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The Brothers O'Brien #5
The Killing Season
They ride after sundown. Black robed figures with skulls for faces, terrorizing the town of Recoil like the horsemen of the Apocalypse. If the sheriff hopes to defeat this hellish band of outlaws, he'll need back-up. Enter Colonel Shamus O'Brien. The seasoned ranchhand and patriarch has fought off more than his share of horse thieves and marauders. But he's never seen anything like these ornery devils. They torch the town without warning, killing and destroying everything in sight. Shamus could use some extra firepower, namely his sons Shawn and Jacob. But the O'Brien brothers have problems of their own. Vicious banditos have targeted the family ranch, gunning for gold and cattle in a hailstorm of bullets and bloodshed. But both the cutthroat gangs are about to learn their lesson---the hard way. When you cross an O'Brien, there's hell to pay....
- GenresWesterns
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2012
90 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,051 books1,418 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 20, 2012
I quite enjoyed this tale of the family O'Brien and the four brothers, the things they do to ensure their home survives, the complexity of the four brothers. All excellent cowboys, one more bookish two excellent gun hands when need be, the older more the leader.
One, Jacob, is the most complex. Loyal to a fault, he doesn't much like hanging around Dromore, the family ranch. He's a wanderer and a fast draw. He's also a pianist good enough that it was suggested he go East and play the stage. He also has a fondness for a small calico named Eve.
The book is the first of a new series that promises to be excellent. I'll never find out though. I won't be buying anymore of them. It's an exclusive Walmart deal, available only from them. New copies that is.
This and a couple of forthcoming series are to exclusives. Now the Johnstone family owns these characters and are certainly able to do make what deals they like. Just as I'm able to leave them behind if I want.
Walmart's distribution is lousy. The local superstore never got this one in and, until I complained in an email to Jo Johnstone, it wasn't even listed on their website. Even then, it was marked out-of-stock online. I had to get it from a used dealer, paying almost as much for it as a new copy, plus shipping and handling, something I never have to do with Amazon.
It got me to thinking. A previous series, THE LONER, was poorly distributed by Walmart as well and I had to buy several of them used as well.
For that reason, I will buy all series offered through Amazon and none of those offered only at Walmart.
And that's why I only gave it four stars, five for the tale, three for the Walmart deal, average four stars.
One, Jacob, is the most complex. Loyal to a fault, he doesn't much like hanging around Dromore, the family ranch. He's a wanderer and a fast draw. He's also a pianist good enough that it was suggested he go East and play the stage. He also has a fondness for a small calico named Eve.
The book is the first of a new series that promises to be excellent. I'll never find out though. I won't be buying anymore of them. It's an exclusive Walmart deal, available only from them. New copies that is.
This and a couple of forthcoming series are to exclusives. Now the Johnstone family owns these characters and are certainly able to do make what deals they like. Just as I'm able to leave them behind if I want.
Walmart's distribution is lousy. The local superstore never got this one in and, until I complained in an email to Jo Johnstone, it wasn't even listed on their website. Even then, it was marked out-of-stock online. I had to get it from a used dealer, paying almost as much for it as a new copy, plus shipping and handling, something I never have to do with Amazon.
It got me to thinking. A previous series, THE LONER, was poorly distributed by Walmart as well and I had to buy several of them used as well.
For that reason, I will buy all series offered through Amazon and none of those offered only at Walmart.
And that's why I only gave it four stars, five for the tale, three for the Walmart deal, average four stars.
February 12, 2014
This is one Hell of a good book. Not much for using "Page turner", but page turning I was. Don't know who in the Johnstone Clan wrote this, but this is the best I've read of the twelve or so read so far. The ghost writer really got the idea of early Johnstone books of defining characters and fleshing out story. Seems this might be a writer that had not written any of the other books I've read so far. Very good work.
One of the best things of this book is that the plot that develops in the second half of the book is very different from the other Johnstone books. There are some characters that are very different and even a bit of a sorcery angle spilled in. There is a cat in this book that is really well placed. Was never sure just how this book would end, except that this is still another series and that the brothers would survive. That's something else in this book, as was the case with earlier Johnstone novels, mot everyone survives. There are some who meet their fate in ways very unexpected. Really like the levels as they get built throughout the book.
After a series of mediocre to bad Johnstone books, this charges me on to the dozens of others I've collected over the past year.
Bottom line: i recommend this book!
One of the best things of this book is that the plot that develops in the second half of the book is very different from the other Johnstone books. There are some characters that are very different and even a bit of a sorcery angle spilled in. There is a cat in this book that is really well placed. Was never sure just how this book would end, except that this is still another series and that the brothers would survive. That's something else in this book, as was the case with earlier Johnstone novels, mot everyone survives. There are some who meet their fate in ways very unexpected. Really like the levels as they get built throughout the book.
After a series of mediocre to bad Johnstone books, this charges me on to the dozens of others I've collected over the past year.
Bottom line: i recommend this book!
June 10, 2013
The O'Brien family is divided in THE KILLING SEASON. Colonel Shamus O'Brien and his segundo and friend Luther Ironside have gone off to help an old friend from the war. The brothers have a band of Mexican outlaws who want to sack Dromore and burn it to the ground.
The Colonel's old friend is sheriff of the town of Recoil, being besieged by a band lead by a pirate who's moved his operations to land> He leads a group trying to drive everyone out of the valley, disguised in robes and skull masks. They kill, burn, whatever it takes.
The brothers are hit on by a band of cutthroats lead by Alviro Castillo. They try intimidation first, then threats, and then make the mistake of taking one of the brothers.
Lots of action as the O'Brien family deal with threats on two fronts.
Liked this one.
The Colonel's old friend is sheriff of the town of Recoil, being besieged by a band lead by a pirate who's moved his operations to land> He leads a group trying to drive everyone out of the valley, disguised in robes and skull masks. They kill, burn, whatever it takes.
The brothers are hit on by a band of cutthroats lead by Alviro Castillo. They try intimidation first, then threats, and then make the mistake of taking one of the brothers.
Lots of action as the O'Brien family deal with threats on two fronts.
Liked this one.
February 7, 2012
This book is AMAZING! I love the lesson of loyalty in the O'Brien family and although I'm not much of a fan of patriarchal stories this one hit home. You can't help but respect Shamus O'Brien and all that he and his wife Saraid went through to build Dromore, their huge spread in the New Mexico Territory. Their son Jacob has an elusive mysteriousness about him that makes this character SO appealing. The fact that this Western had a bit of a horror twist to it. The antagonist in the story Aracella was downright bone chilling evil! William Johnstone really hit the mark with this one. With his epic Western coupled with scary plots, made this book impossible to put down. I finished it in a day! Cannot wait for the second installment in the series!!
December 29, 2015
A well written story detailing the rise ofthe Dromore ranch and the family O'Brien. Perhaps a bit darker, as some other people have pointed out, but certainly not a "dark tale". It may stem from the head of the family, Shamus, only seeming to care what happens to his ranch and his family or the deadliest brother, Jacob, being quick on the trigger. Frankly I found that refreshing and realistic. How many stories have we read where the hero gives the same bad guy chance after chance and then the baddie kills a bunch of people? In a land and time where men had to be their own law, where men had only themselves to protect their families, I expect harsh decisions were more often than not the choice that was made.
February 13, 2014
The brothers O'Brien is great for people who like westerns. It is probably the best book I have ever read. It has action, drama, and it has a outstanding story line. the story is told in third person omniscient. The story begins in the dry, hot, and rough west Texas land. Then it moves out to mexico with worse weather and even worse gunmen. The main character is a tough, extremely smart, and brave Irish man who has just been through the civil war.
December 19, 2013
This was a fairly quick read. It was somewhat predictable, but every now and again there was a gem of surprise in it. The characters were fairly engaging, but needed more depth. I enjoyed it as a quick read and would love to read the rest of the series except the B&N doesn't even show them as an e-book.
November 8, 2014
This was the first William W Johnstone book I read and it was great. Reading as the family dynamics unfolded and each brother took their turn at the forefront. And the stubbornness of the father, sometimes I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle him myself. Will be reading other titles from this series.
August 31, 2015
No plot and weak characters. It was like he Johnstone started writing 4 or 5 short stories but couldn't bring himself to do more than an outline for any of them. So he through them all together and called it a book. Well done you now have 1 crappy book instead of the makings of some fairly decent short stories. Just sad.
April 11, 2014
A very good book. The only complaint was the ending was a little bit of a let down, but other than that the book was great.
Loved how the brothers each had their own personality, but since most of the focus was on the brother Jacob, he was the most fleshed out.
Loved how the brothers each had their own personality, but since most of the focus was on the brother Jacob, he was the most fleshed out.
April 21, 2012
Nice debut entry for a new western series. Nice pacing, lots of action, well-drawn characters. Smooth writing style that makes the pages fly by. I'll be looking for the next novel in the series.
March 12, 2013
I loved this book and really to get through the rest of this series. The author really keeps my attention and hope his other boos keep me as interested as this one did.
June 17, 2014
I've not really read much like this before and I quite enjoyed it.
November 13, 2014
Oh, brother! Too many brothers to keep track of. But other wise felt it had a good story.
October 3, 2014
I have read every single book by Johnstone and love them all. some more than others
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews