Customer Reviews

Death Merchants (Executioner 293)

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The Executioner #293
April, 2003
Author: Tim Tresslar

This was Tim's first book in the Mack Bolan saga, he has gone on to write 5 others: Executioner 312 & 349, Super Bolan 104, and 79 & 85 Stony Man. This book is very well written with good character development.

As stated several times, I've read these GOLD EAGLE books since the mid-1980s and while they are all worth the read, most are generally middle of the road, 3-star reads. This book could have been close to a 4-star (I allowed it 4 stars anyway) but it deals with a subject that has just been written to death in these Bolans. Mainly the drug trade and DEA enforcement and that puts it closer to a 3-star, middle-of-the-road to me.

Tresslar's book does introduce a new sideline to this trade as his plot not only involves cocaine and similar drugs, but introduces the drug Vitalife to us. This drug is manufactured for use in treating last stage cancer patients. The drug 'kingpin', Emilio Vega, is stealing the drug from hospitals until he can manufacture an ersatz copy of the drug in his laboratories. Only problem, 25% of the people who will use Vega's copy will die, however, that small aspect troubles billionaire Vega not a bit. He despises people weak enough to use drugs and feels they get what they deserve, all he cares about is the money that provides his lavish lifestyle.

Enter Mack Bolan and his assistants (Carl Lyons and Rosario Blancanales plus a few DEA helpers) to dispose of both Mr. Vega and his sleaze organization. The action takes place mainly in Florida and Georgia seeing Bolan taking 'Grimaldi' air service flights between both places. The orders to Bolan come from on high from the president down through the Justice Department (read Hal Brognola) as is usual for the Executioner's undercover work. Also as usual Bolan answers to no one and is able to inflict his solutions to the problems as they arise. This is a very action oriented book and should please even the most combat oriented reader out there, while good character development is also a good part of the book too.

Plus Mr. Mack Bolan has a new love interest here in this story, one beside the lovely blonde honey Barbara Price. This "damn attractive" (Carl Lyons), DEA red-haired beauty named Madeline Glynn gets to seduce our big guy near book's end. That too is a very unusual event in any Bolan book, and he better hope the lovely honey-haired, Ms. Price doesn't learn of this episode.

Another well plotted, well written book from GOLD EAGLE books. An adventure reader's best friend. As the man in black would say: LIVE LARGE ... Stay hard.

Semper Fi.