Outback Assault

Well set here down under how could I not like this title? Enjoyable read where the author mostly got his facts correct on what he is writing about relating to places and things down here which was refreshing. This title is a little different from his normal work where the author has inserted a much longer plot/storyline and developed the characters introduced a lot more than he usually does resulting in a reduced action scene sections of the title. I don't mind this as the title is a fine read with a good finishing section. Recommended reading in this series.

Another enjoyable Bolan book by Doug. It felt like the plot was similiar to another book where he had a teenager in tow and avoiding the bad guys. His undercover role was well done, and as usual, the action was fast and furious. I especially liked the cafe ambush, along with Bolan sniping at those big-game hunter/mercenary's out in the desert. Yin's character was a nice touch. The finale shootout further solidified this romp.

I enjoyed this book very much. The author did a great job developing interesting and believable characters and pacing the action. His villains were multi-dimensional and intriguing and even more important, consistant. When Bolan begins playing them against one another, the author has established the bad guys' characters well enough that their reactions seem plausible. And as always with this author, the text is extremely well-written.

Out of the few Executioner books I have read so far, because I just started the series, this is the one I liked the most. It was fast-paced, and as the previous reviewer stated- unpredictable. The characters and plot were really well done and I couldn't set this book down. I read it throughout my classes at school. Very good read.

On a routine execution of a Triad mobster in Hong Kong, Bolan uncovers a mysterious “project” that mobsters are killing to protect. The novel is a lean, fast ride with zero-percent fat content. This is a calorie burner that can be easily read in two or three extended sittings. The plot is freeform, imaginative and characterization is authentic to what we’ve seen before. The opposition is smart, and relatively early on, recognizes the threat that Bolan poses. I like the way they hold their disbelief in check and treat him like a real threat. This is the last of the 225-page Executioner novels. Beginning with the next installment, the novels are reverting to their early/mid-‘80s size. Ironically, I remember the penultimate 192-page novel, “Defenders and Believers” where the opening chapter sets up the rest of the book in almost the same way. With one important difference, in “Outback Assault” is set up by a happy accident; in “Defenders” it is by design. What was common the early series, the undercover operations and subterfuge are uncommonly seen in the latter novels. If they are used, they are used for a single scene or a couple of chapters, not at any appreciable length of the novel. I’m glad that the author revisited this tradition. I recommend this unpredictable book.