The Opium Hunter

They Call Me the Mercenary #4

by Axel Kilgore

Book by Kilgore, A.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Pseudonym for Jerry Ahern

Jerry Ahern (born Jerome Morrell Ahern; 1946 – July 24, 2012) was a science fiction and action novel author best known for his post apocalyptic survivalist series The Survivalist. The books in this series are heavy with descriptions of the weapons the protagonists use to survive and prosecute a seemingly never-ending war amongst the remnants of the superpowers from pre-apocalypse times. The series centers around the attempts of Dr. John Thomas Rourke, an ex-CIA agent, to preserve his family. In the first book, a nuclear war begins while Rourke is returning from a business trip. After surviving the crash of an airliner in the Southwest United States, Rourke fights his way across the chaotic horror of the post-war United States to his hidden subterranean survival retreat in Georgia, where he eventually reunites with his family. Survivalist #10 begins a new phase - it takes place after Earth's atmosphere has been destroyed and Rourke and his family have been in cryogenic sleep for 500 years.

Ahern was also a firearms writer, who has published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World. As of May 2010, he was a contributor to the monthly "Field Issue" column to the latter publication. One of his recognized areas of expertise was holsters and leather gear for firearms, and he has produced a line of holsters.

Reviews

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hank Frost, the one eyed mercenary gets thrown in the deep end right off in book 4 of this great series. He's in New Orleans to wrap up an arms deal, but it goes south, fast. He is broke and needs some money soon. Enter a rich man who says his son was killed by a drug warlord in the Golden Triangle. He enters the jungles only to be ambushed and his team is almost all killed. He runs into a woman from a drug awareness group and has to save her as well.

Jerry (Axel Kilgore) Ahern knew how to write an action story that has body counts and intrigue. Sometimes a bit confusing but never boring. Of course, this was published by Zebra. They not only got 80's horror right, they did action just as well.

[William Sariego · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the entire series as a much younger man. I picked up this well worn copy for nostalgias sake and it's pretty much what I remember. Pulp military fiction and the hero gets laid after (and sometimes during) the mission. Mindless fun.