THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION

by Farley Walter & Steven Farley ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1989

The Black Stallion's first taste of freedom comes to an abrupt end in this father-son collaboration, a prequel to the popular series. When a raiding party swoops down on the hidden Arabian valley where the Black is being raised, he escapes into the mountains to wander for several months with the mountain goats and then with a young Arab, Rashid. Surviving various challenges, horse and boy emerge from the mountains only to be captured, first by the Black's original owner and then by a smuggler/horse-dealer. As Rashid lies helpless on the dock, the Black is forced on board the ill-fated steamer that also carries Alec Ramsay. All this is cast as Alec's dream-vision while he and the Black are recovering from the events of The Black Stallion Legend (1983). The story is shot through with metaphysical threads: Alec's sudden ""memory,"" a falcon that appears at significant moments, the Black's supernatural ability to heal from grievous wounds, and hints of his unearthly parentage. Readers new to the series may have trouble with the adventure's slow start and often leisurely pace, but fans will enjoy this look at the Black's early life.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1989

ISBN: 0679813489

Page Count: 163

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1989

Categories: CHILDREN'S