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Mack Bolan the Executioner #46
Bloodsport
Bolan infiltrates a German terrorist gang on the eve of its most savage plot.
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1982
About the author
Don Pendleton
1,538 books197 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 26, 2025
A thrilling and bloody European adventure as Bolan infiltrates a German terror cell. Fast and violent, it probably could have been slightly longer to expand on some of the story points but still an excellent entry in the series.
February 18, 2024
An entertaining entry for early in the post-Pendleton period
August 15, 2024
4/5
Bolan goes undercover and infiltrates a German terror group in book 46 of the series.
Seeing Bolan work undercover reminds me of when literary James Bond would do the same thing. He plays the part of a cold and money obsessed soldier willing to do anything for a buck. That includes joining a bunch of German Nazi Terrorists.
The villains in this book are a huge step up from the last one. They also remind me of the villains from the original James Bond books. They have ZERO redeeming qualities whatsoever and seeing Bolan eventually pick them off one by one is very satisfying. I will say I’m surprised that Bolan didn’t sleep with or at least flirt with the woman terrorist in charge like he has in the past.
The cover of “Bloodsport” portrays one of the best hand to hand fight sequences this series has had yet. It blows my mind that modern thriller authors can’t capture the brutality of a no hold bar fight like this book captured.
The rest of the action revolves around a HK G11, the only gun Bolan uses besides his suppressed Beretta. If you’re a fan of Coke War era guns you should read this just because a G11 shows up.
I’m giving this one 4/5 simply because of the villains plot. The idea itself is good. But the execution caused me to laugh my ass off. That aside, this is another solid entry in the series.
Bolan goes undercover and infiltrates a German terror group in book 46 of the series.
Seeing Bolan work undercover reminds me of when literary James Bond would do the same thing. He plays the part of a cold and money obsessed soldier willing to do anything for a buck. That includes joining a bunch of German Nazi Terrorists.
The villains in this book are a huge step up from the last one. They also remind me of the villains from the original James Bond books. They have ZERO redeeming qualities whatsoever and seeing Bolan eventually pick them off one by one is very satisfying. I will say I’m surprised that Bolan didn’t sleep with or at least flirt with the woman terrorist in charge like he has in the past.
The cover of “Bloodsport” portrays one of the best hand to hand fight sequences this series has had yet. It blows my mind that modern thriller authors can’t capture the brutality of a no hold bar fight like this book captured.
The rest of the action revolves around a HK G11, the only gun Bolan uses besides his suppressed Beretta. If you’re a fan of Coke War era guns you should read this just because a G11 shows up.
I’m giving this one 4/5 simply because of the villains plot. The idea itself is good. But the execution caused me to laugh my ass off. That aside, this is another solid entry in the series.
Want to Read
October 25, 2019Synopsis: Bolan infiltrates a German terrorist group just before it plans to pull off its most daring plan.
July 2, 2016
Ray Obstfeld is also known under his pen name, Jason Frost. Author of such great books as The Warlord series and the classic Invasion U.S.A. In Bloodsport a group of West German terrorists have kidnapped four olympic athletes to help pull of a weapons heist from NATO. Enter Mack Bolan who goes under cover to thwart them. Nice action and pacing lift this one above some others in the long running series.
March 3, 2023
I’d be dishonest if I didn’t say that the plot for Bloodsport ranks amongst the dumbest of the Executioner series so far.
Long story short, this one deals with terrorists buying surplus American arms from shady soldiers, supplying their own army with said weapons and then using kidnapped Olympic medalists to infiltrate another base and steal deadly nerve gas. And of course only Mack Bolan, posing as a corrupt weapons salesman can come to rescue at the perfect time.
I mean, this one is far more along the lines of the kookiness of 1970’s Bond films than anything else. But like those Bond films, there’s something quite fun about Bloodsport
Obstfeld’s take on Bolan is probably the simplest we’ve seen, however that’s not a bad thing. Cutting away the repetitive inner monologues and getting readers straight into the action means this 46th book in the series is way more entertaining than it has any right to be.
Long story short, this one deals with terrorists buying surplus American arms from shady soldiers, supplying their own army with said weapons and then using kidnapped Olympic medalists to infiltrate another base and steal deadly nerve gas. And of course only Mack Bolan, posing as a corrupt weapons salesman can come to rescue at the perfect time.
I mean, this one is far more along the lines of the kookiness of 1970’s Bond films than anything else. But like those Bond films, there’s something quite fun about Bloodsport
Obstfeld’s take on Bolan is probably the simplest we’ve seen, however that’s not a bad thing. Cutting away the repetitive inner monologues and getting readers straight into the action means this 46th book in the series is way more entertaining than it has any right to be.
November 18, 2022
Closer to a 3.5, its a solid read overall. Have to say I'm not familiar with Ray Obstfield, his plot was fine and writing was good enough but his combat scenes are not that great. Basically Bolan is thrown back into the field with little preparation to stop a terrorist outfit who was buying guns on the black market in Germany from corrupt US personnel. While there he finds out that this outfit was also kidnapping highly trained athletes in different sports for some nefarious scheme or other. So he gets himself recruited and battles the group from within.
Recommend, it is a solid story with a fun premise. Its a very quick read and the flow is good. Would be better if the combat scenes were better done but a lot of authors are bad with those.
Recommend, it is a solid story with a fun premise. Its a very quick read and the flow is good. Would be better if the combat scenes were better done but a lot of authors are bad with those.
August 6, 2023
My first men’s adventure book for GarbAugust 2.0 - there definitely is a formula followed. Enjoyed the action and severity of the last few chapters. Written in the 1980’s, it reflects that time. Although, I really don’t understand the subtle but frequent “fat shaming” snide remarks made in the early chapters. Recommended for fans of the series or for anyone wanting to sample the genre.
July 5, 2021
Sophisticated weapons were being stolen from the US army base in Germany. Some of these weapons were in the hands of terrorist. And now kidnappers. Bolan would trace this rampaging wrong to its wetched source. And then there truly would be hell to pay. In the shape of the Executioner.
January 24, 2014
My Rating Scale:
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Times Read: 1
One of the first series I read consistently. This series and the Destroyer series are responsible for my love of reading and stories.
Characters - Looking back to my younger reading days, I loved Mack Bolan and thought he was one of the coolest characters in history. 30 years later, I realize that the characters were pretty stereotypical, but I still love him.
Story - The stories are average and fairly typical. Bad guys going to kill or hurt, Mack is going to kill them or die trying. Not much in creativity but it really worked for me as a male teenager. I wanted to own guns and protect the world just like Mack.
Overall - I started reading these when I was 16. I enjoyed them up until about age 19. My tastes changed from Military intrigue to Fantasy / SciFi. I would recommend reading these especially for younger males.
NOTE: I am going to rate these all the books in this series the same. Some of the stories are a bit better or a bit worse but I can't find one that I would rate a 2 or 4.
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Times Read: 1
One of the first series I read consistently. This series and the Destroyer series are responsible for my love of reading and stories.
Characters - Looking back to my younger reading days, I loved Mack Bolan and thought he was one of the coolest characters in history. 30 years later, I realize that the characters were pretty stereotypical, but I still love him.
Story - The stories are average and fairly typical. Bad guys going to kill or hurt, Mack is going to kill them or die trying. Not much in creativity but it really worked for me as a male teenager. I wanted to own guns and protect the world just like Mack.
Overall - I started reading these when I was 16. I enjoyed them up until about age 19. My tastes changed from Military intrigue to Fantasy / SciFi. I would recommend reading these especially for younger males.
NOTE: I am going to rate these all the books in this series the same. Some of the stories are a bit better or a bit worse but I can't find one that I would rate a 2 or 4.
February 4, 2014
I had such high hopes for this Bolan adventure when I first got it. The idea seemed to be interesting and the cover art and the title got my inner fighter interested.
Sadly however the action scenes and specifically the fight scenes seemed to generic. I am a big Bolan fan and have consumed many ink covered pages of this character and his universe, I just found this book to be one of the more pulpish of them.
35 %
Sadly however the action scenes and specifically the fight scenes seemed to generic. I am a big Bolan fan and have consumed many ink covered pages of this character and his universe, I just found this book to be one of the more pulpish of them.
35 %
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews