A New Frontier: Saga of the Sierras Complete Set

Saga of the Sierras #1-7

by Brock Thoene, Bodie Thoene

Saddle up for adventure! A New Frontier brings together in one rousing volume the first four of Brock and Bodie Thoene's frontier novels. Set in the rugged landscape of early California with its parched deserts, untamed wilderness, treacherous hills, and rough towns this quartet of stand-alone novels tells the stories of four very different men who must face the greatest challenges of their lives. Only faith and raw courage can see them through. But in that wild country will it be enough? Sparkling with the breathtaking settings, historically authentic details, and believable characters the Thoenes are known for, A New Frontier gallops away with thrilling edge-of-your-saddle adventure carefully seasoned with good values and just a sprinkling of tender romance. It's an exciting ride western lovers will never forget.

Genres: Historical Fiction

512 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1994

About the author

BODIE AND BROCK THOENE (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards.

Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.

Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.

Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.

Reviews

[Godly Gadfly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It turns out I'm not really a fan of Westerns (2 stars)

I've really enjoyed many of the historical fiction books by Brock and Bodie Thoene, so I figured I'd give this Western series a go. It consists of seven novels which are very loosely connected, although "The Man from Shadow Ridge" (#1) and "Cannons of the Comstock" (#5) both feature Tom Dawson as the main character, and "Sequoia Scout" (#4) and "The Year of the Grizzly" (#6) both feature Will Reed as the protagonist. Will Reed’s sons appear in "Shooting Star" (#7). But you can read each book of the series independently.

I read Vol 1 and Vol 5 (the two Tom Dawson books), and also Vol 7 (the highest rated in the series), since these are usually regarded as the better ones in the series. They were okay, but I discovered that the Western genre just isn't really my cup of tea. The frontier setting just doesn't appeal to me as much, especially its lawless nature, and the kinds of conflict that it produced. Even the language of the Wild West became somewhat of an obstacle for my enjoyment. I'm sure there are readers who will enjoy these quite a bit, but I much prefer the other books by the Thoenes.