This book has two stories in it. The first was totally a story that had me hook line and sinker from the very beginning and was exciting until the very end. You get to see the Smoke character to his fullest. The second story was not a complete story only a few chapters to preview another story, good but not long enough. Did like the first one.

There is no such thing as a bad Johnstone western. Each series is built around main characters whose belief in the law and family is absolute, even if they've had to be reformed to get there. From Preacher, the original mountain man to the Jensen family to Perly Gates, to.....well, you get the point. Many times, characters from one series will show up in another as supporting hands. The communities are true to the era, clothing, guns, food and troubles are all what you'd find if you looked them up in the history books. No two stories are the same, each character or set of characters is unique and so are their stories. The writing is skillful, readers are pulled into the story and you will laugh and cry right along with the characters.

Blood, Guts, and Glory: Smoke Jensen: American Legend by William W. Johnstone is a great piece of Western Fiction. Five stars.

Enjoyed this book by William Johnstone. Sugar!oaf ranch is home to Smoke Jensen, legendary gunfighter and his wife Sally. Sally has been shot by some outlaws, but thankfully will recover from her wounds. She is pregnant and therefore goes back east to stay with her family to recover. Smoke is left to take care of the outlaws.

#BloodGutsandGlory #NetGalley
A fine set of two gritty, but not too violent revenge westerns from a classic author. Smoke being Smoke, bullets a-flying, evil people a-dying. I recommend that book for any reader of sadly, late, William W. Johnstone or a new reader of the genre.

Reading the William Johnstone book entitled “Blood, Guts, and Glory” a reader can see how the western part of the country differs from back East in New Hampshire. The plot of the story concerns the early days of Smoke Jensen and his second wife, his first and a baby son murdered by outlaws.

Smoke is considered the fastest on the draw through the West. He has never killed a person who did not deserve killing and he has no wanted posters issues for him. He is quick to reach when an injustice is done and those involved are brought to a quick justice.

This story revolved around an old acquaintance who along with 2 outlaws comes to Smoke’s house and shoots his new wife, Sally. For a while it seems she may not survive but survive she does.

Smoke takes off after them when he finds that are after his wife who just happens to be pregnant with Smokes twins (although at first, he does not know about the twins. Sally is in New Hampshire with her father who is an accomplished lawyer.

As might be expected there is a showdown with this set of criminals and in true western fashion the good guys win. Although there is a lot of adventure here, getting to this point.

A short book that reads very quickly and is hard to put down as Smoke’s exploits make the adventure one of suspense. Definitely one that a fan of Johnstone will have trouble putting down. The shortness is its only flaw!

Blood, Guts, and Glory is a brilliant offering for the Smoke Jensen character by William W. Johnstone. I loved the first story in this book so much (Revenge of the Mountain Man), it had me completely captivated from beginning to end. Humorous, smart, and the most unique writing I have ever experienced from any book in the western genre. Johnstone absolutely outdid himself on this one. I can’t say enough about it. Just plain funny if you know the Smoke Jensen character at all.

The second part of the book leads into a new story with Smoke. It’s entitled, “Vengeance of the Mountain Man”. Only seven chapters, it’s no doubt a prequel to a writing creation that Johnstone will add to in the future.

I appreciated the “Notes” (more like footnotes) included in this book, that referred to other written scenes discussed herein, taken from other Johnstone Mountain Man books. Numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 - the notes tell which books they are, so the reader can access them if they haven’t done so already and want backstory.

This one is just plain fun and pure amusement. It’s made my Favorites shelf.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

I really like these early Mountain Man stories by William W. Johnstone. Smoke is best in the beginning when he still carries two smoke wagons and also in his later years when people think he is just an old man. I must thank #Pinnacle #Kensingtonbooks and #Netgalley for giving me this great western. Two stories for the price of one. With lots of action and gunplay.