What do you think?
Phantom Stallion #11
Untamed
Samantha discovers a plot to wipe out the wild horses near her family's ranch, but she can't convince anyone else that the Phantom's herd needs help.
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2009
About the author
Terri Farley
129 books428 followersTerri Farley is the best-selling author of books about the contemporary and historic West. Her PHANTOM STALLION series has sold over 2 million books world-wide and it relaunches with new art & content in March 2023.
Terri's most recent non-fiction book Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to
Save Them (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a Junior Library Guild selection; winner of the
Sterling North Heritage award for Excellence in Children's Literature.
Terri's only contemporary fantasy is SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA.
Terri is an advocate for the West's wild horses and for young people helping to make their voices heard.
https://www.facebook.com/PhantomStall...
https://twitter.com/Terri_Farley
https://www.instagram.com/terrifarley/
Terri's most recent non-fiction book Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to
Save Them (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a Junior Library Guild selection; winner of the
Sterling North Heritage award for Excellence in Children's Literature.
Terri's only contemporary fantasy is SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA.
Terri is an advocate for the West's wild horses and for young people helping to make their voices heard.
https://www.facebook.com/PhantomStall...
https://twitter.com/Terri_Farley
https://www.instagram.com/terrifarley/
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 30, 2017
So tiny Katie's mind is being blown right now because THIS IS #11 IN A SERIES???? WHAT. I am so confused. I read this when I was a wee lass and SUPER LOVED IT but I thought it was a standalone???
Anyway there's a review on here about how this is just a romance novel except with a girl and a horse and that is definitely absolutely true. WHAT MORE CAN YOU WANT??
Anyway there's a review on here about how this is just a romance novel except with a girl and a horse and that is definitely absolutely true. WHAT MORE CAN YOU WANT??
March 7, 2016
This was another Phantom Stallion book where I didn't remember all of the plot so it was mostly new to me. I liked that Sam got to learn more about her mother and connect with her mother's memory more even as she solved a mystery related to an old note her mother wrote just before her death. It was nice that doing these things let her connect a bit more with her father, too.
Content Advisory:
Some readers (and the parents of young readers) may want to be aware that this book deals much more directly with themes of parental loss than most of the previous ones. It's not necessarily depressing or heavy, but there is some sadness as Sam encounters things that remind her of her mother and learns more details about the circumstances surrounding the car accident that killed her mother. (No descriptions, just basic facts.)
As always, there are some threats toward the safety of horses and Sam makes some impulsive decisions, but everything is okay in the end, as always.
Content Advisory:
Some readers (and the parents of young readers) may want to be aware that this book deals much more directly with themes of parental loss than most of the previous ones. It's not necessarily depressing or heavy, but there is some sadness as Sam encounters things that remind her of her mother and learns more details about the circumstances surrounding the car accident that killed her mother. (No descriptions, just basic facts.)
As always, there are some threats toward the safety of horses and Sam makes some impulsive decisions, but everything is okay in the end, as always.
February 21, 2025
Okay so I know four stars is a huge jump from my first review of two stars but here is the explanation...
The first time I read this book it felt unfinished. The first copy I read about a year ago was pretty beat up and I had mentioned how it almost felt like pages were torn out. ...I still think they were.
The second time reading this book I was reading the last few pages for the FIRST time ever which completely changed my view of the story!
While this isn't one of my very favorite books it was a nice cozy read and it was nice to have some closure at the end. lol
Thank you, Terri Farley for such a great series!
The first time I read this book it felt unfinished. The first copy I read about a year ago was pretty beat up and I had mentioned how it almost felt like pages were torn out. ...I still think they were.
The second time reading this book I was reading the last few pages for the FIRST time ever which completely changed my view of the story!
While this isn't one of my very favorite books it was a nice cozy read and it was nice to have some closure at the end. lol
Thank you, Terri Farley for such a great series!
December 10, 2025
I admit, I read this book quickly but unfortunately, it was mostly because I wanted it to end faster. I felt horribly disappointed by this book, especially after the last book was such a good one.
Had this book come before the last one, I think I would have been at least a bit less harsh on it, but Sam's actions felt way overboard after a book about her maturing. Of course, she's a teenager and I can't fault teens for acting like teens in a book, but I felt Sam was a level of irresponsible that fit her more 5 books ago.
One of the biggest letdowns of this book for me was Jake's horse from the previous book is dropped with no explanation as to why. Sam is incredulous, but it's brushed aside entirely and never brought up again. I can't fathom why, especially because Jake hardly appears in this book at all either. I loved the introduction of Star, and I was very eager to see her more going forward, so her character being dropped was frustrating.
In a vacuum, detached from the previous books of this series, it might be closer to 3 stars, but even then I find the plot fails. The big plot of Sam trying to expose someone for their shady actions fizzles out, Sam has a moment of clarity and understanding for all of her actions within two pages, and faces basically no repercussions for her reckless behavior.
I would have liked a more proper discussion between her loved ones, especially because it truly never felt like she understood why they were so worried about her, even when she claimed she did; and even then, Buddy's part near the end comes out of nowhere, it isn't something Sam has consistently shown that she is truly afraid of or worried about until the last several pages, so her comparison to her family's worries and her worries about Buddy feel entirely unbalanced.
I think this book is weighed down heavily by the highs of the book before, and it collapses under a very flimsy plot regardless.
Had this book come before the last one, I think I would have been at least a bit less harsh on it, but Sam's actions felt way overboard after a book about her maturing. Of course, she's a teenager and I can't fault teens for acting like teens in a book, but I felt Sam was a level of irresponsible that fit her more 5 books ago.
One of the biggest letdowns of this book for me was Jake's horse from the previous book is dropped with no explanation as to why. Sam is incredulous, but it's brushed aside entirely and never brought up again. I can't fathom why, especially because Jake hardly appears in this book at all either. I loved the introduction of Star, and I was very eager to see her more going forward, so her character being dropped was frustrating.
In a vacuum, detached from the previous books of this series, it might be closer to 3 stars, but even then I find the plot fails. The big plot of Sam trying to expose someone for their shady actions fizzles out, Sam has a moment of clarity and understanding for all of her actions within two pages, and faces basically no repercussions for her reckless behavior.
I would have liked a more proper discussion between her loved ones, especially because it truly never felt like she understood why they were so worried about her, even when she claimed she did; and even then, Buddy's part near the end comes out of nowhere, it isn't something Sam has consistently shown that she is truly afraid of or worried about until the last several pages, so her comparison to her family's worries and her worries about Buddy feel entirely unbalanced.
I think this book is weighed down heavily by the highs of the book before, and it collapses under a very flimsy plot regardless.
September 23, 2020
My rating system
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood books 11-24 I did not have the pleasure of reading them during childhood I am reading them now.
Samantha discovers a plot to wipe out the wild horses near her family's ranch, but she can't convince anyone else that the Phantom's herd needs help.
When her insistence that the mustangs are in danger pits her against her family, her classmates, and the local sheriff, her only friend left is the Phantom Stallion. Can he help her solve the mustang mystery before her dad sends her out of harms way, back to San Francisco?
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood books 11-24 I did not have the pleasure of reading them during childhood I am reading them now.
Samantha discovers a plot to wipe out the wild horses near her family's ranch, but she can't convince anyone else that the Phantom's herd needs help.
When her insistence that the mustangs are in danger pits her against her family, her classmates, and the local sheriff, her only friend left is the Phantom Stallion. Can he help her solve the mustang mystery before her dad sends her out of harms way, back to San Francisco?
July 30, 2024
This one goes deep - as she investigates a lead from a note written by her late mother, Sam reflects on the similarities she shares with her. I like that, as well as how the story ties back to Sam's accident. Overall, this book marks some growth and maturing for her.
August 10, 2017
Was one of my favorite books as a teen!
May 6, 2018
An average teen series.
September 15, 2024
This one seems a little… loose, like there wasn’t a real story other than Sam is growing up.
The part where she sings to Daisy made me laugh :)
The part where she sings to Daisy made me laugh :)
March 10, 2026
Follow your heart or head? A delicate balance can be achieved, but also can be oh so difficult to find. Terri shows this beautifully.
May 8, 2026
Loved it
July 23, 2016
I give up with this series. And not just because my library's copy of Book 12 was stolen, either.
It's a romance series. Okay, granted, it's taken me 11 books to realize this but I've been wasting my time with 11 books that chronicle the excruciating detail of a forbidden romance. Okay, so it's not between a guy and a girl (or a girl and a girl or a guy and a guy) but it's between a girl and a mustang stallion. Instead of forbidden sex being the ultimate high, forbidden RIDES are the ultimate high.
Other problems with this book:
* What the hell happened to all of the other horses in this series? Dark Sunshine and her unborn foal entered in Book 2 or 3 and have done not much of anything ever since. Did Sam the Girl forget about this horse? How do you forget about a pregnant mare?
* Usually when the kid gets in trouble with her parents, I side with the kid and feel the punishment was unfair. Not this time. I sided with the parent/step-parent combo. I don't think it has to do with me getting old, either. But someone needs to smack some sense into this kid. Please.
* Still no such thing as an albino horse. Sorry, but genetics is a bitch that way.
* No resolution to the basic problems presented. The back blurb states that there is a mystery to be solved. Where? Where the fuck is it? Wherever the stolen Book 12 of my library went?
In conclusion -- skip this series and go with The Black Stallion (up until Walter Farley dies, then forget it.)
EDIT 2024: Idiot me gave in to temptation when book 12 was found in my county's library system.
It's a romance series. Okay, granted, it's taken me 11 books to realize this but I've been wasting my time with 11 books that chronicle the excruciating detail of a forbidden romance. Okay, so it's not between a guy and a girl (or a girl and a girl or a guy and a guy) but it's between a girl and a mustang stallion. Instead of forbidden sex being the ultimate high, forbidden RIDES are the ultimate high.
Other problems with this book:
* What the hell happened to all of the other horses in this series? Dark Sunshine and her unborn foal entered in Book 2 or 3 and have done not much of anything ever since. Did Sam the Girl forget about this horse? How do you forget about a pregnant mare?
* Usually when the kid gets in trouble with her parents, I side with the kid and feel the punishment was unfair. Not this time. I sided with the parent/step-parent combo. I don't think it has to do with me getting old, either. But someone needs to smack some sense into this kid. Please.
* Still no such thing as an albino horse. Sorry, but genetics is a bitch that way.
* No resolution to the basic problems presented. The back blurb states that there is a mystery to be solved. Where? Where the fuck is it? Wherever the stolen Book 12 of my library went?
In conclusion -- skip this series and go with The Black Stallion (up until Walter Farley dies, then forget it.)
EDIT 2024: Idiot me gave in to temptation when book 12 was found in my county's library system.
April 22, 2008
This book is really good. It's about connecting with people you lost, a little like that. Samantha, the main character, has to try to save the wild horses from killing off. I've only started this book yesterday, but it's really interesting.
June 25, 2013
I read this in fourth grade. I was so jealous of Sam. I mean who doesn't want to live on a ranch!? Although I must admit reading it now the plot was pretty easy to figure out but it's still an amazing horse story
June 16, 2008
Good to pass time. Can be interesting/exciting-but def. for horse freaks!
August 25, 2008
Suspenseful in it's own way
February 9, 2009
Awesome book!!! horses are amazing
March 20, 2009
Awesome!
Read
September 27, 2010These I read a long time ago
November 29, 2012
As I've said before, my favourite Phantom Stallion books are those which centre on the Phantom.
I love the covers of these books, they are just so beautiful.
Loved this book.
I love the covers of these books, they are just so beautiful.
Loved this book.
April 19, 2014
it was awesome!!!!!!!!
November 30, 2014
A great series for the young horse-lover! I read the whole series as a kid and each book keeps you interested and racing for the next!
January 14, 2015
The phantom stallion series are my favorite books in the whole world! I recommend them for any horse lover girl or boy! :-) best books ever made!!!!!!
February 18, 2016
The best series ever in the wild entire world!
September 25, 2010
See the first book in the series for a full review.
May 9, 2017
Highly recommend this book to any horse and country lover. Five stars
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews