Knockdown is probably my least favorite of all of the books I have read by William W Johnstone. I love his writing but this one is not one. Two stars.

Best known for their western series, the family Johnstone has applied their story building skills to a political/ action/ thriller. This is not the first time we've seen this genre from them. Their Ashes series is a very interesting read, especially with the fights between the political parties these days. With over 600 titles to their fame, the Johnstones can definitely tell a good story.
Knockdown is the first in a new series...sort of. The Rig Warrior is an earlier series that had taken a hiatus, but has now returned. A deliberate attack on a mass transit rail line has killed many Americans and disrupted the peace and quiet of Barry Rivers, the Rig Warrior. Not many story lines are based on a man who drives a built out 18 wheeler, so of course, the Johnstones give us a different kind of hero. As the FBI, in the form of River's son, works to stop anymore of this home grown terrorism, we readers are taken on a definite long haul along with a cast of home grown heroes. As always....Live Free, Read Hard.

I don't think I have read anyone in this series but it is A ok. The only thing I wonder is how big is his rig? Knockdown features Barry Rivers aka. The Rig Warrior and his nephew Jake. Together they go up against terrorist on the American soil. I have been a fan of William W. Johnstone for many years now and J.A. Johnstone is continuing the stories very well. Most books are straightforward where the white hats and the black hats are clearly identified. Most often they also end on a good note. Escapism at it's best. I must thank #Pinnacle #KensingtonBooks and #Netgalley for giving me this ARC to review.

Knockdown by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone is a most unusual story for those used to reading westerns by the Johnstone duo. This is a modern day setting of two rogue erstwhile agents of the US. The uncle Barry and nephew Jake are seemingly good men who are hell bent on making sure a terrorist attack does not take place.

This would be fine but politics of the current day seep into the story on almost every page. The story is exciting and if you can see through the intrigue is not terrible. Many readers will probably have an issue of believing the spew of invective against those who more conservative will likely adore.

There are some nice side stories of friendship and patriotism as well as budding love that occur in the story of the uncle and nephew as they go vigilante. This story spreads across the country form El Paso to New York City to Denver. A very wealthy manipulator is involved as are a drug cartel, and the “alphabet agencies” of the federal government (CIA, FBI, HHS, etc.). The conspiracy theories will certainly appeal to a certain group of readers. For others, they are too far fetched to be taken seriously.

This is pure action entertainment, maybe not too realistic, and there's no need to think very much. It's well written and with good characters, so all in all OK.

I was use to the Johnstone's Western novels but I tend to like their style and am glad I gave this a shot. It was a good start for me to read and had a good time reading this.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

An urban legend in the intelligence community, Barry Rivers has been living off the radar for years. But when he sees his country under attack, he reaches out to his son in the FBI to track down the enemies in our own government.

Yeah, well ... not a lot of depth to the overall story and even less to the plot. Predictable. I enjoy Johnstone's old west stories but this one is not worth the time.

1.5 stars

Knockdown by William W. Johnsone at first looks like a perfect men's adventure. This novel re-opens a series that began and finished a while back (note: I have not read any of the others), and this novel picks up in modern days. One does not have to have read the other works to read this one.

Quickly the relationships within the series are set out. The protagonist is Barry "Dog" Rivers who has been driving his super spruced up truck, as a special undercover operative. His nephew, Jake, is an FBI, agent, and their paths end up crossing her in this story.

There is not too much to the plot, it is laid out as move from point A to point B and find sone explosive action to set the reader to point C. It is pretty basic and predictable. It is also sort of sad. As a fan of Men's Adventure, I look forward to these, but where as something written in the 1970's may have some elements regarding women or race that we cringe at now, this book which takes place today is cringe worthy.

The overall antagonist is the "Deep State," and so it is not surprising that the bad guys on the ground are not only Mexican but Arab. The book is filled with turban wearing folk, and you can bet that each one is a terrorist. If you have a confederate flag hanging on your wall, you will probably love this book. If you have any sensibility you, like me, might feel sad to know that some of the people who read this book feel as the author's protagonist does.


For mindless action, this has it. Yet I think it would have done better if set in a dystopian future, or a decade or three ago. All in all I found this first, and mostly likely last to be read by me book, about "Dog" the truck driver, just that.

A free ARC from NET GALLEY allowed me to read/review

No new ground here, but it is still fun as perhaps the daughter will be able to carry the mantle of the man who is famous for his early Westerners and the great "From the Ashes" and "Last Dog team" fame.

Gre4at action book

Move over, Butch and Sundance, Batman and Robin, and Abbott and Costello, as we meet Barry and Jake. Deep undercover Barry hasto call in reinforcements in the form of his FBI nephew Jake in a fight to find out who are the good guys and who are the bad guys in nefarious plot that could destroy America.