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Willing To Kill, The Executioner: Mack Bolan Short Story
Willing to Kill—
"From first word to last, Don Pendleton is in pure form—as is his creation: The Executioner!" ~Jon Guenther, Author
At the beginning of his impossible war, Mack Bolan had not envisioned himself as the arch-foe of the Mafia world. He had simply reacted to a terribly disheartening situation—in the same way in which any man of like talents and ideals would have done—without knowing that soon he would become the most feared and hated enemy of the crime kingdoms.
Bolan had learned to live one heartbeat at a time—with no thought beyond the next battle line—or beyond the next police trap. The men behind the badges were, in Bolan's understanding, "soldiers of the same side," but in the official book, Mack Bolan was the largest criminal of all. And he accepted that, and would have it no other way.
He had also learned early in his war that he was stronger when standing alone—and, indeed, this was how he preferred to operate. He was not "operating" at all, though, that fated morning in Dallas when he stumbled upon the Mafia hit team.
Something large was going down, and Mack Bolan invited himself to the war!
"From first word to last, Don Pendleton is in pure form—as is his creation: The Executioner!" ~Jon Guenther, Author
At the beginning of his impossible war, Mack Bolan had not envisioned himself as the arch-foe of the Mafia world. He had simply reacted to a terribly disheartening situation—in the same way in which any man of like talents and ideals would have done—without knowing that soon he would become the most feared and hated enemy of the crime kingdoms.
Bolan had learned to live one heartbeat at a time—with no thought beyond the next battle line—or beyond the next police trap. The men behind the badges were, in Bolan's understanding, "soldiers of the same side," but in the official book, Mack Bolan was the largest criminal of all. And he accepted that, and would have it no other way.
He had also learned early in his war that he was stronger when standing alone—and, indeed, this was how he preferred to operate. He was not "operating" at all, though, that fated morning in Dallas when he stumbled upon the Mafia hit team.
Something large was going down, and Mack Bolan invited himself to the war!
28 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 12, 2018
13 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Don Pendleton
1,520 books183 followersDon 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 5, 2019
It's not often that he get's a vacation, but, with most of the Mafioso forces in Texas decimated due to his last purge through the lone star state, Mack Bolan felt like he could...perhaps...have a chance for some R&R...drop a line in a stream some where. But...no good idea goes unpunished!
Literally bumping into a known enforcer...in a place he shouldn't be...along with a growing crowd of other made men, Bolan's danger signals immediately start flashing. With a shake of his head he knows his vacation is over and now he can only take the journey on the trail of these bad men until it's inevitable end.
Reprinting this short story from the 1978 GREAT AMERICAN DETECTIVE anthology we're taking back in time to when the Executioner has only begun fighting his war on crime. Nice introduction by Linda Pendleton on her husband's creation and subsequent pop culture icon.
Literally bumping into a known enforcer...in a place he shouldn't be...along with a growing crowd of other made men, Bolan's danger signals immediately start flashing. With a shake of his head he knows his vacation is over and now he can only take the journey on the trail of these bad men until it's inevitable end.
Reprinting this short story from the 1978 GREAT AMERICAN DETECTIVE anthology we're taking back in time to when the Executioner has only begun fighting his war on crime. Nice introduction by Linda Pendleton on her husband's creation and subsequent pop culture icon.
January 31, 2020
Not the best of The Executioner by Don Pendleton, but it's good to read this short story and add to the collection.
March 17, 2021
He was not "operating" at all, though, that fated morning in Dallas when he stumbled on to the hit team from Los Angeles. He was simply passing through the area and he'd gone to the regional airport to claim an air-express package containing routine intelligence from Leo Turrin. After picking up the package—a rundown on the mob invasion of Wall Street—he followed one of those subliminal quivers of psyche which led him toward a quick-pass through the passenger terminal. And suddenly he was eye to eye with Jersey Jake Natti, a grizzled survivor of the old Murder Incorporated group. Natti was on the downslope of life, now, and that fact alone was enough to support his reputation as the wiliest and most effective death contractor in the business. Longevity, in his business, was the stamp of success. For Bolan, it had been instant recognition—a bright spotlight illuminating the mental mugfile. Not so for Natti. He saw only a young Texan wearing Levi's, tee shirt, dungaree jacket, dusty boots, corduroy range hat—softly drawling an apology for getting in the way.
August 3, 2019
Classic Don Pendleton!!!
This short story definitely shows why Don Pendleton is numero uno when it comes to the world of action/adventure writing. I highly recommend this great story for any fan of Don Pendleton and Mack 'The Executioner' Bolan.
This short story definitely shows why Don Pendleton is numero uno when it comes to the world of action/adventure writing. I highly recommend this great story for any fan of Don Pendleton and Mack 'The Executioner' Bolan.
February 1, 2019
Good story
I've been reading Mack Bolan since the 80s. This is a great little short story with a good firefight against the mob. If you're a fan, I highly recommend this story.
I've been reading Mack Bolan since the 80s. This is a great little short story with a good firefight against the mob. If you're a fan, I highly recommend this story.
June 9, 2019
Great story Don
I have been following Mack since the beginning. This was a really great story and I am glad that you wrote it.
I have been following Mack since the beginning. This was a really great story and I am glad that you wrote it.
February 4, 2023
From a master at narrative prose.
Once again the god father of men’s action/adventure delivers. His prose still holds up to these times. Don Pendleton I salute you.
Once again the god father of men’s action/adventure delivers. His prose still holds up to these times. Don Pendleton I salute you.
January 23, 2019
From a long time fan
I just love this whole series.I started in 1973.and still reading the excuetionor series.read this book,you will love it.friend.go now
I just love this whole series.I started in 1973.and still reading the excuetionor series.read this book,you will love it.friend.go now
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews