Flintlock

Flintlock #1

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Saved from hanging by bank robber Abe Roper, Chinese Charlie Fong, and a barrel of gunpowder, Samuel Flintlock joins their hunt for a giant golden bell painted black in a remote cave. The aged guardian dreams of Sam and tells his grandson, the next planned guardian. Sam sees Grandpappy Barbaras, who ordered tattoo of thunderbird across throat. Abused women find the three, but so does Geronimo and his murderous Apache warriors set to burn out a U.S. Army fort. Villain Asa Bragg wants the Army pay wagon.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

380 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to let this one sit on my brain a little to distill my feelings about it. Generally, it was a typical Johnstone western, with an added small side of supernatural mysticism. The story read more like a setup for later novels - nothing about it really stands out great, but nothing was horrible either. The main character, Flintlock, may become an interesting character in later novels, but in this one he was treated more like part of an ensemble set of characters than as the principle character. Some of the secondary characters had just as much depth as the primary character Flintlock. There were a lot of little subplots sprinkled in, but nothing really came of them and they really didn't contribute much to the overall plot.

**** SPOILERS ****

The whole subplot with the Colonel's wife was unnecessary. Even though she was a plot device to get the bad guy Asa thrown out of the fort before the robbery of the pay wagon, it could have been done without trying to make her this devious mastermind nymphomaniac boozing murderess, who only just gets gunned down by Asa for revenge on his way out of the fort. The whole subplot was a waste.

Another character that was a waste of time was the Ayasha character. A victim of brutal rape where Flintlock takes her under his care, she really doesn't add anything to the plot, either in character development to show a compassionate side of Flintlock, or to the story itself in which she really didn't affect. Basically, a young woman who has been brutally raped and watched her family murdered just needs to have a bath with some perfumed soap, dressed nicely, and then trotted around the country side (where the tribe of Indians that raped her are still around) and she will be fine by the end as the hero rides off without her. Take that #metoo!

There were a few other characters I could go on about, but really they read like box checking exercises in writing -
Famous Indian personality - check
Helpless female(s) needing saved - check
Devious femme fatale - check
Clueless Army commanding officer - check
Super fast on the draw bad guy - check
Super fast on the draw good guy - check
Wise smart ass Chinese partner - check
Bad/Good guy who just wants to rob trains but not hurt anyone - check
Fearless Irish/Scottish non-comm soldier - check

Maybe Flintlock becomes a better character in future books in the series. We will see. This one was a mediocre introduction to a series - it didn't turn me off reading more, but it didn't compel me to immediately start the next novel to see what happens next.

I originally gave this book 3 stars, but realized that is only 1 star less than many books that I rated as four stars, books that were better written and more interesting. So I dropped it to 2 stars, though really would have been more accurate to be 2.5 stars.

[Ron · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be totally honest... skip this book.

I grew up reading western novels. My dad usually gave me 2 or 3 of them each week. Usually Zane Grey, Max Brand, Louis L'Amour , Jackson Cole and others along that line.

Now comes Johnsonstone.

I will conceded that his books often follow a certain formula or recipe.
I am aware that his books are not the best fiction, nor will they rival Zane Grey, Max Brand, or Louis L'Amour.
His stories are Character Driven with a number of established characters that often weave in and out of each others lives.

They are however, usually a quick read, somewhat entertaining and among the few modern westerns out there. There is a dirth of good western novels these days.

As for this book.

Flintlock as a character is boring and frankly by half way through the book, I just did not care. The story tried to follow too many characters - the Main Bad guy, the Calvary officer bad guy, the female villain, Flintlock, his saddle partners and the old man in the cave. For a book with his name on the title, he seemed like a sidekick or secondary character in his own book.

There was no character development whatsoever and only reason I finished the book was to find out what the mystery behind the Golden Bell was, and that was way to easy to figure out.

As per usual in a Johnstone book, the hero or one of the main characters at least, will find and rescue at least one or more poor female that has been beaten, raped (off page) or held prisoner by an evil man.

As usual in a Johnstone book and frankly - it seems to be a staple in western novels, at least one character will be the fastest draw in the universe and another guy will be just as good. They will try their luck against each other and one will be shot dead.

As I closed the last page of the book, my only thoughts were ''I hope I never read another book in this series'' and ''Please, don't let Smoke, Preacher, Luke, Matt, Ace, Chance, Frank or any of the fun characters do a cross over with Flintlock''.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flintlock is your typical fast gun, only he packs around an old flintlock rifle his adoptive Pa gave him. He is freed from prison by an old buddy to help find a golden bell worth a lot of moolah. Of course, others want this treasure as well. There's also Indians and outlaws all over the place.

Rote, but entertaining.

[Patb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cross dressers and a nymphomaniac. Not exactly what I expected in a western.

Read Harder Challenge 2018 - A western.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overdrive Audiobook Library 📚

[Ed Stock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read too many western novels and can't really recall the last time I read one before this. I had actually never heard of the author until I began volunteering at our local library and saw how many titles they had by him while I was re-shelving books. I took this book home one day primarily out of curiosity as to why his books were apparently as popular as they are.

Fortunately, this is a fairly slender book, so regardless whether you like or dislike it you won't invest much time reading it either way. By the end of the book I was grateful for that.

If this book is any indication, it appears that western novels (or maybe just this author's) follow a formula, in much the same way romance novels do. I felt that my suspicion in that regard was somewhat confirmed when I read the blurb on the back of another of his novels: One examples is that in both books, the main character is apparently well-known for being one of the fastest draws in the West and has plenty of kills in the past to testify to his prowess. And in both books the main character meets up with a Bad Guy who might just be even faster at drawin' iron and spittin' lead. Who will prevail?!?
(Sorry, I won't spoil it for you. You'll have to read this book and all the others in the series to find out.... ooops, gave it away after all, didn't I?)

Overall, it's an entertaining, unchallenging story where you sort of generally know upfront how it will turn out in the end and you don't have to slog through a lot of filler to find out. The main character isn't particularly compelling, but I guess he became the central figure in a series of books. I assume the author doesn't kill him off eventually. My guess is that when he ends the series (*no idea if it's still ongoing) instead of having this loner who hunts bad guys die the author will have him find that one special gal - maybe the one who fell for him in the first book of the series and who he left behind! - and settle down before his lightning reflexes fail him in a fatal shootout.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is rare that I don't finish a Johnstone book in 24-48 hours and this one is no exception. Sam Flintlock is a great, new addition to the author's characters, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

In short, Sam does not know his Father and his Mother ran off when he was a boy. He grew up under his Grandfather, a legendary mountain man, and the old man's friends. Despite the presence of Winchesters and other modern (for then) weaponry, Sam still carries and uses a Hawken flintlock rifle. That is where he gets his last name until he can track down his Mother to find out who his Father is.

This first tale mixes a little Spiritualism with basic chemistry and a giant gold bell to create a plot that leaves you guessing on a lot of loose threads right to the end. Add to that a sub-plot involving an Army Pay Wagon, and you have all the elements of a great Western. Any fan of Westerns or just good fiction should enjoy this.

Find it! Buy it! READ IT!

[Richard Harral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good characters who are a bit off the intelligence track. A fun read with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed it and will read the next book in the series. I don’t like all of the doomsday novels and many of the mysteries that are full of foul language and all the uppie wine drinking women will no morals. Therefore, I like history novels and westerns. They don’t make me think about no future world and unbelievable supper heroes. The majority of movies are full of this crap and wild grafics. Most of these books either bore me or cause me to watch sports on the tube.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action is almost over before it gets started as Flintlock is about to be hung Seems he killed the wrong man in a fair fight. He is broken out of jail by a sometime bandito and possible enemy that wants him to help find a golden bell that is rumored to have been hidden by monks. Meanwhile there is another group of bad guys that want him dead. He is a popular guy. Lots of good old Western action.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Finest in Western Entertainment!

Once again William W. Johnstone does not disappoint when it comes to the realm of action/western entertainment. Anyone who enjoys action packed western literature will love this amazing example of western story telling from the number one author of the genre.

[Harold Force · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blood, blood, and more blood...

Wanted a western. Hired guns, disgusting villians, Geronimo, Buffalo Soldiers (not enough about them), torture and more blood. Writer has some resume.

[Russell Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spaghetti western!

Think Sam Elliot and a host of hombres, each one no better than another. Then add Sam Peckinpah as director. But als todays movie makers haven't the sand, the technique or the wisdom..

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of their best books

I’m a huge fan of these writers westerns. However, with the ghost of Barnabas and too many sub plots, I didn’t enjoy this book all that much. I found it difficult to warm up to any of the characters, even Flintlock.

[Clint Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read a Western. I'm not much of a cowboy. But I gave it a try and it was everything I was hoping for. It had a treasure hunt, revenge, war, etc. It was a quick and easy read, and it was exciting.

[Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Awesome

I read a lot of books. At times I struggle to finish books from cover to cover. This is because I get bored more interested in something different. Therefore, this is one of the few looks that I have quickly finished. I was not able to put this book down! I'm not even afraid to say this is the Best Western novel that I have ever read. I would recommend this book to anybody that is wanting a good story! This author is an amazing storyteller!

[donald cameron]

It was a good western but not a great read

[THOMAS E. TONEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating for Flintlock

Great book with plenty of action and adventure! I have read many books by Johnstone and always enjoy the characters.

[Vince Waechter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 Stars. A super good western. I went through this book faster than I expected.

[Nick Vanderwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author. His style is somewhat different from some other western writers, but I enjoyed it and look forward to more from him.

[Tome Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, one of the better western stories I have read by J.A. Johnstone. Looking forward to book 2.

As for most authors that publish several books a year they all use a formula, even Grey and L'Amour has a formula and you can grasp it after reading several of their books. Don't read Johnstone expecting another author, read Johnstone for Western Entertainment. Turn your brain off and enjoy the story. If you want more developed characters more story than action read L'amour. Johnstone is great in his own right and I enjoy the action adventures based in the west.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is nearly flawless. This is not a simple good guy vs. bad guy western. It's a complex tale of many characters with many stories that lead to hard to expect conclusions.

The writing is way above average for a Johnstone Clan novel. Characters, what i feel is the Johnstone hallmark, are excellent in depiction. Considering how many are included, each is distinctly built. Most are written with more than a few views and develop during the novel. The settings are also very well described and flourishes of settings detailed throughout the narrative.

The author of this Johnstone book does stray from the normal Johnstone writings with a cross-dressing bar owner with an identity crisis. There's also an odd writing of views of blacks and more than one character reacting as if the view of black people was different at that time, which it wasn't. In other words, this is the first time I've seen political correctness creep into a Johnstone novel.

Another trouble I have with the book is another poorly executed cover. The Flintlock character is so well defined by height, mustache and flamboyant tattoo that the typical western hero model on the cover is obviously disconnected.

Still another issue is the extensive use of mysticism throughout the book. If the reader pays attention it all relates to other activity in the book. It's a bit too subtle for an average reading. The worse part of it is that there are too many characters that claim mystic experiences. That was not out of the ordinary in the west at that time, though political correctness was. This was also a major change in a Johnstone Clan novel, a turn to science fiction.

All of my complaints are mostly superficial. The book otherwise is excellent and fulfilling.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 9 out of 10 points.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author behind the J. A. Johnstone gives us a most interesting character in Sam Flintlock. The son of a prostitute, he's raised by an old mountain man named Barnabas who gives him the Flintlock surname after the old Hawken muzzle loader he carries. Sam carries that now as well as more modern weapons such as a six gun tucked into a sash and a winchester.

He's thirty-eight and wears cheap clothing(it's said he could sell them, boots included, for a dime. His most prominent feature is the thunderbird tattoo across his neck. Old Barnabas was a man of beliefs and the tattoo inspired fear in a lot of people, Apaches included.

He collects bounties for a living.

That gets him in trouble in a small town where one man refuses to go quietly and Sam is forced to kill him in defense of his life. Unfortunately, it's the outlaw's home town and he's quickly set up for a hanging.

He gets broken out by an old outlaw friend, Abe Roper, and his partner Charlie Fong. They want him to ride shotgun for them as they go after an old bell made of solid gold, two thousand pounds worth, that had been found by an old miner who liked to talk a lot. Everyone is after it. And why not, At gold prices, that ran to six hundred thousand dollars. a half breed Apache named Jack Coffin is to be their guide.

That's the main plot and along the way, the group run into Apaches, Geronimo himself among them, an outlaw band with their own agenda at Fort Defiance(stealing a hundred-twenty thousand dollar payroll), and a band of Mexican bandits.

First of a series, I enjoyed this one.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an interview of the author, William Johnstone, who outlined why westerns are so popular, and he indicated because they bring Americans in the modern-day era of big government, rules, regulation, and an unjust justice system, back to a time when justice was swift, fair and sure, and people got what they deserved...the good got good and the bad got bad. That's why I love westerns, and Flintlock in particular. I don't have tremendous experience with westerns--up to this point my favorite has been True Grit. However, I am just beginning to see why they are so popular. Flintlock the man is the quintessential gunslinger with a conscience. He's an expert at what he does; he's the fastest gunman in the room, but he also cares about those who suffer from oppression, and he fights for those who cannot fight for themselves. I pray that this becomes a series like so many other of Johnstone's novels, because this is a character that you will love right off the bat, and will grow to care for along the way. He isn't perfect, but he certainly proves his mettle against those who are just plain evil, and you will LOVE those moments throughout the novel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves that lone gunslinger who fights for justice at all costs.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samuel Flintlock bears thunderbird tattoo across throat from Grandpappy Barnabas, who talks, sends dreams, orders boy (40) to carry old Hawken flintlock. We know the preordained ending. Too bad. Lots of scary torture appropriate to era.

Bank robber Abe Roper plants a barrel of gunpowder to blow a hole in jailhouse wall before scheduled hanging. Chinese Charlie Fong tosses reins to pain, sees and hears Barnabas warn about two Oriental girls trapped by Silas Garrard. Marshal Pleasant Tyrell helps free girls, top hat on bald head, fun phrases, sad that predestined for early harsh death. Early death destined for part Apache Jack Coffin, resigned to fate.

Villains are Asa Pagg, who betrays everyone, Captain Owen Shaw is reluctant, Mexican bandit Carlos Hernandez, even Apache leader Geronimo. Sam, Abe, and Charlie search for gold bell painted black. Aged bell guardian, Angel of Death?, tells his grandson dreams about Sam, but Barnabas orders the boy to leave the cave. "Things were about to get even worse than Roper feared" p 209. Sam rescues girl Prudence cum Ayasha crazed by Apache abuse.

[Thelma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I just finished a helluva western, "Flintlock". Somehow, at the library, I stumbled upon this unknown-to-me author, who has written over 200 books since the 1970s. I feel like I've been riding the trail myself, with Sam'l Flintlock, a bounty hunter and self-proclaimed mankiller. This story, the first in the Flintlock series I think, is a regular treasure hunt romp, replete with savage Indians, a treacherous General's wife, foolish soldiers, smart outlaws, fiendish Mexicans, a persistent ghost vision who gives undecipherable advice, a couple of Chinamen, three innocent young women, a wickedly canny sheriff, the deadly Guardian of a two-ton golden bell, and a cross-dressing barkeep sporting a full beard and wearing a red evening gown. And this book is in no way a comedy! I can really envision a great movie here (I certainly ran a movie in my head the whole time I was reading it). Highly recommend "Flintlock" and you can bet I'll be checking out more by this author. Go find it. Read it. Tell me what you thought!

[Kevin Bowser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still somewhat new to the western genre and still seeking the right author and collection. In this one, I think I found a good author. I just don't think I found the right collection. This was book #1 of the Flintlock series and I don't think I will try #2. However, I will try another one from this author because I liked his style. This one just didn't make sense to me. The gun didn't make sense. And the mystical stuff didn't make a lot of sense to me. But I will try some thing else from Johnstone.

[Éric Kasprak · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time reading a book under the William W. Johstone umbrella was a good experience. I chose to start with the Flintlock series because it seem to have a bit of an unusual premise with a ghost character an a treasure hunting story. I was not disapointed as the story is indeed a treasure hunt and Samuel Flintlock (the main character) is visited by the ghost of his old father figure. The writing is workmanlike and easy-to-read, the pacing is good and I really like the overall storytelling style of the author.

[Randy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this one I liked, the old west with just little bit of Magic.

[Doris Ware · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book intend to read more from this author.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book