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I'm glad I've finally read it. I have wanted to do so for a long time. Like GA, I was surprised at how much it focused on the romance side (had Grey been reading a lot of Jane Austen and co. recently, I wonder?), and it seemed to be written from a woman's perspective in many ways. Not knocking that, just not expected.
There were a number of other things that surprised; the "Garden of Eden" Valley, which I found a bit unlikely, if idyllic, and the rather puritanical approach to sex (a product of its time, I guess), and also that the novel was more complex than my expectations of the genre, with a number of plot strands.
But mostly I did not expect it to be a polemic on the evils of Mormonism. Grey clearly had an axe to grind here, and some of his rhetoric had overtones of anti-Semitic diatribes that certainly wouldn't be acceptable in more recent times. I've always had the view of Mormons as peaceful and supportive communities, but either times have changed, or I am just showing my naivety and lack of knowledge on the subject.
I agree that there were a number of exciting passages, including the horse chase between Venters and Jerry Card, and the scene where Venters confronts Tull and his "gang" in the Church, which is pure Hollywood standoff material (was I the only one who imagined Clint as Venters in that scene?). But for me, there was not enough classic western fayre - too few gunfights. I've probably been spoiled by the westerns of latter years...
So a fun read, which I did enjoy, but like AnemicOak, not one I'm likely to revisit. I will probably try the sequel The Rainbow Trail, but not just yet.
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