Day of Mourning

Was really excited to read this one. I figured the events on the cover would be what kicked the story off but I was very wrong. I would say before you read this one make sure you have the next to continuing the story because this one leads into some big story telling details.

The date is April 6th 2020, and I just finished "Day of Mourning" for the first time. However, I did possess the book during the 1980's and simply enjoyed the cover art. I think many Bolan fans have a broad range of books they never get to. This was mine until today! I've been looking forward to starting the first trilogy for months! I was by no means disappointed! Stephen Mertz did a highly competent job with this entry. The action is evenly paced. You almost forget that you're basically reading a chase novel. It would have been surreal to read this book in real time (1984) but I was only 11. I've managed to read the first 62 books in order. I have the slight advantage of looking at this series from a 2020 perspective. Post-Cold War; Post-911. Knowing that for the most part, the glory days of action adventure is over. No more printed Bolan books. Having read all 62 Executioner books plus Stony Man Doctrine, I would have to say that the overall character development of April Rose was the only disappointment. Don personally finessed the character well to start but literally nothing happens after that. I still highly enjoyed the story. Just felt that numerous opportunities were missed prior to April's death. Even with this entry, it's all Bolan blasting the bad guys which is fine especially since it is action adventure! April's character was barely addressed and given no real pages to develop her situation and life history. That's the only thing I would have changed about this entry. More pages for April's character prior to her death. I have this plot thread in my head where Bolan dies instead of April! Like that would ever happen - LOL!

WOW! This book still packs a punch. And I've been reading it since it first came out over 30 years ago. This is old school Bolan kicking ass and taking names. This book reminds me a lot of Boston Blitz. I enjoyed the opening scenes with Mack And Jack flying in the Harrier to recover the stolen Nuke. The under water battle was god and the air to air combat between Jack and the 3 cobras was really exciting. I did find it odd that Katz was flying the rescue chopper and not McCarter. To me it was like the author didn't know the characters very well. I was saddened by Konzaki's death and I thought Mack got some pleasure in dealing out some retribution on the ones that caused his death. April's death was shocking even though it was depicted on the cover. It still broke my heart. this book is a strong 10 stars. It's a great star to the trilogy for the start of the war on the KGB. This book is outstanding! A great read.

This is why I read Bolan...Day of Mourning is a great book. When I read Stony Man Farm was under attack...wow! This book is absolutely great from start to finish. The opening scene is some of the best writing in the Bolan series. The race between terrorists and Bolan to a submerged nuke -- to start the book noneletheless - is better than many book's climatic scenes. From there, the story takes off. When Bolan and Jack aren't able to get Stony Man Farm to communicate, Mack knows something is wrong. The Farm was indeed attacked with a foreshadowing of more to come. What's he's unable to figure out is who is attacking the Farm. Back in DC, Bolan is virtually considering everyone from General Crawford (apparently created Stony Man) to the head of security at the farm, Capt Wade. With a significant death early in the story, it's apparent that Mack's friends are in grave danger. This is a game changer for Bolan. The reader senses that on every page. The President is involved, Hal is involved, and Mack Bolan wants answers. In Bolan fashion, he goes on a blitz to determine the mastermind and key actor working against the Farm. While knowing for some time that book 62 was a key title, this did not disappoint in the slightest. In early 1984 when this was released, the regular readers must've been shocked with this title. While I almost envy them, thankfully this is still around for us to enjoy today.

This one lives up to the hype! I've had it in my collection for awhile and have heard endless things about this first part of the quintessential Mack Bolan trilogy. Well, the proof is in the reading and this one pays off! It begins with a great underwater action sequence and yet you can feel the clouds of doom gathering. The writing here is top notch as Mack returns to Stony Man Farm, heads off to meet the president, which kicks off the next phase of the book. The screws turn tighter and tighter and you can sense that the mission to save Stony Man Farm and Able Team is not going to end well. A rival agency has it in for the Stony Man operation and is pulling strings behind the scenes. Fighting forces on the ground is one thing, but Mack and the rest are at the mercy of a puppet-master. Fantastic action throughout, a well conceived, heart-rending conclusion. To put it simply, this one is not to be missed.

hmm so many reviews on this title what can I add? Bugger all you have already said it all. This is a classic if you have read a few of these titles in the earlier series you will be moved by what happens in this title. Excellent from start to finish the first title in a trilogy and never mind about introducing characters slip into overdrive right from the start. Absolutely loved it HIGHLY RECOMMENDED reading here. AND Considering what is between the covers HOW GOOD IS THE COVER on this title?? Excellent..............

Ok, I wasn't disappointed with this book. It had everything I hoped for. The writing style even took me back to the days when I first started reading the books. Gritty, gory and melodramatic. The only complaint I had was that April's death seemed like an afterthought. Had they changed the cover picture, and not included her dying, it would have been a good, stand-alone story. Still, it was a shocker, and makes me want to run out and get the next two in this little trilogy.

What can I say? WOW.......is the first word that comes to mind and that is the correct one for this exciting beginning of a new area for Bolan in his lone man war. The explosive start reminded a bit about the James Bond movie Thunderball and this set the pace for the rest of the book, namely loud, fast, exciting, mystic and highly entertaining. The treachery is a major mystery and puzzle that is not solved in this book all though there are some potential characters there can claim that bad guy "prize" but I presume the plot will become clear in the book Dead Man Running. From page one everything leads up to the breaking point in the books series in the end which starts a new chapter in Bolan´s everlasting war against terrorists and other scum of the earth. One part of the life ends here but another one starts at the same time as Bolan´s government job comes to an end and it seems that for him this is a blessing as his mind seems to have been wandering into the "private" sector and his past war with the Mafia during this book. April was for most part a good supporting character who added a personal tough to the series and that is often an element that some of the books lacks, that personal touch to add a special spice to the book in general. She will be missed as she was a very worthy side kick and could hold her own usually. Bolan´s way of working against time to reveal the plot and the players behind it was exciting and well written as one could feel the time ticking away while Bolan was trying to work his way to the next piece of the puzzle fully aware that the time was running out and that he should really be at Stony Farm. The front cover basically says everything about this important milestone in the series which is very a dramatic and personal one and for many parts the best Mack Bolan book I have read so far. What else do I need to say? (Iceland - 2005)

I recently re-read "Day of Mourning" for the first time in seven years, and it STILL packs a punch! Like everyone else, I was stunned by the attack on Stony Man farm and the loss of April Rose, and I thought it was a good plot point to use in order to set up Mack's departure from the government. I really enjoyed the opening sequence in the Atlantic Ocean. Great visuals in the writing, and I could really imagine the grey seas churning above while Mack took care of the terrorists down below. Jack Grimaldi's battle with the helicopters was brief, but well-handled. I also like it whenever Phoenix Force plays a role in a Bolan story, as they did here. For the first entry in this all-important trilogy, it's good to have the other elements of Stony Man involved. I heartily recommend "Day of Mourning" as well as "Terminal Velocity" and "Dead Man Running", the other books in this Executioner trilogy. I don't reccomend them to first-time readers, but after you've gotten a few Bolan adventures under your belt, head straight for these masterworks, you won't be disappointed. Live Large!

This has to be the best Non-Pendleton book I have read in the series.Curiosity finally got the better of me and I had to jump ahead to read this book. It has everything, a good combination of old style and new style Bolan all in one. Unlike Doug I did enjoy the underwater battle at the beginning. I loved the cameo by Susan landry. What else can I say, Stephen Mertz earns a solid 9 stars. I've jumped straight into 'Terminal Velocity' and already wish Mr Mertz had written that one, I can't wait for 'Dead Man Running'.

Day of Mourning was wonderful. I followed April Rose from the early Mafia books numbered in the teens. I had become aware from other books that Bolan's vendetta against the KGB was hotly emphasized following April's death. When I learned that April Rose's death was recorded in Day of mourning, it was one that I set out to find. One of most heartwrenching death scenes ever recorded in fiction. The front cover of Day of Mourning says it all when you look at Mack's face. Fantastic!

The end of an era certainly as much as it almost the end of Stony Man. This was a wonderful book. It was the perfect closure to Bolan's government career. His war with the Mafia ended with a bang and his career with the government did also. It was very well written that readers felt the loss of people they had come to know and respect. We felt Bolan's anger at the betrayal the Farm had suffered. A terrific book and one to be recommended for years to come.

I can't add more to what's already been said about this terrific book, a keystone in the Bolan saga. I think it's a good thing that this book was written as early in the series as it was. If they'd done it today, I think it would have ended up as a SuperBolan and been padded to the point where it lost a lot of its tight luster. This is the one that solidified Mertz as one of the rightful heirs to Don Pendleton. A definite must-read!!!!

This one kind of starts off slow and builds more and more up to the explosive conclusion. Excellent writing by Mertz. This book changes the series in a new direction, this is one you don't wanna miss.

A very good but tragicly sad chapter in the Mack Bolan series'. It had amazing action, unexpected treachery and heart breaking sorrow. Pure Gold, is the simplest way to discribe it. The only part that I didn't want to happen was April being killed. But the assassin who did it got swift redemption of the .44 Automag kind.

The story was very good except for one thing.April Rose should not have been killed off.Thats one character that should have been aloud to live.I don't think that she had to die to get rid of her.There are better ways to have gotten rid of her character with out killing her off.

an excellent book to read it stays true to the executioner line the only complaint i have is 1 they killed april off and 2 how they did it

Day of Mourning brings about vast changes in the story of the Executioner. Stony Man Farm and the man known as Phoenix have enemies. The farm is attacked and good people are killed. Mack Bolan is unable to save the lives of all his Stony Man people but he will find the scum responsible. This book starts off with some not very effective action underwater and with Grimaldi getting a Harrier shot out from under him. From there we move to the farm and learn there has been a saboteur at work. Bolan and Hal visit the Oval Office and interagency rivalry in the form of an asshole named Farnsworth threatens to close down the Stony Man project. Bolan rips through the DC metro area on a blitz straight out of the mafia wars era in an attempt to find the parties responsible for the attack on Stony Man Farm. This is the best part of the book because it's the Executioner back doing what he is best at: shaking the enemy's house down. The action all concludes with a commando raid on Stony Man Farm and the loss of Stony Man personnel. The raid is good and lead zings around all over the place. The weak underwater action and setup in the first few chapters keep this from being a 10 star book. And I may actually be rating it high just because the old Bolan blitzer is back for the middle half of this tale. But that middle half is damn welcome after such a long time of bolan just taking out predetermined target after predetermined target. I hope it lasts for a while in the next phase of the Executioner's war. 9 stars.

I read this book and couldn't put it down for anything. In fact the very next morning I feel asleep in class. Out of the Mack Bolan books this IS a must have. and then ending to this book is only the beginning for the new life Mack had taken on. Not everything turns out for the good and Mack has to learn that lesson all over again.

Great insights into Bolan's psyche. It was nice, too, to find a situation where the good guys and their base of operations are neither invulnerable or impregnable. Now I just have to track down the rest of the trilogy... but if they're as good as this it will be worth the effort.

This book is the lead into a trilogy of books. Also being a lead to a change in Mack's life on a personal and professional level. This book also shows what Mack's war has brought on his love ones and the affects of having someone close to him. We lose an added treasure with the love in Mack's life being killed by his professional career. Rose will then on be missed in the series and the twist she added to Mack's life. I hate thet she had to die. I had grown fond of her in the series. A must read for all Mack fans.

This is a very good book. However, there ar times when the authors forget who Mack Bolan really is. The opening vignette having Grimaldi drop Bolan out of a Harrier into the ocean to recover a stolen nuclear weapon is unreal. James Bond does this (see For Your Eyes Only), not Mack Bolan. The blitz thru Washington is good, but unsatisfying. Yes, it's a trilogy, but as this novel ends, Bolan still doesn't know who is behind the sabotage. Also, the death of April (featured on the cover, so this is not a spoiler) is in the last 2 or 3 pages. She's barely gone when the book ends. "Day of Mourning" must refer to the *next* day, not the day that the book covers. These points may seem picky details to some, but they add up to a less satisfying book than others in the series. Good for it's background info, this book is not the best in the series.

Undoubtedly the best book in the series hands down. Because of my age ( I was born in 82) I didn't get to read many of the first books and always wondered what happened at the farm and this book just answered all my questions.

Oh my gosh! The best trilogy I've ever read. I've been waiting and waiting until the end of the book, although I already knew the ending because I read Terminal Velocity first, but it was just so awesome. I could feel the excitement and all that when Stony Man Farm was attacked. It was sad though to read about April's death, but this is what started the end of John Phoenix (identitywise anyways) A good book and one of my all time favorites.

This book inspired me so much I had to write a poem about it...April Rose..for you Always April.... www.geocities.com/redcelica87/ALWAYS_APRIL.html Also for Mack.... www.geocities.com/redcelica87/THE_EXECUTIONER.html Enjoy all you Bolan fans! Mack is real..and so shall April always be!!

this is the best book,so far!!! i hated to see another woman in bolan's life die.bolan mourns for the the most beautiful,trustful,caring woman in his life.bolan shows that he isn't immune to tragedy in his life,but the determination to make their enemies pay!!! bolan is the man i want to be!!!

An important book - should be a must read for any Bolan fan. Its been awhile since I read it, but I remembering being deeply affected by it and found it hard to wait to read the rest of the trilogy. My copy was loaned out to numerous friends (who eventually became hooked to the series) and now is one of the most mangled books in my collection because of it.

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOLANS. EVEN THOUGH THE COVER GIVES THE ENDING AWAY COULDN'T PUT THIS ONE DOWN UNTIL I FINISHED IT. REREAD IT QUITE A FEW TIMES AS A MATTER OF FACT. THE BEST TRILOGY EVER WRITTEN.

The ending is one we knew was coming, and ohhhhhh, so sad. Overall, a good read.

ooh. Finally got a copy of this thing and finished it fast. I was so fascinated. The story line sort of drifted off a little bit. In this book I also found that Bolan was "meaner" than usual. Overall a good read.

This book was awsome, it had almost everything that I would want in a Executioner novel and the last big battle on the Stoney Man Farm was realy enjoyable to read.

::wailing:: Why did they have to kill April Rose?!?! I miss her! Barb Price is no April!! ::deep breath:: Okay, so this one's a tearjerker, and a pivotal novel in the series. Gripping from start to finish, though there are a few threads that make more sense when you've read Terminal Velocity and Dead Man Running as well. I love and I hate this book. Bottom line: Buy it. Read it. This is a classic and is as important to the series as War Against the Mafia, for it changes Mack's life and the lives of everyone at Stony Man -- forever.

When I finished reading this one, I felt upset, hurt, like a house of cards had collapsed within my soul. This book was so painfull to read... and going into Terminal Velocity as the middle chapter... I got really annoyed that they sent Mack off to Russia on some shullbit run mission when there were people in Washington who needed to die screaming as the flesh burned from their hides... This one is definately a classic book, and a heart tugger. The only problem I had was a slow, disjointed, and very unsatisfying opening.

Wow. This is one heck of a turning point in the series. The overall emotion, and everything made this a memorable novel to my collection. The final page, I'd have to say was the best. April Rose didn't even die in the actual attack, but was shot, murdered, by a tratior (the head of Farm security!) in Mack's arms. Man! what a way to go! Then, the part with the AutoMag and the epitaph on the tree was really poetic justice. What a book!

WHAT A TRILOGY!!!!!! AS GOOD AS SOME OF THE BOLAN TRILOGIES ARE, I DON'T THINK THIS ONE COULD EVER BE BEATEN. TWO THUMBS UP FOR THE WRITERS!!!!!!!!!