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The Last Gunfighter #20
Sudden Fury
Half Man, Half Beast, All Terror - It kills like an animal. Growling Clawing. Ripping. The loggers call it 'The Terror of the Redwoods.' A local timber baron has put a bounty on the hide of this man-beast, and the woods are teeming with so many trigger-happy dolts and half-cocked drunkards that someone's bound to get hurt - and bad. Frank Morgan doesn't believe in such creatures and decides to get to the bottom of this tall tale. But when he meets the timber baron's beautiful daughter, all bets are off. Something is out there. Someone's set a trap. And Morgan just stuck his Bigfoot right into it...
314 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
58 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,034 books1,392 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 10, 2018
For some fun trivia, count the number bullets that just "whizzed by" Morgan's ear. Being slow on the draw is one thing, but the book is full of terrible marksmen with rifles. The story plot was great though.
March 17, 2020
Rivalry and enmity sums up in violence between two logging barons in the town named Eureka. But something mysterious is prowling in the redwood forest that shook the town people. The Drifter is exactly the kind of person who has the prowess to investigate what is it all about. A certain good read.
June 1, 2021
So, this was the most different book I've read from Johnstone, almost supernatural in theory. I enjoyed it and because it was different, it went really quickly. Not the ending I was hoping for, but overall a different enjoyable read.
October 3, 2023
Sudden Fury
I probably liked this story the least.of most of Johnstone's books. Alot of it didn't make sense to me on how it could happen. I purchased two more of this series and hope for the best. I have read probably most of their books
I probably liked this story the least.of most of Johnstone's books. Alot of it didn't make sense to me on how it could happen. I purchased two more of this series and hope for the best. I have read probably most of their books
July 10, 2017
Excellent Book!
Another great Western book by this wonderful writer. It had an interesting plot with surprises at every turn! I could not put this tale down.
Another great Western book by this wonderful writer. It had an interesting plot with surprises at every turn! I could not put this tale down.
May 6, 2019
This book was cool and I really enjoyed the ending, so glad I stick it out too the end. I was about to call it quits because the author exposed the mysterious creature around about the third chapter.
January 17, 2020
Great Book
This is another great book in the Gunfighter Series. I have found the best way to read The Johnstone series is in the order they were written.
This is another great book in the Gunfighter Series. I have found the best way to read The Johnstone series is in the order they were written.
September 11, 2012
Sudden Fury The Last Gunfighter by William Johnstone
Northern CA where the redwood grow so tall you can't see the sky there is a creature in the woods. Frank Morgan, the drifter is the fastest drawer on the gun and he has a reputation. He runs into a section of the woods where there are several men who are dead, they don't even resemble men's bodies but he had heard the sounds of them being slaughtered. Others come into the area, loggers who knew those who are dead and they take their friends back to Eureka to get buried.
Frank continues onto where the mansion where Chamberlain put money up for the head of the terror-who he thinks is doing the slaughtering. He has an arch enemy so he has many guarding his complex. Bosworth is the enemy and owns as much logging land as he does. After talking to Chamberlain the younger daughter approaches him and he listens to her story about her brother Ben who was ousted when he refused to go into the family business after their mother had passed away.
She is convinced he is out there and gives him the necklace Ben had given her so when he runs into Ben it will assure him that she sent him. He meets many other obstacles and does find Ben's cabin on the cliffs of the redwoods where the erosion has brought some of the bottom of the cliff.
Frank meets other resistances along the trail and he relies on his dog and horses. they move as one.
Northern CA where the redwood grow so tall you can't see the sky there is a creature in the woods. Frank Morgan, the drifter is the fastest drawer on the gun and he has a reputation. He runs into a section of the woods where there are several men who are dead, they don't even resemble men's bodies but he had heard the sounds of them being slaughtered. Others come into the area, loggers who knew those who are dead and they take their friends back to Eureka to get buried.
Frank continues onto where the mansion where Chamberlain put money up for the head of the terror-who he thinks is doing the slaughtering. He has an arch enemy so he has many guarding his complex. Bosworth is the enemy and owns as much logging land as he does. After talking to Chamberlain the younger daughter approaches him and he listens to her story about her brother Ben who was ousted when he refused to go into the family business after their mother had passed away.
She is convinced he is out there and gives him the necklace Ben had given her so when he runs into Ben it will assure him that she sent him. He meets many other obstacles and does find Ben's cabin on the cliffs of the redwoods where the erosion has brought some of the bottom of the cliff.
Frank meets other resistances along the trail and he relies on his dog and horses. they move as one.
October 27, 2009
Frank Morgan was riding through the redwood forests of Northern California when he heard shooting and screams. Investigating, he found a number of loggers dead, ripped apart, throats torn out, limbs ripped from bodies.
He was to learn that the creature was known as the Terror, described as a hairy, manlike giant. He also learned that there was a $10,000 bounty on the Terror and the woods were full of gun happy hunters shooting at anything that moved.
One of two timber barons at war with each other had placed the bounty and Morgan agrees to find the Terror if the bounty is called off. He also decides to help the daughter of the timber baron, which places an extra onus on him.
Then he meets an old childhood friend that appears to be working for the opposition timber lord and he sees trouble coming. People are trying to kill him, disgruntled folks who are mad about the bounty being lifted.
He was to learn that the creature was known as the Terror, described as a hairy, manlike giant. He also learned that there was a $10,000 bounty on the Terror and the woods were full of gun happy hunters shooting at anything that moved.
One of two timber barons at war with each other had placed the bounty and Morgan agrees to find the Terror if the bounty is called off. He also decides to help the daughter of the timber baron, which places an extra onus on him.
Then he meets an old childhood friend that appears to be working for the opposition timber lord and he sees trouble coming. People are trying to kill him, disgruntled folks who are mad about the bounty being lifted.
July 30, 2013
As always, Johnstone does an excellent job of setting the stage and defining the characters. This story takes place in Northern California and Johnstone easily transports the reader to the majestic redwood forests of the Pacific Northwest where feuding timber barons have hired professional gun slingers to fight over leased land. Unfortunately the premise behind the "Terror" in the woods isn't plausible and Johnstone struggles to provide an adequate ending. If you like blood and guts you might appreciate this tale more than I did.
February 18, 2010
I haven't read many westerns over the last few (15 - 20) years and remembered how much I used to like them. I enjoyed this one. If you are a fan of westerns you'll like it too.
September 29, 2011
This was a fun book but after you find out what/who the "terror" it isn't as exciting. The book is missing a lead female lead.
November 15, 2011
Story was just average, but had some pretty good twists and turns at the end. Can't say I'd really recommend it, unless you are really into Westerns.
April 8, 2015
The plots just keep getting better, with more twists and turns.....must have something to do with J. A.!
April 27, 2016
Disappointed. Hype about "monster" was unbelievable early on and definitely at the end.
July 22, 2011
A typical western. But I liked it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews