Brandon

Defeated Creek #2

by Franklin Horton

The latest installment in Franklin Horton's Borrowed World/Mad Mick/Locker Nine universe, this is the long-anticipated story of what happened to Brandon when he walked out of the Locker Nine series and into the dense forests of Southwestern Virginia.

America is unraveling like an old sock. The power is out, cell phones aren’t working, and the only fuel available is what people can scrounge up on their own. In the remote hollows of central Appalachia, the only law comes from the local residents and their willingness to pull the trigger.

Brandon is a former sniper and military contractor making his way home through the mountains when a run-in with two local criminals nearly costs him everything. Broken and alone, miles from anyone he knows, he has to crawl back from the edge with nothing but determination and a stubborn refusal to die.

When he’s taken in by a hard-edged woman named Willie and the ragged group of young people she calls family, Willie only asks for one thing in return. She wants Brandon to train her family to fight because she knows they’re no longer in the world where the dream is to live happily ever after. The best they can hope for now is merely to survive and she wants to give them the best chance possible.

Genres: Post Apocalyptic

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 24, 2026

About the author

Franklin Horton lives and writes in the mountains of southwestern Virginia. He attended Virginia Intermont College and Virginia Commonwealth University. In his spare time he pursues outdoor adventures with his wife and two children. His interests include camping, kayaking, backpacking, mountain biking, and shooting.

Reviews

[Fred Barnes]

STRUGGLE TO STAY ALIVE ALL THE WHILE A COUPLE OF DRUGGIES TRY EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO KILL YOU

8/02/26 Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A STRUGGLE TO STAY ALIVE ALL THE WHILE A COUPLE OF DRUGGIES TRY EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO KILL YOU

Brandon: Book Two in the Defeated Creek Series by Franklin Horton is a fasted pasted action thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat reading to find out if Brandon can survive the day with the help of Willie, Willie's kids, and Greg, Robert, and his daughter Grace against a couple sadistic drug dealers, thieves and murders, the Kiser brothers. This second installment in the Defeated Creek Series, a off shoot of the Mad Mick series, is well written, with characters that you'll love and hate as they deal with the aftermath of a terrorist attack on the infrastructure taking out the oil and fuel as well as the electrical grid which leads to the the failure of the water system and the food chain.

Franklin has opened the door for additional books not only with Brandon, Willie, Robert, and Grace along with the young adults staying with Willie and truly hope he does so. This as well as all of the Mad Mick series and offshoots are right up there with my favorite action-apocalypse thrillers and Brandon has to be one of his most humorous ones so far. If you haven't had the chance to read any of the books and series written by Franklin Horton, I highly recommend them all. If you're thinking about starting with Brandon, I recommend starting with the first book in this series Willie since there is a lot of key information about the characters in it that sets up the second book Brandon.

Okay Franklin, my only complaint is; A/C D/C blaring is a little bit annoying especially in the woods...but then again, you can't get any better than A/C D/C anywhere you are.

Again, I really have enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It will hold your interest throughout and you'll find yourself unable to put it down until you've finished it and once you do, you'll be jonesing for the third book in the Defeated Creek Series. I know I am.

Quotes:
On a t-shirt;
"Your Mom is My Cardio."
Second t-shirt with a picture of Abraham Lincoln;
"Four Score and Seven Beer Ago."
"Ain't sure he's up to fighting off a were-cougar."
"You know, having siblings is a funny thing. You never get tired of giving them shit.”

[S.A. Ison]

Franklin Horton does it again. The story continues with a new player in the Defeated Creek Series. Brandon joins the struggle taking place small town America, in Appalachia. Brandon finds himself in trouble and finds a new bunch of friends. Life is not easy in this new world, but with their help, wrongs get righted. Mr. Horton is a master storyteller. Well-written and great editing. I’m never disappointed in his books. I highly recommend.

[Jeff Rikard]

Another great book by Franklin Horton

I get excited every time there's a new book by Franklin Horton then I'm up all night because my mind won't rest till I've read it. This is a extremely good read and a great addition to The Defeated Creek series. If you haven't read it or book 1 I highly recommend it and all the other books in this world like Borrowed World, Mad Mick and Locker 9. Enjoy the ride!

[Jaclyn Baker]

Page Turner!

I have enjoyed all of Franklin Horton’s books, and this latest one is one of the best. I read Book One when of Defeated Creek when it was released, so when I saw Book Two was released, I quickly reread Willie to reorient myself to her world. Then I read Book Two start to finish in just two days. Wanted to finish it the first day, but alas duties called. Anyway, absolutely wonderful and engaging tale that paints vivid images and connection with characters. I cannot wait for Book Three!!!

[James Corcovelos]

Brandon is worth the read!

Franklin Horton does a great job of fleshing out his characters. I commissioned a lot of oil and gas sites in West Virginia and feel like I know the characters. This story ties together three of his series quite well. Too bad Mad Mick couldn't have showed up. His daughter would have loved Willie!

I blasted through this on a hot Texas weekend with a tropical storm battering us and I couldn't stop reading. I had to know how the Kiser story ended up and if Willie decided that a man could be sorta ok! No spoilers here!

[Bill Harper]

I do not know how Franklin Horton keeps doing it, another incredible story. The best part is that this book shows connections between almost all his series (The Borrowed World series, Locker Nine series and my personal favorite The Mad Mick series). Everyone interested in survival series is completely missing out if they do not read these series and his other series (The Way of Dan series, Ty Stone series and Random Acts (standalone novel). All I can say is KEEP IT UP MR. HORTON.

[Pete Corcoran]

Another Amazing Book

Love pretty much anything Franklin Horton writes so this shouldn’t come as a surprise but this was a an absolute winner. Normally I breeze right through hoa books but this story is different in the way that it has so many different action packed scenes it took my brain a little longer to properly digest this book as a whole. Do yourself a favor and read ALL of Franklin Horton’s books I have yet to be disappointed.

[Bill]

I felt his pain

Sorry I missed Book1, but the recap short, thankfully and the story immediately went into overdrive from beginning to end. Meth heads are like monsters, unable reason, or so we are told, at least in this novel. Cliches about folks living along Appalachian abound, not quite “L’il Abner” of comic strip fame, but certainly a bit clannish, not trusting the “flatland furriers” like Snuffy Smith, another cartoon character said.

[Mark]

I consumed this book over the weekend because I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was intrigued by Willie, and Brandon brings in elements of the other series set in the Broken World. Well done and well written. The action kicks off from the very beginning, and barely lets up. Great characters, too. Even the antagonists are three-dimensional.

[CAROLYN SMITH]

The author keeps you engaged, but I could do with less descriptions of the nasty living conditions after the first paragraph. Or the first few sentences.I get it. Life without a washer/dryer and warm shower is shifty, and many people are slobs. There were very few typos and the sentence structure was good. I looked for the 3rd, but there isn't one on kindle unlimited.

[virgil]

Excellent Action PA Thriller

Excellent varied characters and an intriguing storyline with intense action keep the pages turning swiftly in this gritty PA novel. The descriptions of the living conditions and the related stink at times are so well written that I almost gagged! The fighting scenes are very realistic. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Karen L. Dunn]

Franklin Horton

This man has never written a book that hasn't had me on the edge of my seat yet. Can't wait for his next one. Please continue Mad Max, Broken World and I would love another Brandon and Willie

[Karen J. Rosselli]

Good finish to a great story

I've really enjoyed reading all the books in order from the beginning. Love the characters, the storyline. Its been great putting a timeline in place for the mad mick series, which has been my absolute favorite! Thank you for the terrific books.

[Kathy]

Love Brandon and Willie

Love bringing Grace and her dad baco help.
Glad they got business taken care of. Hope there is another book to let us know how Maggie is doing

[Benny Blackwell]

Superb

Well done. Franklin Horton is fast becoming one of my favorites. Fast moving, yet full bodied. I've enjoyed ever book he has ever written, as far as I kmow.

[Joan L Huffman MD]

Brandon

The Author throws a curve ball with the introduction of Brandon into the mix of Willie and crew. Creeps and drugs complete the brew.

[J.L. Huffman]

The Author throws a curve ball with the introduction of Brandon into the mix of Willie and crew. Creeps and drugs complete the brew.

[Brenda Cosby]

Good book #2 in the series

As with all Franklin Horton books this one has good characters and bad characters, bad as in they deserve what they got! Good read!

[Benfranklin259]

Another winner

Always a great story teller and the characters are always interesting. I've always enjoyed all his books and always look forward to the next one.

[Benny Mullinax]

An excellent finish to the series. Great character integration and action filled plot. Enjoyed reading the whole way through.

[Kevin Barry]

It’s another home run from Franklin Horton

Brandon is pretty cool but I think I’m in love with Willie. Which sucks because she would not like me at all. And Peggy is hilarious.

[Slympicins]

Absolutely loved it. Borrowed World, Way of Dan, Locker 9, Mad Mick all seem to come together in this adventure. Stellar job Franklin!!!

[shayla kemmerer]

Great series

Defeated Creek series hooked me in a different way than Mad Mick or Borrowed World. This one made me cry and was worried the entire book. Brandon is the strongest person I’ve ever read. Really great read!