Hard Winter

Montana #2

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

From bestselling authors William W. and J.A. Johnstone comes the latest installment in a bold, new, generations-spanning saga of the American West set in historical Montana territory. Two Families. Two Dynasties. Two Centuries.A Saga of Montana.Bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone return to Cutthroat County in their Montana series, following the Maddox and Drew families from the time they struggled to plant their roots in the 1800s to the twenty-first century trials they endure to maintain their legacies. NOW As winter descends upon Cutthroat County, rancher Ashton Maddox has to rely on a skeleton crew to keep his cattle from succumbing to the dangers of the cold winter months. County Sheriff John T. Drew has his hands full this time of year heading up search and rescue missions for adventurous snowborders and skiers tempting fate on nearby Always Winter mountain range. When an unexpected blizzard covers the region, Drew finds himself babysitting a vicious gang of prisoners stranded in town. And as the storm triggers avalanches, Drew and Maddox learn their son and daughter are trapped on the mountain—and that the gang’s leader has escaped from custody . . .  THEN   This isn’t the first Montana blizzard that the Drew and Maddox families have faced. Back in 1894, Murdo Maddox lost his livestock—and nearly his entire cowboy crew—braving a treacherous storm that ravaged the countryside. Sheriff Napoleon Drew pursued a mad dog killer across the unforgiving snow and ice. Both men risked their lives to save others, fighting the most devastating weather conjured by nature—and the worst in human nature . . .

Genres: Westerns

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2024

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

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The feud between The Maddox and Drew clans continue in Hard Winter, the second book in this new series from William W. johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. Finally they have created a new series that is actually really good apart from the fact that the same kids is held hostage by the bad guys in both books. I like the fact that the books is set in three time periods to tell different stories and also the history of the two families and the ongoing dislike they have for each other. I haven't felt this positive in a long time with a book from this author and look forward to the next one. I must thank Pinnacle Books and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one mish-mash disaster. I haven't read the book that preceded this one and, likely, not to. Seems it's retold in this volume anyway.
I do believe the Johnstone Clan need to consider having multiple stories in a volume to meet their new expanded length. However, this is not what I meant. This volume has two and a half stories smooshed together in a hard to decipher pool of icy mess. I get that the 2 1/2 stories have characters related, but the stories otherwise aren't related and become excess baggage to wade through.

There's a story in the present that, according to another review I read, is a repeat of the first book. Worse, to me, this is a poor telling of a kidnapping. The Johnstone ghost writer seems confused as to writing of the 1800s or the 21st century. The story set in current times is an oddity as the characters are cut off due to a snow storm and are written as if dazed and confused as a set of Florida natives in the same setting. Yet, as it is written, they've been through all this before. Not just the snow, but a kidnapping. There's odd handling of characters written as if bad guys but not handled as such and ... I was getting confused with it all.

Making it worse is then another story stepping back 100+ years in the same place and more understandably confused souls as to winter goings on. Me confused is that the names are the same as the story set in the present, but with the ones written as bad guys are actually good as with the ones in the present who are good, but are they bad and don't know how to travel in winter, but do know how to and the Canadian border and sheriff's offices where schools were...

THEN there's still another-kinda, sorta- story set even further back with the same names that are good, but bad, but there's winter and this one goes that way and this one goes....

I really wanted to throw the book out a window!

Something of the same names: The same LAST names of main characters. It's the first names that further screw things up: Keme, Samoset, Chogan, Powaw, Grubstake and more ridiculous names that the writer must have known would frustrate a reader trying to plow through 2 1/2 stories to the end. I wanted to escape to the Canadian border!
There's one sentence in the book where 5 names are written in the narrative.
Was this ghost writer out to plunder us all and is laughing in their ghost writing room?

Further making this worse is the length of all this mush.
A better idea would've been to have 3 - separate - stories in one volume.
Though, the writer still is not in the upper echelon of Johnstone Clan writers.

Bottom line: i don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
This book was available to review via NetGalley.
I admit there have been a number of bad Johnstone books out recently to review. The largest set I've come across in the few hundred I've read. Coming across two outstanding Johnstone Clan books, had me feel better to turn in a set of bad reviews.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Johnstones bring their excellent story telling skills to Montana's history. Seen through the eyes of the Drew and Maddox families, the hardships settlers worked through to survive in this unexplored land are faced head on. Three stories, three timelines, three heroes will maintain the iron will begun when their ancestors first claimed Montana as their home.

[Loaves And · Rating 4 out of 5]

The style of writing used a different format. Two similar events 100 years apart in the same Montana town. Both events are facing the harshest winter known.

[Scott Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, read Montana first, this is the sequel with non stop action as this book goes from today and to 100 years ago, very good series can't wait for the next one!