Ironman

Able Team #19

by Dick Stivers (House Name), G.H. Frost (Contributor), Don Pendleton (Series Creator)

Able Team's Carl Lyons travels to the cloud-swept Sierra Madre without his partners and without his weapons. but what was supposed to be well-earned R&R turns into a nightmare of conspiracy and terror when a Fascist International surveillance team identifies Lyons as one of the American specialists who wrecked Unomundo's attempt to seize Guatemala two years earlier.

The International wants the Ironman alive - at least until they can turn him against Able Team.

Genres: Action

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1985

About the author

"Dick Stivers" is a house name of the publisher.

Reviews

[Tim Deforest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This entry in the series is the penultimate novel in a story arc in which Able Team battles a Fascist conspiracy to take over Central America.

It's one of the weaker books in the series. First, it involves only Carl Lyons, with the other two members of Able Team absent. This by itself isn't necessarily a bad thing--an occasional book in a long series is allowed to give a specific character his Day in the Limelight. But we open an Able Team book expecting to find the whole team, so this can't help but be a little disappointing.

Also, the action takes quite a long time to get started, wtih Lyons (on vacation) travelling through Guatemala for nearly half the book before anyone starts shooting at him.

But when the action does pick up, its good stuff. Lyons is spotted and targetted by soldiers working for the fascists. He and an ally (someone Able Team fought with back in book #7) have to make a run through the jungle in a desperate attempt to get the ally's family to safety. Jungle ambushes and firefights ensue. The book ends in quite a cliffhanger, to be resolved in Book #21. (I believe the book directly after this one is considered a flashback adventure.)

So not the best Able Team book, but still a fun read.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this is a solo adventure with just Çarl Lyons and its pretty dull for most of the book til the last third or so. Its just not the same without the whole team. Hell it's 85 plus pages til he actually has a gun. It continues a multiple book storyline, that was somewhat concluded a couple books before, with him heading back to Guatemala to visit a friend for vacation. Only for the group International to realise he is there and go after him.

Cant recommend since it is a continuation of a storyline that is at least 4 books long and is confusing enough to someone who has read all the books. Plus it breaks the one rule of the mens adventure genre in being dull for most of the book. It's a 2.5 rounded up to 3 and I'm probably beong generous.

[Wayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing outing in this series. To start out, the first 80+ pages seem like a travel log. It just chews up the views with little to no action. Next, this is a sequel to previous books two years ago. So we get flashbacks galore. We can't get started with the story. There is no mayhem to speak of. These books pack a punch for the most part. It seems the author went for a more human touch here. It does not work. This also ends so wide open, you could drive a tank through it. The worst of the series?

[Kenneth Roland · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this was my first Able Team book I don't think I would've read any others. It only has one of the team and SPOILER: He gets captured at the end. It doesn't look like this storyline continues in #20 so I'm not sure what the purpose of this was.
In the end, it kind of drags out and not much happens until he's caught and then it's over.
Meh.

[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