A Big Sky Christmas [Dramatized Adaptation]

Written by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone

Narrated by Scott McCormick, David Harris, James Lewis and 26 more

In the fall of 1873, a wagon train of immigrants sets off from Kansas City, Missouri, bound for the Montana Territory. Leading the group is newly elected wagonmaster Jamie Ian MacCallister, a giant of a man and frontier legend who swears he can get them there by Christmas--come hell or high snow drifts. . .

Plagued by brutally harsh storms and rugged terrain, outlaws and hostile Indians, the journey will be the greatest challenge these pioneers will ever face. But when things look nearly hopeless, help arrives in the form of two unlikely saviors: an old mountain man known as Preacher and legendary frontiersman Smoke Jensen. Two hard-willed men who believe in the settlers' dreams with all their hearts--and who will get them to their destination by Christmas. Even if it takes a miracle…

• Language: English
• Publisher: GraphicAudio
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648800030

William W. Johnstone

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

Reviews for A Big Sky Christmas [Dramatized Adaptation]

[bookconcierge · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

By William W Johnston and J.A. Johnstone

This is the third book in a series of Western romances culminating at Christmas. This time Jamie McAllister is corralled into leading a wagon train of pioneers from Kansas City Missouri to Montana territory, where they plan to settle. He thinks they are setting out too late to make it before the harsh winter weather, but he agrees to lead them, because “if anybody can get them there by Christmas, it’s Jamie McAllister.”

It’s a stereotypical Western tale … cardboard characters right out of central casting, a band of “varmints” set on revenge, an actress (who is NOT a prostitute) fleeing from a rich man intent on having his way with her, a cowboy who has been running with a group of outlaws but has reformed (for love, of course), a “fire and brimstone” preacher, a studious and polite Jewish immigrant, Indians, buffalo, shoot-outs, prairie fires and blizzards.

It’s also a fast read, with a plot that kept me interested enough to keep turning pages. J A Johnstone has improved his/her writing since the first book in the series (though not much). The books carry William Johnstone’s name, but he died at least 7 years before the first book was published, so I think it would be more honest to have only J A Johnstone’s name on the books.

Oh, and if you’re looking for a “Christmas” book … look elsewhere. About the only reference to Christmas is that McAllister promises to get the pilgrims to Montana by that date. It’s really just a Western romance set during early winter, with a plot that culminates on Christmas Day.

[debrarbell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing and thoroughly enjoyed the read. If you like stories with a lot of challenge this book is for you. I was on the edge of my seat just wondering if the characters journey would turn out the way I hoped it would. Fast paced and I could not put the book down!