FearFactor

This book is really about Lyons dealing with the death of a loved one and in that sense it rocks. His recklessness is upped several notches and puts others in jeopardy, but I think that it's totally within character and was well-handled. Unfortunately, the other elements of the book didn't sustain or support the Lyons story. I'd recommend this to Lyons fans but not anyone else.

I know it's for the wrong reasons, but I give this book a ten for the simple reason that it shows Don Pendleton was human after all and could flub a book with the best of them. There were way too many botched attempts to get inside the heads of the main characters and I agree with whoever said that Leo Turrin's musing were particularly unnerving. I don't know for sure, but my guess would be this might have been the book that first made Pendleton think of bowing out of the series rather than drive it into the ground when he'd clearly tapped himself out. IF so, it was a nobel gesture on his part and he deserves points for it. Oh, and the cover gets a 10, too. One of the better ones. Don't get this book if you're looking for Pendleton at his best, but as a scholarly excerise I think it has merit. So make it a 10 with an asterisk, ok?

I wonder if Richtofer was just a pen name because I can't figure out why this guy only wrote one book in this series. The guy knew how to deliver the goods in terms of telling a taut thriller without sacarficing other elements. A good sense of place, too, and I liked the camaraderie between all the AT guys. IF there really is a Paul Richtofer he should be lured back so he can write more books!

This was a cool book because you got to go inside the heads of not just Bolan but a lot of the supporting characters, including Bolan's Indian cohort and the bad guys. The setting was very descriptive, too, and I got a real sense of what was happening as far as Pakistan and India both wanting control of Kashmir. And even while covering all these bases there was plenty enough action to keep me hooked. The seige that led to the death of Nahsib Wal's uncle was the best, followed by the climax, when the bad guys are just barely prevented from killing the PResident and India's Prime MInister. I liked this book a lot!