JOHN HARE... is found dying in the desert and is nursed back to health by a friendly rancher, August Naab. Hare is immediately attracted to Naab's daughter, but she is already being aggressively pursued by a suitor... Hare soon finds himself drawn into adventure and intrigue over land, water, and the heart of a beautiful woman. An atmospheric, emotive tale compellingly told by a master of the Old West.
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JOHN HARE... is found dying in the desert and is nursed back to health by a friendly rancher, August Naab. Hare is immediately attracted to Naab's daughter, but she is already being aggressively pursued by a suitor... Hare soon finds himself drawn into adventure and intrigue over land, water, and the heart of a beautiful woman. An atmospheric, emotive tale compellingly told by a master of the Old West.
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Perhaps, with the exception of Riders of the Purple Sage, Heritage of the Desert is the best western Zane Grey ever wrote. It combines every thing one expects to find in the genre, and then adds a little bit more you don't expect to find. It is the basic story of a young man, John Hare, who has come west to regain his health and to find his place in life only to be branded "Dene's spy" and becomes a hunted man. There is the Mormon element, only in this book they receive favorable treatment by Zane Grey; there are animal heros; a faithful Indian companion to the heroine, a half-Indian girl, Mescal; rustlers and land thieves; a favored son gone bad; and the canyon country of Utah described as only the master detailer can depict it in all of its glory and spendor. With this book Zane Grey set the standard by which he himself had to live up to with each succeeding novel, and HE DID. This edition is based on the Harpers edition of 1910 so is faithful to the original printing. However in the last few years books have been published based on Zane Grey's holographic or hand written manuscripts and the parts which editors at Harpers had deleted have been restored sometimes lending new insight as to just what Zane Grey was trying to say in his books. But if you can't afford one (Desert Heritage) this book will do just fine to introduce you to Zane Grey, if you are not already a fan. This is a fantastic book. There is not much more I can say to give it praise.
