War of the Mountain Man

The Last Mountain Man #7

by William W. Johnstone

Rocky Mountain Showdown Big Max Higgins ran the outlaw town of Hell's Creek up in the north Montana Rockies. . .and he decided to include the nearby town of Barlow in his cutthroat operation. What he didn't know was that Smoke Jensen was there with his wife, visiting relatives.

It didn't take Smoke long to rout out the lot of them with angry fists and blazing guns. . .but Smoke didn't count on Big Max doing something as daring, desperate, and stupid as kidnapping his wife--and demanding the town of Barlow itself as ransom.

Soon Big Max Higgins would look up and see the last mountain man riding down the middle of the street with reins in his teeth and both hands filled with .44s. Big Max had always wanted to make a name for himself, and he was going to get it, too--carved on his gravestone.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Ebooks

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1990

About the author

William 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.

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A visit to his wife’s friends leads to Smoke becoming sheriff of a small town besieged by outlaws. In typical Smoke Jensen style he brings western justice and order to the area. Plenty of shootouts, violence and Jensen shenanigans to keep the story moving.

[Mary MacKintosh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first Johnstone read. The book's main character, Smoke Jensen, is like a Louis L'Amour Sackett on meth. I don't know if this is typical, but Smoke kills a LOT of guys—a LOT! The first kill is 10 pages into the novel, and the shooting and the brawling never stop, all the way to the end when Smoke and his wealthy schoolteacher wife Sally ride off into the sunset. Except for brief stops to nap or bathe, Smoke is busy out thinking and out shooting and out everythinging two bad guys and a their large bands of gunslinging cowboys. While the characters are not well developed and the plot(s) felt like television western reruns, I confess I kept reading, and may try another, somewhere down the road.

[Nolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

War of the mountain man. Series #7. Smoke and his wife, Sally go off to help out a woman friend of Sally’s, whose husband is a doctor. First Smoke stops a train robbery. How many times has this been done in Smoke Jensen books now? Then once he and Sally get to a town, he helps open it up from being treed. He has the chance to cut off the head of the snake. The top guy. The leader of a gang of outlaws, but he doesn’t do anything about it. A young girl is ganged raped and killed. Smoke goes off to the town where the outlaws live and kills a few. Does this off and on throughout the story several times. Smoke sure preaches to people a lot. A regular blabber mouth. It’s like I have read that same speech before, don’t need to read it the third time. Story started to get tiresome around 80% through.

[Jay Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smoke and Sally go to Idaho to visit an old college friend of Sally’s. They arrive in the town next door to find the friend cut off from society. There are two evil ranch owners which have the neighboring town under siege. They decide to fight. Smoke soon becomes the sheriff and the killing starts. Frankly, this got a three rating because it is simply a blood bath. There are a few good characters that you care what happens. I have read enough of this series to know that will occur, but not enough original to warrant a higher rating.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by this prolific writer. Smoke Jensen's wife, Sally, talks him into going for a visit with her college friend in Montana. Smoke takes it upon himself to clean up the town of Barlow and wage war against the outlaws running their nearest neighboring town of Hell's Creek. An entertaining read, as usual.

[Lizenbyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smoke Jensen and his wife Sally have come upon the town of Barlow on their way to visit Sally's best friend Vicky in Hell's Creek. Smoke becomes sheriff of the town, and works toward making the town a safe place for citizens to raise their children. Standing in his way at Hell's Creek is Big Max Higgins and to the South Red Malone. Read the book for the outcome.

[Phyllis Garner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Smoke Jensen books will keep your interest. There is too much violence for me. They have become violence in different settings. I lost the women characters and couldn’t remember who was who! I love to read about the scenery. Something needs to change as I’m tired of just a book full of violence.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

I’ve read dozens of these books. Of all the Johnstone books, the books about Smoke and Preacher are my favorites. This book about Smoke and Sally was a fantastic read and will always be one of my absolute favorites.

[Michael Mcfarren · Rating 5 out of 5]

what did you expect

This is another story of western justice doled out to those deserving it. I love the descriptions of western life and locations in all of these books. You can’t get any better.

[Nita Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

War of the Mountain Man

Sally asked Smoke if they could visit her friend
Victoria. But before going to visit Victoria, Smoke got involved with saving a town where the towns people were bullied by outlaws from the next town. Lots of action to save this town.

[John Simko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right over wrong

Smoke rides in to town and decides enough is enough. Fast paced and full of action. Can't get enough of this mountain man!!

[Nibar · Rating 5 out of 5]

nothing to say really. The book is as good as the others. The characters are great as always.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the seventh book of this Smoke Jensen series.

[Kevin Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil is gone.

This story was great. Smoke Jensen really impressed me with the way him and Sally helped the town of Barlow.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great adventure with Smoke and Sally

[Gwen Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Truitti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot more violence in this episode. Were there really more rapists and paedophiles in the 1880s?

[RONALD BUCHANAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Western Life as seen through the eyes Smoke Jenson!

This awesome book is one in a series about Smoke Jenson, a mountain man, his grand adventures and Western life!

[Rebecca Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required Reading

This should be required reading for all jr. high students who wish to understand the true meaning of integrity, justice and bravery.

[Karri Hasse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I have never read westerns until my Dad told me about William W. Johnstone. I have read the first 7 book in the Smoke Jensen series and have enjoyed everyone!

[Cynthia Izon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great action.

[ted tull · Rating 5 out of 5]

W?AR of the Mountain Man

This book was very good. Among their best. I just don't throw they keep coming up with these tales. Some stories are carryon' s from others but a very good job on this one. I wonder what the next one will be.....

[rick incremona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. It is the same recipe over and over, but i am thoroughly addicted to the American Western. Looking forward to the "Code of the Mountain Man"

[Ronda Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story.


These are some of the best western books that I have read. I am looking forward to reading many more of them.

[Tiger Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

audiobook

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taking this as a stand alone novel that hasn't had a series of books before it with very similar plots, this is a good book. In regard to it's part in a series with repetitive storylines, this is the best of that lot. I'm baffled as to why Johnstone decided to repeat the same plot so many times of the series character, Smoke Jensen, going to save a town under the thumb of a series of bad guys.

This one has better character development involving the bad guys and others. As is mostly typical of the Johnstone Clan books, the dialogue is very good. There is a slight twist involved, but it's not at all well presented.

This is the first where there are many scenes that are repeated from the other books. Too many similar plot devices and settings.

To just regard this as a single piece gies the book a higher rating from me. In view of being part of a series, it gets low marks. As i read, i thought of better stories that could have been told involving many of the characters. I hope future parts of the series get better.

Bottom line: If you're reading the series, I don't recommend this book. If you're not reading the series and can't get to the first book to start the series. This is a good entry point.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book, defiantly isn't a Louis book. He's a gun fighter who goes on vacation and gets involved in a town battle to stop a gang who is 'running' the town. Decent story, fairly quick read. The author writes a bit different the Louis's books, but was still a decent story. The book had a lot of fighting and shooting, but was still a clean book were other westerns I've read were a bit too 'descriptive' with the shooting, fighting, and people that were killed.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent plot!!!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good novel.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good western series. The story of Smoke Jensen, trained by the last of the mountain men as a boy. If you like men's adventure and westerns then you will enjoy the series. Recommended