The Rainbow Trail (a Romantic Sequel to Riders of the Purple Sage)

Zane Grey's "Rainbow Bridge" is a lyrical ballad of the west. Friendship,loyalty, danger, love - all the elements are there.The colors and loveliness of the canyonland, and the wild canyon rivers are breathtaking.

I first read and reread The Rainbow Trail MANY years ago. Loved it then and still do. I lived in northern Arizona for a few years and since I don't travel much anymore this is a great way to revisit the red rocks and roaring rivers of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Zane Grey is a wonderful descriptive writer who makes you feel as if you are traveling along with the characters in the book. I plan to download more Zane Grey books for my Kindle.

After reading Riders of The Purple Sage, I was left dissatisfied with the way the book left too many unanswered questions. Rainbow Trail, through many adventures, answered the mysteries. Zane Grey was a master story teller. I visited his home on Santa Catalina Island, where he did much of his writing. It was like standing in his shoes for a moment in time.

This book is a page turner that answers the questions you have at the end of the first book in the series, "Riders of the Purple Sage". It is also I believe the beginning of the idea for the Lone Ranger at least the friendship developed in this book between an Indian character and e main character. A great read.

Zane introduces new characters as a means to reconnect to the characters from Purple Sage in a very entertaining tale, again involving Mormons but in a somewhat more tolerant light. Still displays the secrecy and intimidation that was evidently (and from many accounts still practiced) a part of the Mormon life. Always Zane paint the beauty of the West with his words, as well as it's desolation. Having also recently read Mark Twain's Roughing It, verifies the accounts of the land, the people and the times with much accuracy.

Having spent endless hours hiking in the remote canyons described in this classic novel, I could picture every twist and turn during the frantic chase scenes. Zane Grey's prose is vivid as ever, and his love for this untamed land between Navajo Mountain and the Colorado River, and all around the iconic Rainbow Bridge, shows on every page.

Spoiler alert!

Beautiful descriptive writing, but when the hero holding a gun jumps out a window rather than confront his love's serial rapist and leaves her to it, I began to feel that Zane had lost his mind. Furthermore, this hero blubbered more than once that he didn't know what to do about the rapist and didn't even want to know his name. All this after he had nearly strangled some other fellow for tarnishing his reputation and who had corrupted a young Indian girl. Seems like Zane was confused as to who this hero is. Furthermore, the hero is as dense as a twenty-year old saddle, him being surprised to learn certain things that the reader has known about for the preceding 100 pages. And he is lucky, so lucky to the point that he doesn't have to do anything but chop wood and show up to whatever is happening for someone else to save the day. Except when he missed the villain with a rifle at close range and killed his horse instead. Which happened to be fortuitous. Like I said, lucky. I suppose the worst of him was the fact that when he thought his love had killed in self-defense, he felt she was tainted. Real fine fella all around. Harumph.

Classic sequel to the great Zane Grey Western Riders of the Purple Sage. This book closes the loop holes left open at the end of the initial book of this two book series. These two books are not only some of the best in the genre but also just great literature in their own right. Grey is a fantastic writer, and he paints a vivid picture in the minds eye concerning the countryside he is describing - in this case the canyon country of southwest Utah and northwest Arizona. If you have a Kindle you can't beat the price and even if you don't this book is well worth getting your hands on a paper copy. Good reading; be happy and stay young.

The Rainbow Trail brings closure to the novel Riders of the Purple Sage. It answers the question, What happened to Jane and Lassiter? But more importantly, it opens up a new series of events and characters that a reader can identify with and become emotionally involved with. Zane Grey knew how to get the reader hooked and then keep him on the line to the finish, just like he knew how to fish for world record sharks in the ocean. With the back drop being the desert and plateau and canyon country of Utah and Arizona which Zane Grey could so vividly and memorable describe in words no other author has managed to emulate, he tells a story so unique and compelling that I am sure when it was published no one could resist to read it, especially since it brought Riders to a conclusion. Standing alone, it holds up just as well today. A defrocked minister comes west after hearing the story of Fay Larkin, and Jane and Lassiter, from two of his parishioners and decides to hunt for them, and in so doing find himself and his God. The twists and turns he faces in his search make for good mystery and good romance. I proudly recommend it.

The Rainbow Trail brings closure to the novel Riders of the Purple Sage. It answers the question, What happened to Jane and Lassiter? But more importantly, it opens up a new series of events and characters that a reader can identify with and become emotionally involved with. Zane Grey knew how to get the reader hooked and then keep him on the line to the finish, just like he knew how to fish for world record sharks in the ocean. With the back drop being the desert and plateau and canyon country of Utah and Arizona which Zane Grey could so vividly and memorable describe in words no other author has managed to emulate, he tells a story so unique and compelling that I am sure when it was published no one could resist to read it, especially since it brought Riders to a conclusion. Standing alone, it holds up just as well today. A defrocked minister comes west after hearing the story of Fay Larkin, and Jane and Lassiter, from two of his parishioners and decides to hunt for them, and in so doing find himself and his God. The twists and turns he faces in his search make for good mystery and good romance. I proudly recommend it.

The Rainbow Trail brings closure to the novel Riders of the Purple Sage. It answers the question, What happened to Jane and Lassiter? But more importantly, it opens up a new series of events and characters that a reader can identify with and become emotionally involved with. Zane Grey knew how to get the reader hooked and then keep him on the line to the finish, just like he knew how to fish for world record sharks in the ocean. With the back drop being the desert and plateau and canyon country of Utah and Arizona which Zane Grey could so vividly and memorable describe in words no other author has managed to emulate, he tells a story so unique and compelling that I am sure when it was published no one could resist to read it, especially since it brought Riders to a conclusion. Standing alone, it holds up just as well today. A defrocked minister comes west after hearing the story of Fay Larkin, and Jane and Lassiter, from two of his parishioners and decides to hunt for them, and in so doing find himself and his God. The twists and turns he faces in his search make for good mystery and good romance. I proudly recommend it.

This book ends the story of Lassiter, Jane and Fay. The main characters of riders of the purple sage.
An easterner from Illinois came west to find the three after hearing of their story from the original rider,Venter, on Jane's ranch.
A great ending to the story of Riders of the Purple Sage. So realistic. The descriptions of the country unbelievable! You can picture the beautiful country, thanks to the awesome descriptions.
A good book to read, even though it is almost 100 years old-timeless.

This story by Zane Grey is a timeless classic. Mr. Grey has an elegant writing style that paints colorful jpictures of the desert southwest in his prose. The unexpected love story is a little different from other stories of his I have read. I recommend it as a western adventure.

Those who will be interested to find out more about what happened to the main characters of ROPS will have to wait until the very end of the book. This story stands alone and it is not necessary to read the prequel in order to enjoy this story.

Zane Gray is wordy in his descriptions until it becomes monotonous. He attempts to expound on the human psych but he is actually only judgmental in his proposed insights, I found this book irritating and mundane.