Twisted Cross

Phoenix Force #21

by Gar Wilson, Gar Wilson (Series Creator)

The City of Lights is rocked to its core when a flaming explosion tears apart a televised reception honoring Franco-American relations. Although the kamikaze terrorist's dying words condemn the reopening of the U.S. Army bases in France, no group steps forward to claim responsibility for the hideous act. . . until now. In a stormy showdown with a familiar enemy, Phoenix force comes face to face with a plot masterminded by the ODESSA Nazis - a plot intended to spread the cancerlike growth of ODESSA subversion throughout the world.

Genres: Action, Adventure

187 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1985

About the author

Phoenix Force is a series of action-adventure novels first published in 1982 by American Gold Eagle publishers. It is a spin-off of the Executioner series created by Don Pendleton.

Phoenix Force is one of two neutralization teams working for Stony Man, a top-secret anti-terrorist organization. As with The Executioner, the Phoenix Force novels have been written by a succession of authors under the pseudonym Gar Wilson. In 1991, Gold Eagle combined Phoenix Force with another Executioner spin-off series, Able Team, and launched the Stony Man book series, which is still being published as of 2005.

Reviews

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Above average entry though it's fairly typical too, more like a 3.5. ODESSA, Nazis, who still dont think their dream is dead is using an underground southern French group, Ocs, who want to separate from the Paris ruled northern France. They are using them to destabilize France and for them to get their separation thus again having their own country to rule through French puppets. Though Phoenix Force is called in after the opening suicidal bombing is aired live on TV. No one is taking credit, so along with a couple of Frenchmen, they have to figure out who the terroists are and take care of them the only way Phoenix Force knows how.

Recommend, its a nice story line with fast pacing and plenty of action. Has a great cliffhanger involving one of the Force's members. Though the ad for the next book kind of lessens the impact a touch.

[Christian D. D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another classic 1980s entry in the Phoenix Force action-adventure series penned by my old friend Paul Glen Neuman (writing under the Gar Wilson pseudonym). Totally cheesy and over-the-top (and the author keeps on referring to the Desert Eagle .357 Magnum as simply the “Eagle”), but so action-packed and so much fun (the sad cliffhanger ending notwithstanding).

And Paul sure does have a way with words, especially when describing blood & gore: “One 9 mm parabellum slug blew his nose in a bloody reverse sneeze of mind-numbing destruction. Cartilage and bone fragments mingled with mucus and brain tissue.”—p. 100. Instant classic!

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man blows himself up in front of T.V. cameras in France. Killing prominent people in the process. The Force is called upon to see why. They find out that Odessa nazis are using a south France group called Ocs to attack the north. Their aim is to use the Ocs to create a new state for themselves in the south. Ruled by nazis. The Force takes them on to stop it. Great action once again from this great series.

[Lianne Burwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearly a quarter of a century after it was originally written, this book shows its age, but it's still a fun read. The path taken to solve the mystery was a little predictable, leaving me to wonder why the US had to send their top-secret counter-terrorism team to France to deal with matters, but over all, a fun, and very quick read (being less than 200 pages). And since the characters are still around, this series has shown some staying power.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spin off series from his Executioner books. This series follows several secondary characters that band together. Recommended