Council of Kings

The story started off great. The introduction of the two twins created some character development feel and other Bolan stories. It is a bummer that they are killed off so fast and left us with generic mobsters. The action started off great it is always fun when Bolan works down the chain of the mafia killing them one at a time. I always like when Bolan and his brother work together so I was not crazy at the end when Bolan claims he is done working with Johnny. The ending story from Nam was really cool. But I did not like Bolan killing MPs, I feel that is out of character.

Chet Cunningham's third effort in the Executioner series is much better than his previous two, Orbiting Omega and Hellbinder. Bolan and his kid brother Johnny are pitted against the Portland mafia, who run a loan sharking operation as well as an illegal arms smuggling ring. It's a bloody campaign indeed that starts with a victim of the loan sharks being forced into prostitution and immediately throwing herself from an 11th story window. The adventure takes Bolan to some interesting locales, such as an amusement park, the Bonneville Dam and to the torture chamber used by one of the supporting villains, where the scene on the cover takes place. That's a really badass cover, by the way. I gotta get a print/poster of it if one ever becomes available. Throw in some jungle combat and you get a short but extremely fun and engaging book. The short story at the end is a flashback to Bolan's 'Nam days, where he uncovers an insidious heroin smuggling operation. A nice little add-on, but I'm not sure why this wasn't incorporated into the story proper. My main gripe with the book is its choppy pace. I'm not sure if the editor was drunk when going through it or if Cunningham just had a really off day, but there's a lot of abrupt scene changes with no sense of time. Bolan says he's going to do this or that and the next paragraph he's here or there. It's extremely awkward but doesn't detract from the book too much.

This is a short, moderately entertaining story. Of Cunningham’s efforts I’ve read to date, this is by far my favorite. Bolan hits the mob heavy with the help of his brother Johnny. The author crafted some memorable sequences, such as the one portrayed on the cover. The action sequences in the book are done well and are quite enjoyable. The last 30+ pages of the book tell of a historical account in Mack’s life. I’m not quiet sure why the book was broken up like this…but the main story is very short.

Two stories in one here where the first sees the Big Guy dismantle a loan sharking operation running in Portland with the assistance of younger brother Johnny. Whilst taking down the operation Johnny uncovers information of a massive arms importation due for delivery and decides to take that down as well. I liked the way the Capo and his son are taken down near the end especially the son and the chase through the woods. The second story is a small add on at the end of the first featuring the Big Guy in Vietnam where he comes across a heroin importation racket involving the corpses of dead GI's and relates to the Capo in the first story from so much earlier is fine reading. The first story is standard stuff 6/10 the later is very good 8/10 so split it and a 7/10 for the title. You should read this one purely for the second story alone.

Classic lone-wolf Bolan from the mid 1980's has him smashing a lone-sharking operation with Johnny Bolan's help. Good action, although I felt Bolan himself got one of the woman character's killed, and that didn't sit right with me. Goes off on an interesting tangent at the end to kind of bring the story of the Council of Kings full circle, and mentions an SOB's character in Karl Heiss. Took me quite a few years to finally snag this one, and it was fairly enjoyable.

Ok.....let´s be honest here. This book is not rocket fuel in the entertainment area but still it is still better than most Mafia war area ones since it does not have the usual punch of self secure and brainless Mafia boys who always tend to run around like headless chickens. The pace is good with the usual Mafia hit and git attitude with constant offence against the loan sharks who are sucking everyone dry which added a different touch to the usual Mafia money laundry and whore business storyline. In the book Vince Carbone is introduced as a cocky hit man supreme and will turn up later on in a much darker and dangerous role but strangely enough his part here is very intensive for a short period of time and then he vanished without a trace. Perhaps the temporary disappearing of him couldn´t be fitted in this extra short book which is strange though since it could have added a much more intense and mystic feeling to the book instead of adding the mini story at the end. Well, I would have done that but still I was not the author of this book. Oh...yeah...speaking of mini story of Council of Kings at the end. It was a good and sentimental stand alone one. It was just there though so that the author could get his full payment for this book and stretch the it over the average pages. The house of pain and horror was an amazing and fresh thing and really made this book more worth that it actually was. Man, this was great and lifted the book to a new hights in this otherwise lame Mafia war books. This one part just makes the book worth reading. Trust me on this one. The book will keep you interested as long as you read it fast and in a short period of time so if you are looking for a short and sweet time and don´t have a date, then read this book. It will only leave a short term hunger for you but in the end, it is just another book. Nothing more, nothing less. (Iceland - 2008)

The Executioner has gone to Portland to clear out the local mob and their loansharking operations. After he tears into them he finds that the local mob has a shipment of illegal weapons coming in. Bolan is good here as he uses his old methods of hitting the mob instead of reacting to some imminent threat. He hits from long range and he works in close. Even when he doesn't have time to recon and plan his action on target is well done and interesting. I've been critical of the author's handling of action scenes in the past but for the most part these are very satisfying. The story moves along with brisk pacing and holds the reader's interest. Johnny Bolan is on hand as support and research help for Mack. All the characters here are handled well, including Johnny. Mack is also good here except for some weird musings about the "Council of Kings" in Chapter 4 that seems like some kind of marketing for the various Gold Eagle series. The story is short and the last 35 pages of the book are devoted to a sort of flashback story Mack tells Johnny about his encounter in Vietnam with the "Council of Kings". The story itself isn't too bad but the preachy sentimental bleating about buddies and evil war profits rings hollow. 7 stars is the verdict.

This is one of the shortest Bolan stories, but it has an entertaining little story at the end, like in Royal Flush and The Viper Factor. Not one of Cunninghams better books, but still fun to read. I like the cover art, I like how the older books show Bolan in an actual scene in the story. I get tired of all the poses that have exsisted since Gil Cohen left the series.

Two reviews since this really was two different stories. 1) First 150 pages - a very paint-by-numbers bring down the mafia family story. Nothing too impressive. Did enjoy the interchange the interplay between Mack and little brother Johnny. A 6/10. 2) Last 30 pages - The Council of Kings the actual story. A very interesting pre-Executioner #1 novel. Tied in with the first 150 pages with the mob boss. Well written and interesting take. I am kind of shocked though that Bolan never took out this mob boss way before. I would think if my buddy was killed and stuffed body with drugs to be shipped home that mob bosses death would be right at the top of list or at least after my family was avenged or better yet kill 2 birds with one stone. Not wait all those years or 78 battles/novels. This got a 8/10. I would not have tied the mafia boss in and just left it as a lesson about why having a buddy was not safe. The mafia boss being part of the CoK pushed credibility. So first 150 pages a 6/10 and last 30 a 8/10.

A decent entry with a good subplot.

PRETTY GOOD ONE WITH AN EXCITING STORY FOR MACK TO TELL JOHNNY ABOUT HOW THE PRESENT MISSION WAS CONNECTED TO HIS VIETNAM DAYS. THE BOOBY TRAPPED HOUSE WAS A LITTLE FARFETCHED BUT STILL EXCITING ANYWAY!