Mountain Man Books in Order

Where to Begin Your Journey Into the Wild West

William W. Johnstone’s sprawling Mountain Man universe is one of the most prolific and enduring sagas in Western fiction. Spanning multiple decades, spin-offs, and over a hundred books, this series has sold over 50 million copies. However, its sheer scale can make it incredibly daunting for new readers looking to dive into the untamed American frontier.

To navigate this massive saga, readers generally choose between two primary entry points: the original publication path or the chronological path.

Route A: The Smoke Jensen Start (Original Publication Order)

If you want to experience the series exactly how it grew and captured the hearts of millions, you should start with the original publication order. This path begins with the very first book published in 1984, The Last Mountain Man. Here, you meet a young, vengeance-driven Smoke Jensen as he leaves Missouri after his family’s tragic murder. Under the guidance of the legendary Preacher, Smoke learns to survive the brutal Rockies. Starting here allows you to watch Smoke evolve from a raw, angry youth into the fastest gun in the West.

Route B: The Preacher Start (Chronological Order)

For readers who prefer a chronological flow of the universe’s history, the best place to start is with The First Mountain Man (published in 1991). This subseries shifts the spotlight to Preacher, the grizzled mentor who trained Smoke. Chronologically, Preacher's adventures take place decades earlier (primarily from the 1820s through the 1850s), detailing the early exploration of the Rocky Mountains, wagon train navigation, and early encounters on the frontier. Starting with Preacher gives you a front-row seat to the history of the man who would shape the Jensen family legacy.

The Core Subseries & Characters to Know

The broader Mountain Man universe is structured around four primary series, each focusing on a different member of the Jensen family line or their mentors:

• Mountain Man (Smoke Jensen): The flagship series that started it all. It follows Smoke Jensen as he fights outlaws, corrupt land barons, and coordinates his family's survival across the West.
• The First Mountain Man (Preacher): A prequel series exploring the life of Smoke’s mentor, the mysterious and rugged mountain man known simply as Preacher.
• Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man: This spin-off series centers on Matt Cavanaugh, an orphan boy who is mentored and eventually adopted by Smoke Jensen. Taking the Jensen name in honor of his mentor, Matt continues the family legacy of frontier justice.
• The Family Jensen: A crossover series where Smoke, Matt, Preacher, and other Jensen family members (such as Smoke's brother, the bounty hunter Luke Jensen) join forces to confront massive, multi-front threats that no single mountain man could face alone.

Chronological Caveats and Reader Advice

While the historical timeline generally flows from Preacher (early 19th century) to Luke Jensen (Civil War era), Smoke Jensen (post-Civil War to late 19th century), and Matt Jensen (turn of the 20th century), you do not need to read them in strict chronological order to enjoy them. Most novels are written as self-contained frontier adventures with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Furthermore, because the series has been co-authored and continued by Johnstone's niece, J.A. Johnstone, following his passing in 2004, the timeline occasionally loops back to tell untold stories or fill in historical gaps. Readers are encouraged to treat each book as a standalone adventure within a shared, mythic continuity rather than worrying about strict historical dates.

What to Know Before You Start

William W. Johnstone’s novels are famous for their fast-paced, action-oriented, and traditional moral style. The books celebrate self-reliance, frontier loyalty, and rugged individualism. The violence is frequent and the boundaries of good versus evil are sharply drawn. If you enjoy classic Western tropes—pulse-pounding shootouts, untamed wilderness survival, and a firm code of frontier justice—this series is a perfect fit.

Publication Order of Mountain Man Books (Smoke Jensen)

The original series following Smoke Jensen. It is recommended to read the first few books in order before dipping in and out of the later adventures.

1. The Last Mountain Man (1984)
2. Return of the Mountain Man (1986)
3. Trail of the Mountain Man (1987)
4. Revenge of the Mountain Man (1988)
5. Journey of the Mountain Man (1989)
6. Law of the Mountain Man (1989)
7. War of the Mountain Man (1990)
8. Code of the Mountain Man (1991)
9. Pursuit of the Mountain Man (1991)
10. Courage of the Mountain Man (1992)
11. Blood of the Mountain Man (1992)
12. Fury of the Mountain Man (1993)
13. Rage of the Mountain Man (1994)
14. Cunning of the Mountain Man (1994)
15. Power of the Mountain Man (1995)
16. Spirit of the Mountain Man (1995)
17. Ordeal of the Mountain Man (1996)
18. Triumph of the Mountain Man (1997)
19. Vengeance of the Mountain Man (1997)
20. Honor of the Mountain Man (1998)
21. Battle of the Mountain Man (1998)
22. Pride of the Mountain Man (1998)
23. Creed of the Mountain Man (1999)
24. Guns of the Mountain Man (1999)
25. Heart of the Mountain Man (2000)
26. Justice of the Mountain Man (2000)
27. Valor of the Mountain Man (2001)
28. Warpath of the Mountain Man (2002)
29. Trek of the Mountain Man (2002)
30. Quest of the Mountain Man (2003)
31. Ambush of the Mountain Man (2003)
32. Wrath of the Mountain Man (2004)
33. Destiny of the Mountain Man (2005)
34. Betrayal of the Mountain Man (2006)
35. Rampage of the Mountain Man (2007)
36. Violence of the Mountain Man (2008)
37. Savagery of the Mountain Man (2009)
38. Shootout of the Mountain Man (2010)
39. Assault of the Mountain Man (2011)
40. Strike of the Mountain Man (2012)
41. Butchery of the Mountain Man (2013)
42. Terror of the Mountain Man (2014)
43. Bloodshed of the Mountain Man (2015)
44. Brutal Night of the Mountain Man (2016)
45. Venom of the Mountain Man (2017)
46. Torture of the Mountain Man (2018)
47. Where There's Fire, There's Smoke (2019)
48. Bloody Trail of the Mountain Man (2019)
49. Texas Kill of the Mountain Man (2020)
50. Slaughter of the Mountain Man (2021)
51. Cruel Winter of the Mountain Man (2022)
52. Dark Night of the Mountain Man (2023)

Publication Order of The First Mountain Man Books (Preacher)

These books explore the earlier life of Smoke Jensen's legendary mentor, Preacher, on the wild early-19th-century frontier.

1. The First Mountain Man (1991)
2. Blood on the Divide (1992)
3. Absaroka Ambush (1993)
4. Forty Guns West (1993)
5. Cheyenne Challenge (1995)
6. Preacher and the Mountain Caesar (1995)
7. Blackfoot Messiah (1996)
8. Preacher (2002)
9. Preacher's Peace (2003)
10. Preacher's Justice (2004)
11. Preacher's Journey (2005)
12. Preacher's Fortune (2006)
13. Preacher's Quest (2007)
14. Preacher's Showdown (2008)
15. Preacher's Pursuit (2009)
16. Preacher's Fire (2009)
17. Preacher's Assault (2011)
18. Preacher's Fury (2012)
19. Preacher's Massacre (2012)
20. Preacher's Blood Hunt (2014)
21. Preacher's Slaughter (2014)
22. Preacher's Bloodbath (2015)
23. Preacher's Hellstorm (2016)
24. Preacher's Kill (2017)
25. Preacher's Rage (2018)
26. Preacher's Frenzy (2019)
27. Preacher's Carnage (2020)
28. Preacher's Inferno (2021)
29. Preacher's Purge (2022)
30. Preacher's Bloody Rampage (2023)

Publication Order of Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man Books

This series centers on Matt Cavanaugh, who is taken in and mentored by Smoke Jensen, adopting the family name as he seeks his own path.

1. Matt Jensen, the Last Mountain Man (2007)
2. Deadly Trail (2008)
3. Purgatory (2008)
4. Savage Territory (2009)
5. Snake River Slaughter (2010)
6. Dakota Ambush (2011)
7. Massacre at Powder River (2012)
8. The Eyes of Texas (2013)
9. Torture Town (2014)
10. The Great Train Massacre (2016)
11. Die with the Outlaws (2020)

Publication Order of The Family Jensen Books

The crossover series where the legendary Jensen clan joins forces to handle threats too massive for one man alone.

1. The Family Jensen (2010)
2. Helltown Massacre (2011)
3. The Violent Land (2012)
4. Hard Ride to Hell (2013)
5. Massacre Canyon (2014)
6. Brotherhood of Evil (2015)