Battle Mountain

Battle Mountain by C. J. Box is a riveting, very highly recommended intense thriller and the 25th novel featuring Joe Pickett. This one directly continues the story in Three-Inch Teeth, which I would recommend reading before enjoying Battle Mountain. They are both 5 star reads so this is a win/win suggestion.

Outlaw falconer Nate Romanowski left his daughter in the care of Marybeth and Joe Pickett and is living off grid while following the trail of Axel Soledad the man who murdered Nate's wife. He eliminated three of his followers, but Axel was not there. Later Geronimo Jones finds Nate and the two men set off to track Axel down and make sure he is taken out.

At the same time Governor Rulon asks Joe for a personal favor. His son-in-law show more Mark Eisele and elk hunting guide Spike Rankin have both gone missing. He wants Joe to go down and find him. The two different searches are heading to converge at Battle Mountain.

This is an extremely well-written, un-put-downable, compelling character-driven thriller. The complex, tension-packed, fast-paced narrative follows multiple storylines until everything eventually merges toward the end. The two different searches are equally interesting. The final confrontation is larger than expected and becomes a real showdown.

All the characters are fully realized, complex individuals. At this point, readers know their strengths and weaknesses and the moral dilemmas they have encountered. It certainly helps that I've read several books in the series now and know all the characters, their abilities, the background, and the setting.

Each new Joe Pickett novel I read makes me an even greater fan of C. J. Box. Thanks to Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion. show less

I love Joe Pickett. He's a great character. He's getting older, but he wears his experience well. Joe wants the best for everyone and appreciates peace and quiet. I appreciate Joe. His place in the world is enviable. I would gladly read about his adventures, no matter how ridiculous, for another twenty-five books.

Nate Romanowski, not so much. Apparently, while he was missing in the caves a million books ago, he got a guest spot on Game of Thrones and learned how to warg into his falcon. I forgive a lot in a detective series, but I can't forgive that kind of nonsense. If I want fantasy, I'll read horror or, ya'know, fantasy. He's gone from being a handy guy to have around to a tragic deus ex machina that can't lose in battle. It's show more boring. Nate sucked most of the fun out of the book for me.

I'd welcome Nate's departure from the series. Stick him with the pointy end. Geronimo would make a nice replacement. He's badass, but normal. Kind of like Joe.

I can't rate this with the usual stars. If it were a book about Nate, it would be one mostly undeserved star. Cut Nate out, and I loved it! Sheridan got to shine, and her role made me laugh.

Update 2026:
I decided to reduce this to one star after reading the next book, #26, and thoroughly enjoying it, except for the fleeting appearance of Nate, who is all-knowing and all-seeing. Nate's role in these books has drifted into a fantasy land, where he completely gets away with literal murder and destruction of private and public property, but it's most egregious in this book. His role in #26 is equally stupid. Nate has to go for these books to retain any sense of their original charm.

I know I'm in the minority, but maybe he should be used in a sci-fi romantsy series of his own since he seems to be popular. It could be the pony-tail and all the new-age blather, IDK. Just stop. show less

This is another solid entry in the Joe Pickett, Wyoming game warden, series. The descriptions of Wyoming natural beauty and lifestyle make me homesick, and I appreciate how Joe struggles to stick to his personal code of conduct as a game warden. The plot in this volume got a little too mean and violent in parts, but I think it's reflective of the real life socio-political and economic conflicts that exist in the country today.

A lively and bloody addition to this fine series. A very bad guy returns and is the instigator in trying to wipe out a very large part of the Washington Elite Establishment. Falcons reign and are paramount in saving the day. All the excellent characters play their part well, and the good guys win.

Battle Mountain: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box is the latest in this long running series. While Joe Pickett is certainly in it, this is more of a Nate Romanowski novel. For very good reason as Nate is still on the hunt and his quest for revenge though the trail has gone cold in more ways than one.

Nate is still looking for Axel Soledad. An evil man who has done many horrible things. Nate is going to get him, no matter what. Soledad killed Nate’s wife, Liv, and must die. He knows it won’t bring Liv back. But, every day Soledad breathes is another day that he has lived far too long.

The chase continues this early October as Nate is lowly getting closer and closer to a showdown with Soledad. In a surprising turn of events, Geronimo show more has found Nate high up in a mountain range as he contemplates what to do. Geronimo also wants Soledad dead for going after his wife and child. They survived. But, Geronimo thinks if he and Nate unite in the hunt, they have a better chance of ending the evil man finally before he spills more blood and hurts anyone else.

At the same time this is happening, Governo Rulon wants Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett’s help. His son in law, Mark Eisele, has gone missing as has the elk hunting guide, Joseph “Spike” Rankin. They were preparing for elk hunting season in the vicinity of Battle Mountain in Southern Wyoming. Spike was supposed to let the Governor know every day how his son in law was doing as the man is an outdoor novice with no experience at all. Not only is his daughter and wife starting to worry a little bit, Rulon does not want the local sheriff involved as he is one of those Sovereign Nation idiots, and does not want the media to get wind of anything. Rulon wants Pickett to go down there and find the two men and do it as quietly and discreetly as possible.

One can’t say no to the Governor. Not only is a force of nature, Pickett owes him several times over for past situations. Saying no was never an option.

The result is a fast paced read as various forces converge on Battle Mountain. While you now know the two primary storylines, much more is going on in the read that will culminate in a battle on the mountain. History tends to repeat itself.

As always, politics is present in this read, though in this case it works better for the story and is not so heavy handed as some of the recent reads in the series have been. More than anything, Battle Mountain: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box is an action adventure read with no character development as the primary characters were fleshed out long ago. The read also serves as a great escape from the world madness that infects our lives on a daily basis now.

Strongly recommended.

My digital ARC came by way of the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, through NetGalley with no expectation of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025 show less

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is back--thriller! Battle Mountain is a story of murder and vengeance - good guys vs bad guys. This is a well-written, compelling thriller. Joe and Nate, mostly Nate, chase Axel Soldad, again. #25 is done...where's #26, CJ?

Once again Governor Rulon has asked for Joe Pickett's help to look for his son-in-law who, along with an elk hunter guide, have not been heard from in a day since they set out to scout a suitable spot for a camp. Unknown to Joe, he, Master Facloner's Nate Romanowski & Geronimo Jones where will converge on Battle Mountain to settle the score with an old enemy thought to have died at their last confrontation...Axel Soledad. An excellent addition to the Joe Pickett series.