Jersey Guns

The Executioner #17

by Don Pendleton

Mack Bolans war against the Mafia explodes in the wilds of New Jersey!

Genres: Fiction, Adventure, Thriller, Action

169 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Don Pendleton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, December 12, 1927 and died October 23, 1995 in Arizona.

He wrote mystery, action/adventure, science-fiction, crime fiction, suspense, short stories, nonfiction, and was a comic scriptwriter, poet, screenwriter, essayist, and metaphysical scholar. He published more than 125 books in his long career, and his books have been published in more than 25 foreign languages with close to two hundred million copies in print throughout the world.

After producing a number of science-fiction and mystery novels, Don launched in 1969 the phenomenal Mack Bolan: The Executioner, which quickly emerged as the original, definitive Action/Adventure series. His successful paperback books inspired a new particularly American literary genre during the early 1970's, and Don became known as "the father of action/adventure."

"Although The Executioner Series is far and away my most significant contribution to world literature, I still do not perceive myself as 'belonging' to any particular literary niche. I am simply a storyteller, an entertainer who hopes to enthrall with visions of the reader's own incipient greatness."

Don Pendleton's original Executioner Series are now in ebooks, published by Open Road Media. 37 of the original novels.

Wikipedia: Don Pendleton

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mack is wounded and on the run from his last encounter with the Mafia. Now he has just been ambushed in Jersey - surrounded by an army of mob hit men he must rely on his skills, training and instincts to survive.
A glimpse into Bolan’s true character and motivations as he must fight the mob and his own failing health with no clear plans or tactics and survive the chaos.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read this back in the '70s, and it's still entertaining.

Our favorite Mafia buster, Mack Bolan, is headed to the East coast to rub their noses in it again. It's a war of attrition, as he knocks one down, a couple more take their place. He gets a little help from some Jersey locals, a chicken farmer and his sister, along with Leo, a guy on the edge with the Feds and the gangsters. Great action scenes.

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the Bolans, but hey, it has the turkey doctor

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A True Classic!!!

Although every single book in the Executioner series are fun and entertaining reads, this title might just be the best of the lot. It's definitely the best written and most entertaining of the series no doubt!!!

[Brad Theado · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish the author had left out all the internal discovery

[Davidus1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Enjoyed it very much.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action filled adventure from '74 with Bolan dodging Mafia in New Jersey.

[Mikepottz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The executioner is the name accorded him as a tribute to his effectiveness at killing. The mafia spreading like cancer, the police unable to stop their menacing illegal activities Bolan still carrying agonising and painful ribs and hurt from head to toe after his Sicily encounter but still ready to fight the mafia in Jersey. He causes a car accident, the mob looked like they had been through a meat grinder. Half of Jersey were looking for him and luckily he is rescued, his bullet taken out and given a haven. Bolan knows when to fight, when to retreat and when to lay low. He will make a grotesque third eye on one, cook bodies with explosions and shot out knee caps. He will use his intelligence to infiltrate a compound and rescue the man who took out his bullet but this man has had the Turkey, the man with the suitcase full of hacksaws, blowtorches, meat cleavers, dentist drills that will severe his arm, singe his mouth. He will cause fear and see half the heavies run like cowards as he steamrolls them with heavy arsenal and get more of his lovely revenge.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendleton' Executioner series is the top action-oriented series ever. Forget James Bond. He's too well dressed. In forget everyone else because no one is as tough or as hardened as Mack Bolan, who returned from the jungles of Vietnam to find the Mafia had waged war at home on decent people. Bolan embarks in a one man crusade against the Mafia and it's a vicious violent war with no quarter given. Bolan is the equivalent of several armored divisions and when he goes into battle mode, it's like the grim reaper in action. Singlehandedly he will take on dozens of armed men and always us the victor. If you like men's adventure, this is your ticket.

Pendleton churned out dozens and dozens of these stories about Bolan,each a battle with the Mafia kill teams, often involving a beautiful gal who falls for him, and an old buddy who is loyal to Bolan and willing to hide him and get weapons to him, including grenades and rocket launchers. Yet, each novel is still well written and compelling. Later novels were written by a host of writers under Pendleton's name

[James Hein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The usual palette cleaner

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendleton is back in this almost direct sequel to Panic in Philly. There are a few brief mentions of the non-Pendleton book 16 Sicilian Slaughter in the book, but nothing from that book really matters in this one. Mack Bolan begins the book wounded and driving into the New Jersey. The book states that the wounds came from Sicily, but it makes more sense that they came from Philly. Bolan is briefly saved by an ex-Vietnam War medic and his sister.

The recurring theme of this book is the mafia Turkey. This has been mentioned in several earlier books, in particular Nightmare in New York. It is pretty much a mafia torture method where they slowly and brutally torture someone until they resemble a turkey ready to be cooked. Pretty brutal stuff as has happened in earlier books. Throughout the series the Turkey torture hangs over anyone who helps Bolan. In this book it is the ones who helped him to recuperate that are in danger of being turned into mafia Turkey. This adds a lot of tension as Bolan is fighting against the clock to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

This book is very similar to Boston Blitz where Bolan is on the attack without much thought of strategy. However, unlike the earlier book, he still manages to pull off one of his “infiltrate the mafia” performances. This one was also well done and felt somewhat believable as Bolan was among underlings and managed to make himself look important. At some point the mafia really needs to figure out a way to stop getting fooled so often.

Mike Talifero is the main mafia enforcer in this book. His brother is still recuperating from the wounds he received in Vegas Vendetta, but I bet he will be back. The final confrontation between these two characters wasn’t the stuff of a final fight in a movie, but it did put closure on the conflict.

This is one of Mack Bolan’s better outings. It somewhat righted the ship from Sicilian Slaughter that really messed up the Mack Bolan character. However, except for a few mentions of Sicily, this feels like the true sequel to Panic in Philly as Mack Bolan is once again in Pendleton’s capable hands. Pendleton is once again able to tell an action-packed story in such a short book.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, here's the thing about Executioner books. I don't go to them for anything deep, or inspiring. They are plain and simple, action books, brain candy. High on taste, low on nutritional value. But they are fun. I started reading them in the summer between my 8th and 9th grade years. By the time I was into my junior year of high school I was pretty much done with them. But, every so often I go intellectually slumming for fun. There is a used bookstore in my city that has a men's action section and I buy two or three at a time and read about one every 18 months or so.

In this book the Executioner, Mack Bolan, has just retunred from an attack on the Mafia on their home turf, Sicily. He made it back alive, but wounded, something that is unusual for him. He's just trying to get to a place to lie low and heal, but the Mafia spots him as soon as he lands and is determined to take him out, and soon a mob crew is on his tail. He can't even drive down the freeway in a rented car without attracing attention. The encounter leaves him more wounded, but is taken in by a medic who had known him in 'Nam. Soon, the mob is coming after the people who nursed him back to health.

Another difference about this book is the action here is forced on him. In every other title he plans the attack, here it's almost completely defensive.

The writing is far from brilliant, some of it downright ham-fisted. There is nothing subtle about an Executioner book. But they read fast. I had fun reading it, the same I would enjoy a movie like the Expendables or a Transporter movie. But, I'm not going back to re-read this. It goes in my resell box. I'll visit that bookstore again in the next couple of months and pick up a couple more titles.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

and here he was—damn fool, maybe—but here nevertheless, on a Jersey hillside in the dead of night, waiting his chance to let loose quite a ration of destruction upon the world of damn fools. And the foolish ones came, recklessly, straining at the bit like so many excited bloodhounds with scent strong in their nostrils, tearing along that lonely road down there like the hounds of hell had done since the beginning of life. Two vehicles, then a third, and finally a streamlined van sort of thing—one of those houses on wheels which gentler people used to get back to nature without really suffering. And now Bolan knew what the boys were utilizing for their “rolling command posts.” The mob, too, liked their comforts. Even on kill missions.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is known for hard and fast guns-blazing action with just a tiny thread of a plot to hold the story together. Unfortunately, Jersey Guns’ plot is so thin it's not clear if the thread is actually there from beginning to end. The story lacks focus and loses its hectic pace and plods endlessly.

Mack Bolan is injured early on as he tries to escape both the mob and the police in New Jersey. The police sort of drop out of the story halfway through the novel and the mob's occasional appearances are separated by endless pseudo-philosophical thoughts on violence and the mob.

I generally enjoy this series, but not this one.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pendleton's return after a one book hiatus and it was an ok return. Probably a 3.5, it seemed more of a transition and had a ho hum ending. Lot of philosophical asides which did slow the book down but were fine and gave a little more insight into the Executioner character.

Recommended for fans of the series not sure it would be a good one to read as a one shot. Slower then the norm and a lot of stuff may have seemed rushed if you don't read the books before.

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much new to report with this one. It’s pretty much the same formula as the previous 16 books in this series. Though, I will say Jersey Guns eschews a lot of backstory and just goes right for the action. I guess after this many books there isn’t much need for repeated plot and set up. We all know Bolan still hates the mafia and is gonna take out as many as he can…which, par for the course, is quite a handful here.

[Liam Coyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Mack Bolan book that I read and the action was absolutely awesome along with the part when he killed the mobster Manny the Clock by blowing up a limo he was in and when he came out Bolan showed up behind him and said Times Up Manny and shot him in the back of the head

[Jon Koebrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jersey Guns is all shoot ‘em up vengeance against the mob. The action is good and some of the situations with beautiful women falling instantly in love with the valorous hero are funny. 2.5 stars overall.

[Timothy Jenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually one of the better Executioner book's I've read

[Joel B Champagne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one bites the dust!

So, the Talafero brothers are out of the picture for a while. I am there will be a new challenge waiting for Mack.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this author isn't my cup of tea. It was interesting to check this author out and I frequently read books in this genre but I find other authors do this better as far as I'm concerned.

[Graeme Hunter somerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Another brilliant story full of twists and turns if recommend these books to everyone . I'm a former serviceman so get the weapons used and there types .

[Frederick W Faulkner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takes Me Back….

I read this series 25-30 years ago… the entire series are easy reads and a “great escape” from reality. They are fun to read.

[Ryan Hornish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stay hard

[Curtis]

This is a book of dichotomies. First, Pendleton wrote it completely ignoring the previous book (Sicilian Slaugher, written by a different author contracted by the publisher during a rights dispute -- see my previous review for the full story). For example, Bolan's wounds at the beginning of this book match exactly the wounds he received at the end of book #15, Panic in Philly. Also, he's told by his undercover contact in the Mafia that he "can forget about Sicily" (page 58) because that operation has been shut down internally by the mob, so there's no need for Bolan to go there and destroy it himself.

Yet, explicit references to Bolan's trip to Sicily are shoehorned into the prologue and first paragraph of chapter one. My guess is that this was part of the deal struck with Pinnacle when they dropped their claim on Pendleton's copyright. This book had to at least tacitly acknowledge the events of the preceding one.

The second dichotomy concerns the book's length. At 169 pages, it's the shortest book so far. But there are whole chapters devoted to Bolan/Pendleton philosophizing about good vs. evil, the nature of man, what makes Bolan a loner, the necessity of violence, and so on. Most egregious is that they come about two-thirds of the way through when the story should be racing towards its conclusion, not meandering philosophically. For a book so short, it ends up feeling longer than necessary.

Which is a shame because without all of that filler, we've got a pretty tight and exciting Bolan story here, what could have been one of my favorites. It's a prototype for a type of story that would recur in the later Gold Eagle / Harlequin line of books: Bolan is injured and taken in by good, regular folks (typically in a rural setting) who end up needing his help in some way. Formulaic yes, but you have relatable emotional stakes and a clear objective which makes for a fast paced action adventure story. Except for the filler.

Overall, I guess I'm mostly positive on this one. To its credit, it has a solid, satisfying ending, which is often a weak spot for Pendleton.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Executioner wasn't planning to go to New Jersey right away, but he was trapped there after leaving Philadelphia. Ambushed by several members of the mafia, he found that the only way to leave New Jersey was to fight his way out.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent men's adventure series from the 60s, 70's and 80's. The first 38 books are outstanding but then the series is taken over by a bunch of new writers writing under the name of the original creator and they take the series into a new direction I did not care for. The first 38 books are very recommended

[Jonathan Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good men's adventure book. If you're at all conversant with the genre there won't be any substantial surprises as far as the plot is concerned. The surprise is in the quality of the prose and the philosophical bent of the third person narration.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Pendleton's first book under a new deal with Pinnacle.