Image from Kissammee
There is no doubt about it, The Black Stallion is one of the best horse books ever written. Walter Farley went on to produce an entire series based around this mighty stallion, releasing them almost every other year without fail.
Tribute to A Master
If you are a horse person and haven’t read Walter Farley’s horse books, you’ve been missing out. He is truly a master of the horse book domain and every young horse lover will enjoy them, guaranteed. Here is a list of his horse books in the Black Stallion series, for each one there is a link to where they can be found on Amazon, a brief description & a look inside where available.
Looking at the dates these books were released is really an eye opener, Mr. Farley wasn’t messing around & he wrote a lot of books!
The Black Stallion (1941)
The book that started it all and turned one fictional Arabian stallion into perhaps the most loved equine character in history. From this story stems a whole series of books based on the original characters.
The Black Stallion Returns (1945)
This book starts pretty much where the last one left off, except Alec is forced to deal with one man who claims to be the Blacks owner and another man who wants to kill his beloved steed. Another great adventure story.
Son of the Black Stallion (1947)
Alec is given The Black Stallions first colt, Satan as a gift, but is he in for more than he bargained for? The animal is fiery & savage and almost dangerous, however Alec is determined to win the colt over and earn his trust.
The Black Stallion and Satan (1949)
Satan has proven himself to be a great racehorse, but Alec still misses The Black in Arabia. Luckily he manages to get his best friend back, unfortunately it’s just in time to put him & Satan in the path of a raging forest fire.
The Black Stallion’s Blood Bay Colt (1951)
This story moves away from Alec & the Black into the life of Tom Messenger who falls in love with the Black’s bay colt. He begins to work with a harness trainer to train this colt for racing (which is obviously his birthright).
The Black Stallion’s Filly (1952)
Although no one seems to agree, Alec is convinced that the Black’s filly (Black Minx) will be successful on the track. She is like her father & very headstrong, but she is also very fast. This book takes you along the journey as Alec trains her to race.
The Black Stallion Revolts (1953)
Alec realizes that his wild black friend needs more space so they head off to a large ranch. Unfortunately a terrible car crash separates the two, leaveing Alec with a bad case of amnesia & the Black free to roam wild.
The Black Stallion’s Sulky Colt (1954)
Bonfire is another champion colt of the Black’s, but this time in harness racing. Unfortunately a bad accident during practice leaves Bonfire spooky and he refuses to race. Alec is determined to train the fear out of this champion colt.
The Black Stallion’s Courage (1956)
When his farm burns down Alec is left feeling hopeless just at a time when one of the Black’s rivals is showing his champion colors. Against all odds, Alec is determined to prove that the Black is the fastest racehorse in town.
The Black Stallion Mystery (1957)
3 colts arrive in the US that look like carbon copies of the Black which convinces Alex that the Black’s sire is still alive. He heads to Arabia, his horse in tow only to find himself ensnared in a neatly laid trap.
The Black Stallion and Flame (1960)
On the way to a race, a plane crash lands Alec & the Black on an island in the Caribbean – Flame’s island. The two stallions can’t share a small island, but they must unite forces against a common enemy who threatens the survival of them all.
The Black Stallion Challenged! (1964)
The Black is the fastest horse in the US, but he has met his match when he meets Flame the Island Stallion. What their jockeys don’t know is that these two animals have a history and it’s not a very friendly one.
The Black Stallion’s Ghost! (1969)
While riding in the Everglades Alec meets a strange man riding a mysterious grey mare. Alec soon realizes how dangerous this man is & his mount proves fast enough to make outrunning trouble difficult, even for the Black.
The Black Stallion and the Girl (1971)
When Alec needs a new trainer, a young girl applies for the job. He has a difficult time convincing his partners she’s right for the job and an even harder time convincing them to let her ride the Black when he is suspended from racing.
The Black Stallion Legend (1983)
Distraught over recent events at home, Alec & his trusty Black flee to the desert where they’ve been expected. The Black helps save a native tribe during a disaster, fulfilling an ancient prophecy of their people.
The Young Black Stallion (1989)
This is a flashback book, continuing the story of The Black. But this time it’s a look into his past at the Black as a colt & leads up to the time he wound up on the fateful deck of The Drake. This is the Black’s story before he meets Alec.
Is It Possible To Have A Favorite?
I’m not so sure it is, but if I had to pick it would be one of those that feature the Island Stallion too – I like Flame even better than the Black.
I might buy these and read but they’re very male orientated. The main character is a boy and all the horses appear to be male. :/
You are very right Stef, however I have a sneaking suspicion that Mr. Farley made the Alec a boy because he thought his primary audience of young female horse lovers would like it that way. Hope you’ll let me know what you think if you do decide to try one.
NO DA that was how the real movie was mad with a boy
I have read a few books in the series because I am MAD about horses. They are really good despite the fact that a boy is the main charactor and there are a lot of male horses. But I have become friends with a male horse and I can still relate to how Alec feels and the author’s a boy too. Anyways, my point is I’ve read a few of the series and they are REALLY good.
You forgot the first book with Flame in it! I don’t really remember the title… it’s a book just about Flame with out Alec and the Black in it
Oh yeah it’s the Island Stallion. You mention it at the bottom but I didn’t see it listed
This post was dedicated to the Black Stallion series (although Flame makes an appearance in a couple of the books). I’ve got another article with the Island Stallion series coming in the next few weeks.
I’ve read a few variations of black beauty that I have really enjoyed, but find that the Black Stallion is almost always aimed at a younger audience. Would love to find a version that is more challenging and less sappy! any advice?
Unfortunately many of the horse theme novels tend to lean towards a younger audience. I’ll keep an eye out for more adult selections and keep you posted.
I read every single Black that was availabe to me at a very early age. That was approx. 40-45 years ago. Perhaps a second childhood is in order because I feel the need to fill a void that has been empty for years. Does that make sense to anyone?
There’s a series by Terri Farley called Phantom Stallion; kind of a coincidence.
I want all of the books that you sell.I am a huge Black Stallion fan I have the Breyer horse Black Stallion.I think this weird but,I have a horse Morgan and I pretend that I am the owner of the Black Stallion but, I have not told any won I just play it by myself.So that is all I have to say so bye.
Probably every horse lover alive has imagined themselves as The Black’s best pal at some point or another. 😉
I grew up on the Black Stallion books, they fed my love for horses and to this day, I still love to think about the giant black horse. My horse is also black, but not quite giant. I can’t say I was the biggest fan of Flame, actually, to be frank, I detested him. I could never bring myself to like a horse that tried the Black’s aura. The books are written well, they’re a light read now, just a time filler, but still my heart pounds with every race. I know that the Black will gallop forever in my heart <3
I loved them all, but for some reason Flame stole my heart – I always just thought of him as a red version of The Black.
Hm. You just reminded me…I never did catch the Black Stallion’s Revolt! I wonder why they never did any more movies on the books? I loved the Young Black Stallion book and movie, but the movie doesn’t match the books at all. I actually prefer the non racing ones, just because racing seems so common. The spooky arabian desert, the backstories, or the creepy swamp of the Black Stallion’s Ghost, those were great adventures. Any horses speed will fade. But his loyalty to Alec will never fail.
I have a granddaughter who has a birthday coming up soon. She loves to read & I want to share the entire Walter Farley series with her because I loved them so much as a child. Can anyone reccommend where I can find the entire collection at a reasonable price?