The FortyNiners, William W. Johnstone
The FortyNiners, William W. Johnstone
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

The Forty-Niners
A Novel of the Gold Rush

Author: William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Narrator: George Guidall

Unabridged: 9 hr 12 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 02/20/2024

Categories: Fiction, Western


Synopsis

JOHNSTONE’S AMERICA.
THE GOLD STANDARD.

From the acclaimed chroniclers of the Old West comes a blazing new saga of the great American Gold Rush—and the boldhearted dreamers who made it all happen …

THEY CALLED THEM THE FORTY-NINERS.

In January of 1848, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in California sparked a nationwide frenzy, fueling the dreams of Americans from coast to coast. By 1849, hundreds of thousands of fortune hunters from across the globe headed west to stake their claim. Armed with pan or pickaxe, driven
by greed or glory, every last one of them was determined to strike it rich—or die trying …

For Cord Bennett, it is more than a dream. California is his destiny—even if he doesn’t know it yet. Forced to leave his family farm in the Ozarks, he reluctantly joins his two older brothers on the treacherous journey west. Together, they endure harsh weather, fierce tribal attacks, and roving outlaws.
But their biggest challenge comes when they reach the gold-rich canyon of Rio Oro. This small makeshift town is barely more than a campsite for prospectors—but the men who control it are as ruthless as any big-city crime boss. And twice as deadly …

This is the story of the men and women who risked their lives to make their fortunes in a boundless land of opportunity. But sometimes, all that glitters is not gold. And where there’s gold, there’s gunfire …

About 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 fifty 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 twenty-first century."


Reviews

Goodreads review by Denice on February 17, 2024

There is no such thing as a bad Johnstone book. Westerns fill a large portion of my library with Johnstone titles holding several shelves. The stories are vividly portrayed and authentic to the era. Dust, mud and blood flow through the stories as the characters take the law into their own hands. The......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on February 11, 2025

3.75 ⭐️ I was hoping for more, but I'm grateful for what I got. The story follows the Bennett brothers, Flint, Steven, and Cord, but the novel is mainly from the viewpoint of the youngest of the bunch, Cord. They, along with their Pa, set out to California for gold when the failure of their crops for......more

Goodreads review by Janalyn, the blind reviewer on February 23, 2024

When cord Barnett is told by his local sweetheart that goal was found in California he finds it interesting and even tells his Pa Vern about it despite the drought cord, Pa, Steven and Flint Barnett have no plans to head west but when Pa has a dream they found gold they sell the farm and do exactly......more

Goodreads review by Jacqui on November 16, 2023

This William Johnstone tale, The Forty-Niners (Pinnacle 2023), tells the story drawn from America's Gold Rush, often told and retold, but this one, thanks to Johnstone's voice, sounds fresh and new. You read how farmers and workers and any number of desperate people on America's East Coast and the M......more

Goodreads review by Frida on April 23, 2024

What an epic story of a family of brothers moving west to California in search of gold and the dream of riches. One brother will do anything to get what he desires. One brother has a black and white sense of right and wrong and one brother follows. As the story unfolds, through leaving their legacy l......more