Boston Blitz

WOW!! Best book in the series so far. What the hell we're those idiots thinking snatching Val & Johnny. I loved the way mack starts right in as he blows into town. "Tell them I'm here tell them some one knows why" the way he rattles the cages around town reminded me of #62 Day of morning. When he thought those 2 turkeys were Val and Johnny thats some of the best writing in the series. All in all a masterpiece. Get this if you havnt read it and READ IT!! 10 stars.

Ever since Mack Bolan’s war began, Valentina, the woman heloves, and his brother Johnny have been hidden in Boston. Now they have been kidnapped and Bolan wants them back. However, with the mob splintered in Boston it’s not ever clear who has taken them so Mack is forced to play detective the only way he knows how; with lots and lots of bullets. When two mutilated corpses turn up matching Bolan’s loved ones, The Executioner goes ballistic like we haven’t seen before. I have heard that this was one of Don Pendleton’s favourite books to write and it shows. I had given War Against the Mafia a perfect score in part due to its historical significance, but word for word this is by far the best Executioner book written to this point. The story is tense, you really get in to the vengeful mind of Bolan, the action scenes are as good as can be and Pendleton was at the top of his game. There are a lot of classic moments that I don’t want to spoil here. The majority of the supporting characters have already been introduced in previous books so the reader is already attached to them. The mobsters aren’t a strong focus but that makes sense as Bolan spends the majority of the book trying to hunt them down so we’re in the dark as much as he is. The previous two books have had rather vague primary antagonists and this book continues the trend, but ‘Al 88’ is a lot more interesting to me, probably because we do at least meet his wife. If there’s any flaw in this book is that it’s too short, possibly leading to Pendleton condensing some sequences. Twice in the book Bolan goes on a massive blitz, even killing 52 people in one of his attacks. This is summarized to the reader in about a paragraph. On one hand, this is screaming out to be a SuperBolan so we could see what happened. However, the book is already action packed and sometimes things are better left to the imagination. If Pendleton couldn’t have come up with two more blow away scenes I’m glad he left it vague. The finale also seems a little rushed but that’s just nitpicking at this point. Executioner Kill count: Approximately 130

I recently re-read this book. It is one that I enjoyed very much because it shows the human side of Bolan. In the first book "War against the Mafia" Bolan's human side is very apparent and it draws the reader close to the cause that he is fighting. The Boston Blitz is another reminder of the reason for the campaign against the Mafia and it brings it to life. I liked the treatment of the character Books. I thought the treatment of this character was well done. It showed a corrupted character and I felt put a more personal face on the mafia. There is a definite contrast between books and some of the other hired guns. The complexity of having a fragmented territory was well done and helped create the sense of chaos that added to the story line. I always enjoy the character "Leo Turrin" and felt that his involvement really adds to the storyline as well. Great book!

"Tell them I'm here! Tell them somebody knows why! Tell them!" So opens the Boston Blitz where the Big Guy has come to try and rescue Val and brother Johnnie who have been kidnapped and by early evening, all of Greater Boston knew that the Executioner was there. Starting off with some smaller locations and lesser ranking members of the Mob it doesn't take long for the upper echelon to become aware and a hastily called meeting takes place at a Gun and Hunt club where some excellent sections take place with the attack on the gun club and 22 bodies are later located amid the destruction and the Big Guy is only getting warmed up. More destruction of Mob holdings and massive casualties occur until he is informed that indeed the two will be delivered to him at a certain location where he awaits and a bundle is thrown onto the road. The contents of the bundle which is a male and female who have undergone disgusting torture cause the Big Guy to explode with rage and he continues his assault on anything Mob related with unbridled fury and as a result spills information of a mysterious character who is one of the bigs of big a guy who actually dines at the White House a guy who could bring down the government. In the succeeding two hours, Bolan blitzed a path across that north Boston suburb which left, by the most reliable count, 52 dead men strewn in his wake resulting in an irate police inspector to declare, "This guy has gone bananas. He's ripping through this town like an enraged rogue elephant, and you've goddammit got to stop him! I don't care how you go about it or what you have to do, but I want you to stop this crazy bastard!" When Leo finally manages to make contact we get an insight into what sort of condition the Big Guy is in. FINALLY aware that the two turkeys are not Val and Johnnie he allows a meet to be set up where they will be returned to him intact and the brilliant finish to the title is to be read. The finishing epilogue is tear shedding stuff if you love this character don't be surprised if you get a bit misty eyed at the end of this title. Superb read here folks one of the absolute best titles in the original series and this is HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended reading to you if you have not had the pleasure of reading this yet. Do yourself a favour.

Whoooooooahhhhhh... Talk about unleashed rage!!! From the beginning to the San Francisco, we've seen Mack in different modes of combat as a thinking and moving machine with disdan for Mafia. This one completely made it personal for Mack, his rage in Boston is simply too awesome to behold. Imagine an Viking Berserker in modern times Mack Bolan. I got a sense of a human being completely enraged that is barely in control. There wasn't a big Mafia presence in Boston like there were in other cities; however, Mack manages to unearth a plot of having a Mob figure high up in social circles. I gave this one a 10! Any time I look at this book, I'll remember the barely restrained rage while he was looking for Val and Johnny. I'm betting in that wake of the unleashed rage he left in Boston, the Mafia hoods took notice to leave his family alone. You can't afford to miss this one, this is where it shows Mack's true side! Sig

I've given my 4-straight 8 (books 9-12) as I obviously like the series. This was a great read seeing the angry warrior looking for Val/Johnny. The only real negative would be how he knew where all the small mafiaoso were located and operated in Boston. However, the positives in the book greatly outnumbered this one criticism. I though the journal Pendleton put in expressing Bolan's thoughts was a great idea. This provides the reader with an ever identifying character that he/she can relate to and understand. The battle sequence ending the book was one of the most well-written in all of Pendleton's Executioners. Bolan was on a mission and it was evident during the last few pages.

This is an emotional and personal battle for the weary warrior delivering his wrath Bolan style from coast to coast in one day. I did find it strange how well Bolan has the underground information intially in the book since hehas been jettsetting from San Fransisco to Boston in lights peed. It is clear from the beginning that Bolan will do anything to find Johnny and Val and if that meant burning down Boston in the process then so it and no one was going to stop him from delivering his message anyway possible. The Mafia boys have always though of Bolan as a menace or a bug to crush but making a fatal mistake like snatching someone close to him is a fatal mistake in every sense of these words. Instead of burning Bolan they burned their own ass and their future in a hell fire never seen before with Bolan out to kill no matter who was in his way while the Mafia boys were sitting on their hot prisoners and making mistakes after mistakes in the process. With wrath of anger in his heart and being fast and furious Bolan delivers execution style those ever stupid Mafia boys to his knees. This book was not a solid as I had hoped for and there are much better one during this Mafia war time but I am not complaining now. Read this one and enjoy the pain, the anger and the intensive feeling of a man on a personal mission…the mission of life (Iceland – 2008)

Recently read translated verision of this (have not been able to locate original yet) It still rocked. Scene where Scarpatta and Ignanni are stopped by executioner welt incredibly real in all aspects.

I recently finished reading this book a second time, and it was still as good as I remembered it. This was one of the best titles Pendleton wrote, with the action again centering on Bolan's roots. The book has a sense of urgency from first page to last, which would be even more intense to a first time reader who didn't know from later books that Johnny survived. Even though I had that part figured out, there were plenty of intricacies to the story to make it a wild ride --even for us seasoned Bolan readers.

Three words: Scorched Earth Baby!!!! The Mafia only thought they had seen hell on earth before now,once they snatched Johnny and Val they inadvertently pried the furnace doors open and felt the fires themselves. Talk about opening up the can of whoop-ass!

Ok this book should be the model of how all Bolan books should be written. Yes there was a logic problem which was how did he get from San Fransisco to Boston in one day with all his weapons. I also had a problem about how he knew where and who owned all the small mafia shops when he first hit Boston. Here is what all books should have: The Record: A one chapter journal by Mack on what he is doing and his thoughts on the case. This to me was such a brilliant idea. I really loved this concept. Yes after 400+ novels his thoughts on life could get repetitive but why not about the case itself and his thoughts on the case. I don't even think any books today mention he keeps a journal. -------------------------------------- I also loved how out of control Mack was when he believed Val and Johnny were dead. I also loved how later writers stuck to the impulsiveness of Johnny and how at times he just doesn't think. His act of bravado protecting Val's honor was idiotic and could have been answered with a bullet. Also telling a classmate about who is big brother is was so idiotic it defy's mentioning. This is the same Johnny in Death Has a Name and Resurrection Day. All 3 novels I wanted to slap him. I swear he is a Bolan just in name. I also liked how Val finally understood what Mack is fighting for. She is a great woman that Mack has in his corner. I also liked how Leo's character is growing and how tough it must be to play 3 sides and be in balance. Mack's side, letting the mafia think he is on their side and being with the Justice Department. Even though this books had some logic flaws the strength of how Mack was written and that tremendous chapter The Record makes it a 10.

This was Bolan at his best. He's fighting above and beyond his normal call to duty, and he just slams his way through the mob. The moment where he thought that Johnny and Val were dead, and he shut down, my heart broke, and I fell in tune with the killing machine that the Mafia fucked up and created. If they thought a cold, calculating Executioner was hell on Earth, one in berserker mode was a horror that they would beg the covering of mountains, not monuments, to die and escape.

Blitz This one has it all, the speed, the fury of a Bolan Blitz. "Tell them I'm here.... Tell them somebody knows why!" Could have made a signature phrase to equal Arnies "I'll be back!" Action, emotion, a plenty. DP uses Johnny & Val as the perfect foil, this is one of the few where it is really personal, most times Mack is a in control soldier on a mission, but here it is so personal. And the rage is unleashed. Probably my absolute favorite, scene from any Bolan book is the confrontation with the hoods in the car who just left him the 'turkeys' RAW.

This is one of the very good ones. The books are really exciting around this time period because he's well known and on the wanted list everywhere from what he's been doing up to this point, this kind of adds a tension that most of the books today don't have.

THIS IS BOLAN AT HIS BEST. TAKE NO PRISONER. IT IS WHAT THE CURRENT BOOKS ARE GREATLY MISSING. ANY BOOK WHERE BOLLAN IS LOOKING TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT HIS FRIENDS ARE TO BE PROTECTED IS A BOOK WORTH READING. PENDELTON LET YOU FEEL WHAT IT TOOK TO TAKE ON THE MAFIA AND DO IT ALONE. RECOMEND THIS BOOK RIGHT AFTER WAR AGAINST THE MAFIA AND DEATH SQUAD.

Definetly a great book. Action packed, emotional, one of the best in the Mafia Wars. Get to see some reaccuring characters in Val, Johnny, Leo and Hal. Better than i thought it would be.

Another 10 star effort from Don Pendleton, this story unfolds in Boston as Mack Bolan shakes the town apart to make the mob give him back Val and Johnny after learning in the previous book that they had been snatched. Breathtaking action opens with an Executioner hit (or 3!) to get the mafia's attention and continues on an ever increasing arc to to final confrontation. This one has everything: small hits against the mob's operations and big hits against their hard sites, chasing mob torpedoes to their doom, tension filled page after page with the big guy as he tries every trick in his bag to get the two loved ones back alive and unharmed, and some real emotion at the end. Besides Val and Johnny there are returns by Leo and Hal and some of the other cops from past books. If you want action and lots of it but with some drama and emotional content this book delivers. A solid 10 stars.

A fast moving story, and it is one of the most memorable books of the Mafia Wars. Lots of action and a lot more emotion from Bolan. Great read.

I don't know what it is about Boston, but every time we see Bolan there he kicks some major butt. This one is a must read for all Bolan fans. A great book!!

One of the better Mafia War books that I have read.

One of the most violent books in the entire series, but the plot justifies it. The Mafioso Canabalis that holds these two dear human beings have underestimated our hero and pay for it in spades.