Battle of the Mountain Man

The Last Mountain Man #21

by William W. Johnstone

When a blizzard brings a posse of lethal renegades and a cattle war ensues, Smoke Jensen and John Chisum will let nothing stand in the way of leading their herd of cattle to safety and annihilating their mutual enemies. Original.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

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

[Olivia Wolff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this wasn’t on my list to read, but when you’re desperate at the Denio Junction Little Free Library you can’t be picky. Not the worst.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume of Smoke jensen is more like the first books in the series. Books previous to this in the series mostly had Smoke as nearly a pacifist. In this, Smoke blows people away for suspicion.

I mostly like this version of Smoke, which does divert in strong ways from series previous to this and the many books outside the series. Here is the first volume, that i can recall, where Smoke curses...many times. Something hard to find in the hundreds of Johnstone novels. He's also ruthless in his pursuit, which is far less in all of the other written versions. The bad guys had never even heard of Smoke as all of the rest previous are written that all know the name. AS in previous volumes Smoke will stand for those he believes are in the right, here he is written saying it's "not his business'.

This is among the inconsistencies. Smoke's children missing, as usual. Smoke is written taking an odd disregard for his horse and more interest in alcohol than written before.

The narrative is written far more gruffly. Far less description of setting and interaction, except in battle. Otherwise, this is basically a book of chases in one form or another with an obvious conclusion. It's all too smooth even for a Smoke Jensen book.

There are pages of pondering about Smoke's mentor, Preacher, and if he is alive or dead and the like. All disjointed from the plot, if you want to call it that, of the book.

Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 4 out of 10 points.

[Nita Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Battle of the Mountain Man

An adventure of fighting what is right and keeping oneself and friends Alice during a war against cattleman's contracts. Smoke Jensen did everything he could to keep out of the range War but once he was ambushed
and the safety of his men, he could only think of getting rid of these gunslingers/shotists. He remembers all he learned from Preacher to survive. Lots of action.

[David Burnworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was different because Smoke let a man live even after saying if one more shot is fired or one of the cows is lost because of your men "I WILL KILL YOU" Shots were fired and after killing a bunch of men, Smoke took his people and cows back home.
Is Preacher still alive? The question seemed to be answered in a round about way in this one.

[Michael Morrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of people get killed, mostly deserving it.
But there's hardly a story, and next to no character development.
Frankly, this book reminds me of that "The Executioner" series, with hardly a story and next to no character development, but lots and lots of killings.
It's beyond me why Johnstone, and now his nephew, can sell so many books that have almost nothing in them except the violence.

[Carol Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

This is another of William Jhonstones books that is an outstanding read, I have read and really enjoyed this book as well as all the other (Last Mountain Man books) I will keep them in my library to read again in the future, as I enjoy reading-reading my books.
Thank you William W Johnstone. For being a great author

[Martha Peebles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

As always the books on Smoke are awesome. You can not lay them down, just got to see what is gonna happen next. Love these books by the Johnstone's. Thank you for a awesome read.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read about Smoke Jensen; mostly concerning a trip that he makes to New Mexico territory to buy some prime livestock from John Chisum and ending up in the middle of the Lincoln County war.

[Tom Tancredi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a while to get into it, but I am coming into a 20+ book series midway into it. One of the pleasures of jumping mid-series into a book is that the author tends to give more time to ancillary stories and characters, rather than the main character. It gives a fun sampling of other perspectives.

[Kevin Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owlhoots

Another great story with Smoke Jensen. Smoke is really a true mountain man. He always does his best to go to the aid of his friends.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy the 21st book of the smoke Jensen series.

[ted tull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Battle of the Mountain Man

This was a very good story. Perhaps the gangs were too large for a great story. I really enjoy the variety of themes that the Johnstones come up with.

[Kenneth Pell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't read like it was wrote by Mr. Johnstone

If you like to read about smoke then you will like this one. This one didn't read like rest of Mr. Johnston books. Cal wasn't the normal Cal. He was skittish, Smoke and Sally didn't act like they do in other books about smoke.

[Steve Stoklosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'VE READ ALL JOHNSTONE BOOKS, BUT ASHES SERIES. THEY

QARE ALL EXCEPTIUONAL READSA, I HAVE NOT EVER READ A BAD ONE.

[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

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much dialogue, not enough story.

[Jeff]

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