Terror of the Mountain Man

The Last Mountain Man #42

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Borders Of BloodSmoke Jensen has come to Corpus Christi, Texas, to take delivery of five hundred horses he purchased from an old friend. That's when a Mexican revolutionary, Colonel Bustamante Keno, brazenly crashes the border, slaughters twenty-two innocent U.S. citizens in cold blood, and steals a thousand head of cattle--along with two hundred of Smoke's horses. Going where the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers cannot, Smoke crosses the border in hot pursuit of Keno. The Mexican Federales capture Smoke and the others and place them under arrest. But as soon as the banditos take something near and dear to a Federale commander, the Mexicans decide that Smoke and his fellow prisoners might come in handy after all. They'll fight a fierce and secret little war the only way the Mountain Man knows fierce, relentless, and unforgiving to the bitter, bloody end. Because no man steals from Smoke Jensen and lives to enjoy the ill-gotten goods. Not ever.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2014

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

[Jerry Blackerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book in the series about Smoke Jensen. I loved the book. I did find a mistake in the book, although most readers would not catch it. J.A. Johnstone was a fantastic researcher for his uncle William. This time, he missed it. He mentions that Smoke stopped in the Telegraph office and had the operator copy down the Morse Code. Then the book has the people involved learning to use mirrors to send and receive messages using Morse Code, including examples. The mistake is that telegraphers used American Morse not International Morse, which was used by radio operators in the military. There are differences and the examples used were International Morse. As I said, this mistake did not affect the story. I still loved the story. Only someone like me, an old radio operator, or a telegrapher would know the difference.

[Woffie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worthy of the Smoke Jensen series. Book 42 in the series and they’ve suddenly reinvented the character. Now instead if a young boy, too young to have fought in the war, going West with his father, he’s a veteran when he heads west. Instead of holding the farm together after his mother dies of illness, she’s murdered and Smoke saw to vengeance for that. All before having met Preacher. The adult Smoke in this book is no mountain man taking advantage of his special skills in the fight. He might as well be any other western man good with a gun and no special mountain skills when he goes after the bandits.

As others have said, the description on the back isn’t close to what actually happens. And the editing errors are numerous.

Highly disappointed and not sure I want to bother with any of the books written after this one.

[David Burnworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smoke takes his parents back to Missouri to bury them in the town cemetery side by side. This leads to him selling some horses to a former neighbor who now lives in Texas. During their stay in Texas, one of Smoke's party falls in love and is all set to leave Sugarloaf.

With the horses sold Smoke and his party head back to the Sugarloaf ranch when they receive word Cal's fiancee was killed by Colonel Bustamante Keno and he has also taken the horses Smoke had sold and basically totaled the small Texas Town.
Smoke and his small party head back to Texas to the funeral and Smoke sets his sights on not only getting the horses back but to get justice for the murder of Cal's lady and for all of the innocent people that had been killed.

Now that I set the story for you go and read this book.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

My second Mountain Man book and I can start to see the formula a bit here. Doesn't mean it's not fun, it is, but it's just not as fun. The story also didn't feel as tight as what I've read before. Still, it's a light, easy read-perfect for a pickup and go read.

[Martha Peebles · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always a awesome read. I have read this book once before but it is well worth the second read. Thank you for an awesome read.
I would recommend these books to anyone who loves a good mountain ma's story.

[Danny Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smoke Jensen does it again

William Johnstone did it again kept my interest page in an page out ,funny parts and sad parts but as always fun to read .

[Kevin Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teamwork

Another great story with Smoke Jensen and his good friends. Smoke Jensen came through with the help of his family.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy the 42nd book of the smoke Jensen Siri’s.

[Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first western novel I have ever read. I enjoyed it very much and it seemed to be a relatively fast read. I will definitely read more about Smoke Jensen.

[Ronald W. Bureau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice ending.

Mountain man series is great reading. This book followed in its footsteps. Nice ending. Didn't quite expect it.
Would recommend entire series.

[Nic McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smoke Jensen is so badass, he smokes so tough this man could slaughter an army single handedly without breaking a sweat, Smoke Jensen simply too tough too sick too badass

[Not HG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying the back cover of this is incredibly misleading. It talks about a Mexican revolutionary named TB Keno going to Texas, killing innocents and stealing 1000 heads of cattle. Smoke Jensen travels to Mexico to recover the cattle and, helped by Mexican Federales, fights a fierce, secret war against Keno and his men.

What really happens is that the "Revolutionary" is really just a bandit with a load of men, who don't even attack until way past half the book. He only steals 200 horses, the Federales only show for 2-3 pages and don't do anything, and the "fierce, secret war" is Jensen breezing through Keno's men for a couple of days without any trouble whatsoever.

I haven't read many Westerns so I don't know if this is standard, but Smoke Jensen is a Gary Stu. He's the most skilled man alive with a gun, always has the right ideas, his companions are also impossibly good, and his enemies always commit idiotic mistakes and lack common sense. And yes, aside from getting scratched by a basically a POINT BLANK SHOTGUN BLAST, he has zero trouble defeating a gang of over 50 men.


The reason I gave two stars is because the writing is really good (even if the Spanish is a little off in places) and very fun to read. Though the plot doesn't really happen until way past half the book, what comes beforehand is entertaining, well-written and reasonably paced. Plus the world-building is also good.

Overall I guess it's a good read for readers who've already read more of the author's novels, but for a newcomer (like me) it's going to be rather disappointed, mostly because it's not what the book promised.

[LadyCalico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smoke Jensen, aka Mountain Man and Fastest Gun in the West, has just sold a large herd of horses to an old friend in Texas, when an army of Mexican banditos rustles them, shoots up the nearby town, and kills a number of locals including someone he cares about. Well that just has to lead to one of the most exciting but improbable rootin' tootin' shootin' Western tales ever. If you love (and I do!) old time horse operas where decent people of honor, courage, and skill face down evil when the odds appear stacked against them, then this one's for you.

[Andrew A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly, I read this book out of order, as I am now seeing it is the 40-something-th book in the series.

Really good, typical western, or so I kept telling myself. Felt like just a run-of-the-mill, plain-Jane, cheesy western, but then I couldn't put it down! And then I'd find myself tearing up, or smiling, or angry... 'Ordinary' books aren't supposed to make you feel!
Good book. Happy while reading, sad that it ended. I'll have to get the other 40 plus books in the series.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smoke, Sally, Pearlie, and Cal go after a self-styled Mexican revolutionary, really just a bandit, who raided a town and the ranch of an old friend to whom he'd delivered 200 horses.

A number of friends had been killed and officials on both sides of the border were ill-equipped to deal with him.

Smaoke and friends weren't.

Another excellent Smoke Jensen.

[Steve Davidson]

Another good book by Johnstone

I enjoy Smoke Jensen stories and this is another good one. Just fun to read. The ending was cut too short, but it's easy enough to fill it in on your own.

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me. I'm not usually attracted to Westerns but there was lots of actions and drama and people of integrity that made it a great read.

[Carol Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Another great story by mister William Johnstone, it was just as spellbinding as all the other books he as written. Great job Mr Johnstone