Knockdown

Very similar title here to this author's previous effort #15 Tightrope where one of my dislikes was the huge cast and so it is here again. It has been suggested to have a pad a pencil handy when reading this and it is good advice. The cast of characters is huge and it is difficult to keep abreast of who is who, what family they are affiliated with and who is actually doing what to whom at any given time. That aside it is a fascinating book to read which is certainly fast paced and has a terrific storyline going throughout. (And it is a Mafia story). Action scenes were vastly better than the previous effort and I must admit I don't mind reading the big guy has taken a bullet occasionally which has done more than crease him or part his hair. Or shoot off his boot heel read that how many times, you would have to be happy if you were his boot maker/repairer. So yeah give this one a go you will enjoy it I reckon lots of good/interesting/well written characters with a good/absorbing/interesting storyline what more could you want from this series. Recommended reading here.

Knockdown is a sequel of sorts to Furst's previous mafia story, Dead Line (#130). The top level mafia guys along with the assasin sent after Bolan return in this excellent SuperBolan. A very fast paced story, with a lot of mob family wars, with Bolan along to help with the chaos. A large part of Bolan's war is with an ally at his side, who even dresses up as a woman several times so he and Bolan can sneak around the mafia goons. I was thinking Leo would have been a good choice for a sidekick, but this guy was cool. I enjoyed this one very much, but just a couple minor issues keeping this book from being a tenner. Scenes jumped around a lot, Bolan would be here, then he would be there, then here again. Same for the mafia guys. Kind of hard to keep track of where people were sometimes. Also, the writer added a little too many characters in this novel. I would recommend having a pad and pencil handy before beginning to read this one. I got through it ok, but I had to stay on my toes to remember who was who, and who they worked for, who they were allied with, who died, and all the plotting and backstabbing and doublecrossing between the five mob families of New York was difficult to keep track of. But this is a great story, Furst is good with mafia stuff, I liked it a lot and look forward to reading more books by him.

An outspoken critic of the Mob's influence in the construction industry ends up having an "accident" on the high steel. Shortly afterwards, his father also meets his death, along with a co-worker who witnessed the accident. Bolan answers a plea from the worker's daughter to investigate her father's death. Good read, but very uneven. The plot started out great, but was a little implausible that the daughter can make two phone calls and find Bolan. Great scene where Bolan takes a serious wound. It gets tiring to have Bolan "creased" or to have a bullet "whistle by his head". The big guy took one in the chest and needed a week to recover -- well done. However, the author is a little too ambitious. What starts out as Bolan investigating construction problems and the Mob infiltrating labor unions ends up with a full scale gang war among NYC's five families. The names come fast and furious, and before long you need a scorecard to remember who is associated with which family. Another weak point is when Bolan twice has some serious Mobsters under his sights, but decides that they haven't done enough to merit death, or that if he cuts off the head, the body will grow back. Bolan didn't seem himself. A strong point wast the return of the French female assassin first seen in Tightrope. She seems to be a match for Bolan, and pursues him throughout the novel. Ultimately, this novel reads much like Tightrope, where the writing can be very good, but some of the characters don't live up to their reputations.

A fine sequel to Dead Line. Some decent action scenes from Carl Furst(Which is a surprise). Not a great book, but very enjoyable.