Wild Horse Mesa

by Zane Grey

Into the rough plains of Utah roamed the legendary Panquitch, a great wild stallion, that had eluded the countless wranglers who sought to capture him.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Historical Fiction, Classics, Horses

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

Pearl 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.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's how I got the book...
The orthodontist office is a quarter-circular high vaulted room with 5 chairs right next to each other. The inner walls have huge walnut book shelves decorated with all the cosmetic trimmings of the well to do. It's very impressive. The parents sit along the outer wall and watch the action. I was reading Sackett by Louis L'Amour while Mitch was having his braces tightened for the last time. The Ortho saw what I was reading and asked if I liked it. How do I tell him that I've been buying, reading and re-reading L'Amour books since I was fourteen years old, that this is the fourth time I've read Sackett, that years ago I split the entire collection of 50+ with my brother and now I want them all back. I don't. So I kept it simple. Here's how the conversation went:

Jeff:"Yea, I like them a lot".
Ortho:"Have you ever read Zane Grey?"
J: "No, I'd like to."
O:"Come over here, let me show you something."

At this point he takes me to his bookcase that I figured was full of decorative books, useless left over books from some bygone education program, their only current purpose is to make a shelf look good. Instead, he shows me a new bound set of Zane Grey's, maybe 15, maybe 20. They look like they've never been opened. He offers to let me read one. Normally I'd turn down such an offer but I figured it would offend him. I ask him to pick one out, his favorite. He picks Wild Horse Mesa.

Here's how I like the book...
Comparing Grey to L'Amour would be a mistake. The only thing they have in common is the west. They are stylistically very different. L'Amour's characters are black and white. His protagonists are near super heros, you simply replace the cape with a six-shooter. His prose mostly describes action, seldom feeling and never the complexity of a relationship. It's pure sugar because you know he won't let you down, justice will always be served and the good guy will get the girl just as the sun sets. In contrast, Grey spends plenty of time on feelings and relationships. His characters are far richer in texture and better developed. Injustice, ambiguity and uncertainty are allowed.

This novel is set in southeastern Utah during the late 1800s. The protagonist, Chance Weymer is a wild-horse wrangler. His greatest conquest would be to capture the great wild stallion, Panquitch, whose refuge is Wild Horse Mesa. Naturally, the book is full of Indians, horse thieves, horse chases, wild river crossings, and surprisingly love. In the end, this is a love story. If you doubt, I will leave you with the following exchange between Chance and Sue.


Sue: "If you had any sense you'd have known I -- I loved you!
Chance: "SUE MELBERNE!"
Sue:"Now, my wild-horse hunter, take your rope off Panquitch -- and put it on me"

[Charlotte Tamm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did you know that all it takes for a woman to fall madly in love is a verbal description of a tough, rugged horseman? Meeting him or seeing him is entirely optional. Some men are just that cool. Though he probably has to be named "Chane" to be that cool.
This book was so... melodramatic and silly. The descriptions of the setting and the horses were good, but the romance was so unbearable that I had to close the book a few times. It was a fun read for a totally vintage western vibe, but if you're looking for intelligent content, you won't find it here. Somehow, Zane Grey was an absolute icon in the twenties. And even more surprisingly, he was quite popular with the ladies as well.

[Altivo Overo · Rating 3 out of 5]

After realizing that the audiobook Panguitch to which I was listening was in fact a slightly edited revision of this original 1928 Zane Grey romance, I hunted down the original to verify my conclusions. This is a fine example of Grey's style and characters, but probably not one of his best works. Horse wrangler Chane Weymer is a classic Western hero, and this account of the dirty business of mass trapping wild mustangs is painfully accurate. If you are not already familiar with Zane Grey, though, I'd suggest starting with his much-acclaimed novel Riders of the Purple Sage.

[Altivo Overo · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those (like myself) who enjoy writers like Bret Harte or Zane Grey who engage in long, leisurely descriptions and asides, this is a good historical piece. It includes some period-appropriate racist behaviors and remarks, as well as a few errors such as confusing mules with donkeys. The publisher blurb fails to say that this is an "updated" version of Grey's well-known novel, Wild Horse Mesa, first published in 1928. The original spelled the stallion's name as "Panquitch." Be aware that this is mainly a Western romance, and the wild stallion makes a minor appearance near the end.

I listened to the Blackstone Audio version, which is very well produced and pleasant. I had expected a previously unread by me Zane Grey story, but quickly realized that it was familiar. It took me a while to figure out that the book was actually Wild Horse Mesa, which I first read as a teen some 50 years ago.

[J. T. K. Tobin · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I had a loftier memory of Zane Grey's writing prowess than was perhaps warranted, this was still a good old fashioned story of the West. The descriptions of the mesa ring true as if Mr. Grey were the main character, riding tall at sunset, watching the wild horses run. It's a tale that is, in some ways, lost in time. I enjoyed it.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of the large print edition done by Thorndyke Press which currently is not listed here at Goodreads. Here is a picture of the cover:



The plot of this Western is familiar enough -- let's go round up the wild horses, kill most of them and screw the Indians over while we're at it -- but the names of the characters make this book EXTRAORDINARY. Our Hero is named Chane. NOT Shane -- Chane, with a CH, (presumably) because his brother is named Chess. CHESS! And absolutely no explanation as to how twisted the parents had to be to come up with such weird-ass names.

Speaking of weird-ass names, we now turn to the legendary wild stallion of the novel, named (in other editions) Panguitch. However, in THIS edition he is clearly named Panquitch. Good luck trying how to pronounce it. (I'm thinking "Panquitch" is like "Pan kitcsh", which makes for a lot more sensible name, come to think of it.) Or I could need new glasses (which I do, but that's beside the point --)

So, I don't know what to call the wild stallion because now I'm completely confused. And he's not even the main horse of the novel. The starring horse is Chane's new horse named (thankfully) the easy to pronounce Brutus. He takes over much of the book. Pankitsch or Panwhoever takes up a mere fifty or so of the large print pages.

I have not seen either the 1932 or the 1947 movies of the same name, so I do not know how closely it follows the book or how the wild stallion's name is pronounced. He's described as "lion-colored" (that's a new one for me), so I assume he's a dun like this:



The white characters are clearly racist in their talk, but I'm not sure Grey was. The two most heroic characters are not white but a Native American and a half-Mexican. (Or full Mexican. Sorry -- it's harder for me to remember people characters than horse characters and I had to give this book back to the library.)

I'm not sure if Grey was writing for men or for women with this one. I know he's Colonel Potter's favorite author, but there was an awful lot about the main male and female human characters wondering if they were in love. The ruminations as to "am I in love or not?" went on longer than Chane's final confrontation with the main bad guy of the story, named

(wait for it)

Manurube.

I guess you get double points if you figure out how to pronounce that one.

[Roberta Biallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually a big fan of Westerns. But this book was one of my Grandmother's library, which I inherited. While moving some books around on the bookcases, I happened to pick this one up and set it beside my work desk. In between work, I picked it up just out of curiosity to look at the first page. Next thing I know, I'm 40 pages in... then 80 pages.... then halfway through...

'Wild Horse Mesa' grabs you from the very beginning. You have to remember this book was written almost a hundred years ago. The 'Wild, Wild West' was beginning to be tamed. We didn't have a lot of motion pictures, or ease of travel, or the Internet to tell about the wilds and beauty of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. I haven't been to those places, but reading this book transported me there. The descriptiveness of the writing is so beautiful.

One would be surprised to find this book is actually quite romantic as well. I won't give anything away but 'Wild Horse Mesa' is also a pure love story. It's not a steamy 'bodice-ripper' but a sweet tale about a horse wrangler and a young woman who wants to see the wild horses run free. There is also some social commentary about the fate of many Native Americans (especially young women) who were taken from their tribes by Missionaries who thought they were doing right by trying to take away their native heritage. I wasn't expecting that, but totally agree with the author's sentiments.

'Wild Horse Mesa' has a LOT of action, but also a deeply personal story. It is well worth the time to read and enjoy.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite Zane Grey book. .....and I love lots of them.

[Milo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zane Grey should have concentrated on the western story line and dropped the crappy romance line.
Extremely poorly written that could have been written by a love struck teen girl.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Western novels I have read to date. The descriptive details bring the landscapes to life and make me feel like I am right there watching all the action unfold. I can practically smell the wild horses racing across the countryside. It is not just the landscapes that draw me in though. There is so much depth to this story. It is about family, loyalties, friendship, love, betrayal, acceptance, and so much more. I was enthralled from start to finish. There truly is nothing quite like a well told western story. So many revolve around cattle rustling, it was nice to see a story about horses. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life. I also found the forward interesting. It tells the history of the novel from the original publication to the films and eventually back to print and audio. I know the movie is only a spark of the book, but I still added the 1947 film to my Netflix DVD queue for pure curiosity.

[Megan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…You are Panquitch and I am Wild Horse Mesa.”

How I love that line! A heartwarming story that will have you on the edge of your seat at times in the most endearing way! The type of writing Zane Grey exemplifies in Wild Horse Mesa was that somewhat hard to read/understand from time to time, but as I kept reading it grew easier. The way they talked was just slightly different than it is today. A really great story that those who love wild horses and the Wild West would surely love.

[C. Wayne Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost by many-newly discovered by some.

An excellence book that many have forgotten. We see and read many new books but oftentimes forget how great it is to discover long lost great works of literature as this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did this as an audio. Fun.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad for an old western.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Zane. Too much melodramatic romance and opining. Good story and setting.

[Kristopher Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great descriptions of the desert and mountains, those of the characters are problematic at best.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love westerns and this one had some excellent description of the area where the 'action' took place. But I wouldn't say there was really that much action.
Not a book I will keep to read again, nor will recommend it to 'western' fans. It's more a romance (not my cup of tea) than a 'real western'.
It did offer some education about wild house catching though.

[Stefaniab · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wild Horse Mesa" is one of Grey's "lesser" books, but still an enjoyable read. It's a bit of a redo of the distinctly downbeat horse story, "Wildfire." In the latter book, the horse of the title meets a sad end, and the obligatory romantic couple, though together, are in a state of post-traumatic stress--which didn't exist in the early twentieth century. (wink!)

In "Wild Horse Mesa," the tone is distinctly more upbeat, not that this tale doesn't have some gut-wrenching moments. The wild stallion Panquitch,king of Wild Horse Mesa, is captured by the humans but then let free. Chane, the wild horse hunter and hero of the piece, ultimately is horrified by the brutality of his lonesome profession. Like most Grey novels, this one has a brilliant set piece--in this case the pursuit and entrapment of a herd of wild horses. Though it was written in the 1920s, Grey was very explicit and editorially very scathing of the way these horses were round up and treated. The HSUS would have approved.

The heroine of the novel, Sue, is a feisty, sometimes wrong-headed young woman--very typical of a lot of Grey heroines. And, like the best of Grey heroines, she is hardly the corset encumbered, fainting type that sometimes populated early Western fiction. Sue has her big bravery moments that have us cheering. She lands her man, Chane, but sometimes I thought her more suited to his younger brother Chess.

All in all, a fun read. If you never read Grey, it's not a starter novel. Read "Riders of the Purple Sage" or "To the Last Man" (aka "Tonto Basin") first.

[Victoria]

I haven't read this book -- but my dad loves Western novels. Growing up as I kid I never saw him without one in his hand or nearby. I went to a used bookstore and found a first addition print of this book with an inscription date of "1930" that someone dated as a gift presentation on the front inside page. Anyway, I though it would make a cool Christmas gift for him. I only spent $3 on the book. I've since been researching online about it and have discovered first print mint additions are selling for over $100 and that Zane Grey is the 'father' (so to speak) of the Western Genre. I had no idea, I just thought it looked neat on the self. I think I've scored with this present~!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the first ever Zane Grey I've read. I started it out of desperation while sitting at a Swap Meet (forgot my book), and my husband had a box of Zane Grey's for sale. I really enjoyed it. Pretty funny, because I remember my dad reading these and I never even thought about trying them myself. Hmm - maybe we need to wait till next summer to sell that box of books.

[Justin Frodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think thid book is great. Its about a man and his talents with catching wild horses.

[Eric Chambala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading it. It was not as exciting as some westerns but the story was extremely captivating.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love horses and westerns this is your read. It made me feel as if I were on a breathtaking adventure, couldn't wait to turn the next corner. It took me back in time. My kind of western!

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a Zane Grey follower, this is another of his great western stories. I got this from our local library and in pencil, on the last page, someone had written what an awful book this was and they almost quit reading several times (but evidently they did get thru it). I would tell this person that they probably should not read anymore of his books. (smile) This has a copyright of 1924, a much kinder era. Most of his books, besides being set in the west, have a hint of romance in them, and they all end well. I'll bet a lot of his stories have been turned into cowboy movies. This story takes place in Grand Canyon territory and it is tough getting thru all of the description of the scenery, etc. but that is Zane Grey.

[Lloyd Klinedinst]

Zane Grey captured my interest and I found myself driven to read it as quickly as I could. I enjoyed in this reading comparing the technologies of cowboys with that of motorcyclists, having just finished reading and discussing Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. Strange to note that the last words of Chane and of the book sum up both the pulsating sympathetic fallacy of the ever-present scenery almost symbolizing that similar erotic dynamics between Sue and Chane (and ... ) and resonate with the Platonic / Aristotelian integration and plateau-above-Quality: "...You [Sue] are Panquitch [sic Panguitch] and I am Wild Horse Mesa."