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The First Mountain Man #26
Preacher's Frenzy
JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE THE GOOD DIE YOUNG. AND THE BAD DIE SOONER. There are two kinds of traps in the Old West. One is the kind that Preacher and his buddy, Charlie, use to catch a mountain-load of fur pelts. The other is the kind that Charlie steps into—a trap set by a low-life gambler and his seductive partner in crime to swindle Charlie out of his fur money. Preacher hates to see a good friend get robbed. So he sets off after the grifters—on a riverboat bound for New Orleans. First, he infiltrates the criminal underworld of the French Quarter. Then, he’s enslaved on a pirate ship heading straight to hell. Now there’s only one way out for Preacher. Start a mutiny. Take over the ship. Then return to New Orleans to reunite Charlie with his money—and not to get butchered in the process. The First Mountain ManPREACHER’S FRENZY Live Free. Read Hard.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2019
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,035 books1,439 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 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 27, 2023
What is not to love about Preacher, the 1st Mountain Man? Tough, fearless, fair, but wouldn’t take cr@p from anybody. You do him a good deed, he’ll remember it and pay it back in kind. You make an enemy with him…well just don’t do that. Not good.
This is a different kind of Preacher book in the series, besides having a more compassionate side tending and really caring about his 2 comrades that were severely injured, he’s not a cold-blooded killer when he absolutely has the chance to kill for revenge.
The story takes him off mountain land, and he must find a way to save his own life as a prisoner on a pirate ship that is taking him to a destination most undesirable for him.
Fast paced, full of action, and some surprises, this is an adventure you won’t want to miss with Preacher.
This is a different kind of Preacher book in the series, besides having a more compassionate side tending and really caring about his 2 comrades that were severely injured, he’s not a cold-blooded killer when he absolutely has the chance to kill for revenge.
The story takes him off mountain land, and he must find a way to save his own life as a prisoner on a pirate ship that is taking him to a destination most undesirable for him.
Fast paced, full of action, and some surprises, this is an adventure you won’t want to miss with Preacher.
November 11, 2019
The Jensen Family ecosystem includes Preacher the Mountain Man, Smoke the Last Mountain Man, Those Jensen Boys, and Luke Jensen Bounty Hunter. Each character has his own series, filled with stories that highlight their life back in the late 1800's. Together, these series make up the broad and varied world of the Old West as seen through the eyes of William Johnstone.
This book, Preacher's Frenzy (Pinnacle 2019) is unusual in the Preacher series in that most of it doesn't take place in the mountains. Preacher and friend Charlie spent the summer collecting pelts in the gloriously beautiful Rocky Mountains and are now delivering them to St. Louis. The money they get is to fund their next year of trapping. When Charlie gets stabbed and robbed, Preacher promises to get the boy's money back. This takes Preacher down the Mississippi to New Orleans where he runs afoul of a powerful criminal. He ends up kidnapped and thrown on a pirate boat where he is to be delivered to an island as slave labor on a plantation. But Preacher isn’t easily controlled and things don’t work out as the criminals planned.
This is a good story, as usual. My only complaint is that Preacher had to leave Dog and Horse, two wonderful characters in earlier books, out of the chase because it started on a paddle boat rather than dry land. Aside from that, I cannot get enough of Preacher, his world, and his take on surviving.
This book, Preacher's Frenzy (Pinnacle 2019) is unusual in the Preacher series in that most of it doesn't take place in the mountains. Preacher and friend Charlie spent the summer collecting pelts in the gloriously beautiful Rocky Mountains and are now delivering them to St. Louis. The money they get is to fund their next year of trapping. When Charlie gets stabbed and robbed, Preacher promises to get the boy's money back. This takes Preacher down the Mississippi to New Orleans where he runs afoul of a powerful criminal. He ends up kidnapped and thrown on a pirate boat where he is to be delivered to an island as slave labor on a plantation. But Preacher isn’t easily controlled and things don’t work out as the criminals planned.
This is a good story, as usual. My only complaint is that Preacher had to leave Dog and Horse, two wonderful characters in earlier books, out of the chase because it started on a paddle boat rather than dry land. Aside from that, I cannot get enough of Preacher, his world, and his take on surviving.
April 27, 2020
Read as an ARC via NetGalley on the Kindle App
What an intense, action-packed, swashbuckling adventure! Preacher’s Frenzy is the first book I’ve ever read by William W. Johnstone. It, for sure, will not be the last. I decided to read this because I don’t normally read westerns and it looked an interesting to change things up from all the mysteries I read. Why not a western?!
Sure, it was mostly set in New Orleans and he high seas of the Caribbean, but the lead character, Preacher, accustomed to living out west, brought that no-nonsense attitude with him in this adventure to exact revenge on those who robbed and left his friend, Charlie, for dead. Leaving him to recover in St. Louis, Preacher followed the thieves to New Orleans only to learn they’d fallen in with a crime syndicate. Preacher ran afoul of them and thwarted their plans every step of the way going on a wild adventure that ended up in a Louisiana plantation for a final showdown. The story is well- written and has a lot of twists and turns which really kept me guessing what would happen next. I’d love to see this in movie form!
I want to go back and read some more books in this series. Whether you like westerns or not, this is a great action / adventure story that shouldn’t be missed!
This book was received as an ARC via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
What an intense, action-packed, swashbuckling adventure! Preacher’s Frenzy is the first book I’ve ever read by William W. Johnstone. It, for sure, will not be the last. I decided to read this because I don’t normally read westerns and it looked an interesting to change things up from all the mysteries I read. Why not a western?!
Sure, it was mostly set in New Orleans and he high seas of the Caribbean, but the lead character, Preacher, accustomed to living out west, brought that no-nonsense attitude with him in this adventure to exact revenge on those who robbed and left his friend, Charlie, for dead. Leaving him to recover in St. Louis, Preacher followed the thieves to New Orleans only to learn they’d fallen in with a crime syndicate. Preacher ran afoul of them and thwarted their plans every step of the way going on a wild adventure that ended up in a Louisiana plantation for a final showdown. The story is well- written and has a lot of twists and turns which really kept me guessing what would happen next. I’d love to see this in movie form!
I want to go back and read some more books in this series. Whether you like westerns or not, this is a great action / adventure story that shouldn’t be missed!
This book was received as an ARC via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
August 14, 2024
This has been one of my favorite westerns series. It’s a long series so it has been in a lot of different directions. This was not the best but still a good read especially if you invested so much time into the series as myself.
July 27, 2020
So the author of this book makes Preacher do some really stupid things. Letting bad guys go free only for them to come back and kill more people, only to fight the bad guys yet again. Otherwise a good story and very fast paced.
November 14, 2019
This was a very different adventure for Preacher. This is the one where the Mountain Man becomes the Sailor Man. Thankfully he doesn't need spinach... The story starts in St. Louis then we find ourselves in New Orleans and our hero makes a short trip to Cuba and then back through the swamps and finally the gateway to the frontier again. What a trip. As usual I must thank #Netgalley and #KensingtonBooks for letting me read this book by William W. Johnstone. I love stories fom way back then.
January 13, 2020
Preacher is a mountain man with high standards of conduct and he expects everyone to live by them. The Johnstone's are well known for their western series centered around a small group of characters that show up in some of the strangest places. This time, our industrious mountain man finds himself in New Orleans trying to help a friend. Unlucky for them, a group of men conscript Preacher and try to ship him out as a slave. Preacher is very good at turning situations around and this time....well, he takes the fight back to New Orleans.
I've read many of the Johnstone books and enjoyed them all. This one, while a little different than the norm...is no exception. It leaves us wondering where Preacher's travels will take him next!
I've read many of the Johnstone books and enjoyed them all. This one, while a little different than the norm...is no exception. It leaves us wondering where Preacher's travels will take him next!
October 11, 2022
Different preacher story
This book was quite different from the preacher stories I have read. There we're several times I felt like there was no escape for Preacher this time. It was set in a very different location and difficult situations . I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have.
This book was quite different from the preacher stories I have read. There we're several times I felt like there was no escape for Preacher this time. It was set in a very different location and difficult situations . I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have.
November 20, 2024
Charlie gets stabbed and left for dead. Preacher heads out on the trail of the skunks that did this deed. The adventure takes him to New Orleans, where he takes a job in a criminal organization, becomes a slave on a slave ship, becomes captain of the ship, and heads back to New Orleans to deliver Preacher-type justice.
January 5, 2020
Awesome read, I always love these books on Preacher. he is a tough man with a big heart, but he does not take any slack from anyone. I recommend these books to anyone looking for a great mountain man book. Thank you, Mrs. Jo, for an awesome read.
April 25, 2020
Not disappointed
I love all the Johnstone books. Preacher is a mountain man so imagine my surprise to read about him in the swamp. This book kept me turning the pages. I loved reading it.
I love all the Johnstone books. Preacher is a mountain man so imagine my surprise to read about him in the swamp. This book kept me turning the pages. I loved reading it.
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January 22, 2021Preacher A Hero In The Mold Of A Jack Reached Or CJ Box's Hark In His Pickett Series!
Typos above are of cource Reacher and Hawk!
Now for a short review. Picture the likes of the greatest mountain man at sea! You have this novel!
Typos above are of cource Reacher and Hawk!
Now for a short review. Picture the likes of the greatest mountain man at sea! You have this novel!
October 30, 2023
Outstanding!!!
As usual, it's unbelievable the number of fights Preacher gets into with humans and with animals and wins, when he, himself, is exhausted, almost dead and still determined to fight for right reasons.
As usual, it's unbelievable the number of fights Preacher gets into with humans and with animals and wins, when he, himself, is exhausted, almost dead and still determined to fight for right reasons.
November 24, 2023
I enjoyed this entry in the Preacher series but the ending was not as satisfying as I would have liked. It seems like they tried to cram too much story into one book. It was a fast and fun read so I can still recommend it.
March 12, 2020
Good rollicking tale - boys own - Zane Grey - a real page turner
April 5, 2020
My hub’s been reading his books for years. Now I’m reading them, too.
May 15, 2020
Great Story
An exciting and enjoyable tale written by another fine Western Author. It is well written and edited as well. I am making it my goal to read all of this Writers books.
An exciting and enjoyable tale written by another fine Western Author. It is well written and edited as well. I am making it my goal to read all of this Writers books.
July 11, 2020
Great book and it puts Preacher in a different situation being on a ship then back on solid ground.
August 6, 2020
I love this book preacher is my favorite character in all the Johnstone books.
August 10, 2020
I read Johnstone's book for some time and have enjoyed each and every one. Smoke and Preacher are two very interesting and always supply an eventful story. Continued success.
January 10, 2021
Had a good time with this one. Didn't let up for a minute. Took some surprising twists with Preacher's locales.
February 4, 2021
He's Preacher the sailor man !
September 19, 2021
Not the Preacher of his first books.
I have read almost all of the Preacher series and found this Preacher to be a watered down version. Disappointed.
I have read almost all of the Preacher series and found this Preacher to be a watered down version. Disappointed.
June 17, 2025
Mountain man held prisoner on a pirate ship. How fun is that?
November 9, 2025
One of the best with a different than usual setting
November 19, 2019
Preacher's Frenzy is yet another fabulous book from William W Johnston. This one is among one of my favorites I have read so far.
Five stars.
Five stars.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews