Steven Farley

American author. Son of the author of the ever popular Black Stallion series, Water Farley. He lives in Manhattan where he works as a freelance writer. As well as co-authoring the last book in the Black Stallion series proper, a prequel about The Black's early life in Arabia, he has written a number of books continuing the series, with further adventures shared by Alec and his horse. He has also written a new series about a young girl and a new black colt which is a spin-off from the original series. It also features Alec but is centred upon another main character and new black colt.

The Young Black Stallion was very loosely adapted into a film in which oddly what looks to be a Friesan plays the ancestor of the Arabian horses!

The author Steven E. Farley who writes non-fiction appears to be a different person, although I am not 100% sure of this.

Books in the Black Stallion Series:
These books (with the exception of The Young Black Stallion which is a prequel and part of the series proper and which was co-authored with Walter Farley) continued the story of Alec and The Black and are an addition to the original series.

Black Stallion Series Proper:

THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION
(With Walter Farley)
(RANDOM HOUSE [USA] 1989)
(1st UK edition KNIGHT PB 1991)
Reprinted in paperback in the USA.
British edition was published in paperback by the Knight imprint of Hodder & Stoughton in 1991.
SUMMARY: Book 14 in the series proper. A prequel to the rest of the series which looks at the early life of the Black Stallion before he was shipwrecked with Alec, and was living in the wild deserts of Arabia.
There was also a film made which was loosely based on the book

Continuation of Black Stallion Series:

1) THE BLACK STALLION'S SHADOW
(RANDOM HOUSE [USA] 1996)
Reprinted in paperback.
SUMMARY: The Black is traumatised whilst racing. Will he ever get back to his old self again? Alec turns to an eccentric trainer for help. But their problems are compounded when things start to go wrong on the farm too….

2) THE BLACK STALLION'S STEEPLECHASER
(RANDOM HOUSE  [USA] 1997)
I do not think there was ever a paperback reprint.
SUMMARY: Black Storm, son of The Black has potential to be a great steeplechaser, but he is unruly and difficult. Against Henry's advice Alec persists with the colt…

3) THE BLACK STALLION AND THE SHAPE SHIFTER
(RANDOM HOUSE 2009)
Reprinted in paperback.
In print
SUMMARY: Whilst staying in Ireland after The Black has been injured in a race, Alex and his horse are drawn into a mystery involving a missing girl whom he has been teaching to ride and a kelpie - a legendary supernatural shape-shifting horse.

4) THE BLACK STALLION AND THE LOST CITY
(RANDOM HOUSE 2011)
In print June 2011
SUMMARY: When Alec and the Black are hired to work as stunt doubles in a film about Alexander and his horse Bucephalus, they find themselves on set in the remote mountains of the Greek/Bulgarian border. Movie making involves a lot of waiting, so they set out for a morning of exploring. Chasing an elusive albino mare, the two find themselves caught in an underground river which drops them, half-drowned, beside a city lost in time and full of danger….

Collector's Info:
The Young Black Stallion was published in the UK as well as in America, and is the easiest of the books to find second-hand here. The Black Stallion and the Shapeshifter is still in print and can be bought new in the USA and UK.. The others are reasonably easy to find in the USA, but can be harder to track down elsewhere.

The Young Black Stallion Series:
Rather mis-leadingly named series which is not about the Black Stallion in his youth but about a new black colt called Raven who has the potential to be a racer, and Danielle, the young girl who loves him. It also features Alec.

The series was also published in Germany.

1)  THE PROMISE
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1998)
SUMMARY: Danielle is heartbroken when her parents sell their horse farm to legendary jockey Alec Ramsey and is parted from her beloved horse Redman.

2) A HORSE CALLED RAVEN
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1998)
SUMMARY: Danielle is now working at Alec's stables in order to earn money to buy back her horse. Once there she becomes attached to the young black colt Raven.

3) THE HOMECOMING
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1999)
SUMMARY: Danielle is travelling back to Florida with Alec and a load of horses, including her own beloved Redman, but the trip is far from peaceful!

4) WILD SPIRIT
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1999)
SUMMARY: Danielle tires to juggle time spent with Redman and Raven.

5) THE YEARLING
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1999)
SUMMARY: When Redman goes back to his new home, Danielle has trouble bonding with Raven.

6) HARD LESSONS
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 1999)
SUMMARY: Whilst in training at the South Winds farm, Raven is injured.

7) SOUTH WIND SPRING
(RANDOM HOUSE  PB [USA] 2000)
Rare

Collector's Info:
The last book in the series is a bit of an oddity as it seems extremely hard to find and expensive. Otherwise the books are fairly easy to find in the USA. For the most part not impossible to find in the UK, although one or two titles may prove more elusive.

The series was published in Germany and can be found there without too much trouble.