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The Executioner #4
Miami Massacre
Mack Bolan is informed that Mafia overlords are meeting in Florida toomake arrangements to wipe him out - permanently! He penetrates their inner council, only to encounter the guns of the dreaded Talifero brothers. They are skilled "enforcers" whose cold-blooded modus operandi makes them powerful foes to be feared and respected - even by THE EXECUTIONER!
Overcoming near insurmountable odds, Bolan strikes with devastating force - once more catching the Mafia big shots off guard. . .
Overcoming near insurmountable odds, Bolan strikes with devastating force - once more catching the Mafia big shots off guard. . .
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
88 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Don Pendleton
1,517 books188 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 - 30 of 62 reviews
October 7, 2021
Bolan brings his brand of hellfire to a Mob summit in Miami. Bolan meets Hal from the feds.
June 16, 2013
Continuing his one-man war on the Mafia, Mack Bolan (no relation to Marc Bolan, of T.Rex, I presume) gets whiff of a Mafia summit in the matching-white-belts-and-shoes capital of the world, so he heads to Miami to interrupt the proceedings. I predict there is going to be a massacre-- a Miami massacre, to be precise, which is also the title of the fourth in Don Pendleton's 1970s-era Executioner series.
Miami Massacre benefits from actually being written by Don Pendleton, the creator of Mack Bolan, and is the first I've read actually written by the guy. When I was a dumb high-school kid, I'd read these Mack Bolan books published by Gold Eagle, all written anonymously by freelancers. As a general rule, they pretty much sucked, but they sated my adolescent need for action and violence. This original Pendleton-authored one, along with a few others, was in my old stash and I'd never read it. I figured it was time to dust it off and check it out.
Happily, Pendleton's writing is far better than I remember the bulk of the Gold Eagle volumes to be. Bear in mind, we're not talking Dostoevsky here. But Pendleton does have a knack for action and propelling a story along. There is some effective characterization of Bolan which, although not deep, is enough to set him apart from other characters in the "men's adventure" novels of the time.
The book begins with a short prologue, letting the reader know that Bolan, a sniper back from 'Nam, has been fighting a one-man war on the Mafia after a tragic incident involving the Mafia destroyed his family (yeah, we're supposed to know that already). He picks up the lead in Arizona while assaulting a gangster's compound. The guy he's looking for isn't there, but some bimbo getting it on with a Mafia goon is there. After Bolan snuffs the heavy, he learns from the bimbo that Miami is the place to be and catches the next flight out. Arriving at the hotel in Miami where the Mafiosi are staying, he dispatches one goon after another with his silenced Luger, but then the heat gets too hot. Both the mobsters and the cops are now after this legendary vigilante and Bolan's only hope for escape is a Cuban exile name Toro who leads a rag-tag group of anti-Castro guerilla fighters. But can Bolan trust him?
This is a fun actioner that is easy on the brain cells, but it's pretty dated. Written in 1970, it carries the trappings of that time which, to me, makes it that much more entertaining. As Joe Kenney remarks in his review of War Against The Mafia, the first in the series, in his wonderful blog Glorious Trash: "The series is so 'seventies' as to be instantly cool, with a Pall Mall-smoking Mack Bolan who's all sorts of alpha male." Much of this '70s-ness is pretty funny. For example, while at the airport, Bolan disquised himself as a hippie and joined a group of other hippies to throw off the mobsters anticipating his arrival. After his departure, the hippies ruminate on this mysterious stranger:
Wow, man, you can't, like, find dialogue as out-of-the-world groovy as that anymore. I dig.
To sum up, Miami Massacre delivers. It certainly has a schlocky feel, but Pendleton makes no pretense about this being any more than it is, nor does he apologize for it. Plus, he's got the writing chops to pull it off. After reading a Bolan book by Pendleton, I think it's unfortunate that when people think of Mack Bolan they probably usually think of the Reagan-era masturbatory fantasies of the Gold Eagle books. Pendleton's Bolan is pretty fun and I'm looking forward to the other Pendleton-authored titles that I have remaining in my stash.
Miami Massacre benefits from actually being written by Don Pendleton, the creator of Mack Bolan, and is the first I've read actually written by the guy. When I was a dumb high-school kid, I'd read these Mack Bolan books published by Gold Eagle, all written anonymously by freelancers. As a general rule, they pretty much sucked, but they sated my adolescent need for action and violence. This original Pendleton-authored one, along with a few others, was in my old stash and I'd never read it. I figured it was time to dust it off and check it out.
Happily, Pendleton's writing is far better than I remember the bulk of the Gold Eagle volumes to be. Bear in mind, we're not talking Dostoevsky here. But Pendleton does have a knack for action and propelling a story along. There is some effective characterization of Bolan which, although not deep, is enough to set him apart from other characters in the "men's adventure" novels of the time.
The book begins with a short prologue, letting the reader know that Bolan, a sniper back from 'Nam, has been fighting a one-man war on the Mafia after a tragic incident involving the Mafia destroyed his family (yeah, we're supposed to know that already). He picks up the lead in Arizona while assaulting a gangster's compound. The guy he's looking for isn't there, but some bimbo getting it on with a Mafia goon is there. After Bolan snuffs the heavy, he learns from the bimbo that Miami is the place to be and catches the next flight out. Arriving at the hotel in Miami where the Mafiosi are staying, he dispatches one goon after another with his silenced Luger, but then the heat gets too hot. Both the mobsters and the cops are now after this legendary vigilante and Bolan's only hope for escape is a Cuban exile name Toro who leads a rag-tag group of anti-Castro guerilla fighters. But can Bolan trust him?
This is a fun actioner that is easy on the brain cells, but it's pretty dated. Written in 1970, it carries the trappings of that time which, to me, makes it that much more entertaining. As Joe Kenney remarks in his review of War Against The Mafia, the first in the series, in his wonderful blog Glorious Trash: "The series is so 'seventies' as to be instantly cool, with a Pall Mall-smoking Mack Bolan who's all sorts of alpha male." Much of this '70s-ness is pretty funny. For example, while at the airport, Bolan disquised himself as a hippie and joined a group of other hippies to throw off the mobsters anticipating his arrival. After his departure, the hippies ruminate on this mysterious stranger:
A round-eyed girl, still a bit breathless with suppressed tension, said, "We should've, you know, found out who he was and why he was hiding. I mean, wow, he could be anybody. I mean it was groovy, sure, but wow! He could be anybody."
"Sometimes you just have to go on instincts," their bearded leader observed. "Like with chicks, you know. You just have to like the look in their eyes and take it from there. I mean, I just looked in those eyes, dig?--and I said, 'sure, man--I'll let you carry my guitar.' And the cat fit, didn't he? I mean, he was a real cool Aquarian, wasn't he?"
Wow, man, you can't, like, find dialogue as out-of-the-world groovy as that anymore. I dig.
To sum up, Miami Massacre delivers. It certainly has a schlocky feel, but Pendleton makes no pretense about this being any more than it is, nor does he apologize for it. Plus, he's got the writing chops to pull it off. After reading a Bolan book by Pendleton, I think it's unfortunate that when people think of Mack Bolan they probably usually think of the Reagan-era masturbatory fantasies of the Gold Eagle books. Pendleton's Bolan is pretty fun and I'm looking forward to the other Pendleton-authored titles that I have remaining in my stash.
January 9, 2020
When Miami Massacre was first published in 1970, it is the waning days of the Age of Aquarius and men are returning from Vietnam, finding that there are other wars to fight just as tough. Bolan, earlier in the series ("War Against The Mafia"), returns home to Los Angeles to find the Mafia has ruined his family, driven them to despair, suicide, and more. Known as " the Executioner," Bolan declares war on all the
tough guys the Mafia can muster. Thus, begins one of the great Men's Adventure series of the seventies. Something like a Dirty Harry movie or a later hero The Rock taking on a whole crew of bad guys by his
lonesome in Walking Tall, Mack Bolan is the one-man take-no-prisoners rescue-damsels-in-distress guy you all want to be.
Action is the name of the game in a Mack Bolan story, not philosophical niceties. Bolan takes the war to the Mafia bosses in
Phoenix and Miami, attacking them wherever he can find them. On the way, he enlists the help of Cuban rebels and a Valkyrie warrior, Margarita. If you are looking for intense action from start to finish, you'll never go wrong with any of the books in this series and certainly not this one.
tough guys the Mafia can muster. Thus, begins one of the great Men's Adventure series of the seventies. Something like a Dirty Harry movie or a later hero The Rock taking on a whole crew of bad guys by his
lonesome in Walking Tall, Mack Bolan is the one-man take-no-prisoners rescue-damsels-in-distress guy you all want to be.
Action is the name of the game in a Mack Bolan story, not philosophical niceties. Bolan takes the war to the Mafia bosses in
Phoenix and Miami, attacking them wherever he can find them. On the way, he enlists the help of Cuban rebels and a Valkyrie warrior, Margarita. If you are looking for intense action from start to finish, you'll never go wrong with any of the books in this series and certainly not this one.
April 30, 2025
Credited with creating the action-adventure genre with the publishing of "War Against the Mafia" in 1969, Pendleton churned out a slew of these novels in the 70s. This one, written in 1970, follows Bolan high-tailing it out of the Southwest U.S. to follow the trail of a Mafia underboss.
There's a conference brewing in the Florida sunshine, with the agenda including how to take care of the "Bolan" problem, and includes the scary Talifero enforcer brothers.
Throw in endless thugs, gals in bikinis, some Cuban exiles who aid Bolan in a mutual quest, and it's an action-packed fun ride.
There's a conference brewing in the Florida sunshine, with the agenda including how to take care of the "Bolan" problem, and includes the scary Talifero enforcer brothers.
Throw in endless thugs, gals in bikinis, some Cuban exiles who aid Bolan in a mutual quest, and it's an action-packed fun ride.
June 25, 2021
Mack is back, and with all the bosses meeting in Miami he has the opportunity to inflict some major damage to the crime syndicate. While this book was still packed with over the top action, full of hot lead and hotter women, it didn't pack the same adrenaline rush as the previous books. The story seemed to be on autopilot for the most part, but there was still plenty of great turns to keep things interesting.
June 30, 2020
When a mob boss escapes death in Arizona, Bolan tracks him to Miami. Upon arrival in the resort town he discovers a mafia summit is happening. Bosses from across the country are meeting to plot a new underworld conspiracy. The Executioner’s one-man war is about to set Miami ablaze. Full of bloody action and devious intrigue this fourth entry in the series does not disappoint.
July 16, 2022
Solid, fast-paced entry in The Executioner series
I am surprised how much I generally enjoy The Executioner series. When I want to have light escapist reading, these are good books to turn to. Keeping in mind that this is a series about a one man war against the mafia, where the anti-hero, Mack Bolan, always comes out on top. It reminds me somewhat of later popular characters like Sarah Conner (of the terminator series), Rambo, Rocky, even and Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible). But Bolan was there before any of them. He is totally focused on his cause of revenge on the mafia for the death of his family. But he is also pays the emotional price as well of being a warrior who knows no peace. Miami Massacre was a fast read in Book 4 — perfect to start the escapist reads leading into summer.
I am surprised how much I generally enjoy The Executioner series. When I want to have light escapist reading, these are good books to turn to. Keeping in mind that this is a series about a one man war against the mafia, where the anti-hero, Mack Bolan, always comes out on top. It reminds me somewhat of later popular characters like Sarah Conner (of the terminator series), Rambo, Rocky, even and Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible). But Bolan was there before any of them. He is totally focused on his cause of revenge on the mafia for the death of his family. But he is also pays the emotional price as well of being a warrior who knows no peace. Miami Massacre was a fast read in Book 4 — perfect to start the escapist reads leading into summer.
March 24, 2017
Another adventure in the annals of The Executioner. Very good, but not as strong as the three books that preceded it.
Pendleton keeps things moving at a rapid-fire pace--literally--for 192 pages. Bolan has his sights set on Johnny the Musician Portocci, and hits the jackpot when he follows Portocci from Arizona to Miami where a Mafia convention is convening. For Bolan a hotel filled with mobsters is like shooting fish in a barrel. He just walks the halls picking 'em off. My favorite was the guy who opens his chain-locked hotel room door and--phut!--gets a bullet up the nose.
Bolan's getting into Miami undetected was another fun scene, calling for a Mission: Impossible-styled ruse, leading to a lighthearted scene of Bolan sneaking past waiting mobsters disguised as a hippie rock singer (a scene perhaps swiped from the "A Very Warm Reception" episode of It Takes a Thief).
The book only bogs down when Toro the Spanish Bull and Margarita become major characters. There's a lull from Bolan's escaping the hotel through his mysterious and talky meeting with the Cuban exile community. The detailed explanations of weaponry may appeal to certain readers, but my eyes began to glaze over. This extended episode in the exiles' compound slows but never entirely breaks the momentum, and it does set up the hard lesson Bolan learns about female entanglements, a luxury he cannot afford when there's a war on.
Another weakness-the Taliferro Brothers, Pat and Mike. These ivy-league educated master assassins were mentioned in the last book and presented as an unstoppable force that even hardened mobsters were reluctant to "activate." But they fade into the background of the story and there's no satisfactory payoff. I was waiting for a suspenseful confrontation, and when Bolan finally meets a brother it's anticlimactic and almost incidental to the story.
A final complaint is the poor proofreading--"illusive" instead of "elusive" appears a dozen times throughout the book, and the proper noun "God" is lower-cased more often than not. Such missteps are distracting, but perhaps testify to the low regard The Executioner books had early on by the publisher. I'll be curious to see if the books get polished as their popularity soared.
I credit Pendleton with keeping abreast of current events, such as the Cuban exiles and the Woodstock-inspired rock festival complete with skinny dippers. The book has a definite 1970 vibe, which is welcomed and made my reading even more enjoyable. Onward to number five!
Live Large! (The origin of which motto is revealed in this novel!)
Pendleton keeps things moving at a rapid-fire pace--literally--for 192 pages. Bolan has his sights set on Johnny the Musician Portocci, and hits the jackpot when he follows Portocci from Arizona to Miami where a Mafia convention is convening. For Bolan a hotel filled with mobsters is like shooting fish in a barrel. He just walks the halls picking 'em off. My favorite was the guy who opens his chain-locked hotel room door and--phut!--gets a bullet up the nose.
Bolan's getting into Miami undetected was another fun scene, calling for a Mission: Impossible-styled ruse, leading to a lighthearted scene of Bolan sneaking past waiting mobsters disguised as a hippie rock singer (a scene perhaps swiped from the "A Very Warm Reception" episode of It Takes a Thief).
The book only bogs down when Toro the Spanish Bull and Margarita become major characters. There's a lull from Bolan's escaping the hotel through his mysterious and talky meeting with the Cuban exile community. The detailed explanations of weaponry may appeal to certain readers, but my eyes began to glaze over. This extended episode in the exiles' compound slows but never entirely breaks the momentum, and it does set up the hard lesson Bolan learns about female entanglements, a luxury he cannot afford when there's a war on.
Another weakness-the Taliferro Brothers, Pat and Mike. These ivy-league educated master assassins were mentioned in the last book and presented as an unstoppable force that even hardened mobsters were reluctant to "activate." But they fade into the background of the story and there's no satisfactory payoff. I was waiting for a suspenseful confrontation, and when Bolan finally meets a brother it's anticlimactic and almost incidental to the story.
A final complaint is the poor proofreading--"illusive" instead of "elusive" appears a dozen times throughout the book, and the proper noun "God" is lower-cased more often than not. Such missteps are distracting, but perhaps testify to the low regard The Executioner books had early on by the publisher. I'll be curious to see if the books get polished as their popularity soared.
I credit Pendleton with keeping abreast of current events, such as the Cuban exiles and the Woodstock-inspired rock festival complete with skinny dippers. The book has a definite 1970 vibe, which is welcomed and made my reading even more enjoyable. Onward to number five!
Live Large! (The origin of which motto is revealed in this novel!)
December 27, 2013
I just read this on a whim, as I found a stack of about 10 of these on the shelf at the town dump. Being the book scrounger (and cheapskate) I am, I grabbed them all. Hell, I figured I would read one, and if I liked it, then I had plenty more to work with. If not, back to the dump with them.
Glad I grabbed them! This is good ol' fashioned pulp fiction, the days when you wrote stories without worrying about developing the characters overmuch. Anything that is exciting and drives the plot forward is kept in the story, and anything else is cheerfully thrown overboard. That's what I liked about this story. The killing starts in the first few pages, and the plot gallops along right to the end. This is a nice, simple book you can read in one day at the beach, it is only a hundred pages and change. I will go back and read the others, a simple story about one man blasting a load of Mafia dons in Miami got me going. It is too bad how some people feel that a good book has to have some deep psychological meaning, or an oppressed character struggling against the weight of the world. If that's what you need, lock yourself in a dim room with a copy of 'Crime and Punishment.' Wish I could join you-but not really. I will be out in the open air, enjoying the gunshots I hear in my brain as the Executioner lays waste to another cartel of Italian trash, and leaves the bodies and shell casings in his wake.
Glad I grabbed them! This is good ol' fashioned pulp fiction, the days when you wrote stories without worrying about developing the characters overmuch. Anything that is exciting and drives the plot forward is kept in the story, and anything else is cheerfully thrown overboard. That's what I liked about this story. The killing starts in the first few pages, and the plot gallops along right to the end. This is a nice, simple book you can read in one day at the beach, it is only a hundred pages and change. I will go back and read the others, a simple story about one man blasting a load of Mafia dons in Miami got me going. It is too bad how some people feel that a good book has to have some deep psychological meaning, or an oppressed character struggling against the weight of the world. If that's what you need, lock yourself in a dim room with a copy of 'Crime and Punishment.' Wish I could join you-but not really. I will be out in the open air, enjoying the gunshots I hear in my brain as the Executioner lays waste to another cartel of Italian trash, and leaves the bodies and shell casings in his wake.
November 22, 2009
Another violent (I hate the word, but...) "romp" with Bolan infiltrating a meeting of mob head honchos that has been called to plan his demise. Here he runs into...dum, dum, dum (okay maybe "dum" wasn't the best choice of sound effect for a book some may think is close to "dumb" anyway...but just go with it) as I was saying he runs into the Talifero brothers! (never heard of them huh? Well that's because even though they are apparntly world renound "hitters" they are, fictional ones.)
Nice violent action, helps if your like younger than 30.
From reviews of earlier volumes:
Before I went in the army back in the early 70s I read several of these books. Being a shooter/gun enthusiast Pendelton's detailed account of the weapons used (something i'm sure drove some people away from the books) I found very interesting. Aside from that the stories were adrenaline charged violent thrill rides and that's all that young men need sometimes.
If you want a good fast exciting read find the early Executioner books. As a point of interest I read that Marvel acknowledged that "some" inspiration for The Punisher came from The Executioner as did "some" for DCs The Vigilante.
Nice violent action, helps if your like younger than 30.
From reviews of earlier volumes:
Before I went in the army back in the early 70s I read several of these books. Being a shooter/gun enthusiast Pendelton's detailed account of the weapons used (something i'm sure drove some people away from the books) I found very interesting. Aside from that the stories were adrenaline charged violent thrill rides and that's all that young men need sometimes.
If you want a good fast exciting read find the early Executioner books. As a point of interest I read that Marvel acknowledged that "some" inspiration for The Punisher came from The Executioner as did "some" for DCs The Vigilante.
January 23, 2020
More of the vigilante Mack Bolan against the Mafia action. The good thing is that there is an intro which basically explains the series to anyone who hasn't read the first 3 books. If you don't expect a lot from these books you won't be disappointed. I like them because of what they are: pulp fiction with a lot of action and not a lot of thinking.
Spoilers:
In this book Bolan takes on the Miami gang and the Mafia big shots who have gathered in Miami for a meeting. There's a lot of well-used plot devices like Bolan meeting friends who help him wholeheartedly in the cause (Cuban exiles in this case) and more of the friendly policemen who secretly admire him - it's a whole lot of treacle.
Anyway if you like the type of guns blazing everywhere and dead bad guys galore with a bit of horizontal boogie thrown in, this series is right for you. These books are short, you can easily finish one in a day.
Spoilers:
In this book Bolan takes on the Miami gang and the Mafia big shots who have gathered in Miami for a meeting. There's a lot of well-used plot devices like Bolan meeting friends who help him wholeheartedly in the cause (Cuban exiles in this case) and more of the friendly policemen who secretly admire him - it's a whole lot of treacle.
Anyway if you like the type of guns blazing everywhere and dead bad guys galore with a bit of horizontal boogie thrown in, this series is right for you. These books are short, you can easily finish one in a day.
February 13, 2018
The Men's Adventure genre gets criticism sometimes for too much violence and sex and not much else, but this series in particular is usually a good read.
I'm a big fan of The Punisher, so reading these books adds another layer to the character as the character's inspiration is evident. In this volume the mob is having a big meeting in Miami to decide what to do about Bolan, and he decides to crash the party. What I like about the series is the fact it doesn't turn out exactly like you'd expect. While he does do some damage, it's never the clean sweep you'd expect and you tell each book is a battle, rather than a war.
I'm a big fan of The Punisher, so reading these books adds another layer to the character as the character's inspiration is evident. In this volume the mob is having a big meeting in Miami to decide what to do about Bolan, and he decides to crash the party. What I like about the series is the fact it doesn't turn out exactly like you'd expect. While he does do some damage, it's never the clean sweep you'd expect and you tell each book is a battle, rather than a war.
May 12, 2015
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
February 5, 2024
Excellent!
July 14, 2023
Miami Massacre picks up shortly after Battle Mask, with Mack Bolan in Phoenix, hunting down remnants of the Mafia family he decimated over the course of Death Squad and Battle Mask. He gets a tip that leads him to Miami, and shortly thereafter, the Bolan blitz is on.
I really think that War Against the Mafia and Death Squad were Pendleton finding his voice and style. Battle Mask and Miami Massacre are where it's readily recognizable as the prototypical story that inspired later authors in the series such as Michael Newton, Chuck Rogers, and Douglas P. Wojtowicz, the man who taught me how to write.
It was also surprisingly progressive for its time, with Margarita being an actual shooter that gets some rather than simply a sexy lamp for Bolan to pass the time. The operative words here are "for its time"; there's stuff that wouldn't fly in 2023, though I considered it through a 1970s lens to gauge it. Additionally, "Love me, Mock" made me roll my eyes and snicker. That definitely wouldn't fly nowadays.
That said, in comparison to the Executioners I read from the early to mid-1990s, it's a how-to for men on writing female characters...
All in all, what merited this five stars from me was the need to keep turning the page. I don't think I've had this much excitement reading an Executioner novel since the days of first discovering Mike Newton in A Dying Evil and reading Doug's debut Executioner book, Blood Trade. I'm looking forward to completing the remainder of the original 38 novels!
I really think that War Against the Mafia and Death Squad were Pendleton finding his voice and style. Battle Mask and Miami Massacre are where it's readily recognizable as the prototypical story that inspired later authors in the series such as Michael Newton, Chuck Rogers, and Douglas P. Wojtowicz, the man who taught me how to write.
It was also surprisingly progressive for its time, with Margarita being an actual shooter that gets some rather than simply a sexy lamp for Bolan to pass the time. The operative words here are "for its time"; there's stuff that wouldn't fly in 2023, though I considered it through a 1970s lens to gauge it. Additionally, "Love me, Mock" made me roll my eyes and snicker. That definitely wouldn't fly nowadays.
That said, in comparison to the Executioners I read from the early to mid-1990s, it's a how-to for men on writing female characters...
All in all, what merited this five stars from me was the need to keep turning the page. I don't think I've had this much excitement reading an Executioner novel since the days of first discovering Mike Newton in A Dying Evil and reading Doug's debut Executioner book, Blood Trade. I'm looking forward to completing the remainder of the original 38 novels!
December 19, 2023
There are thousands of conventions held in sunny Miami every single year, but after Mack "The Executioner" Bolan visits during a Mafia summit, there will be one less for next year!
You know what to expect at this stage and so does author Don Pendleton. We have the experienced police officer reluctantly hunting Bolan, in this case an older Gene Hackman-esque fellow who runs the Dade Force, a special police group designed to handle "VIP" problems. We have the mobsters who are Bolan's targets, including Ciro Lavengetta, the whiny Arizona boss who tries to use Bolan's presence for his own gain. And you have the allies, the good folk who help Bolan in his crusade, in this novel a band of Cuban exiles who rescue him twice from deadly predicaments.
Oh, and the maestro gives us the coolest villains you could ask for in the twin Talifero brothers! These guys are actually dangerous instead of the usual pathetic and make for the big guy's biggest challenge yet.
So with the stage set and the actors poised, how is the play?
Well, it's perfect if you are looking for an action novel. Which, you know, these are. Not so great for fans of War and Peace.
This has some of the most incredible action sequences yet in the series, culminating in a hotel shootout that includes dozens of explosions and machinegun fire, and a raid on a yacht in the start of a tropical storm. That also features dozens of explosions because it turns out too much candy actually tastes delicious.
The plot is pretty well-constructed as well. Not just one blowout after another. Pandleton ferries in enough character to shoulder the weight of things when they aren't blowing up. Although he continues to display an awkward ineptitude towards his female characters. Our only female role in this one is a Cuban soldado who falls for Bolan after a single night because he is just that awesome and then...well, I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum, but Pendleton's using her as a plot point so don't expect them to ride off into the sunset together.
Pendleton's got the machismo side down at at least.
For those seeking out the earlier Executioner novels, this one ranks up there as one of Pendleton's best. For those seeking high art, possibly try War and Peace?
You know what to expect at this stage and so does author Don Pendleton. We have the experienced police officer reluctantly hunting Bolan, in this case an older Gene Hackman-esque fellow who runs the Dade Force, a special police group designed to handle "VIP" problems. We have the mobsters who are Bolan's targets, including Ciro Lavengetta, the whiny Arizona boss who tries to use Bolan's presence for his own gain. And you have the allies, the good folk who help Bolan in his crusade, in this novel a band of Cuban exiles who rescue him twice from deadly predicaments.
Oh, and the maestro gives us the coolest villains you could ask for in the twin Talifero brothers! These guys are actually dangerous instead of the usual pathetic and make for the big guy's biggest challenge yet.
So with the stage set and the actors poised, how is the play?
Well, it's perfect if you are looking for an action novel. Which, you know, these are. Not so great for fans of War and Peace.
This has some of the most incredible action sequences yet in the series, culminating in a hotel shootout that includes dozens of explosions and machinegun fire, and a raid on a yacht in the start of a tropical storm. That also features dozens of explosions because it turns out too much candy actually tastes delicious.
The plot is pretty well-constructed as well. Not just one blowout after another. Pandleton ferries in enough character to shoulder the weight of things when they aren't blowing up. Although he continues to display an awkward ineptitude towards his female characters. Our only female role in this one is a Cuban soldado who falls for Bolan after a single night because he is just that awesome and then...well, I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum, but Pendleton's using her as a plot point so don't expect them to ride off into the sunset together.
Pendleton's got the machismo side down at at least.
For those seeking out the earlier Executioner novels, this one ranks up there as one of Pendleton's best. For those seeking high art, possibly try War and Peace?
December 10, 2020
This book begins in Phoenix with an action scene that eliminates another mobster. This helps the book to start strong as it will be a lot of exposition to maneuver Mack Bolan into Miami. In Miami, the mafia is setting up a meeting that Bolan is planning to literally crash. Along the way he joins forces with Cuban freedom fighters and trashes a hotel, construction park, and shoots up a yacht. Not bad for one book.
Bolan also meets a female Cuban fighter who he becomes very close to. This leads to his dilemma where he can only save her or an innocent “model” from death. His choice leaves him somewhat broken, which shows a very human side to Bolan. However, Bolan sticks to his mission and channels his anger towards destroying the mafia. Every book has one of those moments where Bolan faces the temptation to put everything aside and give up on his war. These temptations help to refocus him on his mission.
There are also new antagonists introduced, the Talifero brothers. They don’t do too much in this book but appear to be possible future threats. These are the kind of villains that even the evil mafia bosses fear. I enjoyed seeing them be built up through the eyes of the mafia. Hopefully, we see more of them.
There were new action scenes that were great. However, I believe that Bolan is starting to get a little too gung-ho and not preparing as much. I think a few tactical retreats would help the book be more believable. Overall, it was another good outing for Mack Bolan.
Bolan also meets a female Cuban fighter who he becomes very close to. This leads to his dilemma where he can only save her or an innocent “model” from death. His choice leaves him somewhat broken, which shows a very human side to Bolan. However, Bolan sticks to his mission and channels his anger towards destroying the mafia. Every book has one of those moments where Bolan faces the temptation to put everything aside and give up on his war. These temptations help to refocus him on his mission.
There are also new antagonists introduced, the Talifero brothers. They don’t do too much in this book but appear to be possible future threats. These are the kind of villains that even the evil mafia bosses fear. I enjoyed seeing them be built up through the eyes of the mafia. Hopefully, we see more of them.
There were new action scenes that were great. However, I believe that Bolan is starting to get a little too gung-ho and not preparing as much. I think a few tactical retreats would help the book be more believable. Overall, it was another good outing for Mack Bolan.
December 14, 2020
COUNCIL OF KINGS
For the first time in many years, the “invisible second government of the nation” was convened in full session. It was called the Commissione and consisted of the head of each of the thirteen U.S. Cosa Nostra families. La Cosa Nostra, literally “this thing of ours,” was operated as a republic within a republic. Despite much official and public conjecture on the matter, there was no “boss of all the bosses” who functioned as a sovereign head of the massive underground organization. The Commissione itself established interfamily policies and procedures, policed its members, and enforced the council’s rulings.
A man at the other side of the table spoke into the sudden silence. “Don’t nobody forget where this Bolan got started,” he said. “Anybody thinks Sergio was an old lady had better step outside and fight me right now. This Bolan is a one-man army, never mind about foxes and hounds. And if he’s in Miami, I’m telling you right now we better move our convention somewheres else.” The speaker was Frank Milano, successor to the late Sergio Frenchi, the first Mafia boss to bite The Executioner’s dust.
Marinello snapped, “Get me the Talifero brothers!” His brooding gaze swept the assembled bosses and he amended the demand by adding, “I mean, I make a motion that we delegate this problem to Pat and Mike Talifero. Do I hear any objections?”
Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/244680537
For the first time in many years, the “invisible second government of the nation” was convened in full session. It was called the Commissione and consisted of the head of each of the thirteen U.S. Cosa Nostra families. La Cosa Nostra, literally “this thing of ours,” was operated as a republic within a republic. Despite much official and public conjecture on the matter, there was no “boss of all the bosses” who functioned as a sovereign head of the massive underground organization. The Commissione itself established interfamily policies and procedures, policed its members, and enforced the council’s rulings.
A man at the other side of the table spoke into the sudden silence. “Don’t nobody forget where this Bolan got started,” he said. “Anybody thinks Sergio was an old lady had better step outside and fight me right now. This Bolan is a one-man army, never mind about foxes and hounds. And if he’s in Miami, I’m telling you right now we better move our convention somewheres else.” The speaker was Frank Milano, successor to the late Sergio Frenchi, the first Mafia boss to bite The Executioner’s dust.
Marinello snapped, “Get me the Talifero brothers!” His brooding gaze swept the assembled bosses and he amended the demand by adding, “I mean, I make a motion that we delegate this problem to Pat and Mike Talifero. Do I hear any objections?”
Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/244680537
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June 15, 2020I'm seeing a pattern here. Pendleton will introduce characters who make a well-reasoned argument against Mack Bolan's path of violence, seemingly setting up an interesting philosophical counterpoint. But over the course of the story, these characters are soon won over to either sympathizing with or fully supporting Bolan. It's a shady bit of rhetoric used to reinforce an ends justifies the means moral absolutism.
I enjoyed going behind the scenes of the Mafia's high council. We meet Pat and Mike Talifero (briefly, in Pat's case), and we meet Augie Marinello, a New York boss who I think features prominently in book 7. Funny how much I remember from reading these books 30+ years ago. We also get confirmation that Sergio Frenchi was in fact killed in book 1, and Leo Turrin has risen in that family as a result. And Tony Danger Cupaletto was the only mobster of rank to survive Bolan's California assault on the DiGeorge family.
The portrait of the honorable Cuban rebels feels incredibly naive, but adds a novel flavor to the formula. Speaking of the rebels, add another character to the "Bolan allies who have been tortured and killed" list.
The plot relies too much on coincidence for this story to stand up with my favorites. And the cops this time (Hannon and Wilson) feel pretty generic. Book 3 is still the one to beat at this point.
I enjoyed going behind the scenes of the Mafia's high council. We meet Pat and Mike Talifero (briefly, in Pat's case), and we meet Augie Marinello, a New York boss who I think features prominently in book 7. Funny how much I remember from reading these books 30+ years ago. We also get confirmation that Sergio Frenchi was in fact killed in book 1, and Leo Turrin has risen in that family as a result. And Tony Danger Cupaletto was the only mobster of rank to survive Bolan's California assault on the DiGeorge family.
The portrait of the honorable Cuban rebels feels incredibly naive, but adds a novel flavor to the formula. Speaking of the rebels, add another character to the "Bolan allies who have been tortured and killed" list.
The plot relies too much on coincidence for this story to stand up with my favorites. And the cops this time (Hannon and Wilson) feel pretty generic. Book 3 is still the one to beat at this point.
July 6, 2024
Mack Bolan is starting to burn out on his war against the Mafia. The constant pace is wearing him down. He’s starting to envision dying on the job, but he just can’t stop going after the criminal organization that killed his family.
Miami is hosting a massive mafia meeting about which the major issue is what to do about Mack Bolan. He decides to invite himself to the party. Along the way he gets (and gives) some help to some Cuban exiles and has a brief, but apparently highly meaningful, “affair” (read: one night stand) with a woman, all of which serves to reinspire him to push for one more titanic clash with the mafia.
I have to credit Pendleton here, that battle is a big one. The action throughout the book is what we’ve come to expect from the series—non stop and intensely violent. More than that, however, Pendleton is not yet writing purely episodic books. Members of the supporting cast continue to appear in this book, strengthening the sense that this is actually a series with characters who grow an devolve.
Not a bad start for a series that ends up with hundreds of novels the order of which really doesn’t matter.
Miami is hosting a massive mafia meeting about which the major issue is what to do about Mack Bolan. He decides to invite himself to the party. Along the way he gets (and gives) some help to some Cuban exiles and has a brief, but apparently highly meaningful, “affair” (read: one night stand) with a woman, all of which serves to reinspire him to push for one more titanic clash with the mafia.
I have to credit Pendleton here, that battle is a big one. The action throughout the book is what we’ve come to expect from the series—non stop and intensely violent. More than that, however, Pendleton is not yet writing purely episodic books. Members of the supporting cast continue to appear in this book, strengthening the sense that this is actually a series with characters who grow an devolve.
Not a bad start for a series that ends up with hundreds of novels the order of which really doesn’t matter.
January 1, 2024
The stories have kind of settled into a rhythm at this point. Not sure if it's a formula (yet ...), but it's basically thus:
1) Mafioso discuss how Bolan is either OP, and/or how they're gonna be the ones to stop him
2) Bolan prepares to fight Mafioso
3) Mafioso get killed
4) police come to the scene & remind us of everything that happened, then vow to get Bolan.
Wash, rinse, repeat till you've hit 180 pages or so, and we're good.
I always skip the police sections. They've offered nothing new, that I've seen. Possibly eventually one or more of the police will be working with Bolan, or will be more than just mouthpieces for going over scenes that've already happened, but for now ... bleh.
This time around, Pendleton starts realizing that what he tried to do w/book 2 (adding side characters) CAN work, but you can't overdose on them. The couple of sidekicks we get for this outing worked for me.
I assume at some point these will get ridiculously boilerplate & annoying, but not so far ...
1) Mafioso discuss how Bolan is either OP, and/or how they're gonna be the ones to stop him
2) Bolan prepares to fight Mafioso
3) Mafioso get killed
4) police come to the scene & remind us of everything that happened, then vow to get Bolan.
Wash, rinse, repeat till you've hit 180 pages or so, and we're good.
I always skip the police sections. They've offered nothing new, that I've seen. Possibly eventually one or more of the police will be working with Bolan, or will be more than just mouthpieces for going over scenes that've already happened, but for now ... bleh.
This time around, Pendleton starts realizing that what he tried to do w/book 2 (adding side characters) CAN work, but you can't overdose on them. The couple of sidekicks we get for this outing worked for me.
I assume at some point these will get ridiculously boilerplate & annoying, but not so far ...
January 6, 2021
Bolan takes his war to Miami and South Beach will never be the same. There are Cuban revolutionaries, good cops, Feds, and all the feels. I sniffled toward the end of this one. Pendleton had such a way with words. He wrote pulp fiction, with a sparsity of description, every word weighted to convey the exact emotion, action, and setting the writer wanted to evoke in the reader. I remember when I first read this series, back in the dark ages, that I wanted to write like Don Pendleton when I grew up. I found my own voice but in doing so, I can still appreciate his! I'm about to run out of the audio books and that will make me sad. I'm nostalgic and enjoying this ride back to my past. And, as mentioned previously, Shawn Compton truly has Mack's voice down pat.
December 19, 2025
Miami Massacre - the fourth entry in The Executioner series - expertly maintains the momentum built by Battle Mask. True to its name, the novel features Mack Bolan going scorched-earth on a Mafia summit in a beautifully choreographed bloodbath.
While the body count is high, the stakes feel personal; Bolan suffers a significant loss but gains a few intriguing allies who will hopefully return in future installments. By now, the series’ signature formula is firing on all cylinders: a tight revenge plot, sharp writing, and relentless gunplay, all seasoned with just enough pathos to keep the Executioner human.
While the body count is high, the stakes feel personal; Bolan suffers a significant loss but gains a few intriguing allies who will hopefully return in future installments. By now, the series’ signature formula is firing on all cylinders: a tight revenge plot, sharp writing, and relentless gunplay, all seasoned with just enough pathos to keep the Executioner human.
January 27, 2023
I do wish this book series were more grown-up. The notion that this man can seduce and bed any woman he locks eyes with is laughable. In my opinion this book is a form of pornography. Why? Because women serve very little purpose in this series so far except as a vessel for men to pour out their lust upon. Just tits & ass. And for this reason I will never give any book in this series more than a rating of 3. As a parting shot I can’t help but wonder if dude might not be smarter about how he approaches dangerous situations if he didn’t lead with his crotch so much.
September 21, 2018
Fast paced and a lot of brutal action. Miami Massacre is not quite as good as Battle Mask (the third in the series), but there is a lot to keep a reader of the series happy. Returning allies from previous books and seeds set up for future novels. There was one odd thing about this book and thats the whole cuban soldier subplot, but the Pendleton delivered on everything else so well that I didn't mind.
January 30, 2020
This was a good one. The action is still there in spades, but Miami Massacre peels back Mack's cold facade a bit as he forms some warm friendships in this. The character moments and supporting cast in this volume are a bit stronger than in the last volume, giving the action a bit more of an emotional edge and earning this volume an extra star. This continues to be a great action series.
March 15, 2022
4 novels in and Bolan is still avenging his family against the mafia.
Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just that after killing like 60+ members of la costa nostra it’s starting to get a tiny bit stale.
Still though, I’m not complaining. These books quintessential dad lit and are a lot of fun. Straight up action with hardly any fluff in between.
Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just that after killing like 60+ members of la costa nostra it’s starting to get a tiny bit stale.
Still though, I’m not complaining. These books quintessential dad lit and are a lot of fun. Straight up action with hardly any fluff in between.
September 22, 2023
Despite being the first (I believe) of the stories with the undercover Bolan plot structure, this book's primacy does little to lend it a sense of vibrancy. Maybe it's just because I've sampled several of the later re-treads of this, but this one didn't really capture me despite my predilection for the setting.
March 19, 2020
Typical of the series but a solid book where Bolan is approached with a solid offer to sort of work legit. Also plenty of shooting when he attacks a big wig meeting of the mafia.
Recommend for fans of the series and readers of men's adventure, still the father of the sub genre.
Recommend for fans of the series and readers of men's adventure, still the father of the sub genre.
November 21, 2022
What can I say that hasn't already been said about this series. They just get better and better. If you have enjoyed the previous books in the series then you should love this one! Highly recommend. If you haven't read any of these what are you waiting for! Find a copy and enjoy!
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