Satan Strike

The Death Merchant #5

by Joseph Rosenberger

The title refers to a vicious little virus developed by the even more vicious Jean Pierre Duvessalines, head of the poor Caribbean island nation of Bonheur. He plans to unleash it across the northern hemisphere and watch the super powers self destruct.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death Merchant books are always a thrill ride of destruction and mayhem with an incredibly high body count and this one doesn’t disappoint. When the diabolical dictator of a small Caribbean island develops a virulent virus that kills in seconds, the US and Russian join forces to thwart his plans. The plan release the virus in major cities of both superpowers to bring about WWIII and allow him to rule the northern empire after the two nations destroy one another. Richard Camellion, the Death Merchant, leads a joint task force to infiltrate the madman’s empire and foil his deadly scheme.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosenberger isnt what anyone would call a great writer. Though I will say his books are not boring and they do have some humor hidden in all of the blood and guts. His villains are always very interesting, this one its a crazy dictator that has a virus that kills anyone around it in seconds. He hopes to use it to make the Russians and Americans destroy each other with nukes then he will use the virus to be the emperor of the world.

I recommend if you are already involved in the series its on par with books 2-4. Still think it would be a better series if he stuck with more of the hit man character of the first book then a CIA killer. Though I guess it would be harder to keep coming up with story lines.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one feels like an early climax for the series.

This time, the villain is so threatening that even the Russians are working with the USA to bring him down. In a rare moment of continuity, the CIA agent from the previous book "Chinese Conspiracy" even makes an appearance.

Most of the book contains The Death Merchant and his Russian allies blowing stuff up in one overlong set piece after another.

The setting is a stand-in for Haiti. For some reason, the name of the country is "Bonheur" in the book (happiness in French according to google translate). The setting perhaps outstays it's welcome a little by the end, but is quite vivid.

Politically sensitive readers will wince as the Death Merchant "successfully" disguises himself as a black person with makeup to infiltrate in one of the early scenes. There are also plenty of racial slurs.

Most of the plot is Richard Camellion (the DM) working with the Russians at the same time as knowing they will betray him at some point.

[Jack Stubblefield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just what I needed after Hurricane Harvey; action packed shoot'em up! Good guys win and the bad guys are bullet sponges. I cringe at some of the stereotypes in the book (in a lot of these 70's men action novels) but I remind myself that they are a product of their time. If you're reading this review I'd imagine you already Death Merchant books so you know what you're getting into. Turn on the book and turn off the brain, yay!

[Bruce]

"If fear is a stray dog kept alive by the dry bones of contempt,then fate is more than a vagarious whore;she's also a crotchety and sadistic bitch, Richard Joseph Camellion,1971..." #Virus #viralwarfare
https://twitter.com/7BAO/status/13157...

"As for dying,every day you live is precious,even though it might be the day before you http://die.So don't court death,let her find you." Joseph Rupert Rosenberger 1971.

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[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another men's adventure series from the 80's. This one has just as much violence as the rest but less sex. Also this one is somewhat different as it has much more SiFi and supernatural story lines than others. Think of a bloody X-files in a way. Recommended