Review: Tower of Terror

Tower of Terror by Don Pendleton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The series starts off with a bang as gonzo writer L.R. Payne (G.H. Frost) spins a wild tale with Puerto Rican terrorists, shady businessmen, Vietnamese agents, and ex-commies involved in a “Die Hard” type attack on a NYC skyscraper. Non-stop action with an exciting and exceedingly gory climax are highlights. Lack of character depth and a hurried ending are weaknesses. The mysterious Frost wrote most the the early Able Teams books and I like his out-of-control style. I have some of his other works in my TBR queue. Looking forward to reading them.

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Review: Frozen Hell

Frozen Hell by John W. Campbell Jr.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Who Goes There?”, the sci-fi classic short and the source of “The Thing” movies was once the unpublished and lost novella “Frozen Hell”. Now available, this version of the story adds opening chapters that expands on the discovery of the monster frozen in the ice while keeping most of the later version narrative intact. It’s hard to say if this version is any better than the short story. The both tell a terrific story, just differently.

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Review: Beyond the Outposts

Beyond the Outposts by Max Brand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An exceptional coming-of-age story telling the tale of Lew Dorsett, a boy who grows into manhood influenced by the quest to find his outlaw father, his high adventures living with Sioux Indians, and his relationship with his best friend Chuck Morris. I would have to say that this is now my favorite Max Brand book.

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Review: Detroit Combat

Detroit Combat by Carl Ramm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This early effort from “Doc Ford” writer Randy Wayne White transcends the action/adventure genre with solid prose and a crisp, interesting plot. Hawker, a former cop and now vigilante, is discreetly engaged by the Detroit Police to investigate a kidnapping ring that has been plaguing the city. Hawker teams up with an beautiful and apprehensive female police detective to set a trap for a the ring using a fake pornography studio sting, and predictably a relationship sparks between them. The exciting climax takes place in a replica of H. H. Holmes’ “Murder Castle” which I thought was an imaginative touch. I bought the complete 11 book series at a rummage sale and was thinking of selling them. Now I think I’ll read them first.

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Review: 13 French Street

13 French Street by Gil Brewer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brewer clearly had higher designs for his career in this early novel. The prose is tight and literary, brimming with impressive descriptions and similes. Brewer was no hack. Sexual obsession drives the plot, a topic that Brewer does as well, or better than most. What’s missing here is the insane plot twists that Brewer employed so well in his later novels. For example, I was expecting the narrators fiancé to show up at the worst possible time, but she never did. I’ve read better plotted Brewer, but never better written Brewer.

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Review: Passion Flayed

Passion Flayed by J.X. Williams
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

High literature it ain’t, but for a ‘60s sleaze book it’s pretty good. Sharp tongued Rita finds that she is only sexually attracted to men that she isn’t married to - not a good thing for her husband Brad, who struggles to save their marriage as Rita piles up the extramarital affairs. Rita’s lovers include a gruff construction boss, a sleazy psychiatrist, and a door-to-door salesman who all find her charms completely captivating, and who Rita fights off, but ultimately finds impossible to resist. The books strengths are the well written dialogue, and it’s weakness the lack of plot, and it’s forehead-slapping conclusion. This is one of Harry Whittington’s “missing 38” sleaze books that he wrote monthly in the mid 1960s.

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Review: Nightmare in New York

Nightmare in New York by Don Pendleton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mack Bolan is immediately wounded in a gunfight with Mafia assassins upon arrival in NYC and is rescued by three hippie-type chicks who nurse him back to health, unfortunately putting themselves into deep danger. Typical action book heroics ensue with Bolan making a series of assaults on the five mob families of NYC. The scene with Sam the Bomber and his wife was a nice touch, showing some of Bolan’s humanity and compassion. The final assault with Bolan infiltrating then destroying the mob compound on Long Island was a satisfying climax. In general a good entry in the series.

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Review: The Fist of Fatima

The Fist of Fatima by Paul Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This Robert Lory installment is an improvement over his previous effort The Laughing Death, this time John Eagle is engaged early in the book and his mission is personal. There were several interesting historical or geographic references that I was inclined to look up, including the 1973 attack on the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum, and the nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara dessert. Eagle’s college roommate is killed by terrorists in an attack much like one one in Khartoum and Eagle vows vengeance. He travels to Libya and becomes allied with a band of Tuareg nomads that include the chief’s horny daughters, who find Eagle irresistible, and their jealous suitor. In true adventure book fashion Eagle must endure various challenges and fights to prove himself worthy during the trek across the Sahara to the mountain lair of the terrorists, the setting for the action-packed climax. This fourth book in this obscure series is more of an adventure novel rather than the previous action/espionage and is my favorite thus far.

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Review: Sheba

Sheba by Orrie Hitt
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

A quick and easy read, without much else going on for it. The prose is dumbed down to the point of annoyance, and the plot consists mainly of Sheba fending off, or drunkenly accepting, sexual advances from every character in the book who is not related to her. I've read several terrific Orrie Hitt books. This is one is truly a clunker.

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Review: Atlanta Deathwatch

Atlanta Deathwatch by Ralph Dennis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent hard-boiled private eye novel with an engaging '70s vibe that grabs you and won't let go. Jim Hardman is a strangely endearing PI with self-doubt issues and a tendency to work both sides of the law to further his interests. The story is expertly plotted and paced as the clues to the murder mystery fall swiftly into place. Hardman and his partner Hump are inclined to get themselves out of dangerous situations using cunning and stealth rather than shooting their way out - a plus in my opinion. I've heard good things about this series over the years and I'm glad to see that it's finally back in print. Recommended.

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