Point Blank

This entry, written by Robin Hardy is not as good as other books in the series written by the author. While it makes good use of Erika and supporting team members it drops focus on Nile for a good portion of the book. Then picks up with Nile for a good long part of the book (or it feels that way) and wraps him back into the main plot at the tail end of the book. The book has serious plotting issues and Robin could have done a far better job. As others stated this should have been a super SOBs book as Nile's famous nemesis shows up but only for about 3 to 4 scenes and is quickly and unceremoniously dispatched. It was not a fitting end to a major recurring villain. It's to be expected at the rate this series was produced and how each book was encapsulated but with some plot threats left open at times. With a little more planning by the publisher and writers this book could have been a memorable pivot point in the series. I enjoyed others in the series far more and this is a subpar book by Robin.

Just when I was wondering what happened to the Dykstra brother and sister characters, they show up in this volume. Erika gets a starring role, ending up in Africa, where most of this story takes place. Barrabas is seperated from his squad for most of the book, and other members of his team are split up, all eventually leading to the same destination through various events. A pretty good book overall, although if you are looking for an action oriented adventure, this one is more of a slower paced story giving more toward character interaction and dealing with harsh climate and cultural conditions. Barrabas has a grueling time of it in the desert after a brilliant escape from near death from his captors, he must deal with the punishing African desert. Great scenes here, and the other SOBs have their own journeys through the Congo area. The return of Karl Heiss was a plus for this book, however I thought that the potential was squandered for this character as he was forgotten for too much of the book. The plot was decent, and the way Erika was involved was done well. The story exposes the aids crisis in Africa, and the way it was exploited by Heiss was truly frightening. Another threatening plot foiled by the SOBs, but wow some of them really take a beating in this book. These are really tough SOBs for sure.

Well I have to say I felt a little let down with this title when I finished it. The start is magnificent Barrabas is in Cairo Egypt on the search for information as to the veracity of information come across suggesting that his arch nemesis Karl Heiss is alive and well somewhere in Africa and up to some of his old tricks. Meanwhile a brilliant little plan hatched by the said nemesis is unfolding where he has managed to lure Gunter Dykstra brother of Barrabas's estranged girlfriend Erika to a particular warehouse at which location Barrabas is currently and he is shot in the face numerous times whilst a video camera shoots footage of Barrabas apparently committing the foul act. Our hero awakes inside a plane trussed like a turkey and about to be shown the door at ten thousand feet or so. Managing to free himself a fight ensues and shots are fired and the pilot is among the dead, the plane is nosediving to a crash landing running to the exit door and grabbing a parachute as he passes it out the door he goes unfortunately too low to get into the parachute he deploys it and hopes for the best. Armed with the incriminating video tape Karl Heiss has little problem in tempting Erika into the trap he has laid also a couple of the SOB's who happen to be in Africa get caught up in the mess resulting in one of the best laid starts in this series. This title SHOULD HAVE BEEN a blockbuster in the series. Instead the rest of the title details Hatton and Namos's trials and tribulations when they are captured and what happens to Barrabas after he crash lands to earth and his travels through the desert he is in. Not bad reading by any means but perhaps a tad too long and then a very satisfactory ending is served up which gained the title an extra star than it was going to get. Karl Heiss well he was shot again numerous times at the end but that has happened before, his body is not located again so could he possibly be back yet again? if it happens can't wait to read what sort of condition his body is in as it wasn't pretty what he looked like in this title. Ends up a good read this one but could have been SO MUCH better I reckon but certainly worth the read.

This one had Karl Heiss, but it didn't stack up well to the other entries with this SOB nemesis. Not a whole lot of action. Just an average book.