Death Has a Name

Some hit and miss here, some over the top violence, which isn't always a bad thing, some cookie cutter over the top sadistic villains, bumbling mob bosses and sexy foreign agents. Johnnie makes some rookie mistakes, has some doubts, which is okay in theory but I didn't really like that part. Overall I enjoyed this one.

Well looking at the previous reviews on this title the reader either loved it or hated it and I have to say that I am in the later bunch. I actually mentioned body count in the last review of Dan Schmidt's first title and it relates to this title as well. Some authors I think feel that with the greater the body count the better the title will be received by readers and I am not one of these readers. Sure if you enjoy reading about rivers of blood, body limbs and heads getting blown off every page or so and a violence rating right up there go for it you may in fact enjoy this title, for me I prefer some sort of substance to what I am reading and this one left me cold. Not one I would recommend for reading in this series.

This is one of the best Bolans I've ever read. The late, great Mike McQuaid did a fantastic job on this one. Not only does it kick off with action that (almost) never lets up but the action scenes with all the gore and carnage that comes with them are depicted accurately. There is no sugar-coating or glossing over the outcome of pitched battle. This book also has a lot of heart with Johnny considering leaving his older brother's war. This builds to the point where Mack himself begins to question his motives. Throw in an incredible Gil Cohen cover and you've got a book that is a true winner. This one goes in my Bolan Top Ten! Great stuff!

When I learned that the late Mike McQuay had written a few Bolan novels, I was excited to find them. McQuay had first come to my attention as the author of the novelization of Escape From New York (one of the best movie adaptions I've ever read). He also wrote the excellent hard-boiled PI/SciFi series Matthew Swain. Given these successes, I really wanted to read his interpretation of Bolan. I must say that I have been disappointed. McQuay did spend time and energy in researching the primary setting of Israel. More than a lot of the Bolan novels, you do get a sense of "being there". His writing style is also easy to read. However, I am not really sure he grasped how to write the character of Bolan. The book opens with Bolan about to pull a hit on a mob capo at the man's daughter's wedding. I mean literally in the church during the ceremony. Mack is doing this because it is the only time he can reach the capo. In the end, Mack decides against the hit (which doesn't matter as another character opens fire and starts the story off), but the mere fact that McQuay thinks Mack would consider pulling a hit in such circumstances speaks of a failure to understand the character's legacy. There are these constant "off-the-mark" moments as I was reading the book. Overwrought statements of morality followed by casual destruction and actions taken for no other reason than that the plot of the book demanded it. A constant reference to Bolan deliberately gut-shooting people rather than going for the head or chest. A few chapters that end with "tough" swears that sound more like Bolan is out of control and not the nuanced fighter of the Pendleton era. This book is in the pulpier wing of the Bolan saga. A lengthy car-chase with Bolan, the mob and cops involved and Bolan and the mob getting way. Bolan getting jumped repeatedly by groups of enemies and fighting them hand-to-hand. Bolan and a group of vigilante Israelis being the only group available to oppose a large organized terrorist wave within Israel itself (I mean, come on! Israel is more heavily-armed than Texas. A major terrorist strike would bring out everything but the kitchen sink). The primary non-mob villian - Abba - is literally a giggling psychopath who is introduced to us in a scene where he shoots a cat to show us how evil he is. I didn't like the way Bolan's character was written toward his brother Johnny. Bolan was too ignorantly hard on his brother at times...at others seemed too inclined to accept the danger Johnny posed due to his relative inexperience. It really grates on my sensibilities as Mack was so damn adamant about Johnny not being near him during the Mafia wars (I know, I know...times change...but for crikes-sake...at least honor the characters by remembering Mack's love for his brother and the seriousness of what they are doing. Mack would not permit Johnny to be with him if he didn't really think Johnny could handle the situations they are going into). On other issues, McQuay makes a common "rookie" mistake by putting a noise suppressor on a revolver...and suppressing a .357 mag to boot. Suppressors only work on automatics (OK, OK, there is an old Russian revolver...but that is the exception) and an effective suppressor for a .357mag would be the length and width of my fore-arm. After the beginning of the book, Mack appears to lose his 93-R and Big Thunder and is using a suppressed MAC-10, a Linda carbine and a .38 revolver while in Israel. Given that location, using Uzis would have made more sense....but that is me. The .38 makes the least sense, but I don't think Mack ever fires the thing. I did like some of the ideas that McQuay brings up in the book. There are some interesting passages where Johnny is worried about how the Endless War is affecting his brother's mind. That Mack is losing touch with reality and becoming psychotic with the violence. Mack beginning to suffer from the pressure of constant combat operations is a realistic touch in a fairly pulpy book. I think this book was worth reading once...but I am not sure I would read it ever again. Tim Phillips

This is one of my favorite Executioner novels after Don Pendleton's original 38. Probably my favorite part of this one is the fact that Johnny Bolan is so important to the story. You see he is beggining to have doubts as to why his brother is continuing his constant crusade. But after falling in love with an Isrealli woman and her brutal murder he is reassured why his brother fights the way he does. You really see Johnny blossum into a man in this book, and while he is no where near the combatant his brother is he has become an exceptional one by any standard. This book is a must read!

This is an exceptional novel, not only in the fact that Bolan faces the deadliest combination of enemies in his career, but for the fact that he looks like he could very well lose simply because he's lost the will to fight. I'm surprised that some people mention the imperfection of Johnny Bolan as a fighting machine, especially since a major subplot of this book is Johnny actually growing up. Golly, just because your last name is Bolan doesn't make you some unstoppable fighting machine. Mack learned his skills in Vietnam, perfected them against the Mafia, and kept them sharp in brutal conflict with the KGB. Johnny was... a Navt medic, and might have taken a bit of training with Mack after Resurrection Day. Of course he's not going to be the superprofessional, and Mike McQuay has the brains to write him like this. But what really stands out in this book is the fact that Bolan is facing massive shocks to his system. He's encountering self-doubt of a crushing level, and if anything, that makes his eventual victory at the end of the book all the more satisfying because the hero has gone through a further maturation process. Bolan faced his pain, his grief, and his doubt, and showed himself to be able to win despite his own pains and losses. The suicide bombers are especially relevant in today's troubled times, and the villains in this book could have been plucked from yesterday's headlines. If you want for any more action and adventure from this novel, perhaps you should stand between the targets at the end of a Marine Corps Force Recon firing range for a 30,000 round full-auto session. That should give you the kind of action you want.

Dear Readers, Hello, my name is the book "Death has a Name," and I am crap. Why, do you ask? Because I am a betrayal of all that can be good in the extreme action smorgasbord of the Executioner series. My biggest mistake is having ridiculously underdeveloped characters, like Johnny's dumb dead girlfriend and that Orange-juice selling member of the Mossad. Another thing that sucks harder than the nightfighter's iron determination about me is that I barely have any action at all, and when I do my author barely even bothered to describe it. For example, at the end of me, having saved the poor trapped harried hassidic hostages, Bolan just magically drives his way out of a compound while thousands of terrorists fire automatic weapons at him and the escapees who run behind. Total number of them that die? Zero. I know that Bolan books aren't usually realistic, but the the great Bolan scribes (like the Don and C. Cunningham) at least don't make them silly. The fact is, I have only one redeeming quality: the daring accuracy of my information about Isreali geography and the nefarious link between the anti-semetic American mafia and the terrorist Palestinians. But I know that even such details don't make up for all the boring love scenes and such. I am such a stupid book. Mike has something to apologize for for writing me. Sincerely, Death Has a Name

This was an exceptional book. I really liked the examination of who Mack is. The Sabra woman in Isreal calling him crazy was an interesting comment. He does have to be a little bit crazy to fight an almost unwinnable war like this. The villians well the Arabs seemed like ordinary Arab villians nothing really stood out. The scene where the Arab willingly blew out his brains was odd. I know there are some who will blow themselves up in order to take out others but for doing it just to make a point. Seemed just odd. Also suicide bombers seemed to have been coming out of the woodwork. I know there are many in reallife who do this but this many? The mafia guy. Evil but it was interesting that line about common criminals don't kill women and children was a good comment. I liked how the writer showed that as evil the mafia is at least there is a line they won't cross. Also did the mafia boss's daughter ever get married. The real downside is what a freaking idiot Johnny was. Maybe there was a reason Mack went alone without him? Calling up the Sabra girl to meet him was beyond idiotic. She died for absolutely no reason and Johnny was 100 percent responsible for getting her killed. At least he has to live with it. Mack what a great characterization. Really liked how he came in terms with fighting and religiion. Religion is usually not looked at in the novels but his views on religion was examined. The action was also good especially the scene at the Wailing Wall. Overall a very supurb novel. Not perfect but close.

I read Mike McQuay's stuff before and was happy to see him write Bolan. I was in for a surprise, this stuff is better than his previos work I've read! He truly is a gifted writer, this is one of those Bolan books you must read if you havn't already. I liked the setting in this story, and it's always good to see Johnny in a book. Great stuff.

Except for a few dated references, here's a 15 year old book that reads like it could have been written yesterday. Some good work by McQuay, especially in the way he managed to incorporate Bolan's War Against the Mafia and an above-average pairing with his brother in a fast-paced tale with a ring of truth and a real sense of relevance. Worth tracking down.

Easily in the top 5 best books in the series (continuing with the trend started with #91). The battle at the Wall begs to be reread over and over again.

An excellent Bolan brothers story. This one was very insightful to Mack's character and his relationship with his brother. A non-stop actioner.

Very good entry. Fast paced action from the getgo. I liked the in sight into Bolans character in this one. It shows us how he views his private war may have turned him into nothing more than killing machiene with no feelings.

Great book. The Bolan brothers are alive and working together in another thriller by Mike McQuay

This was when Mack was at his peak. Working with Johnny, and fighting a battle in which he faced his most difficult trials, nearer to death than he'd ever gotten before, this is the Executioner's finest moment. Bolan's near defeat being averted by the "return" of April Rose, and his own arising from the ashes, with his brother Johnny also having been reforged by the loss of a true love, this book was one of the best emotional roller coaster rides in the series. It's my personal favorite of the Executioner series.

Very good. It was good to see the Bolan brothers fighting side by side.