What do you think?
Rate this book
Smoke Jensen #2
This Violent Land
A western hero whose adventures embody the spirit of the American frontier, Smoke Jensen is bestselling author William W. Johnstone's most beloved creation. In his powerful new novel, Johnstone chronicles Smoke's early years. Before he went off in search of his father, long before he became a legend, Kirby Jensen was a young man trying to make a living with the gifts God gave him courage, cunning, and lightening with a gun. Kirby has just earned his first paying job as a Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Colorado Territory and is sent to Las Animas, where a band of ruthless outlaws has been robbing trains, cattle, banks and anything else they can get their hands on. In Las Animas, Kirby finds a sheriff too cowardly to face the outlaw leader Cole Dawson, whose six-gun has left a lot of good men dead. Young Kirby feels no such fear. He takes Dawson down fast. Then the real fight begins.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
532 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,055 books1,401 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 16, 2022
This is the second book of the Smoke Jensen Series. Jensen is now a deputy U. S. Marshall in the Colorado Territory. The Marshall sends Jensen out on assignment to various parts of the territory to either apprehend a felon or assist a county sheriff. I found the discussion about legal jurisdictional differences between states and territories most interesting. I then looked up the information and found the book to be correct. Great way to learn new information as part of an interesting story.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and five minutes. Jack Garrett does an excellent job narrating the book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and five minutes. Jack Garrett does an excellent job narrating the book.
March 28, 2024
4.75 stars ...
I love me some Smoke Jensen ...
that.is.all. 👍👍👍👍👍
I love me some Smoke Jensen ...
that.is.all. 👍👍👍👍👍
December 15, 2016
The recreation of the Smoke Jensen story, that contradicts the way William W. Johnstone wrote the story in earlier books. Just wish that they would have actually used the original storyline, then expanded it, created a volume of short storylines and older fans like myself would like it more.
Verse what they've actually done, the writings could be better, you have way too many storylines going on, and the editing asininely bad. On page 94, Smoke's visiting Preacher, he's killed Potter, Stratton and Richards has the old Confederate gold buried next to his Dad's grave.
Yet you still have 269 pages to read were Smoke will take out multiple groups of Outlaws sent to kill him and the epic ending were he'll end up kill the three, with help from some from old Mountain Men.
Who recycles bar scene's in their writing? I have never in my 42 years of reader ever seen a writer do this, it's pathetic that J.A. Johnstone or Kensington missed that in editing.
What are the odds even in the fictional Old West, that Smoke Jensen would walk into different bars, were Bartenders are pouring Whiskey from customer glasses, even removing a cigar from one and then putting it back in Whiskey bottle to resell it.
Then the town's motel burned down, so he takes a room at the bar, that soil doves use, pays six bits, and the only change is that in one he shots the breast's of a painting, that already has the lady shot between the legs and does this to demonstrate his shooting ability. The other he just takes his room.
I just wish they gave the ghost writer's credit, the reader knows who wrote what or from 2016 on just let Charles G. West write everything. Doing this enables readers to do like what I did with the Ralph Compton series, were his estate gave writers credit for what they wrote, thus enabled me to know which ones I was going to skip verse buying others.
Lastly, J.A. and Kensington have been good or just plain bad with continuing on with the William W. Johnstone brand. I think they could have done it way better than they have.
They would have kept this old diehard fan of William's Westerns happy verse having me dedicate myself to keep reading their releases and just giving my unbiased, unfiltered honest review.
So a huge thank you to Walmart, Sam's Club for making these releases so cheap, for me to be able to afford to do this and A Novel Idea for the ones I purchase used due to them having bad reviews.
Verse what they've actually done, the writings could be better, you have way too many storylines going on, and the editing asininely bad. On page 94, Smoke's visiting Preacher, he's killed Potter, Stratton and Richards has the old Confederate gold buried next to his Dad's grave.
Yet you still have 269 pages to read were Smoke will take out multiple groups of Outlaws sent to kill him and the epic ending were he'll end up kill the three, with help from some from old Mountain Men.
Who recycles bar scene's in their writing? I have never in my 42 years of reader ever seen a writer do this, it's pathetic that J.A. Johnstone or Kensington missed that in editing.
What are the odds even in the fictional Old West, that Smoke Jensen would walk into different bars, were Bartenders are pouring Whiskey from customer glasses, even removing a cigar from one and then putting it back in Whiskey bottle to resell it.
Then the town's motel burned down, so he takes a room at the bar, that soil doves use, pays six bits, and the only change is that in one he shots the breast's of a painting, that already has the lady shot between the legs and does this to demonstrate his shooting ability. The other he just takes his room.
I just wish they gave the ghost writer's credit, the reader knows who wrote what or from 2016 on just let Charles G. West write everything. Doing this enables readers to do like what I did with the Ralph Compton series, were his estate gave writers credit for what they wrote, thus enabled me to know which ones I was going to skip verse buying others.
Lastly, J.A. and Kensington have been good or just plain bad with continuing on with the William W. Johnstone brand. I think they could have done it way better than they have.
They would have kept this old diehard fan of William's Westerns happy verse having me dedicate myself to keep reading their releases and just giving my unbiased, unfiltered honest review.
So a huge thank you to Walmart, Sam's Club for making these releases so cheap, for me to be able to afford to do this and A Novel Idea for the ones I purchase used due to them having bad reviews.
June 29, 2017
a must to read, another great one.
February 28, 2021
Second book of the "prequel" of the Mountain Man series.
Interesting series. For a western it actually has a story involved. Being book 2, this one is a continuation of the first book and Smoke's quest to avenge the murders of this brother and father by three men. Of course it wouldn't be a western novel without a few gunfights along the way.
Kindle Unlimited.
Interesting series. For a western it actually has a story involved. Being book 2, this one is a continuation of the first book and Smoke's quest to avenge the murders of this brother and father by three men. Of course it wouldn't be a western novel without a few gunfights along the way.
Kindle Unlimited.
September 27, 2016
Easy-to-read, fifth grade level . . . demoted down to a two-star because it was as slow as molasses and there were just too many story lines going on.
Still need to find out why these very same authors have two books with such similar titles as This Violent Land and The Violent Land. Strange.
Still need to find out why these very same authors have two books with such similar titles as This Violent Land and The Violent Land. Strange.
April 27, 2020
This Dog Don't Hunt.
Wow, huge disappoinment. The first 50 pages of this book we're quite good. About the time Smoke Jensen meets the character of Nicole the book falls apart.
Written by a team a ghost writers, the book feels like it's story arcs came together during a game of Mad libs. Characters are not given proper due and in fact most of them turn into absolute robotic caricatures by the end. Not one moment feels earned or warranted. What characters do resonate are tossed away in a ho-hum way, let's speed to the end type of way.
The most anticlimactic "that's all folks" ending in recent memory. Going to seek out legitimate works by this writer. This book sucked!
Wow, huge disappoinment. The first 50 pages of this book we're quite good. About the time Smoke Jensen meets the character of Nicole the book falls apart.
Written by a team a ghost writers, the book feels like it's story arcs came together during a game of Mad libs. Characters are not given proper due and in fact most of them turn into absolute robotic caricatures by the end. Not one moment feels earned or warranted. What characters do resonate are tossed away in a ho-hum way, let's speed to the end type of way.
The most anticlimactic "that's all folks" ending in recent memory. Going to seek out legitimate works by this writer. This book sucked!
September 25, 2022
Time to get away from the books that I normally read. Nothing like a good shoot ‘em up western to do the job. Johnstone’s books are some of the best in this genre.
February 23, 2021
I very much enjoyed this book, yet it does have that set "plot armor" that allows characters to live while still being able to put them in the most dangerous of situations. Considering this is a prequel, I'll cut some slack in that department, but still, Smoke really just goes and attacks 8 bounty hunters at a time, and then again takes on 14 bounty hunters, and kills them very efficiently. The man is like a demi-god or something. He just heads off, meets up with his old buddy Preacher and, after being so heavily shot up after such a battle where he kills the men that raped and murdered his wife and killed his kid, life is apparently just all good. Although, one man against 14 does make for a pretty good fight scene to write about, and the authors do not disappoint. One more small problem I have though, is that the writing makes it seem like sometimes it's for adults, and sometimes for someone reading at a fourth grade level. This fluctuating style makes the writing feel odd, and I believe that must be the real reason I gave 3 stars instead of four or five. It may go from talking about a whorehouse so that my 5 year old brother could understand to talking about a horse ride as if it is some translated epic from centuries ago (those two examples aren't anything I pulled out of the novel, just for further clarification on what I previously meant). Theoretically, these issues do make the novel sound bad, but there is something about the story that is so captivating that this is a really good read. Otherwise, the fights are very exhilarating for how long they last, and if anything this is an interesting piece of the tons of Western books by William and J.A. Johnstone that all connect with each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
A Lawman Forged in Fire: Review of 'This Violent Land'
This Violent Land (A Smoke Jensen Novel of the West Book 2) is more than just a typical Western; it’s a gripping drama set against the tumultuous backdrop of the early US Civil War era. Johnstone masterfully depicts communities, friends, and families ensnared in a complex web of tangled alliances and survival instincts, where loyalties are tested and family bonds are the only guarantee.
At the heart of the saga is Smoke Jensen, the quintessential mountain man. His reputation precedes him—a man whose gun handling skills eclipse those of the Old West legends, complemented by formidable hand-to-hand combat techniques honed by the Native Americans. Smoke deploys these skills not for glory, but fiercely in defense of himself and his family’s legacy.
Johnstone’s prose draws the reader deeply into the action. The rough-and-tumble reality of the Wild West is vividly displayed, yet the narrative is simultaneously "dripping with emotional glue," successfully locking the reader into a world away from their own. This literary diversion is instantly appreciable, but more importantly, you'll come to genuinely know Smoke Jensen.
You'll quickly find yourself craving more of his unique brand of lawman and the powerful friendships that define him. These bonds of camaraderie are so profound they elevate the term brotherhood to a whole new level. If you enjoy raw frontier action, love, family, and unbreakable loyalty set in a mountain man's world, This Violent Land will absolutely reel you in.
This Violent Land (A Smoke Jensen Novel of the West Book 2) is more than just a typical Western; it’s a gripping drama set against the tumultuous backdrop of the early US Civil War era. Johnstone masterfully depicts communities, friends, and families ensnared in a complex web of tangled alliances and survival instincts, where loyalties are tested and family bonds are the only guarantee.
At the heart of the saga is Smoke Jensen, the quintessential mountain man. His reputation precedes him—a man whose gun handling skills eclipse those of the Old West legends, complemented by formidable hand-to-hand combat techniques honed by the Native Americans. Smoke deploys these skills not for glory, but fiercely in defense of himself and his family’s legacy.
Johnstone’s prose draws the reader deeply into the action. The rough-and-tumble reality of the Wild West is vividly displayed, yet the narrative is simultaneously "dripping with emotional glue," successfully locking the reader into a world away from their own. This literary diversion is instantly appreciable, but more importantly, you'll come to genuinely know Smoke Jensen.
You'll quickly find yourself craving more of his unique brand of lawman and the powerful friendships that define him. These bonds of camaraderie are so profound they elevate the term brotherhood to a whole new level. If you enjoy raw frontier action, love, family, and unbreakable loyalty set in a mountain man's world, This Violent Land will absolutely reel you in.
November 16, 2023
I was and am a huge Louis L'Amour fan. I don't think these books by Mr. Johnstone are quite at that level but they're damn close. My only problem with the genre in general is that they end up following a very predictable pattern both in plot and writing. Not necessarily a terrible thing as this book was entertaining but I never read more than one in a few months period because I would get worn out and "oversaturated" if I did. That being said, this is a continuation of the Smoke Jensen series, and he is everything you could want in a western hero. I like the tie in with Mr. Johnstone's Preacher series and will definitely read more of his books.... just not right away!
August 22, 2021
I have become addicted to these stories and just love the good vs. evil. Smoke Jensen is quite a character and even though he travels through some terrible adversity he manages to come out and extract payment from those who commit terrible acts. Preacher is his mentor and the family life he has lived is very interesting and what lots of families experienced during the wild west. These tales are not to be missed if you love the westward movement in the 1850's on and the development of the western part of the US.
March 7, 2025
This one goes deeper into how Smoke and Preacher save Nicole who later becomes Smoke's wife. Smoke and Nicole have a child and when all looks to be going perfectly. Nicole and the baby are murdered. This leads to Smoke haunting down those who did the crime. He also becomes a US Marshall in this one, and this book goes much deeper into this event. It climaxes with Smoke finally getting the showdown in Bury, Idaho with the men who shot and killed his father and who Smoke believes shot and killed his brother. This is a must read.
January 30, 2017
The Beginning of Smoke Jensen
Smoke Jensen is The last Mountain man. He's also rattle snake fast with his guns. Smoke and Sally they make a good team. Along with Preacher, Matt Jensen and eventually Luke William Johnstone sure can weave a tale. Stop reading this and just start reading his book for yourself.
Smoke Jensen is The last Mountain man. He's also rattle snake fast with his guns. Smoke and Sally they make a good team. Along with Preacher, Matt Jensen and eventually Luke William Johnstone sure can weave a tale. Stop reading this and just start reading his book for yourself.
December 2, 2021
Excellent 4.5🌟
A great series continues with a solid storyline, interesting characters and plenty of exciting action. The relationship between Smoke and Preacher is well done. The scenic backdrop is vivid, and time and place is well described. I look forward to the next book in the series.
A great series continues with a solid storyline, interesting characters and plenty of exciting action. The relationship between Smoke and Preacher is well done. The scenic backdrop is vivid, and time and place is well described. I look forward to the next book in the series.
February 27, 2023
I loved this book. There was so much story and heartbreak. Many times the main character ha to rebuild his life. The camaraderie between Preacher and Smoke was awesome. There is deep abiding love, affection, and respect for one another that really shines through.Takeaways: Family doesn't have to mean by blood and the love of your family is most important.
December 9, 2024
Smokin Aces🐺🃏🔫🐎
ADULT Historical Western Adventure 💀🐎🔫🔪.with Romance💕
Book 2 in Smoke Jensen🐺🔫🐎 western adventure series.
This is a Long And involved Series With Many different parts. Smoke Jensen Lives his life As if there was no tomorrow And for him there may not be.
No guts, no glory!
I got this e-book from Amazon 📚 with kindle unlimited.
ADULT Historical Western Adventure 💀🐎🔫🔪.with Romance💕
Book 2 in Smoke Jensen🐺🔫🐎 western adventure series.
This is a Long And involved Series With Many different parts. Smoke Jensen Lives his life As if there was no tomorrow And for him there may not be.
No guts, no glory!
I got this e-book from Amazon 📚 with kindle unlimited.
February 3, 2025
Smoke Jensen Novel - Book 2
This has probably been one of very best Western Romance Novels that I have every Read!! I read nearly a hundred books a year and a half! That is my full time hobby in my Retirement Years! Loved the Action and Suspense, but best of all the best Ending ever!!!
This has probably been one of very best Western Romance Novels that I have every Read!! I read nearly a hundred books a year and a half! That is my full time hobby in my Retirement Years! Loved the Action and Suspense, but best of all the best Ending ever!!!
April 6, 2025
Amazing storyline on every page. I loved the mountain men of long ago; admired the hardworking ranchers and farmers; and, felt pride for the hardworking women in all areas of the old west. I did drop tears when loved ones died and felt anxious about the bad guys. The writing is great, and I enjoyed this book along with the heroes of the day. Thanks for a wonderful read.
February 24, 2021
Exceptional read
I loved the first two books about Smoke Jensen. Once you start reading them you can't put them down. I just took a pause to write this review and start the next book. Great writing! I recommend these books, you will not be disappointed.
I loved the first two books about Smoke Jensen. Once you start reading them you can't put them down. I just took a pause to write this review and start the next book. Great writing! I recommend these books, you will not be disappointed.
July 18, 2021
Interesting Smoke Jensen tale.
I've enjoyed the five books I've read so far. The smoke Jensen books so far have not disappointed me. Interesting how Smokes sister is reunited with him.
I've enjoyed the five books I've read so far. The smoke Jensen books so far have not disappointed me. Interesting how Smokes sister is reunited with him.
September 21, 2021
Legend grows
Smoke faces the loss of a wife and son. Assignments as a Federal Deputy Marshall gives him several places to test his gun and make new friends. Last stop he catches up with his sister, Janey. Sally is introduced.
Smoke faces the loss of a wife and son. Assignments as a Federal Deputy Marshall gives him several places to test his gun and make new friends. Last stop he catches up with his sister, Janey. Sally is introduced.
October 27, 2021
I love westerns but the problem with this author is there are a lot of mistakes in a lot of his books, this one totally contradicts another books story line. I guess when you churn out the amount of books he has written then can not keep track of all the different story lines.
December 14, 2021
Smoke Jensen
This is part two of the Smoke Jenson origin story. This time Smoke must hunt down the men who murdered his father and brother. On the way, Smoke has battles he has to fight as part of his job as Deputy U S marshal. A thoroughly enjoyable novel.
This is part two of the Smoke Jenson origin story. This time Smoke must hunt down the men who murdered his father and brother. On the way, Smoke has battles he has to fight as part of his job as Deputy U S marshal. A thoroughly enjoyable novel.
December 21, 2021
Amazing writing again!
I loved this story, but it was a bit different than another one I read by William W. Johnstone! So close I almost stopped reading as I thought it was the same book. Love the action and was really glad Preacher didn't did in this book!
I loved this story, but it was a bit different than another one I read by William W. Johnstone! So close I almost stopped reading as I thought it was the same book. Love the action and was really glad Preacher didn't did in this book!
January 20, 2022
Amazing!!!
Loved it! Full of emotion, action, and payback against who turned on smoke Jensen. Let's not forget funny and heart brake aswell. The ending was full of gun smoke revenging the death of Kirbys brother and father.
Loved it! Full of emotion, action, and payback against who turned on smoke Jensen. Let's not forget funny and heart brake aswell. The ending was full of gun smoke revenging the death of Kirbys brother and father.
November 23, 2023
Wonderful series
This is turning out to be a great series. The action is nonstop and the characters are strong and fully developed. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
This is turning out to be a great series. The action is nonstop and the characters are strong and fully developed. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
July 9, 2025
This Violent Land
Another great book!! Enjoy reading through the various books to complete the story of Smoke Jensen, Preacher, Janey, and Luke.
I will be reading the origins of Preacher next.
Another great book!! Enjoy reading through the various books to complete the story of Smoke Jensen, Preacher, Janey, and Luke.
I will be reading the origins of Preacher next.
May 16, 2017
Excellent
A great book by a great author. I enjoyed this story like i do all of his books. Keep up the great work.
A great book by a great author. I enjoyed this story like i do all of his books. Keep up the great work.
August 24, 2017
A very good and entertaining novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it to everyone
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews