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.

For years now I have thought the Johnstone Clan should have a series featuring a circuit rider. Here's a start of such a series. A great start, too.

This first entry is finely written with a far more complex plot than most of all the Johnstone books. That's referring to the hundreds of books in the series. This one is handled very well with a number of nifty writing devices to help the reader through the length of the book and the large number of characters. One of those tricks is having the main character have a fine memory for names. The repetition throughout the book greatly aids those of us trying to keep track of who is who.

The plotting is a trick itself. Establishing a new character of an intended ongoing series, a slew of other characters of the story, a story with flashbacks and the travel of locations. Stringing this altogether is often a weakness for the Johnstone Clan. This time it works.

The greatest strength, as usual, are the strong characters. Especially the main character. The "balance" established throughout is well represented in the writing of the main character that is written as a representative of faith, yet as much leaves a question if he truly is. Great writing this took to pull off.

The story has the typical great character elements as a professor out to bring rain, a worn, yet efficient, mule and a noted barefoot female. This is a bit more distinction than the otherwise always well defined characters and adds much to the novel.

I really like how the story is resolved and wraps. The status of the Circuit Rider is such that wonder of the adventures to come is present.

Very well done!

As I have noted in the past involving the Net Galley books I've reviewed, I review honestly and have tended to find rotten books being produced. SO much so, I had held off posting a couple due to the endless panning I found myself having to do and haven't wanted to give the impression I was a constant critic. This is one of the best Net Galley books I've read since 'Battle for the Big Top' by Les Standiford last year.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of ten points.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Taylor Callahan is no ordinary preacher. He rides the western circuit looking to help lost souls. "

An okay read. I liked Callahan, he was a very believable character.

3☆

I must say I was not sure I would like a western based on a traveling preacher but wow, what a great character he turned out to be. What a great background . Taylor Callahan, Circuit Rider by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone is the latest new series in their gigantic catalogue of westerns. I found the book full of humor and some great new twists on all things western. Just as you thought they can't invent a new kind of story to tell they do just that. I also must say that not all the series are great and some of the long running ones are varying in quality but when you write 50 plus series it must show somewhere. I must thank @kensingtonbooks @netgalley and #Pinnacle that gave me this advance copy and @williamw.j.a.johnstone for writing it. #NetGalley #Kensington #TaylorCallahanCircuitRider

Taylor Callahan, Circuit Rider is another entertaining read by Johnstone. I enjoyed it and am giving it four and a half stars.

Looking for something a little different? Might want to try “Taylor Callahan, Circuit Rider” by the William Johnstone group. The beginning of the book was sort of disjointed from this reader’s viewpoint. But it is focused on one man named Taylor Callahan.

In his younger days, he was less than honorable in so many ways being a Confederate bushwhacker and general hell raiser. This attitude led him into some pretty bad escapades. Along the way to maturity, he seemed to find the right path and decided to atone for some of his evil past

Hi atonement took the path of being an itinerant preacher or as it was called in those days, a circuit riding preacher. As his more religious self, he actually was able to bring some of his earlier strengths to play in solving more earthly problems with a religious view.

There are several inter-related stories taking place in a flea-bitten town best know and “False Hope” where a range war is close to breaking out. Callahan is able to leverage some of his old skills with his newly discovered religious ones to bring a semblance of peace. Will it last or are some things just not destined to be?

Read this book to find out; after the first disjointed beginnings, it gets to be a real page turned and hard to put down.

When you read a western, you want a real western, and the author knows how to spin a great one. Some may complain of clichés, but a good western needs the clichés. The hero is a loner. He has a past. He has his demons. He has his code. Taylor Callahan the preacher makes an excellent western hero.