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The Black Stallion #5
The Black Stallion and Satan
Satan has won the Triple Crown, yet Alec still misses the Black, who’s living in Arabia with Sheikh Abu Ishak. Unexpectedly, Alec receives word that the sheikh has died and has left the Black to Alec. A race between the Black and Satan is inevitable, but unexpected events put the horses in the path of a raging forest fire. Suddenly, they are racing for their lives.
178 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 1949
45 people are currently reading
1696 people want to read
About the author
Walter Farley
162 books1,035 followersWalter Farley's love for horses began when he was a small boy living in Syracuse, New York, and continued as he grew up in New York City, where his family moved. Young Walter never owned a horse. But unlike most city children, he had little trouble gaining firsthand experience with horses-his uncle was a professional horseman, and Walter spent much of his time at the stables with him.
"He wasn't the most successful trainer of race horses," Mr. Farley recalled, "and in a way I profited by it. He switched from runners to jumpers to show horses to trotters and pacers, then back to runners again. Consequently, I received a good background in different kinds of horse training and the people associated with each."
Walter Farley began to write his first book, THE BLACK STALLION, while he was a student at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School and Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, and
finished it while he was an undergraduate at Columbia University. It was published by Random House when he was 26. He used his first advance to go traveling and after that hardly stopped longer than it took him to write another book. He traveled and lived in Mexico, Hawaii, the South Seas, most of the South American countries, the Caribbean Islands, and Europe.
The appearance of THE BLACK STALLION in 1941 was hailed by enthusiastic boys and girls all over the country. An avalanche of mail urged Mr. Farley to write more about Alec Ramsey and the Black. But World War II intervened. Mr. Farley went into the US Army, where he spent the next five years. Most of the time he was assigned to Yank, the army weekly magazine, and he was also trained in the Fourth Armored Division.
After the war Walter Farley resumed the adventures of Alec and the Black with THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS. This was followed by SON OF THE BLACK STALLION. Then Mr. Farley tried his hand at a story about a new boy, Steve Duncan, and a new horse, Flame, in THE ISLAND STALLION. Mr. Farley's readers were just as delighted with this book as his others.
Mr. Farley went on to write many more stories about the two stallions, and about other horses as well. Children of all ages have found Farley titles to enjoy, since many of the later stories were written for Mr. Farley's own children when they were too young to read his Stallion novels. And older readers and adults have been gripped by his fictionalized biography of America's greatest Thoroughbred, Man O'War. Walter Farley's titles reached a grand total of 34. The 21 Black Stallion and Island Stallion stories are still in print and selling steadily. His readers respond with passion, writing him thousands of letters and emails every year. In May 1949, the first Black Stallion Club was founded, in Kentucky. Mr. Farley designed a membership button for it; the button was in constant demand among his readers for years. The Black Stallion books were so popular in the late 1940s and '50s that they York Times annual list of best-selling children's books. Three nationwide Black Stallion contests were held. Walter Farley's books have been published abroad in more than 20 countries, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Israel, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaya, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States and Canada.
All his life Walter Farley remained a keen spectator of the racing scene, and he enjoyed nothing more than hobnobbing with horse trainers and other professional horsemen. It is thanks to these people that his books are so full of authentic details of raising and training horses. When not busy working or traveling, Mr. Farley liked to ride dressage and high school Lippizaner horses. He also sailed and sometimes raced his 35-foot auxiliary sloop "Circe."
Mr. Farley and his wife Rosemary, had four children: Pam, Alice, Steve, and Tim, whom they raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and in a beach house in Florida. In addit
"He wasn't the most successful trainer of race horses," Mr. Farley recalled, "and in a way I profited by it. He switched from runners to jumpers to show horses to trotters and pacers, then back to runners again. Consequently, I received a good background in different kinds of horse training and the people associated with each."
Walter Farley began to write his first book, THE BLACK STALLION, while he was a student at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School and Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, and
finished it while he was an undergraduate at Columbia University. It was published by Random House when he was 26. He used his first advance to go traveling and after that hardly stopped longer than it took him to write another book. He traveled and lived in Mexico, Hawaii, the South Seas, most of the South American countries, the Caribbean Islands, and Europe.
The appearance of THE BLACK STALLION in 1941 was hailed by enthusiastic boys and girls all over the country. An avalanche of mail urged Mr. Farley to write more about Alec Ramsey and the Black. But World War II intervened. Mr. Farley went into the US Army, where he spent the next five years. Most of the time he was assigned to Yank, the army weekly magazine, and he was also trained in the Fourth Armored Division.
After the war Walter Farley resumed the adventures of Alec and the Black with THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS. This was followed by SON OF THE BLACK STALLION. Then Mr. Farley tried his hand at a story about a new boy, Steve Duncan, and a new horse, Flame, in THE ISLAND STALLION. Mr. Farley's readers were just as delighted with this book as his others.
Mr. Farley went on to write many more stories about the two stallions, and about other horses as well. Children of all ages have found Farley titles to enjoy, since many of the later stories were written for Mr. Farley's own children when they were too young to read his Stallion novels. And older readers and adults have been gripped by his fictionalized biography of America's greatest Thoroughbred, Man O'War. Walter Farley's titles reached a grand total of 34. The 21 Black Stallion and Island Stallion stories are still in print and selling steadily. His readers respond with passion, writing him thousands of letters and emails every year. In May 1949, the first Black Stallion Club was founded, in Kentucky. Mr. Farley designed a membership button for it; the button was in constant demand among his readers for years. The Black Stallion books were so popular in the late 1940s and '50s that they York Times annual list of best-selling children's books. Three nationwide Black Stallion contests were held. Walter Farley's books have been published abroad in more than 20 countries, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Israel, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaya, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States and Canada.
All his life Walter Farley remained a keen spectator of the racing scene, and he enjoyed nothing more than hobnobbing with horse trainers and other professional horsemen. It is thanks to these people that his books are so full of authentic details of raising and training horses. When not busy working or traveling, Mr. Farley liked to ride dressage and high school Lippizaner horses. He also sailed and sometimes raced his 35-foot auxiliary sloop "Circe."
Mr. Farley and his wife Rosemary, had four children: Pam, Alice, Steve, and Tim, whom they raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and in a beach house in Florida. In addit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 7, 2011
Now this is more like it. The Black is back, with his small, proud head, his finely molded muzzle, his arrogant carriage! And Alec, impetuous and wrong-headed, sure of himself and his stallion. Also Henry, wise, grizzled and always right. Plus adventure! Fires! Horse fights! Horse races! Police action!
Every bit as good as I remembered, but I'd forgotten the painfully awful Italian dialect Farley put in the mouth of Tony who is always referred to as "the huckster". Itsa beeg, beeg shame, thatsa what I mean, anna itsa gonna cost ol' Meester Farley onea hees stars.
Every bit as good as I remembered, but I'd forgotten the painfully awful Italian dialect Farley put in the mouth of Tony who is always referred to as "the huckster". Itsa beeg, beeg shame, thatsa what I mean, anna itsa gonna cost ol' Meester Farley onea hees stars.
May 15, 2022
Sometimes books can feel too insular, like they’ve bought into their little worlds too strongly to remember the everyday things affecting people outside those worlds. This book might be the opposite of that: it starts with Alec feeling sad that his horse belongs to the public now - there’s a death because of a horse - there’s a virus with no cure - and there’s a fire. The outside world invades with a vengeance.
This is a meandering sort of plot invested with urgency because of the circumstances which intrude upon it - it’s compelling even if it isn’t a standard horse race story. And I’ve always remembered this ending - it’s great character stuff. Is it kind? Is it patronizing? Was it the right thing to do? I didn’t think of this as a kid, but now I think it’s the appropriate bookend for this story: the Black will always belong to Alec alone.
This is a meandering sort of plot invested with urgency because of the circumstances which intrude upon it - it’s compelling even if it isn’t a standard horse race story. And I’ve always remembered this ending - it’s great character stuff. Is it kind? Is it patronizing? Was it the right thing to do? I didn’t think of this as a kid, but now I think it’s the appropriate bookend for this story: the Black will always belong to Alec alone.
March 30, 2014
When I read Farley's work I am always amazed at how capable he is of capturing the essence of action and suspense in his adventure stories. You would think that he carried a tape recorder around with him and dictated chaotic events as they were happening so that they could be used later, because the action is so perfectly done, it's as if you're watching it or listening to it yourself. All of this is done without the lengthy descriptions that some authors rely on to express danger or distress. The masterful way that Farley can give just the right amount of information to engage your brain while letting your imagination automatically fill in the rest is simply beyond measure.
Young readers will love his action-packed story of the Black's return and will find their hearts racing as he and his son battle the blaze so often depicted on the cover of the book. But adults be warned, you won't be able to put this one down either. If you loved the series as a child, you'll be picking it up again and enjoy every minute as if it was the first time.
Young readers will love his action-packed story of the Black's return and will find their hearts racing as he and his son battle the blaze so often depicted on the cover of the book. But adults be warned, you won't be able to put this one down either. If you loved the series as a child, you'll be picking it up again and enjoy every minute as if it was the first time.
March 7, 2022
I'm so glad to be back with Alec and his beloved horses! The last book was a real disappointment, but I love Alec, Satan and the Black. I was sad to hear about Abu Ishak, but the Black needed to be with Alec. I loved this story, though the book description DEFINITELY had spoilers in my opinion! I loved to see how Alec and Henry were progressing with their dream, and also see Alec's love for his horses (and Napoleon!) expand.
I recommend to all fans of the series, and any young readers looking for a fun horse-related adventure!
I recommend to all fans of the series, and any young readers looking for a fun horse-related adventure!
June 18, 2024
If you've ever watched Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, there's a scene near the end where Spirit outruns a forest fire. Just watch that movie and skip this book; the movie is much more exciting.
February 18, 2024
Yet another great installment in this classical series! Amazing tension and realistic plot and dialogue.
Anxious to continue!
Anxious to continue!
February 6, 2015
The main characters in this book are Alec, Henry, and the Black. Alec is the jockey and trainer of the Black and is the only person that can ride the wild stallion. Henry is there to help Alec if needed and enter the Black in races. The setting of this book first takes place in Alec’s barn when he gets this later from Abu Ishak’s daughter sends Alec a letter telling him that he will be getting the Black back because he died when the wild stallion threw him off. They tried to keep him in hiding because they didn't want the company, but after a while reporters found the Black and persuaded Alec to let the Black race one last time in the International race. Then, the book took place at the International racetrack, but a horse had to be put down because it had swamp fever. Then, the rest of the book took place in a quarantine barn because the horses needed to be monitored to see if they had come down with the deadly illness.
The conflict of this book is when the horses are in the barn and a forest fire burns the barn. People get the horses out and instead of heading away from the fire they head into the pasture and get trapped by the fire. The Black was the last one out of the barn, and when the Black ran by Alec he hopped on the stallion without any tack and guided the horses in with the other stallions that were trapped in the pasture. Alec finally fixed the conflict in the book because he found a gate in the pasture that led to the valley. He tried and tried to get the stallions to go through the gate, but they were too terrified by the raging fire. Now, there was a slight fire that blocked the gate, but that wasn't going to stop Alec from trying to save the stallions. He tried one last time before the fire reached them. One by one the stallions jumped over the fire and ran down the lane towards the valley! A few burning pieces off of trees landed on the stallions but they kept on going. Finally, the horses reached the valley and beat the fire!
My opinion of the book was that it was really amazing. When El Dorado had to be put down because he had swamp fever and that the other horses might have swamp fever too, I got so excited and had this weird feeling in my stomach. I just wanted to keep on reading. I never knew what was coming next and it made everything all the better. It was such an awesome book. I would recommend this book to people that are really into excitement and horses together. It was amazing!
The conflict of this book is when the horses are in the barn and a forest fire burns the barn. People get the horses out and instead of heading away from the fire they head into the pasture and get trapped by the fire. The Black was the last one out of the barn, and when the Black ran by Alec he hopped on the stallion without any tack and guided the horses in with the other stallions that were trapped in the pasture. Alec finally fixed the conflict in the book because he found a gate in the pasture that led to the valley. He tried and tried to get the stallions to go through the gate, but they were too terrified by the raging fire. Now, there was a slight fire that blocked the gate, but that wasn't going to stop Alec from trying to save the stallions. He tried one last time before the fire reached them. One by one the stallions jumped over the fire and ran down the lane towards the valley! A few burning pieces off of trees landed on the stallions but they kept on going. Finally, the horses reached the valley and beat the fire!
My opinion of the book was that it was really amazing. When El Dorado had to be put down because he had swamp fever and that the other horses might have swamp fever too, I got so excited and had this weird feeling in my stomach. I just wanted to keep on reading. I never knew what was coming next and it made everything all the better. It was such an awesome book. I would recommend this book to people that are really into excitement and horses together. It was amazing!
November 29, 2025
This was always one of my favourite books in the series. Alec is stunned by the news from Arabia and is going to be reunited with The Black. He and Henry are already planning for a future where The Black and Satan will breed a number of sons and daughters to carry on the racing line at their newly purchased Hopeful Farm. Abu Ishak had planned to race The Black in a big race that the best in the world were contesting-Satan included. The question is, which is the fastest horse?
I liked the whole plot of this book. The idea of having The Black finally race against Satan was an interesting idea, though Henry has doubts that The Black can be controlled to be around other stallions. This is the basis for the chapters featuring the build up to the race but it was unexpected when I first read it to discover that everyone was going to be caught up in a serious health issue instead. That was a plot twist and I enjoyed the consequences of it as the action in the book came to an exciting finish.
The one thing I would say about this book on re-reading it is that Alec is quite whiny and irritating. In book 3 he loves Satan and wants to race him to glory. In this book, he sulks that Satan's success means the horse has been taken away from him and shared with the world. He sulks that Henry has trained Satan so well that other jockeys can ride him too, meaning Alec is no longer 'needed' in Satan's life. He starts brooding about The Black, because only he was special enough to ride the wild stallion and he loses interest in poor Satan. In fact, Satan is pretty much an afterthought in this book as Alec becomes obsessed with proving that The Black is the better horse. His reckless actions cause lots of trouble in this book.
I really started to prefer Henry as a character in this book and he was more professional and easier to like. He is the one who really seems to love and care for Satan, even when Alec is losing interest.
Still really enjoyed the drama in this book.
I liked the whole plot of this book. The idea of having The Black finally race against Satan was an interesting idea, though Henry has doubts that The Black can be controlled to be around other stallions. This is the basis for the chapters featuring the build up to the race but it was unexpected when I first read it to discover that everyone was going to be caught up in a serious health issue instead. That was a plot twist and I enjoyed the consequences of it as the action in the book came to an exciting finish.
The one thing I would say about this book on re-reading it is that Alec is quite whiny and irritating. In book 3 he loves Satan and wants to race him to glory. In this book, he sulks that Satan's success means the horse has been taken away from him and shared with the world. He sulks that Henry has trained Satan so well that other jockeys can ride him too, meaning Alec is no longer 'needed' in Satan's life. He starts brooding about The Black, because only he was special enough to ride the wild stallion and he loses interest in poor Satan. In fact, Satan is pretty much an afterthought in this book as Alec becomes obsessed with proving that The Black is the better horse. His reckless actions cause lots of trouble in this book.
I really started to prefer Henry as a character in this book and he was more professional and easier to like. He is the one who really seems to love and care for Satan, even when Alec is losing interest.
Still really enjoyed the drama in this book.
February 5, 2020
Great Read
Thanks again to Walter for giving us an enjoyable and wholesome tale of a boy and his horse, all that read Walters works are better for it, I wish our contemporary authors could do as well for our young readers.
Thanks again to Walter for giving us an enjoyable and wholesome tale of a boy and his horse, all that read Walters works are better for it, I wish our contemporary authors could do as well for our young readers.
June 13, 2024
Who is faster -- The Black or his son Satan? Imaginative way for readers to find out. Keep in mind that this book was written decades before international travel for horse races became the norm. When I was a kid and The Black Stallion movie came out in 1979 or so, I was secretly hoping that the whole series would be filmed -- or at least up to this book.
This book also gives a spotlight to the Black's long-suffering friend, the grey gelding Napoleon. He's mentioned in The Black Stallion's Filly but that's about it with him in the series. I always wondered what kind of magic Napoleon possessed to calm the Black down, since he wasn't female. Now that I'm an adult, I now wonder if there was some sort of "special" relationship between the Black and ol' Nappy.
This review is of the paperback version with the gorgeous Ruth Sanderson cover. The book originally came out with black and white illustrations. They don't add anything to the story and, quite frankly, aren't very good.
This book also gives a spotlight to the Black's long-suffering friend, the grey gelding Napoleon. He's mentioned in The Black Stallion's Filly but that's about it with him in the series. I always wondered what kind of magic Napoleon possessed to calm the Black down, since he wasn't female. Now that I'm an adult, I now wonder if there was some sort of "special" relationship between the Black and ol' Nappy.
This review is of the paperback version with the gorgeous Ruth Sanderson cover. The book originally came out with black and white illustrations. They don't add anything to the story and, quite frankly, aren't very good.
August 15, 2016
I've been transported back into my childhood - longing with Alec to see Black again, hoping that he'll won't want to fight, being terrified that Black and Satan caught the Swamp fever and being on the edge of my seat when Alec rides Black to save the horses from the fire. ♥ Wonderful!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2016
Great!
Walter Farley has done it again in another classic book of the Black and Satan! If you love his stories about The Black Stallion, I would recommend reading this book.
Walter Farley has done it again in another classic book of the Black and Satan! If you love his stories about The Black Stallion, I would recommend reading this book.
July 25, 2017
"You got to have respect for what any horse might do."
Ah, The Black and Satan, my favorite literary horse, and a literary horse that annoys but captivates me. Here together. The thing I love about The Black is that his bond with Alec is so strong. It's what every little girl wants with a horse (or maybe because I grew up reading The Black Stallion that's what *I* wanted with a horse). But Satan is just wild.
We've got them basically pitted against each other here. The Black never got to race in the Triple Crown, so who's to say who's the better horse? Well, the outcome of this book is sure to prove it.
Ah, The Black and Satan, my favorite literary horse, and a literary horse that annoys but captivates me. Here together. The thing I love about The Black is that his bond with Alec is so strong. It's what every little girl wants with a horse (or maybe because I grew up reading The Black Stallion that's what *I* wanted with a horse). But Satan is just wild.
We've got them basically pitted against each other here. The Black never got to race in the Triple Crown, so who's to say who's the better horse? Well, the outcome of this book is sure to prove it.
September 21, 2020
I am giving this book a low four stars. It was surprisingly easy to get into the story, especially considering the only other Black Stallion book that I've read is the Black Stallion Mystery, which comes after this one. The climax wasn't all that suprising, since it was illustrated on the cover, and I wish that there was a little bit more foreshadowing to the climax. Also, I wish that the whole problem that started with El Dorado led to a little bit more than just the fact that the horses were in a certain place at a certain time.
By the way, the climax is not a good time to have the opening song to Rio stuck in your head.
By the way, the climax is not a good time to have the opening song to Rio stuck in your head.
December 2, 2021
I'll admit, I too wanted to know who would win between The Black and Satan. Ultimately the book satisfies there, but it's a long, strange, meandering road to find out. The book dedicates about 5 pages to Alec getting the Black back meanwhile something like 25% of the book is horse pandemic drama which ultimately amounts to nothing more than a lazy plot device to move the horses from point A to point B.
The exciting conclusion went a long way towards redeeming this one for me, but at this point it feels like Walter Farley was choosing his plot devices by taping ideas to a dartboard and letting a few rip.
The exciting conclusion went a long way towards redeeming this one for me, but at this point it feels like Walter Farley was choosing his plot devices by taping ideas to a dartboard and letting a few rip.
October 6, 2021
The overarching theme of this book is "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it!" The story starts off on a wistful, then happy note. It gives the reader an emotional roller coaster, from happy to sad to terrified, adding in anxiety and worry for flavor. It's also a turning point in the series, leaving the small home for the big world.
All in all, the book is very good. Walter Farley gets better as he writes more, and it's a joy to read through these books.
All in all, the book is very good. Walter Farley gets better as he writes more, and it's a joy to read through these books.
March 4, 2022
In this book, the fifth in The Black Stallion series, Alec is told that the Sheik has died and has left The Black Stallion to him. Alec is glad to have him back in his life on a permanent basis, but knows that The Black Stallion and his son, Satan, will eventually come head to head in the racing game. I love horses and equestrian sports, so this was a perfect book for me back in my day.
December 18, 2020
Do you ever have that little idea bugging you in your head? I must’ve read these 100 times as a kid. I had to go back and read the book to find out that a bit I couldn’t remember. It was like a comforting pair of PJs
May 24, 2017
One of my favorites as a kid
October 5, 2017
One of my favorite books.
December 21, 2017
Great book
March 21, 2018
A good read for kids.
June 23, 2018
Great!
Walter Farley has done it again in another classic book of the Black and Satan! If you love his stories about The Black Stallion, I would recommend reading this book.
Walter Farley has done it again in another classic book of the Black and Satan! If you love his stories about The Black Stallion, I would recommend reading this book.
September 2, 2018
My daughter says this was one of the most exciting Black Stallion books we’ve read so far in the series!
September 27, 2018
I only read the first then this one but it was still awsome!
February 16, 2020
Another good story from my childhood.
May 1, 2020
great!
October 13, 2020
A good read. Read it from cover to cover non stop. I liked the format of the plot, not predictable at all like Farley's previous novels.
December 12, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book again love this book series even if it is for kids
October 1, 2021
Loved the continuing saga.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews