Storm Warning

This is good folks, I tend to think when reading the first instalment of a trilogy how hard it must be for the author with not only introducing characters and an interesting plot (after all we want to be enticed to read the second instalment) but also produce a good readable title in itself. Here the author has produced a good title which has one of the most brilliant scenes mentioned later which gets an extra star. The plot well after the abdication of Saddam the newly installed President of Iraq declares a terrorist war on the Great Satan with MASSIVE body counts ensuing from these attacks on US home soil umm we are talking two thousand plus at the end of this title. Everyone from Stony Man is here and some of the action scenes are fantastic especially with Able Team and the big guy, Phoenix Force is tied up in a good subplot. The story moves along very well with a couple of surprise assassinations and even more surprising further events that then occur, very good reading. The ABSOLUTE standout scene as mentioned previously by Monsta Mack is with Leo and Carl and the meeting with the old time Mafioso hey read this, the blood ties, the honour (?), the customs, what happens here in this scene is why I started reading these titles back from number one to now . How good is this you just have to read this just for this scene. Apart from the above mentioned scene the rest of the title is a fine read indeed the author has set up a very good lead in to the second instalment of this trilogy very much looking forward to it. Highly recommended reading (Especially if you know and love the Leo Turin character).

This is a very good beginning to this trilogy. Mack Bolan shares the spotlight with Able Team and Phoenix Force, making this more of a Stony Man novel than an Executioner. Mel Odom somehow makes it all work out though, in what I think is one of his very best writing yet at this point in the series. The villains take shape as the story develops, and a sense of impending worldwide trouble adds a grander threat which brings in the whole Stony Man crew to fight these terrorists. Mack gets in some good scenes, I liked the rescue of the soldiers in the sewers, and his taking command of Eldridge and his troops was a realistic scene. PF gets a little action, but not so much that it got in the way of Bolan. Able Team gets a couple really good moments. I liked the first altercation they were involved with, but what I really liked was later when they were sent to the mafia don's restaurant in New York. Here Odom really shows his stuff. We get a special treat here, because Leo Turrin gets his own scene here! Lyons gets to watch Turrin at work doing what he once did, as an undercover role in the mob, which was an excellently written scene. Just having old familiar characters working together -- Bolan, Leo, Carl, Pol, Gadjets, brings back memories from the earliest Pendleton days, this adds a special touch to this novel. Much more than a book with just gun battles, this book has a good developing plot, excellent character interaction, and smart writing, and the ending is a cliffhanger for book two to kick off with. And how about that Talia chick, she seems like a cool woman I want to read more about in this trilogy! I was very pleased with this entry.

I really enjoyed this book. Very fast paced almost seemed like what a Stony Man novel would be reduced to 220 pages. I am the opposite of the other review Max I like my trilogies to flow and end in cliffhangers. I also really like trilogies to be set up to last 3 novels. This book has passed that test. The last trilogy I read the American trilogy did not past that test it should have been a SuperBolan novel and thats all. The really big problem that I had with the novel was how improbable it was. You have to accept a premise that Saddam Hussein is in exile, a more extreme leader leads and he is stupid enough to brag about an attack killing Americans at a war memorial dedication in Washington + 2 attacks and kidnapping of american soldiers in Kuwait city. You also have to accept the premise that the buildup of troops which was huge in 1992 wouldn't have flattened Bagdad as soon as the admission was made. Plus the murder of a senator and congressman besides. Sorry George W Bush would have had a gigantic blitz into Bagdad withen 12 hours. He wouldn't have pussyfooted with any covert action. The public would have demanded severe, overwhelming action against Saddam's successor. This is why its getting a 8/10. Other then implausibility this was the best start of any trilogy I have read of this Executioner series.

Terrorists strike the US and its allies. Bolan, Able Team and Phoenix Force try to protect citizens and get to the bottom of the attacks. Ehh. The action writing was very good in this one, especially the up close battles. However, the writing is less good when trying to detail an entire invasion. Too much is going on and it's impossible to focus on a single soldier or even a squad -- it's just too big. Also, the battle scenes are basically all there is in this novel. The plot is nearly non-existant. It just serves to link the battles together. Finally, a rule that I have for trilogies is that each novel should be readable on its own. The plot should wrap up for each novel. The books should be linked, but each should be complete by itself. "Storm Warning" fails that test. It ends mid-battle. Don't have the next one? Oh well, you're out of luck. There is some good writing, and it seems very relavant now with the current situation with Iraq, but overall the book disappoints.

WHAT CAN I SAY? THE WHOLE TRILOGY JUST RULED!!!!!!!!!!

A great way to start a trilogy. A very good entry!