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Remington #1
Remington 1894
Johnstone Justice. What America needs now.
Bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone celebrate a legend of the American West—and the weapon that shaped a nation’s destiny . . .
As a teenager, John McMasters won the Medal of Honor as a sniper for the Union Army during the Civil War. Thirty years later, McMasters lives a peaceful life in the Arizona Territory, raising a family and running cattle. These days, he needs eyeglasses to hit a distant target. But that doesn’t stop his wife and four children from buying him a special present for his fiftieth a beautiful new Remington shotgun. Turns out, he’s going to need it . . .
The Butcher gang has come to town. By the time McMasters learns of their arrival, they’ve invaded his ranch and slaughtered his family, hightailing it out of the county. McMasters wants revenge, using his new shotgun to hunt down those butchers like the animals they are. But he can’t do it alone. His friend, Deputy U.S. Marshal Daniel Kirkpatrick, is hauling six of the deadliest criminals in the country to a prison in Yuma. They’re cutthroat killers, every bit as ruthless as the Butchers. But when McMasters points his Remington at their heads, they will become his killers . . .
Bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone celebrate a legend of the American West—and the weapon that shaped a nation’s destiny . . .
As a teenager, John McMasters won the Medal of Honor as a sniper for the Union Army during the Civil War. Thirty years later, McMasters lives a peaceful life in the Arizona Territory, raising a family and running cattle. These days, he needs eyeglasses to hit a distant target. But that doesn’t stop his wife and four children from buying him a special present for his fiftieth a beautiful new Remington shotgun. Turns out, he’s going to need it . . .
The Butcher gang has come to town. By the time McMasters learns of their arrival, they’ve invaded his ranch and slaughtered his family, hightailing it out of the county. McMasters wants revenge, using his new shotgun to hunt down those butchers like the animals they are. But he can’t do it alone. His friend, Deputy U.S. Marshal Daniel Kirkpatrick, is hauling six of the deadliest criminals in the country to a prison in Yuma. They’re cutthroat killers, every bit as ruthless as the Butchers. But when McMasters points his Remington at their heads, they will become his killers . . .
- GenresWesterns
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published October 31, 2017
306 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,051 books1,417 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
November 10, 2017
THE BETRAYAL
This western adventure is a real tornado of feelings, twisting this way and that way. A man on a ranch who spent four years of his life killing and defending the constitution of the United States of America against the anarchy of the southern confederation of states. His family is slaughtered by a gang of cutthroats whose only purpose is to cause bedlam and steal the struggling ranchers assets and rape their women, then burn their homestead..leave no one alive to identify their debauchery.
McMaster tracked this gang with the help if some other nere-do-well one which was a woman who was betrayed by her soon to be husband, who set her up with the Butcher gang...who took her captive and for two weeks she was abused beyond description other than it almost broke her spirit. Her so called husband to be purchased her from the gang at a cost of $42.00, that's how much he thought of her....very very little..
You need to need to read this adventure, it's heartbreak but there's a light at the end of the tunnel....read read it also gives you an inkling at how women were treated.
This western adventure is a real tornado of feelings, twisting this way and that way. A man on a ranch who spent four years of his life killing and defending the constitution of the United States of America against the anarchy of the southern confederation of states. His family is slaughtered by a gang of cutthroats whose only purpose is to cause bedlam and steal the struggling ranchers assets and rape their women, then burn their homestead..leave no one alive to identify their debauchery.
McMaster tracked this gang with the help if some other nere-do-well one which was a woman who was betrayed by her soon to be husband, who set her up with the Butcher gang...who took her captive and for two weeks she was abused beyond description other than it almost broke her spirit. Her so called husband to be purchased her from the gang at a cost of $42.00, that's how much he thought of her....very very little..
You need to need to read this adventure, it's heartbreak but there's a light at the end of the tunnel....read read it also gives you an inkling at how women were treated.
December 11, 2017
This is a kind of "Dirty Half Dozen." When rancher John McMasters' family is slaughtered by the Butcher gang he sets out with 5 condemned men and 1 woman sentenced to prison in pursuit of the murderers. McMasters, an ex-Berdan Sharpshooter, is consumed with remorse for the killing he did in the war but is intent on avenging his wife and children. Armed with the Remington 1894 shotgun given to him on his birthday by his family he sets out with one eye on the mission and the other on his posse that could turn on him any minute.
A nice yarn that makes you feel the Arizona grit in your teeth! And he wears glasses!
A nice yarn that makes you feel the Arizona grit in your teeth! And he wears glasses!
August 19, 2017
This started out as a typical Johnstone book. Time is taken to show you how evil and terrible the bad guys are. They murder rape and steal across the Wild West.
Then they make their mistake and pay dearly for it.
It was difficult to read because it was poorly written. The ending was ambiguous, leaving you to guess what happens next.
The resolution to the crisis was telegraphed too much, that I knew the ending 40 pages before it was over.
Whoever this Ghost Writer was, he or she did a poor job.
Then they make their mistake and pay dearly for it.
It was difficult to read because it was poorly written. The ending was ambiguous, leaving you to guess what happens next.
The resolution to the crisis was telegraphed too much, that I knew the ending 40 pages before it was over.
Whoever this Ghost Writer was, he or she did a poor job.
April 10, 2018
It was a good book but hard to read as far as the subject matter. Tore on the emotions and felt depressed after reading it. Still it was ok but not one of my favorites and Johnstone is my fave western author. Loved the ending however!
November 6, 2017
Great!
I really enjoyed this story as it was very exciting from beginning to end. It was well written had an interesting plot.
I really enjoyed this story as it was very exciting from beginning to end. It was well written had an interesting plot.
December 19, 2017
I didn’t think this was quite as good as his other books, but it was good to read anyway! This book had a lot more killing in it than his other books! But I’ll continue reading his books!!
February 23, 2018
Just did not like this story. Main character was just a bit off as were some of the supporting ones.
March 28, 2018
Too brutal
I have enjoyed many of Mr. Johnstone 's books, but this one was a bit too brutal for me. Having said that, I will look forward to my next book by him.
I have enjoyed many of Mr. Johnstone 's books, but this one was a bit too brutal for me. Having said that, I will look forward to my next book by him.
June 27, 2020
This is a western that takes place in Arizona in 1896. So not quite the wild west, but not yet civilized either. Remington 1894 refers to a particular model shotgun made by the Remington Company not the year this story takes place. The main character is a horse dealer and trainer named McMasters who won the Medal of Honor as a member of Berdan’s sharpshooters during the Civil War. He is now 50 years old with a wife and four children living on his ranch in northern Arizona. McMaster’s homestead is invaded by the Moses Butcher outlaw gang when he is away in town getting supplies. His ranch is burned to the ground. He sets out in a pursuit of the outlaws and along the way he comes across a group of convicted killers on their way to the Yuma prison. He convinces this group of 5 men and a woman to assist him in the pursuit and killing of these outlaws. Their reward would be $100 and he’ll plead with the court for leniency if they help him. As you can imagine, they see a chance at freedom by any means along the way as their primary motivation for joining in this posse. However, there are some members of this group of killers who have their own reasons for hunting the Butcher outlaw gang. This story provides plenty of western style action of good guys versus bad guys; but, it also has some unrealistic moments such as how a posse primarily traveling on donkeys catches up with the outlaw gang and how McMasters is always able to come up with money for new mounts, weapons and ammunition when he professes to have been left destitute by the initial sacking of his ranch. Plus, the ending isn’t exactly conclusive. Perhaps the author plans a sequel. So, if you like old west action and justice and you are able to look past some lapses in logic and consistency in the story line, you’ll like this book.
April 9, 2021
I was afraid that at first this would be as pitiful as Out of the Ashes was, which I was not able to finish. It was a little better.
The plot itself was actually pretty interesting, and as far as character development in a Western goes, this was better than average.
However, the willing suspension of disbelief has to be turned way up on this one. The protagonist goes 3 days without sleep and still makes coherent decisions? Bullets are dropped down a chimney and within seconds are killing everyone inside (regardless of time, bullets do not shoot out of their casings when dropped in a fire)?
Plot points also do not line up. With a 15 day transfer of prisoners to Yuma in progress, the protagonist's fear that the "dirty dozen" he kidnapped will have been reported as missing two days later is laughable. Or does stepping out of the smoke from a shotgun, into the open, in the middle of a gun fight where everyone has a clear line of sight, seem dumb to you? It does to me as well.
The writing itself was clunky although readable. The author did have this annoying habit of throwing out historical knowledge, like mentioning McKinley and Bryan, and then taking another line to explain that they were the presidential nominees in 1896. Got it, you don't need to explain every reference in the book (but he does). Likewise, the poorly wrought flashbacks in the middle of the action, were a clumsy means of providing backstory for each character--why didn't anyone get shot while they were standing there musing over the past?
Ultimately, this wasn't overly long and it had enough action to keep you turning the pages. I suppose you can't ask for more from a Western. That said, this one just struck me as rather unpolished. 2.5 stars rounded down.
The plot itself was actually pretty interesting, and as far as character development in a Western goes, this was better than average.
However, the willing suspension of disbelief has to be turned way up on this one. The protagonist goes 3 days without sleep and still makes coherent decisions? Bullets are dropped down a chimney and within seconds are killing everyone inside (regardless of time, bullets do not shoot out of their casings when dropped in a fire)?
Plot points also do not line up. With a 15 day transfer of prisoners to Yuma in progress, the protagonist's fear that the "dirty dozen" he kidnapped will have been reported as missing two days later is laughable. Or does stepping out of the smoke from a shotgun, into the open, in the middle of a gun fight where everyone has a clear line of sight, seem dumb to you? It does to me as well.
The writing itself was clunky although readable. The author did have this annoying habit of throwing out historical knowledge, like mentioning McKinley and Bryan, and then taking another line to explain that they were the presidential nominees in 1896. Got it, you don't need to explain every reference in the book (but he does). Likewise, the poorly wrought flashbacks in the middle of the action, were a clumsy means of providing backstory for each character--why didn't anyone get shot while they were standing there musing over the past?
Ultimately, this wasn't overly long and it had enough action to keep you turning the pages. I suppose you can't ask for more from a Western. That said, this one just struck me as rather unpolished. 2.5 stars rounded down.
August 8, 2020
Author of book says, two bad guys go from Nogales, Mexico to a hideout in Superstition Mountains. Then Superstition Mountains then they go on to Tucson. Why would they do that? Superstition Mountains are north of Tucson. Nogales is south of Tucson. Makes no sense. Author talks about the Sonoran Mountains. There aren’t any in Arizona where the story takes place. Maybe meant Sonoran Desert? So, the main character who is John McMasters, his family is murdered by every bad guys. McMasters goes and gets six other very bad criminals releases them from a prison wagon to hunt down the first guys who killed his family. Interesting story, but also kind of dumb. didn't care for the ending. Leaves you hanging.
December 16, 2018
Vivid and fairly engaging read. It has a cinematic feel to it; I kept casting the movie version in my mind as I read. Violent but not especially gory, and the characters are memorable, if perhaps a tad simplistic, although there’s definitely an attempt at depth for at least the main character and one of the killers he shanghais into pursuing his family’s murderers. It has a bit of a Wild Bunch/Dirty Dozen sense, rather than a Magnificent Seven sense. Definitely of interest to historical gun enthusiasts.
August 21, 2018
A very enjoyable read, fast paced, great character development. Very detailed on the Apache culture. Author is very knowledgeable on the firearms of the time period, which made the story very authentic and realistic. It was an unusual story line in that he enlisted six men headed for prison to help him hunt down the bad guys. Great story!
June 30, 2020
Mcmasters
I can tell your style is a little different from your uncle's it is still a pretty good read. Will there be another book to follow this one. Or is this a stand alone read? Thank you for keeping this going for him and I hope you enjoy writing as much as I enjoy reading.
I can tell your style is a little different from your uncle's it is still a pretty good read. Will there be another book to follow this one. Or is this a stand alone read? Thank you for keeping this going for him and I hope you enjoy writing as much as I enjoy reading.
July 1, 2018
I really liked this book! Couldn't put it down. Definitely an action read.
July 3, 2018
Just a so, so western. Very unbelievable, which goes against the genre.
June 22, 2020
Not my favorite but still a ptrtty good read
July 10, 2020
Remington 1894
Another well written story of the old west. The authors keep you hanging on from cover to cover. Enjoy all.
Another well written story of the old west. The authors keep you hanging on from cover to cover. Enjoy all.
January 9, 2021
Good read,,, kept interest till the end
March 11, 2022
Audiobook. Not a happy story.
June 30, 2022
Just too disjointed. Too many characters to keep in line
April 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this story as it was very exciting from beginning to end. It was well written had an interesting plot.
May 28, 2023
intense
So much happened in this book. I’m glad I was not alive during this time. Lots of killing and some terrible men. Glad for the brave and honest men.
So much happened in this book. I’m glad I was not alive during this time. Lots of killing and some terrible men. Glad for the brave and honest men.
November 27, 2024
Good read!! Loved how he developed the main character John McMasters through flashbacks.
December 19, 2025
Amazing book. Kept me hooked the entire time.
May 10, 2021
A vicious gang of outlaws picks the wrong person to victimize-a decorated veteran of the Civil War. In an interesting twist, he makes an unusual choice for his posse: criminals on their way to prison! How he struggles to stay alive and keep his killer team members pointed in the right direction make for exciting and tense situations throughout the book. There is plenty of action and well described and accurate place settings in the desert Southwest. My attention was grabbed right away and I could not stop reading until I finished it!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews