comes back from college with a degree of sophistication and independence that her parents find disturbing. She hasn't forgotten her early values, though--or Ben. In addition to this, Hettie Ide, sixteen years old, finds the mysterious Nevada to be tall, dark, and handsome.
In Nevada (published in 1928), another romantic couple comes along, Marvie Blaine, and the daughter of backwoods rustlers, Rose Hatt. The primary action of this novel is in Arizona, where the forces of good and evil clash as honest ranchers are threatened by pernicious rustlers. All conflicts are resolved, and lovingkindness breaks out at the end of the novel--after the gunfight.
In the biographical material at the end of Nevada (Thorndike edition), Loren Grey, Zane Grey's son, is quoted as saying, "There was so much unexpressed feeling that could not be entirely portrayed that, in later years, [Zane Grey] would weep when reading one of his own books."
The Thorndike edition biography also states, "Zane Grey was not a realistic writer, but rather one who charted the interiors of the soul through encounters with the wilderness."
The fact that those souls he charted were white, Anglo-Saxon souls wears thin about a hundred years after the writing. The cultural landscapes are always too lily white, even within the beautifully painted descriptions of the American frontier wilderness. Forlorn River and Nevada do not project so obviously the prejudices of the time--or rather do so within the context of main characters stepping beyond or around those stereotypes.
Mostly, though, I like how even a hundred years ago, in the end, goodness and happiness can prevail.
May 10, 2019
In my desire to find new authors and books to read this year I have read a large number of books written in the first half of the twentieth century. This book written in 1927 falls in to that category. I had only read one other Zane Grey novel, namely "Riders of the Purple Sage" which I enjoyed. Most westerns involve a good guy, a bad guy, a pretty woman and a shootout. Zane Grey, in my experience with only two books does the unthinkable in inserting a sensitive romance in to his novels. The language of the 1920's and the simplicity of the prose makes the book even more attractive. Reading this book made me feel like I was watching an old black and white movie, which based on the last few movies I've watched is not a bad thing.
August 11, 2015
Now I'm trying to find the sequel to see if Nevada gets a happy ending too! It was a little bit predictable, but I loved that the setting was an area I visited last summer and my new favorite quote, "you bet I would not take him fishin'," is a great way to measure a person's character.
May 26, 2025
This was an original edition of this book that I read, published in 1926. I think I may have got it at a garage sale. I'm not afraid to read older books sometimes. There is so much good writing that has been done in the last hundred years or so, it would be a shame to just limit yourself to books that have been published recently. I've never read Zane Grey before, and actually very few westerns. Zane Gray was an extremely popular author in the early 20th century, and was the first American author to become an millionaire. This was mostly an enjoyable book, with a simple story with a happy ending, where all the problems got worked out by the last page. I was expecting a western set in Wyoming or Texas, or someplace like that but was surprised that the setting was Northern California by Mt. Shasta and where currently the Lava Beds National Monument is, not far from the small town of Tule Lake, which was the site of a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War. My other surprise in this book was the amount of romance was in it, and that a great deal of the book was written from a woman's point of view. I wouldn't have been so surprised if I had looked at the title page closer- It said Forlorn River and under the title in smaller letters, A Romance. Like I said it was a simple story and it should be read in the context of the time of 1926. My main criticism of the book was the overly flowery, dramatic wording that Mr Gray uses, and the use of the same words over and over. As an example instead of saying that a character said such and such he uses the word "ejaculated". For example- "Nevada and Modoc. Good! ejaculated Ben...."and he uses that particular word over and over. also the one Native American figure in this book speaks like a 1930 movie western by actually saying things like Ugg and How! But if you can ignore some of the wording he uses, the book will take you back to a simpler times when young men would curl up in a chair by the fireplace and get lost in a good old Western..
September 20, 2019
Novela del oeste por definición, muy bien escrito y con una trama bien desarrollada y coherente. Tiene los elementos típicos del western: vaqueros, indios, ranchos, caballos, naturaleza, aventura... junto a pequeños romances, lo que hacen que la novela tenga de todo y sea muy entretenida. Se añaden figuras y valores como la amistad, la confianza, la decisión, la picardía y la valentía. Desde luego que no sabía lo que me iba a encontrar con este libro porque estoy acostumbrada a leer otros géneros, pero he de reconocer que me ha sorprendido muy gratamente y lo recomiendo a quienes quieran adentrarse en una historia llena de pureza.
September 17, 2019
Just finished reading from the book published in 1927. Somewhat typical of westerns of the time, good guys, bad guys, strong minded women, and missed romances. This book had it all including cattle rustling, get rich quick schemes, failed homesteads, and a happy ending. A little slow at the beginning as the characters were set while drawing you in as the story built. Well worth the reading time specially if you like stories without profanity or focus on who is sleeping with who (or how many).
October 14, 2020
I loved this one from the very beginning to almost the end. My only gripe with the end is that everything was tied up very quickly. It was a little like reading the stories whose authors contracted to write 200 pages. The story wasn't quite finished after 200 pages, so the author wrote one or two more pages to tie everything together and end it. Overall, Zane Grey gave wonderful descriptions of the country he wrote about and the feelings of the characters about the scenery. It was also a fun love story.
October 11, 2022
Big Red=Heaven!
What an exciting story! So western of the early days! The times moving west was rough, tuff, hardship where all pioneers were up to the task!! We of latter days I believe couldn't hold a candle to what our Ancestors accomplished, Hooray! for their tenacity and bravery!!
What an exciting story! So western of the early days! The times moving west was rough, tuff, hardship where all pioneers were up to the task!! We of latter days I believe couldn't hold a candle to what our Ancestors accomplished, Hooray! for their tenacity and bravery!!
March 8, 2024
Came across this book (and author) on my grandparents’ shelf, a collection my granddad started when he was a kid in the ‘40s. A classic old Western - cowboys, Indians , and outlaws, with a dialogue to match. Almost had to bust out my boots and hat. Genuinely fun story, quick paced.
Now on to the sequel, Nevada.
Now on to the sequel, Nevada.
January 31, 2019
A Very Satisfying Read
Many would say that all of Zane’s books are satisfying to read. And while I haven’t read them all, I felt this story was enjoyable and time well spent which is to say, “it was satisfying.”
Many would say that all of Zane’s books are satisfying to read. And while I haven’t read them all, I felt this story was enjoyable and time well spent which is to say, “it was satisfying.”
November 17, 2019
Thrilling account complete with true love of fellow man and woman
With honors and respect for family and friends, magnificent wild horses chosen for their color, speed and striking appearance in the wild.
With honors and respect for family and friends, magnificent wild horses chosen for their color, speed and striking appearance in the wild.
November 30, 2023
I always enjoy Zane Grey books. Forlorn River does not disappoint. Romance, action, adventure, and incredibly descriptive prose that just creates a picture and puts you right into the story. Forlorn River brought back the joy of reading and the pleasure of relaxing with a great book.
May 4, 2024
simple story, well told
I miss the Tonto basin but the Northern California high plains are well represented. Grit and lasting young love, both Zane Grey staples, are well served.
A story well worth reading.
I miss the Tonto basin but the Northern California high plains are well represented. Grit and lasting young love, both Zane Grey staples, are well served.
A story well worth reading.
September 20, 2022
This heartwarming western adventure was very enjoyable to read. I could hardly pace my reading of it to get the full enjoyment of the story. Awesome adventure full of action, love and intrigue.
November 1, 2024
Written in 1926 it was interesting, but slow. I’m glad I read it, but I won’t read more by this author.
Read
March 26, 2025Good old fashioned western with a female heroine. Not his best though
October 12, 2025
I have loved some of Grey’s books. I hated this one. It just didn’t do it for me. It is meandering. Everyone has a not too well hidden agenda. I didn’t find any of the characters to be likeable.
April 17, 2012
It was a decent enough story, but I found Zane Grey's writing style to be just too much for me to really enjoy the book. The relationships in the book were all so melodramatic! The Indian character, simply named Modoc, was straight from Central Casting. He seemed to have supernatural abilities as a tracker, he often communicated in sign language, and when he spoke, it was usually something quite wise and contained the phrase "heap big..."
The most distracting part of the book was that Grey seemed to make a conscious effort to find alternatives to the words "said" and "asked", but he had a main short list of alternates. So the book was overflowing with "queried", "declared", "went on", "replied", "responded" and "rejoined". He even used "soliloquized" at least for times. But the one thing that was more distracting than anything else, was the unbelievable number of times that the characters "ejaculated" something.
The most distracting part of the book was that Grey seemed to make a conscious effort to find alternatives to the words "said" and "asked", but he had a main short list of alternates. So the book was overflowing with "queried", "declared", "went on", "replied", "responded" and "rejoined". He even used "soliloquized" at least for times. But the one thing that was more distracting than anything else, was the unbelievable number of times that the characters "ejaculated" something.
September 11, 2014
Ben Ide is a wild horse hunter in northern California, who has had his reputation tarnished by rumors that he has become a rustler. An outcast from his family, his only friends are Modoc, an Indian he helped rescue, and a mysterious man that goes by Nevada.
When Ina Blaine, Ben's childhood sweetheart, comes home from being away at school for four years, she finds everything changed. Everything that is, her feelings for Ben. However, Ina's father's new business partner, Less Setter, has plans not only for her father, but for Ina. If Ben and his pards can't figure out a way to catch the real rustlers, they may just lose everything.
A wonderful, classic western romance. Beautiful descriptions of the American West, written in 1927, for people who had never seen or experienced its beauty and majesty. Not my very favorite Zane Grey book, but it is up there :). The sequel is even better.
When Ina Blaine, Ben's childhood sweetheart, comes home from being away at school for four years, she finds everything changed. Everything that is, her feelings for Ben. However, Ina's father's new business partner, Less Setter, has plans not only for her father, but for Ina. If Ben and his pards can't figure out a way to catch the real rustlers, they may just lose everything.
A wonderful, classic western romance. Beautiful descriptions of the American West, written in 1927, for people who had never seen or experienced its beauty and majesty. Not my very favorite Zane Grey book, but it is up there :). The sequel is even better.
August 21, 2010
I read this book when I was about 12 because it was in my Grandma Frampton's bookcase when I was down in Provo for a visit. She let me take it home to finish it, and she died before I could get it back. It is obviously a western, but I was so caught up in the characters then. Especially the one called Nevada. It describes the lava fields and caves in northern California, and talks about the Klamath Indians. I still have the old book, but it's falling apart. Janice found me a newer edition for Christmas a couple years back. A lot of memories came flooding back as I read through it. True, it amy not be one of the world's best novels to most people, but it stayed with me, and I still like it.
April 4, 2017
Life in the Old West. A father is disappointed in his son and casts him out. The son creates a new life for himself and gathers faithful friends. Then the love of his youth returns after being away at college and an evil man has become his fathers partner and has spread lies about Ben. To win his lady love , he must clear his name and make good of his life. Many people believe in him and that is essential to his belief in himself. It is a hard won battle, but he does win. The language is flowery and sometimes seems ridiculous. It is the Old West of my TV youth.
May 31, 2012
This was the first Zane Grey book I read. A friend loaned it to me. The think that hooked me was that it was set in the Tule Lake area of northern California, a place I visited often while growing up.
June 18, 2016
I coudn't help but picture the characters over-acting, but I also couldn't help but picture the beautifully described Northern California wilderness. Zane Grey is a perfect summer read.
March 26, 2014
fun easy one day read
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