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Tim Colter #1
Colter's Journey
Johnstone Where Scars Are Like Tattoos But With Better Stories
In this thrilling epic of the American West, bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone capture the frontier experience in all its glory, grit, and grandeur—through the eyes of one remarkable teenage boy . . .
Leaving their Pennsylvania home to forge a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory of 1845, the Colter family is ambushed by a kill crazy gang of Indians on the Oregon Trail. Fifteen-year-old Tim Colter manages to hide—only to return and find his parents butchered, his sisters Nancy and Margaret missing.
Forced to fight for his life, the young Colter embarks on a perilous journey across a lawless frontier, hoping to save his sisters and salvage the dream they lived for. But first, Tim has to figure out how to survive. Luckily, he finds a new friend in Jed Reno, a grizzled one-eyed trapper who’s lived in the Rockies since the 1820s. Together, the mountain man and the greenhorn set out after the marauders, blazing a trail of vengeance. With danger at every turn, and death just a heartbeat away, Colter has no choice but to grow up fast—one bullet at a time . . .
In this thrilling epic of the American West, bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone capture the frontier experience in all its glory, grit, and grandeur—through the eyes of one remarkable teenage boy . . .
Leaving their Pennsylvania home to forge a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory of 1845, the Colter family is ambushed by a kill crazy gang of Indians on the Oregon Trail. Fifteen-year-old Tim Colter manages to hide—only to return and find his parents butchered, his sisters Nancy and Margaret missing.
Forced to fight for his life, the young Colter embarks on a perilous journey across a lawless frontier, hoping to save his sisters and salvage the dream they lived for. But first, Tim has to figure out how to survive. Luckily, he finds a new friend in Jed Reno, a grizzled one-eyed trapper who’s lived in the Rockies since the 1820s. Together, the mountain man and the greenhorn set out after the marauders, blazing a trail of vengeance. With danger at every turn, and death just a heartbeat away, Colter has no choice but to grow up fast—one bullet at a time . . .
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 23, 2024
207 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,040 books1,390 followersWilliam 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 5, 2024
An enjoyable Johnstone western taking place toward the end of the mountain man era. A young boy, heading west has his family destroyed by savage marauders, is taken under the wing of a grizzled old mountain man and is taught how to survive in the lawless frontier.
Much the same as other Johnstone series like MacCallister, Preacher, Smoke Jensen, and others it is a fun read but essentially more of the same.
Much the same as other Johnstone series like MacCallister, Preacher, Smoke Jensen, and others it is a fun read but essentially more of the same.
May 2, 2021
Unexceptional.
Two families from Danville, PA have decided to settle in the Oregon Territory. Not too far into the journey, some French-Canadians attack the group. Tim Colter's parents are killed and the others, all girls, are kidnapped. Tim is as greenhorn as they come, so it's a good thing he crosses paths with Jed Reno. Jed is a grizzly old fur trapper with a couple of bones to pick - one of which is with the leader of the group who attacked the Colters. Together they go after the group of kidnappers to try to save the girls.
The story is your wise-and-experienced-adult takes a wet-behind-the-gills-young'un-under-his-wing kind of tale, only not as good or engaging as so many others with this trope. Totally blah.
Two families from Danville, PA have decided to settle in the Oregon Territory. Not too far into the journey, some French-Canadians attack the group. Tim Colter's parents are killed and the others, all girls, are kidnapped. Tim is as greenhorn as they come, so it's a good thing he crosses paths with Jed Reno. Jed is a grizzly old fur trapper with a couple of bones to pick - one of which is with the leader of the group who attacked the Colters. Together they go after the group of kidnappers to try to save the girls.
The story is your wise-and-experienced-adult takes a wet-behind-the-gills-young'un-under-his-wing kind of tale, only not as good or engaging as so many others with this trope. Totally blah.
September 17, 2017
After finishing 'Colter's Journey', one thing will haunt this book, for me and that's Terry C. Johnston's legendary character, 'Titus Bass'.
Although it's more violent than the Titus books, if you have read his books the comparison is their, but like with music only Great White has ever taken a cover song, then had it chart higher than the original song did and sometimes it's better to just leave the classic's alone.
It's a good read, kept me entertained for a day or 2, as due to Hurricane Irma had no power, internet and do believe that this one several of the newer books, has Chucky's handprints all over them.
Although it's more violent than the Titus books, if you have read his books the comparison is their, but like with music only Great White has ever taken a cover song, then had it chart higher than the original song did and sometimes it's better to just leave the classic's alone.
It's a good read, kept me entertained for a day or 2, as due to Hurricane Irma had no power, internet and do believe that this one several of the newer books, has Chucky's handprints all over them.
April 20, 2022
Colter's Journey by William Johnstone was the first book I have read from him. I really wanted to read this book because when I read the back of it, it sounded like it was a really good story. I really loved this book because there was so much detail about the places Tim Colter had been. I also loved this book because it was packed with action. Tim Colter is a boy that watched his family get murdered and his sister gets kidnapped by indians. He meets a mountain man named Jed Reno and together they try to save his sister from the bad indians. Overall I thought this was a great book I even stayed up all night reading it because it was so good. I recommend this book to anyone that loves action and cowboys.
August 3, 2017
I have read a lot of Johnstone's books. Most I finish in 2 to 3 days, this one I finished in less than 24 hours. It is definitely a page turner.
September 13, 2020
My very first western was not bad at all. A bit predictable but I am very happy with it. I have definitely not ruled out more western in the future.
September 27, 2017
Was there a coffee pot or not, John Wayne?
What to say about this one? It's kind of the print equivalent of a B movie western. It's entertaining, but there's nothing new in it. You've seen it all before (especially if you've read Terry C. Johnston's Carry the Wind), and you can guess what'll happen before it does. Despite all that, it's a fun, fast read.
The story is about Tim Colter, a 16-year-old crybaby ... errr ... boy whose family is mostly killed by whites dressed as Indians, with some real Indians thrown in, and how he goes after his sisters, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's mom. On the way he meets up with an old one-eyed mountain man who is also tracking the bad guys. The mountain man teaches young Tim how to take care of himself and ... guess what happens. Yep.
To go back to my opening line, there were some things that should have been caught by an editor. What stood out the most was that the mountain man, Jed Reno, made a big deal of how he brewed coffee in the cups and hadn't seen a coffee pot in years. Next time they had coffee they had a pot on the fire. Next time, we were back to brewing in cups.
I listened to this as an audio book. About halfway through, the narrator switched his voice for Jed Reno and started doing a deadringer John Wayne impression. It was very, very distracting.
What to say about this one? It's kind of the print equivalent of a B movie western. It's entertaining, but there's nothing new in it. You've seen it all before (especially if you've read Terry C. Johnston's Carry the Wind), and you can guess what'll happen before it does. Despite all that, it's a fun, fast read.
The story is about Tim Colter, a 16-year-old crybaby ... errr ... boy whose family is mostly killed by whites dressed as Indians, with some real Indians thrown in, and how he goes after his sisters, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's mom. On the way he meets up with an old one-eyed mountain man who is also tracking the bad guys. The mountain man teaches young Tim how to take care of himself and ... guess what happens. Yep.
To go back to my opening line, there were some things that should have been caught by an editor. What stood out the most was that the mountain man, Jed Reno, made a big deal of how he brewed coffee in the cups and hadn't seen a coffee pot in years. Next time they had coffee they had a pot on the fire. Next time, we were back to brewing in cups.
I listened to this as an audio book. About halfway through, the narrator switched his voice for Jed Reno and started doing a deadringer John Wayne impression. It was very, very distracting.
September 7, 2022
Leaving their Pennsylvania home to forge a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory of 1845, the Colter family is ambushed by a kill crazy gang of cutthroats on the Oregon Trail. Fifteen-year-old Tim Colter manages to escape and hide—only to return and find his parents butchered, his sisters Nancy and Margaret missing, and one last killer waiting for his return.
Forced to fight for his life, the young Colter embarks on a perilous journey across a lawless frontier, hoping to save his sisters and salvage the dream they lived for. But first, Tim has to figure out how to survive. Luckily, he finds a new friend in Jed Reno, a grizzled one-eyed trapper who’s lived in the Rockies since the 1820s—and who was attacked by the same gang that ambushed Tim’s family. Together, the mountain man and the greenhorn set out after the marauders, blazing a trail of vengeance that leads them to one of the deadliest men in the territory. With danger at every turn, and death just a heartbeat away, Colter has no choice but to grow up fast—one bullet at a time
Reminds me of the Last Mountain Man , love Johnstos work
February 7, 2024
For a book that starts so explosively, it takes forever to get going. This is because at first there are two stories running in parallel. One with Colter which sucks you in with high stakes, action, danger and a compelling reason to keep reading. The second is with Jed, which is slow, lacking anything compelling and completely lacking any sense of urgency. For some reason the story focuses more on the second storyline than the first, and as a result this book really drags its feet.
When the story really seems to get going in the second part, I realised it was too little too late. I had mentally checked out by this point, I was no longer attached to any of the characters and I decided to call it a day.
This book didn't need the level of detail and backstory that was pushed on us at the point in the story that we got it. If it focused on the straight forward more compelling story first it would have been more engaging, and the world building could have come after we were already invested.
When the story really seems to get going in the second part, I realised it was too little too late. I had mentally checked out by this point, I was no longer attached to any of the characters and I decided to call it a day.
This book didn't need the level of detail and backstory that was pushed on us at the point in the story that we got it. If it focused on the straight forward more compelling story first it would have been more engaging, and the world building could have come after we were already invested.
June 22, 2017
This book is the first in a series called Tim Colter Westerns.
It's a amazing story about a boy becoming a man when his wagon is attached by Indians and they take his sisters, girl friend and her mother and killing every one else except him. How he hides out, and manages to live.
He goes in search of them and meets a mountain man who helps him, teaching him the things he needs to know and how to stay alive.
Set in the 1800's, this well written story is fast paced, loads of action, I didn't want to put it down.
The next book is called "The Edge of Violence". I want to read it too.
It's a amazing story about a boy becoming a man when his wagon is attached by Indians and they take his sisters, girl friend and her mother and killing every one else except him. How he hides out, and manages to live.
He goes in search of them and meets a mountain man who helps him, teaching him the things he needs to know and how to stay alive.
Set in the 1800's, this well written story is fast paced, loads of action, I didn't want to put it down.
The next book is called "The Edge of Violence". I want to read it too.
August 4, 2017
I wanted to give this book 4 stars but just couldn't bring myself to do it. While I like J.A. writing full stories based on his uncles premises and such, this one wasn't very smooth reading. Flash back narratives were too ling and detailed. The plot itself is seems a violent young adult version of Terry C. Johnston's Titus Bass series, starting with Carry the Wind. A more mature version of a similar tale with more detail on the trappers way of life.
The preview of the next in the series jumps ahead 20 years.... We'll see how that one goes.
The preview of the next in the series jumps ahead 20 years.... We'll see how that one goes.
March 23, 2022
Tim Colter, a young thirteen-year-old boy from the east, escapes death as the wagon train is attacked by renegades. Unfortunately, his parents and another man are killed. The man’s wife, daughter, and Tim’s two sisters are taken captive. Eventually, Tim will encounter Jed Reno, a one-eyed trapper who's lived in the Rockies for the past twenty years. `The story morphs into a young, inexperienced lad coming-of-age/survival tale. It’s a decent, compassionate story as Tim learns to survive from Reno and become a young man. They search for the renegades that killed Tim’s parents and kidnapped the women. It may be blah to some folks but I enjoyed it.
December 8, 2018
I wish I had anything fun to say here. I just didn't make it very far. Perhaps it was the narrator for the audio book, who I kind of loved because he really threw himself into everything from narration to OTT characters, and I kind of hate him for not making it a bit more palatable. Probably that's Johnstone's issue more than the narrator's, though. I like series fiction, and I like revenge stories. This is both, but I couldn't even keep characters straight I was so bored.
June 30, 2017
Gave this book a 4 as it was so long getting started, about a third of the way in the book it got very good! I'm glad to see book 2 coming out soon. I have read every western Bill and J A have written and am now starting on " The Jenesn family " .
If you like tales of the old west you can't beat the Johnsons!
If you like tales of the old west you can't beat the Johnsons!
July 29, 2022
William Johnstone has never ranked as high, with me; as Louis L'Amour and Donald Robertson -- but this book was really good. It is the story of a boy, that becomes a man; under the most difficult of circumstances. How he grows, and the mountain man that teaches him, make for a really remarkable and interesting tale. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys westerns.
August 22, 2018
This is not my typical genre. I read it for book club. I found it to be a little different for me. I thought the plot was good and the characters were well described. I do not see me reading anymore, but for those who like westerns, this would be a good book.
March 10, 2019
An above average novel for this author who tends to go from simple Western folly to serious literary achievements. This is in the latter category. He does an excellent job of weaving the trials and woes of settlers on their way to Oregon. The plot is solid and the characters are well-defined.
June 29, 2019
I read that some of the reviewers of this book didn't like the flashbacks set in this but I found many of them necessary to make me relate to the characters. The only thing I wish that would have happened at the end is that Jed Reno would have gone down in a hail of arrows and lead. Oh well...
January 5, 2022
This is a pretty good western/frontier novel from the Audible 'Included' catalogue.
It was very well narrated, and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a decent filler until next credit day comes along.
It was very well narrated, and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a decent filler until next credit day comes along.
July 17, 2017
Excellent!
This is a great work of fiction and taken the wonderful history of this country. The author kept my interest from start to finish.
This is a great work of fiction and taken the wonderful history of this country. The author kept my interest from start to finish.
August 23, 2017
Love Jed Reno!
October 8, 2017
A very good and entertaining novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend this book to everyone.
March 26, 2018
So so
Not nearly as good as all the other Johnstone books I have read. Was a little slow and boring. Oh well, on to the next one.
Not nearly as good as all the other Johnstone books I have read. Was a little slow and boring. Oh well, on to the next one.
July 5, 2018
"Colter's Journey" (Tim Colter, #1) by William W. Johnstone with J. A. Johnstone is an exciting story of how a boy becomes a man through adventurous and perilous actions of the old West.
September 18, 2018
A great read, well done MR Johnstone
December 11, 2018
Boring. Much of it reads like a middle school term paper, e.g., excruciating details of how migrants got from the east coast to the starting points west.
October 20, 2019
Took awhile to get into this story, ending was the best....
April 15, 2020
The strength in anger is will drive anyone to rise to the challenge to find satisfaction of an injustice.
January 12, 2021
Loved this story. The description of the landscapes made me feel as though I was living it. My heart even raced a couple of times during the duals and fights. Can't wait to read the second one.
February 5, 2021
I was hoping for a new series, this is not going to be one for me. I thought it was predictable and sensationalized and a bit over the top for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews