Orbiting Omega

This review contains spoilers, although the book isn't all that good in the first place. The duel on the cover happens on pages 172-173. There, I just saved you 171 pages of mediocrity. And 16 pages of a pointlessly long ending. I only picked this one up because the cover was nice, so in that regard I'm not disappointed. The premise is pretty interesting, if a little more suited to James Bond, and Dr. Dunning is certainly likable as a villain (even though he's not the true villain) and you can't help but root for him. So there's that. But it fucks up in a way similar to Cambodia Clash: by having Bolan work with someone who is, for all intents and purposes, the enemy. Like in Cambodia Clash, they have the same end game, and while Bolan's done this kind of thing before and since, it just doesn't work here. At the time, Bolan's archenemy was the KGB after what happened in Day of Mourning. Yet not only does Bolan team up with a female agent, he boinks her too. Uh-huh. Did nobody at Gold Eagle pull Mr. Cunningham aside and say, "Hey, you might wanna read Day of Mourning to find out why this is a stupid idea?" About midway through, Cunningham stops caring. Dunning is described as a through-and-through pacifist, but once he gets control of the MIRVs he decides to start blowing shit up unless his demands are met. I expected something similar to the film The Rock in this regard, where it turns out to be a bluff and he backs off when he's called out. But no, our pacifistic scientist is totally willing to go through with it. When Yamaguchi becomes the true villain near the end, it would've made sense then, but Dunning's sudden shift into astro-terrorism happens long before then. We do get some cool action scenes at least, like the knife fight on the cover, the opening blitz on the farmhouse and some skirmishes in mountain forests. But by far the best scenes involve Bolan shooting the breeze with the locals in the small town. They were funny and a nice change of pace from the blandness of the book. Skip it.

this is a terrible book. this Author has no idea who Mack is. the fact that he would have Mack sleep with the KGB agent was lame. the scientist angle was stupid. just a really bad story. I was glad to be done with this one. I'm not going to waste any more time on this one. 5 stars for the cover, that's the only thing that is right with this book.

It was right around average...a "7" is probably a bit generous. The plot was clearly suited for the time of publication during the cold war. You have a villain trying to gain control of USA and USSR satellites in a power pull to demonstrate how deadly the use of nuclear force would be if used. To demonstrate, he's targeted several large cities in the US and then captured a soviet satellite. There were no memorable action scenes in this one. Lastly, I agree with other reviewers...no way does Mack entertain a love affair so soon after April's death Unfortunately, this is a trend seen more than once in the series of books (books in mid- to late 60s).

Pretty disappointing read with this title I reckon and I pretty much agree with the last four reviewers who disliked this title as well. The actual plot was pretty good and here is a bad guy who you definitely won't hate and would probably be happy if his plans actually came to fruition. Unfortunately the negatives abound with vast character faults in regards to the Big Guy the most glaring as has been mentioned is this Gomer Pyle character would have been dead and buried a long time ago the way he blunders about the place. No way would the Big Guy enter into a physical relationship with another woman so soon after April's death especially a KGB agent belies belief. Unfortunately for the author at the time of this titles release there was a strong story arc in progress and it seems he has failed to get up to date with what has happened in the last few titles with the exception of April's death. Didn't like this one at all added a couple of starts on for some decent action scenes included but not a title to recommend.

A very strange book........great plot and a nice treachery in the end but a lot of the smaller details were way off base here like physical injuries which didn´t really slow Bolan down, use of weapons and few other things and those small details really made the book much less that it really could have been which is sad as the story was a very good and interesting one. Bolan´s feelings regarding the KGB and working with their agent was very well written and the huge conflicts within him so shortly after April´s death. Strange was though the fact that Bolan "beds" the KGB woman in the woods so shortly after the death of April Rose and this does indeed contradicts his personal anger against the KGB which is displayed in this book so well. Who was the Yamagushi guy? What was his background? Why did all the soldiers in his army look like him? How stupid was Dr. Dunning not noticing that something was wrong around him? It was also strange how Yamagushi could out smart Bolan in the end when he falls into from my point of view a very simple trap which a man with Bolan´s experience should never have fallen into!!!!!! With a better writing and more attention to details this could have been a killer book as it had a great plot and potential So the result is an entertaining book for most parts but with little attention paid to details and due to this a much lesser reading overall........................ (Iceland - 2005)

I don't think it was all that bad like Dexter and Doug said although in many ways I agree - book 65 was so much worse and this book didn't quite make it there in badness. The last 2 pages were total WTF totally came out of the blue and made no sense in context to the novel. This should have been in the first two pages with some tie-in with the novel or even a "sitting here relaxing with these two noble old-timers I recall my feelings of ....." to link the novel. Anyways the novel. Finally there is some glimpse into the US President. In so many novels (usually SM) he says "this is what needs to be done" or words to that effect but here he was a major character. I thought his scenes were the best ones. I thought this book was half-Destroyer/half Executioner. Dr Dunning was such a loser with these grand schemes of world peace but he did it in such an idiotic way. He abhors guns and violence but killing 20,000 US/Russian citizens is ok. Dr Dunning seemed far more appropriate for a Destroyer novel. BTW if you get shot in the thigh will you really just lose half a step? Also Dunning's belief that his new codes were nondecodable because no one could figure out the expression he used was laughable. Computers would be decoding not paople thinking "oh I wonder what phrase he could have used" computers don't care about phrases just letters in sequence. Also the ability to block tv network signals and take them over didn't make sense these aren't phone signals being used the jamming used would have to be strong. Kitty being killed was also dumb. Did Cunningham believe since Mack had sex with her there can be no theories later about her being pregnant with Mack's child? This was a shrewd woman to just mindlessly try to kill Mack (who she said she loved while dying) made no sense. Seemed like pld Bonanza episodes where you know if Little Joe wanted to marry a woman she was going to die at the end. I also had no clue besides greed why Yamagushi wanted to blackmail the world. Where was his backstory? I did enjoy the scenes with the president and thats why I am giving it a 4.

I read this book for all of four chapters, then skipped to the end to see if this somehow got any better. Instead, this book happens to spread cheeks wide and spray projectile feces across the Executioner series with rehashes of James Bond plots and stilted, play-by-numbers sequences. Cunningham actually used to show lots of skill with his Penetrator novels, and his books for that series which involved super-science and planetary doom actually made sense. However, Cunningham must have felt the need to dumb down for the Executioner audiences, leaving most of his crisp characterization, plotting, and wit behind with Mark Hardin, exchanging everything for body count and what Cunningham perceived as explosive action. Last time I had explosive action like in this book, however, I vomited all over the side of the porcelain throne, not into the bowl. However, I will give the cover a solid 10. Shame they had to waste it on a crap book.

A dismissed space scientist seizes control of space-based nuclear weapons in an effort to force an end to deployment of these weapons. Bolan is on his trail to stop him before he resorts to using the nukes. The scientist's henchman has murderous plans of his own. This book had an interesting plot idea and two promising characters in the disillusioned scientist and his partner. Unfortuately, the book doesn't do justice to the promise. The two main problems with this book are the writer's lack of a grasp of tactical or military matters and his misunderstanding of the Mack Bolan character. As to the first matter, Bolan and the other characters are constantly blundering about and seem damn lucky to not blow themselves up at every turn. The Executioner constantly "charges", "rushes", "runs" and "sprints" whether he's on a hard or soft probe, whether he's sneaking or attacking. I think in this book he walks into more traps and breaks more trip wires than in the previous 65 adventures of the series put together. Despite all the narrative posturing about "a born combat expert" and other puffery, this author's Bolan is the most inept combat buffoon this side of Gomer Pyle. He must have the luck of Mr. Magoo to keep coming out ahead of his opponents. (Noting that double-aught buckshot is a pellet, not a "slug", might seem like pouring it on but it's typical of the author's lack of understanding. And what's the deal with these "quarter-pound chunks of C-4" and "C-4 primer cord"?) But as bad as the handling of the tactical details and action (which any author might have trouble with if unfamiliar), the botched job of writing Mack's character is much worse. He is, we are told, in a vengeance thirst for blood against the KGB after the attack on Stony Man Farm which caused April's death and Bear's injuries. But the first time a KGB agent shows up he not only partners up with her, he makes whoopee with her too: "They both had to live for the moment because the next might never come." Huh? Guess he wasn't all that broken up about April after all. Mack even still goes for her in the final chapter, leaning in to make out with her as she tries to knife him. Only an FBI agent with a quick trigger finger saves his bacon then. And in the one and a half page bit at the end of the book called "The Turning Point", supposedly by Mack Bolan and I guess along the lines of his old Journal, these words are written by The Executioner: "Would that I were there to keep them from harm." Looks like old Mack might be channeling Percy Shelley! Honestly, does this sound like the kind of thing Mack would have written in his journal? Not to me. I could go on about the lady KGB agent using a Luger and an MP-40 but I don't want to pile it on this author. I'm giving this one a single star because it was sheer torture and drudgery even though the pacing and plot idea were OK. Man, do I ever miss Don Pendleton!

Cunningham always has something innovative in his books, and this one has nonstop action from start to finish. A fast enjoyable read.

My favorite Bolan book of all, well, maybe tied for first with Baltimore Trackdown. Just reading the back of this book made me want to read the story and I'm glad I read it. At first I was let down because I thought that the warheas going off above Moscow and DC were just threats made and they wouldn't happen, but boy was I wrong. A good plot and story and it got me guessing to see if Dunning was the bad guy dead at the end or what. The BEST Bolan of all.

The very first Bolan book I read. I think I was 12 or 13 at the time. Back then I thought it was a great book. But now, after reading so many I realize its not one of the best. But its not boring either.

A decent enough lone-wolf story. The scintist/villian was a nice addition to the story.

I GIVE THIS ABOUT ****1/2 STARS BECAUSE SAM YAGAMUCHI IS A GOOD BOLAN OPPONENT AND ONE THAT I WANTED TO SEE TAKEN DOWN.

A pretty good book, but not one of my favorites from Cunningham.