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    Bull Mountain
    Bull Mountain
    Bull Mountain
    Audiobook9 hours

    Bull Mountain

    Written by Brian Panowich

    Narrated by Brian Troxell

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel

    From a remarkable voice in Southern fiction comes a multigenerational saga of crime, family, and vengeance.

    Clayton Burroughs comes from a long line of outlaws. For generations, the Burroughs clan has made its home on Bull Mountain in North Georgia, running shine, pot, and meth over six state lines, virtually untouched by the rule of law. To distance himself from his family’s criminal empire, Clayton took the job of sheriff in a neighboring community to keep what peace he can. But when a federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms shows up at Clayton’s office with a plan to shut down the mountain, his hidden agenda will pit brother against brother, test loyalties, and could lead Clayton down a path to self-destruction.

    In a sweeping narrative spanning decades and told from alternating points of view, the novel brilliantly evokes the atmosphere of the mountain and its inhabitants: forbidding, loyal, gritty, and ruthless. A story of family—the lengths men will go to protect it, honor it, or in some cases destroy it—Bull Mountain is an incredibly assured debut that heralds a major new talent in fiction.

    “Prose as punchy as rapid-aged whiskey.”—Esquire
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJul 7, 2015
    ISBN9781490684253
    Bull Mountain
    Author

    Brian Panowich

    Brian Panowich is an award winning author, a Georgia firefighter, and a father to four incredible children. His first novel, Bull Mountain, was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, ITW Thriller Award winner for Best First Novel, Southern Book Prize winner, and a finalist for both the Anthony and the Barry Awards. He lives in Georgia with his family.

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    Reviews for Bull Mountain

    4/5

    191 ratings28 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Great Book, Superb Listen! Really enjoyed both the story and the reading of it. Highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      If you are a fan of southern grit lit, you may really like this. I've had this book on my bookshelf for a while now but just finally bumped it up when I saw a few reviews from my friends. I wish I would have read it a long time ago. So now I sit here with a book hangover. You know the kind when you read something that you really liked? You can't stop thinking about it and wonder how you can pick a next book to move on to. The struggle is real. The positive side is there is a second book that was released.

      What I think went really well here is how the author laid out the generational story of the family. Back to when it started in the early days of running moonshine, up through changing to pot, and finally into meth. The change in history of how to defend the land and business from shotguns up through military grade assault weapons. They are their own army and have their own code for life. Even the change of each generation within the family.

      There is a moment in the story when all the players and motives becomes crystal clear to the reader and I had to take a moment and give a nod of appreciation to the author. So well done. I can't speak to it because I don't want to flag my review as a spoiler. But there was a definite "a ha" moment.
    • 4/5
      The Burroughs family has maintained its own, private crime kingdom on Bull Mountain in Georgia for generations. Each member of the family goes into the family's business comprised of illegal alcohol, drugs, guns and murder. The sole exception is Clayton, who becomes county sheriff, but who stupidly never gets far from Bull Mountain. Apparently no female children were ever born into this family, but they were such a charming group that I wouldn't put it past them to have drowned all female infants at birth. Also apparently, no law enforcement in Georgia gave a damn about the family's criminal activities, not even Clayton. However, in 2015 a federal agent named Simon Holly shows up with a proposal to put a stop to the family business, although it's never quite clear why he wants to get involved in this cesspool. While this book was well written and I never felt like abandoning it, I can't say that it was a pleasant experience. Each of the Burroughs, their colleagues and business associates was loutish, ignorant crude and generally awful. The book was extremely violent and every single person in it was despicable, except for a prostitute with a heart of gold who shows up about half way through the book. It was just one horrific event after another. Some readers might find the ending positive, but I would disagree. While reading this I had a really hard time keeping the family relationships straight. I finally had to write out a list of the cast of characters for myself. Now I'd like to wipe that cast out of my mind. I didn't dislike the book. I just thought it was kind of unnecessary to write about these people. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
    • 4/5
      Set largely in a secluded mountain overlooking a small Georgia town, “Bull Mountain” follows the dark and tragic story of the outlaw Burroughs family. “Burroughs” is synonymous with violence in the surrounding area, and violence is what protected the family’s moonshine and drugs businesses, as well as the mountain itself, from perceived threats for over half a century. Clayton Burroughs breaks the mold by becoming the town's sheriff, but the sins of his father continue to plague him. When ATF agent Simon Holly brings him a deal to shut down the family business peacefully, Clayton sees it as the only way to protect his family from an otherwise bloody ending. But will his brother Halford listen to reason, or will history repeat itself?

      This story is compelling and effortless to follow even with so many 3rd person narratives spread out over decades, starting with great-uncle Riley Burroughs. Surprisingly the different parts flow well together despite not always being linear and the characters feel genuine. Clayton struggles not only with remaining loyal to his family while trying to do what he knows to be right, but also with alcoholism that has strained his marriage. Halford now runs the mountain, self-righteously refusing to be moved. All of this leads to a big twist that will have you questioning which brother is the most honorable, or whether their blood has damned them all.
    • 3/5
      I was prepared to like Bull Mountain more than I did. It’s not a bad story – it kept me reading, the characters are good, the setting is captivating. I think maybe because it was sold as literary fiction, but it’s not. I don’t know. I’m conflicted. There’s quite a bit here where I was busy telling myself, nah, that isn’t happening. Enough times to take me out of the story. The ATF agent, Simon Holly, is basically wrong all around. Despite all that, I’ll probably read the follow-up novel. Like I said – conflicted.
    • 4/5
      Good storytelling... Kept me wanting to know what was going to happen. Looking forward to the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      First half is back stories, second half all the dots start connecting; becomes a real page turner.
    • 5/5
      Good drama and suspense and a few surprises. But the character development and presentation make the story. It is no surprise they call it bull mountain.
    • 5/5
      Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich is a 2016 G.P. Putnam’s Son’s publication. Southern Literature, organized crime, and a family drama all rolled into one book. Usually, the ‘black sheep’ of the family means the odd guy out- but in an unsavory way. Clayton Burroughs is most definitely the odd guy out in his family- but in this case, he is the only one in his family who walks on the right side of the law. In fact, he’s a sheriff in a neighboring community, while his brother runs the family business on Bull Mountain, located in Northern Georgia. Their family empire, which has been run by the Burroughs for generations, began with bootlegging, then branched out into drugs- first pot, and now meth. Clayton is devoted to his wife, and wants to keep the peace, which means giving his mean hard-bitten brother and his criminal enterprise a wide berth. But when an ATF agent shows up, he lures Clayton into helping him shut ‘the mountain’ down. Naturally, the plan throws Clayton a few unforeseen curveballs, pitting one brother against the other, and leading to a dreaded, but unavoidable family showdown….I passed on this book five years ago, when it was first released. I found my way back to it when ‘Hard Cash Valley’ was released. I didn’t make the connection at first- but soon realized that HCV was the third book in the Bull Mountain series- so I decided to do a quick catch up- I entered into this one with a small amount of trepidation, mainly due to some misleading trendy, sub-genre labels attached to it, which now that I’ve read it, didn’t do the book justice. However, I discovered this book is right up my alley! I loved it! I love southern fiction, I love family sagas, and I love crime fiction. I especially love it when a book can mingle these genres into one book and do so with style… literary style, at that. I had a hard time finding anyone who had the same insights into this novel that I did- so this may seem way out of left field – but I found a strong parallel between the Burroughs family and many fictional mob families. To me, many of the same elements are present- an organized crime operation- loyalties, backstabbing, deep family dramas, cold-blooded criminals, tons of gritty violence, a hint of Greek or Shakespearian tragedy- any of that sound familiar? The difference is, of course, that instead of Italy, New York, or Chicago, this book is set in the mountains of Northern Georgia and it is a much smaller, tight knit group- although the enterprise reaches far and wide. We also have Clayton Burroughs- a conflicted hero- such a well- drawn character- flawed, but determined to break the chain – but in the end will he lack the courage of his own convictions? This is really, really good stuff!! The story may be violent and rough, the characters without conscience, mean, and heartless, with no redeemable traits, they may not speak eloquently, or live opulently, although they are surely deceptively comfortable financially- but this book is not raw! It is not stark, or sparse- it is way too polished for some of the tags and labels applied to it. The characters are hardly one dimensional and the novel does not rely heavily on the action to carry it. In fact, it is deeply psychological, even quiet at times- very high in suspense, and nearly impossible to put down. I have already stared book two and I can tell I an going to like it- maybe as much as I did this one
    • 5/5
      A crime family epic in spare prose. Like Ted Lewis moved to northern Georgia. A great read.
    • 5/5
      An impressive fiction debut from author Brian Panowich, "Bull Mountain" is gritty North Georgia Noir, featuring an unforgettable clan of criminal minds and their extended reach of cousins and cohorts. The Burroughs family has deep roots on Bull Mountain, as deep as the roots of the big, old trees that have stood silent witness as generations have come and gone while the mountain holds it ground. As the story weaves back and forth through time, the Burroughs money-making method of madness morphs from moonshine, to pot, to meth, and their trafficking territory blurs through at least half a dozen state lines. One Burroughs, Clayton, has defied his deviant family lineage and become the sheriff of McFalls County, and the county line encloses Bull Mountain. Federal Agent Simon Holly approaches Clayton with a plan to bring down the family drug empire, run by Clayton's older brother, Hal, as a means to reel in the bigger fish, Hal's criminal connection in Florida. Agent Holly is offering immunity for Hal if he turns informant against the Florida organization, particularly their leader, a man named Wilcombe. The alternative, if Clayton and Hal don't cooperate, is an all-encompassing invasion of Bull Mountain, promising mass destruction and an inevitable loss of life. Clayton knows his brother all too well, but he agrees to speak with Hal and advise him of the offer. The bad blood between the brothers runs far deeper than Clayton's choice of career. It's much more than outlaw versus "the law". Clayton will go up the mountain, but will he make it back down alive? A darkly compelling tale from author Brian Panowich. Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
    • 3/5
      Multi-generation country noirReview of the Audible Audio edition (2015) narrated by Brian TroxellTW = brutal violence & assaultThe background settings and the characterizations of brutality passed down through the generations were well handled here. The ending twist did seem overly simplified though and a bit of a bait and switch, which left this reader somewhat irritated. The narration by Brian Troxell was well done especially with the number of lawmen, gruff mountain men and biker outlaws that were required alongside several female roles.Trivia and LinksThis is followed by a prequel short story (written later) called "The Broken King" (2019) and a sequel novel "Like Lions" (2019). All of the English audio editions for those are narrated by Brian Troxell as well.
    • 4/5
      Really good story, well-drawn characters, and an interesting angle. Looking forward to more from this writer.
    • 5/5
      Bull Mountain is the Burroughs family. The Burroughs family is Bull Mountain. Even if you leave Bull Mountain, such as the novel's protagonist, Sheriff Clayton Burroughs, Bull Mountain is still in your blood. For generations, the Burroughs, have lived on Bull Mountain engaging in a variety of criminal activity trafficking in moonshine, pot, and meth. Clayton is the only one of the family to abandon the criminal activity by moving off Bull Mountain; however, Bull Mountain is not through with him. Recently, an ATF agent has approached Clayton with a proposal. If he can convince Halforth, his older brother to give up a business partner in Jacksonville, Harforth will not be prosecuted. Clayton will now need to re-enter the world of Bull Mountain and, somehow, try to convince his brother, a task which will, more than likely, fail.Unfortunately, I can't give you additional detail without spoiling the book for new readers. The author described the characters and setting well. In fact, these literary elements were so well developed that I knew this was one place I wanted to avoid. Several chapters were back stories but read easily, especially since each chapter began with the date and the character on deck. The violence can be very descriptive; however, what would you expect from a book described as the "Hillbilly Godfather." Brain Panowich is a new favorite author which is more meaningful since he is from my home town--for now.
    • 4/5
      Recommended by KMT. Surprisingly mature first novel. Portrayal of rural south and its people seemed flawless throughout. Recommended reading from the author following the book was appreciated.
    • 2/5
      wish I could give it a better rating I just could not get in to it
    • 5/5
      Fantastic story! Depth of character. Interesting location. Age old story of revenge for your mother's honor. Very enjoyable all the way around. I really wanted an epilogue on this one. It was a story I never wanted to end.
    • 4/5
      Brilliant debut novel from Panowich. A gripping read,highly recommended for fans of crime fiction.
    • 5/5
      First this book had been on my radar for sometime then after two recommendations from two of my favorite independent bookstores I moved this book to the top of the pile. Thank you Sally for telling me I needed to push this one to the top.

      I was not disappointed, Brian Panowich knows how to weave a story from the opening lines to the bread crumbs dangled through the story to the boo yah ending.

      Fans of the Elmore Leonard you have another author to follow. You are introduced to the Burroughs clan ruthless, lawless and unforgiving they have been running shine, pot and meth for generations and have remained untouched by the law. Only one of the Burroughs brothers has chosen not to go into the family business and has chosen the very thing the rest of the family hates. Clayton chose the law and is the Sheriff of the neighboring community to attempt some peace with his family.

      Panowich uses alternating narration from various members of the family through several decades. He does this with ease and each voice fits in place like a puzzle slowly unfolding with a powerful blast of each new revelation. All of course has been running smoothly until an ATF agent roles into town with an offering to give the Burroughs clan immunity if they will help them fry the bigger fish they are after that is transporting illegal firearms across state lines.

      Of course this agent has a hidden agenda and is working off the books and this agenda is tied very closely to the Burroughs family. Clayton just wants whats best for his family and stay on the right path he chose when he came off of Bull Mountain and away from the violent past of his family.

      Even better this is a debut novel I cannot wait for the next book Panowich offers up.
    • 4/5
      AUTHOR: Panowich, BrianTITLE: Bull MountainDATE READ: 01/09/16RATING: 4.5/B+GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS Crime Fiction / 2015 / Random House / 287 pgs SERIES/STAND-ALONE: SACHARACTERS AUTHOR: Clayton Burroughs/ sherrif in N GATIME/PLACE: Present, Bull Mountain, GAFIRST LINES "Family" the old man said to no one. COMMENTS: This book has been described as hillbilly noir. The setting is in Northern GA -- Bull Mountain is an isolated area where generations of Burroughs have ruled -- their business has been moonshine, weed and now meth. They have been self-contained for years. The need for more protection leads them to Jacksonville, FL where they secure guns from the Jackals motorcycle group. When a Federal agent appears in Bull Mountain the Burroughs reign may be over soon. Clayton has turned a blind-eye to most of what happens on Bull Mountain but now he is forced to get involved. Great debut!
    • 5/5
      This story covers several generations of Burroughs men, and sometimes it can be difficult keeping track as it jumps around. You may be current day with Clayton, then be in the 50s, 70s or 80s with Clayton's brother, father, grandfather or some other relative.Clayton is the Burroughs man that "turned good" in a family of men that have broken many laws to maintain their way of life. Clayton's family lives in the mountains of Georgia, where they have lived and died for generations, fueling their way of life with the trafficking of moonshine, marijuana and meth-- and guns. Now Agent Holly has a plan to take the family down once and for all, with the help of Clayton.For TV lovers, this book is Justified meets Longmire meets Sons of Anarchy. If you are familiar with the residents of Harlan County, then you'll be right at home with the Burroughs gang. Clayton has a Walt Longmire vibe, and then you can throw in a biker gang to boot.My final word: Clayton is the hero you can root for, and it's hard to feel too bad for his kith and kin as their livelihoods are threatened. Clayton's wife Kate is admirable and sympathetic, having battled with Clayton's demons for years. There is a nice twist or two in the story to keep things interesting. I really loved the author's writing, and I was already a fan of the subject material (I love southern lit and stories about Appalachian mountain families and the like). The jumping back and forth between different perspectives and time periods can be tricky to navigate, but you settle into the format and it does get easier as the story goes on. There is nice tension and suspense, a couple of twists and turns, some colorful characters with some very good character development. However one area I felt it fell short was in the character development of Agent Holly. This book is going to make it to my "Best of 2015" list. I loved it!
    • 5/5
      Bull Mountain, by Brian Panowich, is an amazing, addictive, and horrifying read. It immerses the reader into a ruthless criminal family that operates from Bull Mountain in rural Georgia. The incredible story covers many decades of the colorful and shockingly violent characters who assume family (and criminal organization) leadership. Clayton, a family member who left the Bull Mountain compound to become sheriff of a small town at the bottom of the mountain strives to keep the peace, but mostly stays away from his nefarious family. However, a federal officer approaches him about a plan to decriminalize Clayton’s family on Bull Mountain. However, that undertaking is not popular in the mountain compound. This is a complex, but compelling story with lots of twists and turns, including many minor storylines, and many interesting characters. It takes the reader back and forth from current day to the criminal leadership of Clayton’s grandfather, to his father’s ruthless reign, and to his brother’s savage domination on the mountain. It’s a terrific and riveting debut book by Panowich.
    • 5/5
      This book is full of surprises from beginning to end. Suspenseful amd raw and vindictive, this is an amazing first novel. I look forward to reading more from him!
    • 5/5
      Wow! Can't believe this is the author's first book. The story of a rural family dynasty, that started with bootlegging, then growing and selling pot, and of course finally Meth. Mean rural rough people, a kill or be killed belief system. With a really good twist on this classic type story. I can't wait for another book by this author.
    • 4/5
      Over the past few years, I’ve read pretty widely in the Grit Lit corner of the book world, which made me somewhat skeptical of Bull Mountain at first. Though I was impressed by Panowich’s writing from the first paragraph, there was little else helping it stand out from its peers—until about halfway through, when a twist in the narrative sets off a chain of events that makes the book nearly impossible to put down. I wasn’t thrilled by a change at the tail end of the novel, but still highly recommend picking it up.
    • 4/5
      Clayton Burroughs is the only member of his family not involved in its crime network. He,instead became the Sheriff. His family had ruled Bull Mountain in Northern Georgia for generations first with moonshine, than marijuana and lastly meth. They are a hard people, not adverse to killing those who try to get in their way. We learn something about each generation though most of the story takes place in the current one, with one brother dead and two facing off against each other. A surprise is thrown into the mix with the arrival of a federal agent, Agent Holly, and he will be the match6 that sets off the fire. He though has his own secrets, his own story.This is a tightly structured book, suspenseful, intriguing and violent. A novel about fathers and sons, about money and expectations, retribution and revenge. If you have read Deliverance, you know not to wander around in the mountains, although this is set in a different place it reinforces that viewpoint. I think this is the first book I have read that almost every character has either shot someone, been shot or been seriously maimed.
    • 5/5
      My of my, what a book! I literally couldn’t put it down. A story dealing with sins of the father and revenge, it has excellent, strong character development and a well-developed plot. His writing reminds me of Dennis Lehane’s work. It’s a gritty book but it has a true soul.At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this one or not. The description of hillbilly noir turned me off a bit. I thought it might be more geared towards men than women and be a bit too violent. Yes, there’s plenty of violence and some strong language but it’s not done in a sensational manner. It’s necessary to the story. Plus there’s a heart stopping love story that brings such richness to the novel. And many women will relate and care strongly about the character of Marion. I’m very glad I gave this one a chance.While the author does jump around between characters and time quite a bit, I didn’t find it confusing. He always included something in the beginning of each section that brought me back to that place and time. This is a very compelling story that you won’t soon forget. I’ll be keeping my eye out for this author’s next book.I was given a copy of this book by First to Read in return for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      Some books you read, other books you experience. This is one you experience.Brian Panowich has a natural feel for setting and characterization. Rather than describing the surroundings to me, he picked me up and put me there. The characters came alive, displaying all the quirks of real people. I felt what it was like to live in these southern mountains, with these people who call the mountain their own. The dialogue is also masterful. Characters all have unique voices, both in word choices and in the rhythm of their speech. Conversations feel natural, never forced for the purposes of the story.The one drawback for me is that the story moves back and forth in time. We don't spend nearly as much time in the present as I'd have liked. We go back into previous generations, getting to know other family members and seeing how we got to where we are. The switches are handled well, but also make it a challenge to stay in the moment and feel the urgency. This won't bother some readers at all. But, if you're like me and prefer a more linear story, this one is largely told through the past. Despite that, I fully enjoyed the author's style and I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.