The Trail Driver

A Western Story

By: Zane Grey

Narrated by: Eric G. Dove

From the best-selling novelist of the American West, comes a novel of romance, danger, and life along the trail.

After his first successful venture of moving 2,500 cattle along the infamous Chisholm Trail, Adam Brite couldn't resist the allure of a second drive. To prepare for his greatest and most dangerous prospect yet, Brite begins purchasing cattle at every possible opportunity he gets and searching for an able crew to aid him in the arduous journey from San Antonio to Dodge City. He recruits a diverse cast of characters all left penniless after the Civil War: Trail boss and veteran driver Joe Shipman; Alabama Moze, the cook; Hal Bender, a friendly brute; The Uvalde quintet, a strapping group all under the age of twenty; and Pan Handle Smith, a striking Texas outlaw who never sleeps.

As they begin their journey north, Brite looks over the vast western landscape and his men attempting to herd the thousands of cattle from afar. In spite of the awe-inspiring scene, he grows fearful that Indians or inclement weather may make the excursion too dangerous with such a limited amount of drivers. As Brite begins to doubt the operation, a mysterious, young drifter named Reddie Bayne rides into their camp, and Brite offers him a job. Shortly afterwards, two unwanted guests arrive at the camp searching for the boy, and Brite quickly realizes that Bayne is not what he seems.

In this classic western tale by Zane Grey, raging rivers, powerful storms, stampedes, treachery, trail rustlers, and Comanche Indian raiders threaten the outfit and their stock along the trail. However, the greatest surprise lies right within the outfit, when an unlikely heroine appears - a young girl disguised as a cowboy.

©1936 Zane Grey (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Another western gem from Zane Grey.

A blazing swash of color against the Texas sky. Cattle, wranglers, lightning storms, heros . . . I couldn't put it down.

The Trail Drivers by Zane Grey

This is a fine story that captures the hardships & glories of a trail headed north. Hard to put down it was so compelling. Some real tragedy though right up to the end. Just enough hope in it for a better future for some but sure hated to lose those men that perished.

A Good, but Predictable Story

I enjoyed the story, but the plot was entirely predictable. If there were to be five adventurous experiences cowboys on a trail drive might have, this story builds in all five.

While it was sorta fun to have all of them, it wasn’t much of a surprise. They were all given a sense of being ahead of us, and then they came.

This included one plot element I won’t discuss because it is something I should leave to you.

The reading is ok but weak in the one respect I won’t give away.