“Going through life is something like riding a deep canyon where the light seldom shines. It is a strange canyon with unexpected turns and insurmountable walls and cross-canyons, boxed completely from the light. I suppose when we hit the closing wall of one of these box canyons it looks like the end and we want to beat our life out there. Sometimes by accident, sometimes by design, we feel our way out into the place where the light comes through at times, and we go on down that way because farther on there may be a way out into that light. Don’t you want to struggle on a little longer, Magdaline? I’m boxed in at present myself, in a canyon as dark as hell, but I’m feeling around for the way out.”

So philosophizes cowboy John Curry to his Indian friend, Magdaline. Both find themselves in dark canyons, but John has more experience in such matters. Compared to Magdaline’s 19 years, John is a wise old sage at 28. Their troubles involve John’s love interest, Mary Newton, a good woman married to a scoundrel. Even though she’s unhappy and often hurt by her scumbag husband, she feels bound by her obligations in the marriage vows. There is also High-Lo, the 19 year-old cowboy protege and best friend of John. They call him High-Lo because sometimes when work is to be done, they have to look “high and low” in order to find him. He’s the most interesting and fun character of the story. Grey gives us a fine story of how these folks deal with life--the choices they make, and the cards they’re dealt along the way.
Originally published in magazine serial form in 1926, Captives of the Desert is a Zane Grey mixture of old and new West. The setting is Black Mesa, Arizona of the 1920s. Sometimes they’re riding horses, sometimes cars. As with all Grey novels of the West, the landscape of mesas, canyons, and sage are beautifully woven into the story.
Although the outcome is fairly predictable, there are a few twists and turns, with interesting events. A Hopi snake dance is vividly described. Grey’s respect and admiration for the American Indian is displayed more so than in other of his novels that I’ve read.
There isn’t much gun play as can be found in such titles as, [b:Riders of the Purple Sage|90160|Riders of the Purple Sage (Riders of the Purple Sage #1)|Zane Grey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320415192l/90160._SY75_.jpg|2663060], [b:The Rainbow Trail|121292|The Rainbow Trail ( Riders of the Purple Sage#2)|Zane Grey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171832383l/121292._SY75_.jpg|3063248], and [b:The Lonestar Ranger|25844040|The Lonestar Ranger|Zane Grey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1438357091l/25844040._SX50_.jpg|2425493] , but there’s plenty romance, even if some of it may seem a bit strange to the 21st century reader. ( )

Very slow developing plot, Too much description and not enough action. A lot of romance and little action. ( )

A typical Grey story set in the Arizona desert. ( )