Fort Misery

This is not one of the finest Western novels of the Johnstone syndicate. It seems more along the lines of a comedy like the old TV drama called "F Troop." There are a bunch of misfits in this aptly named fort. There are parts where there is some high adventure but the misery of the fort is caused by marauding Comancheros, Comanche, and Apache. There are some interesting moments where the misfits stationed there acquit themselves very well and others less than admirably. Additionally the last chapter seems to be added in with little or no connection to the rest as archeologists arrive to dig looking for lost items from earlier Spanish explorers. Not a totally bad book but, in my view, far less than I have come to expect of the Johnstones.

Fort Misery What do you get when you take a bunch of misfits that are the dregs scraped from the bottom of the barrel, or are at the least an embarrassment to or a thorn in the army’s side, a misplaced fresh officer school graduate,in about the worst living conditions one can think of, top that with a bunch of outlaw Comancheros and Apaches out for blood? You get a crew of fighting men like no others, because they have nothing but misery to lose. A rough and raw read that has a lot of action, more than a little (albeit dark) humor, and a lot of grit it will keep your attention.

Fort misery is a Civil War‘s version of Hogan’s Heroes. It is run by a Man name Captain Joe Kellerman his rank was once higher than a captain but no one gets sent to Fort misery because they’re doing great in the army. Fort Benjamin Grierson a.k.a. fort misery is the last stop for those struggling to stay in the Army. You are usually given a choice between prison and fort misery because most people don’t know better they pick the fort. It sits in the desert hundreds of miles from civilization and when we meet the soldiers at Fort Missouri there caught between the Apache and an outlaw gang ran by a psychopath named Santos say it toast hates Captain Kellerman because he killed his only son but when he sends a scout to politely ask the captain to take his soldiers and leave the captain sent him back with the peace flag in his mouth dead mounted on his horse. The captain knows he has a threat and it gets even worse when a man name wolf who is a hat scalper joins up with the gang. He is known for cutting the scalps off of Mexicans and trading it in for money claiming it to be Indian scalps. Despite being in the middle of nowhere Santos in his gang Will not be the only thing that will bothered the captain and his men. Professors show up saying there was gold buried smack dab in the middle of the forts parade ground and even though the captain wants to send him packing he has a letter from the president saying he must assist him in his endeavor. That’s not to say Captain Kellerman is a heartless uncaring man when he found out that the bandits had 40 Mexican slaves and we’re going to scout them for the money him and 15 of his troops went in at night time and kidnap them. There is so much more to this book and it’s all good any book that has the name William Johnstone on that you can trust will be a great western and I love when he does funny books like this one I love it and although there was no reference to it being a Siri‘s I really hope it will be. I love the little historical note at the end of the book and if you love great westerns then you need to report misery by William and John Johnstone. You would think with authors that put out Brooke so frequently they all wouldn’t be as good as they are but every book I read it 99% of the time a five star read this one included. I received this book from NetGalley and publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.