Books with author William John. Johnston

THE GREATEST WESTERN WRITERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY For the first time, an epic account of a boy born into a struggle for survival on the harsh and unforgiving American frontier, the story behind the legend of Smoke Jensen… On the eve of the Civil War, Kirby Jensen is the youngest of three children living on a hardscrabble ranch in Southwestern Missouri. But in 1861, shots were fired in Charleston Harbor, and Kirby’s father and brother went to war. Smoke Jensen: The Beginning follows the Jensen clan during these volatile years, from Civil War battles to border state raids to the kind of frontier justice achieved only by bullets and blood. William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone chronicle the early years of Kirby Jensen—soon to be nicknamed Smoke—as he journeys from boyhood innocence into a manhood shaped by violence and a young man’s thirst for justice. Filled with actual historical events and legendary characters, the story of Smoke Jensen’s early years is a powerful, brutal, and amazing American saga.

"We have to shift our base of operations and secure the rest of the world, country by country. We cannot permit our ideals and goals to die." --Ben RainesHell On Three SidesBen Raines and his freedom-fighting guerrillas are camped along the banks of what was once the Mississippi River, plotting strategy and readying weapons. A massive pack of heavily armed troops looms on the horizon, marching straight for the Rebels. They are the insidious mercenaries of Kenny Par and Lan Viller, and by midday only the Mississippi separates Raines from the ten thousand blood-hungry warriors all sworn to turn the Rebels' dream into a hellish nightmare. Just as Ben formulates a brilliant battle plan, a Rebel scout reports that the fanatical assassins of Sister Volenta's Ninth Order are approaching from Ben's back. The Rebels will soon be surrounded by freedom's deadliest foes, and a defeat for Raines would mean the end of the Rebel dream. But victory, if he can pull it off, could be the beginning of a new America.

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE DEATH RIDES FASTER THAN THE WIND. A blazing new series takes you back to the lawless frontier where every stagecoach was a moving target. Where every passenger needed protection. And where every hired gun who rides along better be fast on the draw—or be dead on arrival . . .RIDING SHOTGUN If anyone knows the road to purgatory, it’s Red Ryan. As a stagecoach guard, he’s faced holdups, ambushes, and all-out attacks from every kill-crazy outlaw, Indian, and prairie rat. But even he’s a bit reluctant to take on his next job: riding shotgun with his driver Buttons Muldoon on a stage bound from Fort Concho, Texas, to Fort Bliss. Word has it, the Apaches are on the warpath. They’re being led by the vicious war chief Ilesh, which means “Lord of the Earth.” And this lord means business, as in slaughtering every Texan from here to El Paso. Red wants to postpone the stage. But an army major’s beautiful but stubborn wife insists they leave—or she’ll go it alone. So Red has no choice . . . Thus begins a nightmare journey into 400 miles of harsh, unforgiving terrain, blood-drunk killers, and one scheming devil who plans to paint the town of El Paso red—starting with Red’s blood . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY—WATCH YOUR BACK. Red Ryan is one of the fastest guns in the West. But this time, he’s in for the longest, hardest ride of his life. Where danger lurks around every turn—and all roads lead to hell . . . 700 MILES OF MAYHEM Gold. Silver. Cold hard cash. Stagecoach guard Red Ryan and his driver Buttons Muldoon have ridden shotgun on some pretty valuable cargo in their day. But they’re about to learn—the hard way—that the most dangerous cargo of all is human. They’ve been hired to escort a cowardly traitor facing an army court martial in New Orleans. Every hired killer in Texas wants him dead, including gun-handy Hannah Huckabee, a woman with a mysterious past and an agenda of her own. But she’s just one of the dangers they’ll face along the way. There are cutthroat gangs bent on slaughtering anything on two legs. And 700 miles of the deadliest terrain Red Ryan has ever had to shoot his way out of . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

The Greatest Western Writer Of The 21st CenturyFor the first time, an epic account of a boy born into a struggle for survival on the harsh and unforgiving American frontier, the story behind the legend of Smoke Jensen. . .On the eve of the Civil War, Kirby Jensen is the youngest of three children living on a hardscrabble ranch in Southwestern Missouri. But in 1861, shots were fired in Charleston harbor, and Kirby's father and brother went to war. Smoke Jensen The Beginning follows the Jensen clan during these volatile years, from Civil War battles to border state raids to the kind of frontier justice achieved only by bullets and blood. William W. Johnstone chronicles the early years of Kirby Jensen--soon to be nicknamed Smoke-- as he journeys from boyhood innocence into a manhood shaped by violence and a young man's thirst for justice. Filled with actual historical events and legendary characters, the story of Smoke Jensen's early years is a powerful, brutal and amazing American saga--the crowning achievement of America's most popular living Western writer. Also available in audio at www.GraphicAudio.net.

The Greatest Western Writer Of The 21st CenturyIn the bestselling novels of William W. Johnstone, mountain man Smoke Jensen is a legend. Now, Johnstone presents the adventures of Smoke's long-lost brother Luke, who was reported killed during the Civil War. The war is over and Luke is very much alive, his soul forged by the violence he witnessed on the battlefields. His job is now tracking down the worst outlaws--by any means necessary. Shoot To Kill--Or Die TryingLuke Jensen brings a body to Rio Rojo. After all, it's his job, and he's going to get paid. But before he can collect the bounty for killing a killer, two notorious criminals hit the Rio Rojo bank. Now Luke can't get paid unless he catches professional bandit Gunner Kelly and his Apache sidekick Dog Eater. Unfortunately, a would-be man hunter is after the money-toting outlaws, too, and young Hobie McCullough is mostly a menace to himself. With a green kid to protect, renegade Mexican soldiers, and a beautiful runaway bride crossing Luke's trail, the blood hunt takes one deadly detour after another. . .until Luke ends up smack dab in a nest-of-vipers outlaw hideout. There, he discovers the true identity of Gunner Kelly, what kind of ungodly terror he has planned, and just how dangerous being a bounty hunter can be. . .

He will Become a Legend…Before the legend of Preacher there was a man, and before the man there was a boy. In this thrilling new novel, William W. Johnstone tells the story of a young man filled with wanderlust and raw courage—who will someday become a hero.…If He SurvivesOn nothing more than a lark, he leaves his family and begins a journey from Ohio westward. Along the way, he runs up against badlands and bad men, loses his freedom, gains his freedom, and learns the first rule of the frontier: do whatever it takes to survive.PreacherWith ruthless enemies after him—both white men and Indians—he’ll head for a place as brutal as it is beautiful—the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Two years later, he will come back down from the mountaintop with new skills, and a new future as one of the most feared and admired men of his time…a man called Preacher.

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. JAILHOUSE TERROR. Those Jensen boys, Ace and Chance, find themselves on the wrong side of the law—and the raw end of justice—inside the meanest, dirtiest prison in the Arizona territory . . . WELCOME TO THE CHAIN GANG . . . When a barroom brawl lands Ace and Chance Jensen in jail, it’s just the beginning of a nightmare that will never end. Their jailmates are army deserters. Even worse, their jailers assume Ace and Chance are deserters, too. Which earns them even more hard time—on a brutal prison chain gang . . . ALL TROUBLEMAKERS WILL BE SHOT. Things go from bad to worse awfully fast. One prisoner tries to escape and gets blasted in the back. Others face horrific torture at the hands of sadistic renegades. And the whole operation is run by a maniacal army major who’s working the deserters to death for his own profit. Ace and Chance have no choice but to bust out of this miserable hellhole—or die trying . . .

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY—WATCH YOUR BACK. Red Ryan is one of the fastest guns in the West. But this time, he’s in for the longest, hardest ride of his life. Where danger lurks around every turn—and all roads lead to hell . . . 700 MILES OF MAYHEM Gold. Silver. Cold hard cash. Stagecoach guard Red Ryan and his driver Buttons Muldoon have ridden shotgun on some pretty valuable cargo in their day. But they’re about to learn—the hard way—that the most dangerous cargo of all is human. They’ve been hired to escort a cowardly traitor facing an army court martial in New Orleans. Every hired killer in Texas wants him dead, including gun-handy Hannah Huckabee, a woman with a mysterious past and an agenda of her own. But she’s just one of the dangers they’ll face along the way. There are cutthroat gangs bent on slaughtering anything on two legs. And 700 miles of the deadliest terrain Red Ryan has ever had to shoot his way out of . . . Live Free. Read Hard.