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The Outrider #5

Built to Kill

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WAR AT THE END OF THE WORLD On the scarred continent of a war-wasted America, men fight for food, shelter, and survival. The ideals of a once mighty nation lie shattered. But one man remembers. One man leads the smugglers, raiders, and survivalists who bow to no one and make Chicago a free city. One man fights for more ... BONNER, THE OUTRIDER. Now the lords of chaos and despots of death have Chicago will be ours! Death to Bonner! Their slave armies and grim war wagons are poised for the slaughter. The unholy alliance of would-be dictators waits to divide the spoils. But Bonner is ready. And he lives by a rule most have Live free or die!

186 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

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Richard Harding

60 books6 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Lewis Szymanski.
432 reviews30 followers
February 6, 2017
The last book in The Outrider series. Leatherman, the dictator-thug of the Slavestates, kidnaps the mechanical genius Lucky from the free city of Chicago. Lucky is forced to build three big war rigs for Leather's army. the Slavestates join forces with the Hotstates and the Snowstates to launch an all-out attack on Chicago. The residents of Chicago work together to repel the invaders. This doesn't turn out well for anyone.



In the back of the book is a promise of a sixth book, Black Death. The sixth book was never written because the publishing company went under.
Profile Image for Paperbackbooks86.
176 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2023
Built to kill is easily the best book in the series. It’s a shame the series did not continue on, because it felt like the author finally hit his stride on this one.

We see the return of memorable characters, and the introduction of a few new gangs. The action is non stop, the violence is over the top, and once this story starts it doesn’t stop!

I think the worst part of this book is the very end, the very last page that reads: Watch for BLACK DEATH next in THE OUTRIDER series from Pinnacle Books coming In November!

The story was to continue on, however; we never got to see what happened next to Bonner. I do believe the author had an inclination that he wouldn’t get his next book published, based on how the book ends.

Going into this one, I was worried that I would be left disappointed with a cliff hanger and always wondering what happened. That the first four books were a waste of time, but after finishing book 5, I can say that’s not the case and it was the best of the series! Easy 5 stars.
Profile Image for Douglas.
5 reviews
September 13, 2019
In review

In what turns out to be the last book in the series the author offers closure for our hero.

The publisher Pinnacle books went out of business shortly after this book, the author did write a sixth manuscript, but for himself it seems.

Trivia: Richard Harding is the author's pen name.

And as always:

As an artist I have thought about storyboarding this book, and creating some sort of graphic novel just as a labor of love not for money.

I can even fantasize myself as the hero of this book, playing it out as if I were some sort of action hero movie star.

Through the technology of online purchases I was able to obtain all five books from this series.

I like to binge watch a series as much as anyone, but I also like to binge read a series that I enjoy.

I was thoroughly entertained with this story line and the way the author presented it, I take the premise at face value and do not nit-pick any details.

I was able to vicariously live out this post apocalyptic adventure series, not that it was so richly written but because it gave me an opportunity to flesh out and watch with my mind’s eye as I was transported to a time when violent survival ruled the continent.
Profile Image for Wayne.
973 reviews24 followers
April 3, 2026
Last book in the series I'm sad to say. Unless there is a book six floating around out there somewhere because at the end of this another book is promised. It was called "Black Death" and was scheduled to come out in November of '85. I guess sales were slumping.

The Outriders mortal enemy, Letherman decides to join his Slavestate with the other two tyrants of the wasteland. The Hotstates and the Coldstates to launch a wave of total war on the Freestate of Chicago were Bonner, The Outrider and friends reside.

This one doesn't lag around and waste time. It's full speed ahead. Lots of action and the demise of some main characters push this along. Really good ending to a wonderful series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews