The Last Coon Hunter Book I Of The Ryland Creek Saga

It was a simpler time as widower Jacob Ernst struggles to raise his two young sons, Nathan and Mead, on their modest farm. They've grown up listening to the nighttime songs of hounds in the pursuit of the wily ringtail. Chasing raccoon through darkened hills, Jacob teaches his sons the legends of their hometown and a deep respect for all woodland creatures. Hunting and the lessons taught keep the Ernst family together. And the brothers bond with their dogs-loyal to one another until the end. For this is Painted Post-a storied place where the lessons of life, love, and death play out beneath its mighty oaks. But worlds collide. Evil follows the Ernst family and their hounds into these mystical hills. The scourge of the illegal drug trade, coupled with the treachery of one of their own, leads to an inevitable showdown. Some will learn that not all of Painted Post's vivid tales are pure legend, and this rugged woodland will wield its own brutal justice. For in the darkest hollows, solid bonds are forged.

It was a simpler time. Widower Jacob Ernst struggles to raise his two young sons, Nathan and Mead, on their modest farm. They've grown up listening to the nighttime songs of hounds in the pursuit of the wily ringtail. Chasing raccoon through darkened hills, Jacob teaches his sons the legends of their hometown and a deep respect for all woodland creatures. For this is Painted Post-a storied place where the lessons of life, love, and death play out beneath its mighty oaks. But worlds collide. Evil follows the Ernsts and their hounds into these mystical hills. The scourge of the illegal drug trade, coupled with the treachery of one of their own, leads to an inevitable showdown. Some will learn not all of Painted Post's vivid tales are pure legend, and this rugged woodland wields a brutal justice. For in the darkest hollows, unbreakable bonds are forged. Fifth anniversary edition includes new material.

It was a simpler time. Widower Jacob Ernst struggles to raise his two young sons, Nathan and Mead, on their modest farm. They've grown up listening to the nighttime songs of hounds in the pursuit of the wily ringtail. Chasing raccoon through darkened hills, Jacob teaches his sons the legends of their hometown and a deep respect for all woodland creatures. For this is Painted Post-a storied place where the lessons of life, love, and death play out beneath its mighty oaks. But worlds collide. Evil follows the Ernsts and their hounds into these mystical hills. The scourge of the illegal drug trade, coupled with the treachery of one of their own, leads to an inevitable showdown. Some will learn not all of Painted Post's vivid tales are pure legend, and this rugged woodland wields a brutal justice. For in the darkest hollows, unbreakable bonds are forged. Fifth anniversary edition includes new material.

It was a simpler time as widower Jacob Ernst struggles to raise his two young sons, Nathan and Mead, on their modest farm. They've grown up listening to the nighttime songs of hounds in the pursuit of the wily ringtail. Chasing raccoon through darkened hills, Jacob teaches his sons the legends of their hometown and a deep respect for all woodland creatures. Hunting and the lessons taught keep the Ernst family together. And the brothers bond with their dogs-loyal to one another until the end. For this is Painted Post-a storied place where the lessons of life, love, and death play out beneath its mighty oaks. But worlds collide. Evil follows the Ernst family and their hounds into these mystical hills. The scourge of the illegal drug trade, coupled with the treachery of one of their own, leads to an inevitable showdown. Some will learn that not all of Painted Post's vivid tales are pure legend, and this rugged woodland will wield its own brutal justice. For in the darkest hollows, solid bonds are forged.

"So you want to be a coon hunter?" Nathan asked gruffly."Y-y-yes, sir, I do!" Jason stuttered.Nathan nodded. "Be at my house tomorrow night around sunset. Your parents know where I live. Wear some good boots and a warm coat--Painted Post won't care how cold you get."Thus begins twelve-year-old Jason Canton's tutelage under the guidance of Nathan Ernst, with his legendary coonhound Seth and somewhat eccentric Uncle Arthur. Jason and his close friends, Bobby and Tara, soon learn the ways of the woods and life, following the call of the hounds in the darkened forests.But something powerful and not entirely of this world has brought malice to the woods of the rural Upstate New York town of Painted Post.This cunning menace will test the skills and courage of Nathan, Jason, and his friends.They must rely on one another to face this threat.They will need the strength of the bond between hunter and dog.They will require an exceptional hound.

In the quiet town of Painted Post, the Ernsts have long been known for their coonhounds and knowledge of the forest. Mead Ernst is a kind but firm man, struggling with the loss of his father and brother. With the help of his wife, Sarah, they raise their children--Lill, John, and Mattie--chasing behind coonhounds in their hometown's forests.Lill Ernst, beautiful but bullied, retreats into the forest. Beneath the trees, she seeks the comfort of being alone. With a rescued bluetick hound named Judge, Lill meets a mysterious woman in the forest who teaches her about life and her own potential.Teenaged Andrew Renthro comes from a different world. He's the son of a long-dead father whose death he believes the Ernst are responsible for causing. Sent by his drug kingpin stepfather to prove his worthiness, Andrew goes to Painted Post to avenge a parent he can't remember.However, the forests the Painted Post don't belong solely to the realm of man. Stories of guiding spirits, ghostly hounds, and hideous beasts abound in this mystical place of wooded hollows, streams, and pathways.Many trails in Ryland Creek converge and diverge in these oak-strewn hills.Some paths lead to redemption, while others end in certain doom.But all have the potential to become legend.

It is often a long path to find one's name.In 1962, young Arthur McCutcheon hails from a well-to-do family who want ivied collegiate walls for him. Instead, Arthur is drawn to the tree-covered hills of Painted Post. Just beginning to explore the forests, Arthur's life is turned upside down by villainous schemes, and his future quickly becomes murky. Thrust into a new world with Renee, his loyal hound, Arthur learns about the woods and life from the venerable Seneca chief, John "Gray Eyes" Cornplanter. It won't be easy as Gray Eyes, his daughter, Mist, and wife, Shell, try to teach the bumbling if eager teenager.But one thing is certain.There's something different about this youth from Painted Post with a foot in both worlds.The exciting prequel to The Last Coon Hunter