Gunsmoke & Grit: 'These Men Chose Hell' by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone

If anyone's curious, let me set the record straight: I’m not parting with the Gunsmoke & Grit posts anytime soon. Life threw a couple of curveballs my way last month—too many reviews of non-Western books and a persistent flu bug that refused to take a hike. But fear not, those days are behind me. My goal is to serve up a fresh Western fiction review every Saturday for the foreseeable future. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it’s time to talk about today’s review: These Men Chose Hell, penned by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. Or, let’s be honest, likely a ghostwriter or a cabal of ghostwriters who conjured this tale from the ether. It’s a sequel to Fort Misery, and I must say, it reads as if it were penned by a different hand altogether. As I traverse the shadows of my mind, the prose felt just a touch off, like an old photograph that’s been left too long in the sun. Maybe it’s just me.

Fort Misery—the name alone evokes an image of grim determination. Here, the lowliest dregs of the U.S. Army stand guard against a hellscape of lawless desert, facing off against the most sadistic scourges of the Wild West. It’s a brutal truth: sometimes, it takes a bad man with a gun to confront another. These aren’t your classic “good guys.” Instead, they’re a ragtag band of deserters, thieves, mutineers, and the like, none of whom are exactly examples of virtue. Condemned soldiers in an overstretched army, their choices are grim: death by hanging or serving their time in this hell on earth. They chose hell. Nestled at the far reaches of the Yuma Desert, Fort Grierson attracts trouble like a moth to a flame. Daily skirmishes with marauding Apaches and gunslinging outlaws are the norm, and the men fortifying the place are barely better. Hence, the notorious nickname: Fort Misery. When a gaggle of professors arrives at the fort, all hell breaks loose. The men of Fort Misery must uncover the lurking menace before they all end up meeting a grisly fate...

These Men Chose Hell brims with subplots swirling like dust devils in the desert sun. We have three archaeologists, one clever niece, and a Chinese gentleman on a quest for the lost remains of the army led by the infamous Conquistador Don Esteban de Toro, complete with whispers of a fabled treasure chest. There’s a band of gringos masquerading as sheep-hunters known as the Trey-Treys, a not-so-friendly encounter with Apache Indians, a pacifistic soldier resembling a miracle worker who believes he’s Jesus, and a horse named Lucifer that might just be possessed by the devil himself. And let’s not forget the soldier found with his throat slit and scalp taken, with a chilling message—“cursed gold”—inscribed in the sand.

In my previous review of Fort Misery, I neglected to mention something I absolutely adored: the cover artwork. And let me tell you, the cover of These Men Chose Hell only elevates that love. Pinnacle Books should harken back to this style for future Johnstone novels. These are the kind of covers that seize my attention and don’t let go.

Captain Kellerman leads the motley crew at Fort Misery, but it’s the ensemble cast of vivid characters that truly brings this tale to life. Although the storyline diverges sharply from the first book, I still found myself thoroughly entertained by These Men Chose Hell.

I’ll admit, I stumbled upon a one-star review on Goodreads that made my eyebrow arch. The reviewer lamented, “One of the poorest books to come out with the Johnstone name.” Really? It’s as if they picked up a different book altogether. While it’s not a flawless masterpiece, I’ve certainly encountered far worse. When a franchise boasts several ghostwriters—yes, I’m prepared to call William W. and J.A. Johnstone a franchise—not every offering is going to please everyone. But a one-star review? Seriously?

In sum, I enjoyed These Men Chose Hell—it offers action, mystery, drama, and just enough humor to keep you on your toes. Perfect for a lazy weekend when you’re in the mood to escape to a world where danger lurks behind every cactus, and the next twist is just a page away. ╌★★★★✰

〜B.J. Burgess