Wonderful book that will capture the history of what happened during that time. Great character to follow as he grows and develops throughout the story. There are lots of Adventures and unexpected things that happened in this story that keeps you reading until the end . Hard to put this book down.

A story about what it was like living as a trapper, the hardships, and also when they went into the camp to sell the furs and the problems they would also have. Here Luke would start out young and learn from an older trapper but still had problems with one trapper who just did not like him. He also saved an Indian woman from being a slave after she was taken from her tribe many years before. This turned out to be a very good and entertaining book with good characters.

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. I made the mistake of picking up a Johnstone western my uncle was reading. Ive been hooked ever since. Now I share them with my reading family and will continue as long as new Johnstones are released.

I thought To the River's End: A Novel of the American Frontier by William W. Johnstone was a great read. Five plus stars.

I'm such a western fan, and Johnstone et al never disappoints! I've enjoyed this series more than others in many ways, because I never knew much about the fur trade of old, and this answers a lot of questions I never knew I had!

This isn’t my typical genre to read but I was looking for something different. It was surprisingly good! It had a good story, lots of action and a little light romance.
The two main characters Luke and Jug are likable guys just trying to trap some beavers. Willow joins their group and the threesome become an unlikely family.
Definitely recommend!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Luke and Jug are partners hunting beavers for their pelts in this rollicking tale of survival, peril, and adventure, I've not read a lot of Westerns so I'm not a fair judge of how this fits in the genre but it's fun. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Might make a good movie.

Really interesting western story featuring Luke, a trapper who has now left the fur company he was with. He partners up with Jug a rough around the edges man. They're looking for a place to hunt and trap that they hope will bring them some money.
But they will soon be met by Indians. Things are about to take a turn they didn't see coming.

This is a well written story that you certainly will enjoy if you're a reader of westerns.

I recently read To the River's End by William W. johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. I don't know if it will be a new series or just a stand alone adventure, but it was good. We get to follow Luke Ransom a young mountain man and trapper on his latest quest for beaver pelts in blackfoot country. The book is set in the end of the era of beaver pelts, the prices are sinking due to hats made of silk. In this western we get everything, all the struggles that we can think of in this setting and also a lot of humor. The book is out in store September 28th. I must thank @kensingtonbooks @netgalley for giving me this advance copy and @williamw.j.a.johnstone for writing it. #NetGalley #Kensington #ToTheRiversEnd

In this novel entitled "To the River's End" by the William and JA Johnstone family, the reader will be introduced to an ongoing story of American mountain men and fur trappers. Luke Ransom is the main protagonist in this book. Luke had a hard life with his parents deserting him and being raised by his aunt and uncle. He felt a need to be on his own and at the tender age of 18 answered an ad published in a St. Louis paper to sign on with The American Fur Company. This was a life-altering moment for him.

He is a handsome and large fellow and becomes quite adept at following and trapping the elusive beaver. After working for the Company for five years he decides it is time to go free-trapping. He discovers that his company team has been attached and killed by the Blackfeet braves who are not keen on whites in their territory, although this is where the beaver are plentiful.

He helps another fellow trapper who is under attack by this same tribe, and they successfully fight off the only two braves in this attack. After going to the rendezvous, he and the trapper whom he saved become partners. The older man takes Luke under his wing and as they say, "let the adventure begin." And indeed, it does. Starting with a fellow American Fur colleague who seems to want to kill or punish the young man.

Overwintering in the high mountains where beaver stand at your door waiting to be trapped might be stretching it a bit but they do find plentiful game and beaver with prime pelts. However, they are in the middle of Blackfeet territory and that brings its own dangers. The interactions between the trappers and Indians is exciting but not safe. Good to read about but not experience.

This book gives a reader the vicarious experiences of living in those days in the early 1830s. Full of adventure and excitement going from calm and placid to death defying feats the next moment. An enjoyable book for sure and I highly recommend it.

In Johnstone's latest, To the River's End (Kensington Books 2021), Luke Ransom and his partner risk their lives in the wild and feral mountains of the American West to trap beaver that is then sold to fur companies. In this story, we live a year with them and experience each peril as though we are there--capturing beaver whose home is always in the freezing waters of ponds and rivers, fighting Indian attacks, defending against wild animals that see this land as theirs, finding shelter for the frigid winter, living off the land, surviving with only two of them to do everything necessary, and ultimately, bringing their bounty to the iconic Rendezvous where they hope to make enough money to buy supplies that will get them through another year.

Mountain men are my favorite western story and no one tells these better than Johnstone. Before reading this book, Johnstone's Preacher series was my favorite. Now, this one is. I hope this is the start of a new series.

For those of you who remember Saturday morning serials and for those of you who missed out, the Johnstone westerns definitely fill the void. Guaranteed to entertain with good, wholesome stories filled with nostalgia. Luke Ransom is cut from the cloth of Roy, Gene, and Hoppy with adventures that entertain, teach, and inspire.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Luke Ransom partners up with Jug Sarain to hunt and trap furs while meeting trouble head on from all directions.

A quick but rather predictable read.

2.75☆

Just a couple of good old mountain boy wanting to trap beaver on their own terms, then the idea becomes reality and turns into a heap of trouble from the get-gp! The Mountain men vs. Blackfoot Indians, vs an opposed fur company man named Bloodworth intent on killing him, vs trouble in cold snowy frozen mountain weather..... all the while getting use to a new trapping partner, being hunted down, and saving an Indian woman who needs his help from a vicious and fierce Blackfoot chief named Bloody Hand.

Amongst all this action, they need to survive, eat, and capture beavers so the pelts can be sold and they can make a living for next year.
But situation after situation, brings a challenge. The two mountain men hunting are being hunted themselves and attacks are imminent.

Let the traps be set, and bullets, arrows and axes fly.

Great characters, plenty of action, storyline moves at the right pace, and a touch of humor as the bonds of friendship grow. I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for ADRC in exchange for my honest opinion.
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️