The Black Stallion Series Relaxed Shared Read Thread

Some of us have been revisiting/rereading this series, or perhaps reading for the first time.

Feel free to jump in, anytime, and post reviews or thoughts.

We do discourage revealing too much of the plot for others, so don't forget those spoilers!

The series, in order, can be found here: https://www.librarything.com/series/Black+Stallion

The first book in the series is The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It was originally published in 1941.



This was my first Black Stallion book, read back when I was in grammar school.

Although I enjoyed the movie, it just didn't compare to the original book, imo.

Have you read this one, yet?

Neat! I won't join in on the actual re-reading, but I have read them all, so I'm eager to read through your comments!

The original edition had lovely ink illustrations by Keith Ward. Here are a couple:

>3 scaifea: be sure to comment!

Thanks to harrygbutler for getting this shared read started.

The second book in the series is The Black Stallion Returns, published in 1945:



Here's my review:

In this sequel to The Black Stallion, Alec finds himself traveling to the deserts and mountains of Arabia, to the original home of The Black, and to see the purpose for which the great horse was bred.

I enjoyed this story, and how the author described the culture of the Bedouin tribes, without employing long passages devoted to explanation, and relating the adventures of Alec, without having to dispel belief.

Whether or not you're joining us in the shared read of the Black Stallion series, be sure to comment about the books, perhaps what you remember about reading them.

Book #3 is, of course, Son of the Black Stallion



Original publishing date was 1947.

My review:

This is a good, solid sequel to the first two Black Stallion books, though I think it suffers a little in the use of a "deus ex machina" near the end, not something that negates it as a decent read, though, and is probably not something a juvenile would notice. Worth reading, rereading in my case. If you liked the first two books, you should definitely read this one.

Thread's now on the group wiki. Have fun!

>9 drneutron: thanks!!!

Thanks for setting up this thread, fuzzi! I hope folks will drop in and read some, or all, or even just one or two, or share their thoughts about the books. I'll share the mini-reviews from my threads here, too.

>11 harrygbutler: that would be nice. I'd like this to be our thread, not just fuzzi posting! :D

I added a link to the series list in the OP.

Thanks for this thread fuzzi!

The order of the Dutch publications is somewhat different from the original publication order. In 2014 I re-read the first ten books:
#1 The Black Stallion (De zwarte hengst), review on my 2014 thread
#2 The Black Stallion Returns (De terugkeer van Black, de zwarte hengst), review on my 2014 thread
#3 Son of the Black Stallion (De zoon van Black, de zwarte hengst), review on my 2014 thread
#4 The Black Stallion and Satan (Black, de zwarte hengst en Satan), review on my 2014 thread
#5 The Black Stallion's Filly (Black Minx, het veulen van Black, de zwarte hengst), very short review on my 2014 thread
#6 The Black Stallion Revolts (Black, de zwarte hengst komt in opstand), very short review on my 2014 thread
#7 The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt (Bonfire, Black's tweede zoon in de drafsport), very short review on my 2014 thread
#8 The Black Stallions courage (Black, de zwarte hengst terug op de renbaan), short review on my 2014 thread
#9 The Black Stallion Mystery (Het mysterie van Black's vader), short review on my 2014 thread
#10 The Black Stallion and Flame (Black, de zwarte hengst en Flame), short review on my 2014 thread

I will read along with the other books.

>13 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita! Thanks for sharing the Dutch series list and links to your reviews!

Here are my mini-reviews from my thread for The Black Stallion Returns and Son of the Black Stallion:

The Black Stallion Returns



The day after a mysterious stranger attempts to kill the Black Stallion, the horse’s true owner arrives to reclaim him and take him back to Arabia. Dismayed at the separation, young Alec Ramsey eagerly seizes the opportunity to travel to Arabia on a horse-buying expedition, in the hope of reuniting, however briefly, with his beloved Black. New friends await, but also perils, both human and natural, in this adventure-filled sequel to The Black Stallion. Recommended.

First sentence: "Night hung black and heavy about the old barn."

Son of the Black Stallion



True to his word, the sheikh who owns the Black Stallion sends Alec Ramsay the first foal sired by the Black. The fiery-tempered colt, named Satan, is a challenge for Alec and his friend, the trainer Henry, as he seems to hate everything and everyone. Can Alec win the big horse’s affection, and can they train him to race successfully? This is a worthy entry in the Black Stallion series, if not quite as strong as the second book. Recommended.

First sentence: “For days the Bedouin band had ridden across the white sands of the Rub’ al Khali, the Great Central Desert of Arabia, and the steady pounding of the horses’ hoofs left a rising cloud of sand behind them.”

>13 FAMeulstee: that's the order in which I read them, years ago, though I don't think I read The Black Stallion Mystery.

>15 harrygbutler: thanks for posting those reviews. I added mine for Son of the Black Stallion back on post 8.

I love the covers of the first Dutch series, especially the first 8. Later an other publisher published them, including the ones that were not translated before.

First series:
           

Second series:
      

>1 fuzzi: there is something odd in the series on LT, there is no book 17.

>18 FAMeulstee: that might need to be fixed. What book is missing?

Looking at the list, it could be that the book The Black Stallion Challenged republished as The Black Stallion's Challenge might be the issue.

When I have more time, I'll look into it, unless someone else is interested...?

>19 fuzzi: I can't find a book missing, I think book 18 should be book 17, book 19 should be 18 etc.
The Dutch editions has 19 books by Walter Farley.

Was it The Island Stallion for this month?

>21 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita! Yes, it's The Island Stallion. I've been busy and haven't gotten to it, but I hope to this week.

>21 FAMeulstee: >22 harrygbutler: same here, it's on my radar for the weekend, if not sooner. I'm trying to finish up The Black Moon.

This is the image of the edition I read as a child:

We are away this weekend, back on Monday, I will keep The Island Stallion for early next week.

Done!

The Island Stallion by Walter Farley

This is the story of a boy who finds his dream horse on a desert island supposedly devoid of most life. But the stallion is wild, untamed, and has never seen a human before. What can happen to bring the two of them together?

Good solid tale, and not too juvenile for an adult read.

   Flame, de hengst van het eiland Azul by Walter Farley, original title The Island Stallion, 190 pages

Steve Duncan has had a dream since childhood, about a red stallion on a cliff. When he visits his friend Pitch in the Caribbean, he finds his horse, Flame, wild and untamed....

I prefer the Black and Alex books. Somehow this one feels more dated.

>27 FAMeulstee: agreed re: The Black and Alex, and Henry, and Tony, and Napoleon...

Title page of The Island Stallion, with coloring likely supplied by one Candy Huber, who owned the copy I read at some point in the past.

Young Steve Duncan travels to the Caribbean island of Antago to visit a family friend, Pitch, but actually drawn by a photo of Azul Island, an island that figured in his dreams, together with a red horse, in his childhood. Upon arrival, he sees examples of the horses rounded up from the small area of accessible land on the mostly mountainous, rocky isle, and they are sorry specimens. Still, he goes with Pitch on a two-week camping trip to the island, and on the first night he sees, up on the cliff above the valley where they are, the stallion of his dreams, Flame. He persuades Pitch to brave the dangerous waters around the island in search of an unknown route up to the top, and they discover signs of Spanish presence in the 1600s and a band of fine horses.

The Island Stallion is a tale of adventure with a perhaps surprising amount of violence, chiefly between rival horses. It’s certainly unrealistic in some ways, and much darker in tone than I had remembered. I recall the Island Stallion books being my favorites as a kid, and I think I see why — finding of lost relics and a hidden valley are keen, but I think at this point I prefer the Black Stallion books I’ve reread to date.

First sentence:
“Azul Island. Latitude 14° 3’ North. Longitude 56° 28’ West.
“The freighter Horn, nine days out of New York City, was a mile from Azul Island, and running parallel to it.”

>29 harrygbutler: it's intriguing to imagine who owned a used book before I did...and who might own books I used to have.

>28 fuzzi: Yes of course, those too!

>29 harrygbutler: I liked the adventure part, Harry, but was put off by the more unrealistic parts of The Island Stallion. If I remember correct the unrealistic gets worse in the next Steve and Flame books...

It's June, and I'm up for a reread of The Black Stallion and Satan, whenever anyone else is ready. :)

>32 fuzzi: I have already re-read that one, so I skip now.
Next one for me is The Island Stallion's Fury.

Done!

The Black Stallion and Satan by Walter Farley

The Black is back in New York, but the question remains: in a race with his son, Satan, who would be in front at the wire?

Good entry in the The Black Stallion series.

The Black is back where he belongs — with young Alec Ramsay — though the circumstances are sad owing to the death of his previous owner, Abu Ishak. Though he and Henry try to keep the Black’s return to the United States concealed, word gets out, and pressure mounts for Alec to race the Black again, especially once it becomes known that Abu Ishak had planned to enter the Black in an international invitational race to be held at a new track in upstate New York. Will the fierce Black beat his son, Satan, who is now a well-trained racehorse and indeed a Triple Crown winner, as well as the rest of the pack? Then fate intervenes, in the form of the dreaded disease swamp fever and also wildfires. The Black Stallion and Satan is a tight adventure with some depth. Recommended.

First sentence: “Alec Ramsay sat still and straight in his saddle, seemingly unaware of the thousands of eyes upon him.”

>35 harrygbutler: nice review, AND picture!

The next book (no rush!) is The Blood Bay Colt, which I have listed as owning, but I don't recall seeing it on my shelves.

A July shared read will work for me, anyone else?

>36 fuzzi: Thanks!

July should be fine for The Blood Bay Colt. It will be a library read for me again, as I don't have a copy here (though I'm pretty sure there's one on the shelves out with my parents).

And another one in the series is complete...


The Blood Bay Colt by Walter Farley

In this addition to The Black Stallion series of books, we are given a glimpse of a dissimilar world from what we've viewed previously, a descriptive look at horse training within a different type of sport.

Jimmy and George are old timers on the county fair circuit, trying to keep working, and winning, in a changing world of harness racing. In this tale the two look toward the future, putting their hope in not only a son of The Black Stallion, but with a young man who has a natural talent for working with horses.

A very good story of people in the harness racing arena, without the usual over-the-top characters that are often utilized in boy-horse stories. The author's growth as a writer is evident here. Definitely recommended, even if you've never read any of the other books in the series.

I also read The Black Stallion's Filly (I was on a roll) and have reviewed it, but since it's not "scheduled" until August, I'll wait to post anything else...except that it's recommended as well.

>38 fuzzi: I hope to read it next week.

>39 fuzzi: She was always one of my favourite horses of the series!

>38 fuzzi: >40 FAMeulstee: I'll be reading it sometime later this week, I think.

Here's an interesting bit of trivia: horses that race by pulling a sulky/cart can be either "trotters" or "pacers".

Trotters race with what may be considered the "natural" stride of trotting, with the legs on each side in opposite motion.

Pacers race with both legs on one side of their body moving in the same motion.

Here's a video I found showing the difference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzSWSBizssY

>42 fuzzi: And some horses can do both.

I just started The Blood Bay Colt, as I needed a lighter read.

 Bonfire, zoon van de Zwarte Hengst by Walter Farley, original title The Black Stallion's blood bay colt, 224 pages

Tom Messenger has been helping Jimmy Creech with his trotting horses. Now Jimmy lets him take care of Volo Queen, who will soon get a foal out of the Black. Jimmy has high hopes for the foal, that is named Bonfire. When Jimmy gets seriously ill, it is up to Tom and Jimmy's friend George to prepare Bonfire for the races.

I haven't read this one as a kid, it wasn't among the 12 Black Stallion books I owned that were published in the 1960s.
I liked it very much, very good descriptions how to raise a foal and how to work with a young horse. And a lot about the changes from racing on county fairs to the professional race tracks.

Young Tom Messenger is fascinated by harness racing. He has been helping veteran Jimmy Creech and his assistant George Snedecker, in limited ways as they get ready for the county fair racing season. He is thrilled, but also a little scared, when Jimmy lets him take care of the mare, Queen, who is soon to foal, and of her offspring, sired by the Black Stallion. The novel follows the development and training of the colt, Bonfire, against a backdrop of change in the sport, as it moves from its traditional home at county fairs into tracks offering night racing nearer to cities.

The Blood Bay Colt is probably the best of the Black Stallion series so far, with compelling and sympathetic characters facing difficult choices and overcoming real hardships while endeavoring to act as they should and learning from their mistakes. An added bonus for me was that much of the action took place at rural fairs in Pennsylvania, including at Reading, not too far from where I live. Perhaps a sign of the effectiveness of the book is that it made me want to go to see harness racing, particularly in a fair setting ( (though harness racing is no longer a feature of the Reading Fair, it does still feature at some fairs in western Pa., and in Ohio); the earlier books had not inspired a similar desire to go see thoroughbred racing. Recommended!

First sentence: "Although the early June morning was unusually cool and the sky overcast, the boy's body perspired freely beneath his thin sweater."

I see I can read along again next month with The Island Stallion's Fury.

>46 FAMeulstee: Glad to hear it, Anita!

I just finished The Island Stallion's fury, will post review later.

 De wraak van Flame, de hengst van Azul by Walter Farley, 176 pages

Steve and Pitch have returned to Azul, to spend the long summer. But Pitchs evil stephbrother Tom finds out they are there and all he wants is to destroy their little paradise.

>49 FAMeulstee: I wrote a similar review:


The Island Stallion's Fury by Walter Farley

Steve and Pitch have returned to Azul Island, for Pitch to study the remnants of a Spanish outpost, and for Steve to spend time with his beloved Flame. But Pitch's stepbrother, Tom, is determined to discover their secret, and of course, claim it for himself.

Starts slow, but picks up midway, and is overall a pretty good read.

I am going to do some research, would love some help.

The Island Stallion's Fury, published in 1965, is listed as next in the series after The Blood Bay Colt, published in 1950, and before The Black Stallion's Filly, which was published in 1952.

There's nothing in The Island Stallion's Fury to indicate when it took place, except after The Island Stallion.

Thoughts?

Do we need to "fix" the series?

Addendum: found the issue. The book is listed under Common Knowledge as an original publication date of 1965. It was actually 1951. I am going to update the CK portion where "original publication date" is listed.

>50 fuzzi: Not much else to say ;-)

>51 fuzzi: The Dutch translation was published in 1965, maybe someone forgot to add that...

>52 FAMeulstee: it's in there, no one had added the original publication date here in the USA.

Interesting how Walter Farley was cranking out these books once a year!

The Island Stallion's Fury, by Walter Farley



Steve and Pitch are back again on Azul Island, with Steve enjoying spending time with Flame and Pitch busy with his research into the Spanish presence on the island. They also take on the task of hand-raising a foal abandoned by his dam. Yet over this idyll hangs the shadow of Pitch’s stepbrother, Tom — and when Tom follows them back to the island, he threatens to destroy it all. Recommended.

First sentence: “Azul Island broke the turquoise blue waters with a startling suddenness.”

September is here, and so is our shared read of The Black Stallion's Filly.



I really enjoyed this one, a lot, and on a par with The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt. With these two books, Walter Farley has really improved as an author.

Be sure to post your review/thoughts here!

I did very short reviews, when I read this one back in 2014:

4 1/2 stars, I almost love Black Minx as much as her father!

I read it early, back in July I think, but have saved my review for September (NO SPOILERS, READ WITH ASSURANCE):

The Black Stallion's Filly by Walter Farley

While placed 8th in the Black Stallion series, this book continues the Alec Ramsey storyline after The Black Stallion and Satan. The author's growing storytelling ability shows in this tale, with less of the "gee whiz!" aspects of the first few books, yet with all the charm intact.

Satan has been retired to stud, and a year before the yearlings will be heading for the racetrack looms large in Henry's view. When a daughter from The Black's first crop goes on the auction block, he sets his sights on her, despite her spoiled and erratic background.

I especially liked how both Henry and Alec worked with the filly, trying to undo the lack of proper training she had experienced in her early years, teaching her what a racehorse needs to know. The story is more focused, and I found myself enjoying it as an adult re-read, many years after my initial read.

I'll be reading it next week, I think.

>58 harrygbutler: I was just wondering if you'd gotten to it yet. :)

Well, I guess I messed up. Real Life interfered, and I missed the entire month of October to read the next Black Stallion book, The Black Stallion Revolts.

Did any of you remember?

If not, shall we plan for it in November?

This is a relaxed read/challenge, so if you didn't, no worries. Onward!

I was just thinking I should find this thread and ask about October ;-)
I skip this and the next one, the next in line for me is book 11: The island stallion races.

>61 FAMeulstee: do you want to do this again, that is, continue it in 2018?

If November is The Black Stallion Revolts, then December would be The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt, and we could start 2018 with a read of The Island Stallion Races in January.

What do y'all think?

>62 fuzzi: If we continue next year, I will join the January read :-)

>63 FAMeulstee: great!

As long as there is interest, I will be happy to update threads...though if I forget, do poke me!

>60 fuzzi: >62 fuzzi: That works for me! I had so much going on that I've not yet finished the September read, but November looks like a good month for catching up for me.

>63 FAMeulstee: Excellent, Anita!

I just finished reading the November choice, The Black Stallion Revolts:

The Black and Alec are survivors of a plane crash that has left Alec with amnesia, and The Black on his own in the wilderness. Another good read by Walter Farley.

My short comment 3 years ago on The Black Stallion Revolts was: a bit far fetched sometimes, but the Black is incredible, as always.

>67 FAMeulstee: oh, agreed, but I enjoyed the book despite a couple "really?" moments. Personally, I liked this one better than Son of the Black Stallion. The Black Stallion's Filly and The Blood Bay Colt remain my favorite sequels to the original book.

>68 fuzzi: The first book is still the best one, although I read that one later in life. The other two you mention are my favorites among the sequels as well. I have rated all others 4*, except for The Black Stallion Mystery and The Black Stallion and Flame with 3*.

>69 FAMeulstee: I'm not sure I read The Black Stallion Mystery, will probably figure it out when we get that far in the series.

My list for continuing this read in 2018:

January The Island Stallion Races

February The Black Stallion's Courage

March The Black Stallion Mystery

(I don't think I read this one before)

April The Horse-Tamer

May The Black Stallion and Flame

June The Black Stallion Challenged

(aka The Black Stallion's Challenge)

July The Black Stallion's Ghost

(another one I don't think I've read)

August The Black Stallion and the Girl

September The Black Stallion Legend

(pretty sure this one is also on my "not read" list)

At this point, we'll run out of the original books by Walter Farley, so we can read some by his son, Steven Farley, if you like. Hmm?

I will join for the January, April, June, July, August & September reads.

None of Steven Farley's books is available in Dutch translation, so I won't read them.

>72 FAMeulstee: not translated? Well, that stinks. :(

>73 fuzzi: I think there aren't enough Dutch readers to make translation worthwile.
12 books were translated in the 1960s, the others had to wait until the 1980s to be translated... So I grew up with the first 12. I didn't know others were translated until I found one in a secondhand book shop.

>74 FAMeulstee: well, the first 12 are probably the better books in the series.

December's book is done!

The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt by Walter Farley

An exciting follow-up to the very good book The Blood Bay Colt.

Alec Ramsey heads out to Roosevelt Raceway to see Bonfire, son of The Black, and meet his training crew. When Bonfire's driver, Tom, is injured, and with the horse's owner still recovering from surgery, Alec and Henry take over the training of the colt. Can they prepare Bonfire to race in the Hambletonian, harness racing's most sought after prize, only a week away?

I am a member of a FB group called 'For Love of the Arabian Horse', and it is amazing to see how many of the members of that group list Cass Olé (who starred in the movie The Black Stallion) as their favourite example of the Arabian breed. Cass Olé was not pure black. He had white socks which needed to be dyed black for the movie.

I loved all the Black Stallion books when I was a horse-crazed young girl, and this series inspired me to eventually own my own Arabians.

http://www.horsenation.com/2013/11/28/friday-flicks-the-real-black-stallion/

>77 MsMixte: thanks for that clip, I'd not seen it in over 30 years. What a gorgeous horse.

Oops! Forgot to link to our 2018 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/279891

so sorry to find this thread a couple years after it stopped - i spent the recent months of this pandemic revisiting my childhood ( i just turned 60) and rereading most of this series . I purchased all the copies i had not saved as a child from eBay and Amazon ( found a few first edition/first printing hard backs at an amazing price), and would love to chat with anyone else in love with farley's body of work. In any event, i have enjoyed this thread. Thanks!

>80 sharon.p: just saw your post. I'm the same age, and appreciate the books of my youth.

I have found a number of classic dog and horse stories from Ebay and bookfinder and am well-stocked for a while.