“Siena Waits” by Zane Grey

 

The familiar hum of flies told him of the location of his quarry. The moose had taken to the water, driven by the swarms of black flies, and were standing neck deep, lifting their muzzles to feed on the drooping poplar branches. Their wide-spreading antlers, tipped back into the water, made the ripples.

This 1920 story by the prolific, and in many precincts, quite popular Zane Grey is included in Jon Lewis’s 100 Best Western Short Stories.

I have found Mr. Lewis to be a worthy guide to many fine reads.

I must also confess that I am a man somewhat immune to the presumed charms of Mr. Grey. In fact, I find much of his prose purple, wordy, and far too melodramatic, too unreal for my tastes.

With that said, this tale has its strengths. Zane was an avid sportsman, a hunter, a fisherman. A man who spent much time in the land and on the sea. His nonfiction hunting and fishing tales tend to compel me more than his fiction.

Here, the constraints of the short story seem to reign in much of his purplish excesses. The definitions of the land and the hunting lore ring true and well-observed.

The arc of the tale itself has its merits, but there is still an air of the melodramatic to it.

With all that said, I still found the story a pleasant, if not stellar read. It would not make my 100 Best List but…the fact that I found it a step above my usual Grey experience leads me to believe that those who enjoy Grey may find more to enjoy here than I am able to detect with my own shallow regard.

If you are a Grey fan, read on!

If you are less than enamored of Grey, it is an unessential read and safe to skip.