Wild card [Paperback]

The Executioner starring Mack Bolan, Don Pendleton's #140 mass market paperback issue, 1990. Book written by Mel Odom, a veteran writer in the GOLD EAGLE line of books. From 1989 through 2009, Mel had written a total of at least 41 books for GOLD EAGLE. This book, WILD CARD, generally receives 6-plus stars out of 10 stars from its readers (60%). I allow a solid 3 stars out of 5 (60%), not because it isn't good, it is, it's just that the book is another in a very long line of Mack Bolan drug busts. With 25 years of these books on my shelves, this is fairly standard fare for Mack Bolan books in the last couple decades. After all our attempts (and Mack's), there are more drugs on the streets in this country than ever before, kinda works against the direction of a book such as this that heralds any success by the man in black. Reality both then and now works against this book.

Anyway, Bolan is in Miami, Florida, working against Mafia backed motorcycle hoods, getting intel certain higher ups in the drug trade. Initially, Bolan is working 'off reservation', sub rosa, without the Big Fed's knowledge, Hal Brognola has not been notified on this one. Seems strange indeed, since most work comes to Mack Bolan through Hal's contacts with Justice Department, sometimes the White House. Hal may not enjoy Bolan not keeping him clued in, plus Mack is without any hope of Federal rescue should things turn against him.

Anyway, again, Bolan stumbles into and across both "the DEA, their FBI watchdogs, local police and an undercover spook gone sour' to round out the plot of the book. We have ten million dollars ($10,000, 000) of cocaine pouring into Miami to put a huge snowstorm on the streets, with Mack playing only long odds to stay alive and put the big dealers out of business.

There are the usual shoot outs and fire fights along the way, enough to keep most readers interested, plus a useful DEA special agent: Sgt. Piper Silverman, who keeps entering Bolan's attempt to shut the drug dealers down.

It's book that offers a substantive read, although offset by a theme that GOLD EAGLE has played, almost over played, over and over. After hundreds of books it tires. Even today's, current editions have the drug problem in or as their plot. Only now they move the plots to Mexico, Europe, Russia or other areas. After nearly 20 years, as I say, it is difficult to work up much excitement over a novel on busting the drug trade. And did we really need the Swiss arms dealers in Toronto included in the last 20 pages of the book, Mel? Seems that Able Team and Phoenix Force gets other missions beside the drug trade in the Stony Man series.

Still, WILD CARD, is above average reading, as only GOLD EAGLE knows how to do it. As our man in black says, "Stay Hard-Live Large".

Semper Fi.

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