Terry C. Johnston

  • 24

    Catalog books

  • 28

    Works

  • 1990 to 2000

    Strongest span

Who This Author Is

Terry C. Johnston writes expansive historical fiction focused on life and conflict on the Northern Plains. His Plainsmen series follows soldiers, scouts, and settlers through battles and personal reckonings in the late 1860s, blending action-driven scenes with detailed portrayals of frontier tensions and survival.

Across titles like Ashes of Heaven, Black Sun, and Red Cloud's Revenge, Johnston emphasizes tactical encounters, camp life, and the consequences of violence. His installments rely on close attention to period detail and layered character conflicts, delivering immersive, often gritty narratives of westward expansion and its human costs.

Best Place To Start

Author At A Glance

Best known for: The Plainsmen historical saga • Detailed frontier battles and campaigns • Mid- to late-19th-century Plains conflicts

Genres and themes: Western historical fiction • Military encounters on the Plains • Frontier survival and clash of cultures

Who this author is best for: Good for readers who like long, action-driven historical novels focused on military engagements and Plains-era characters.

Start with any title from The Plainsmen series—books are chronological in theme, so pick a battle or year that interests you and continue through the series.

Top Books To Start With

  1. Reap the Whirlwind: the Battle of the Rosebud, June 1876

    Bantam Books • 1994 • longer commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1994 • 493 pages.

  2. Cry Of The Hawk

    Bantam Books • 1993 • longer commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1993 • 469 pages.

  3. Black Sun: The Battle of Summit Springs, 1869 (The Plainsmen Series)

    St Martins Pr • 1991 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1991 • 416 pages.

  4. Red Cloud's Revenge: Showdown On The Northern Plains, 1867 (The Plainsmen Series)

    St Martins Pr • 1991 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1991 • 400 pages.

  5. Shadow Riders: The Southern Plains Uprising, 1873 (The Plainsmen Series)

    St Martins Pr • 1991 • longer commitment

    You enjoy Johnston's Plainsmen series and recurring characters | You want gritty cavalry action and period detail about…

  6. Long Winter Gone: Son of the Plains (Sons of the Plains)

    Bantam Books • 1990 • longer commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1990 • 452 pages.

  7. The Stalkers

    St Martins Pr • 1990 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1990 • 270 pages.

  8. Death Rattle: The Plainsmen

    Bantam Dell Pub Group • 1999 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1999 • 429 pages.

  9. The OutbreakoOf the Nez Perce War and the Battle of White

    St Martins Pr • 1999 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1999 • 458 pages.

  10. Ashes of Heaven (The Plainsmen Series)

    St Martins Pr • 1998 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1998 • 432 pages.

How The Picks Compare

  • Cry Of The Hawk is the easier short commitment, while Reap the Whirlwind: the Battle of the Rosebud, June 1876 asks for more reading time up front.
  • Cry Of The Hawk gives you an earlier look at this author’s shelf, while Reap the Whirlwind: the Battle of the Rosebud, June 1876 leans later in the catalog.
  • Black Sun: The Battle of Summit Springs, 1869 (The Plainsmen Series) is also useful if you want a different publishing lane from Reap the Whirlwind: the Battle of the Rosebud, June 1876.

More Books By Terry C. Johnston

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