Terror In Rio

by Alan Caillou

Terror in Rio (Colonel Tobin series) NEL

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1971

Reviews

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned about the Private Army of Colonel Tobin when I was reading the Executioner and Destroyers novels, also published in the US by Pinnacle books. When I read my first Colonel Tobin book, I thought it was a cool idea of a private army which would deal with things that governments sometimes couldn't, but in my head I thought, it's just fiction, it couldn't be real. And as I got older I learned of companies like Blackwater Security. All of a sudden Colonel Tobin and his private army didn't seem so fanciful.

In this book, the second in a seven book series, the Colonel's private army has been recruited to help deal with a revolution brewing in Brazil.

What I enjoyed about this book, and other books in the series is the situations aren't nearly as hard to believe as something like the Executioner--one man waging an on-going war against the Mafia--or the Destroyer (although in defense of the Destroyer, authors Warren Murphy and the late Richard Sapir recognized early on the innate silliness in the story and began turning the adventures of Remo Williams and his Korean mentor Chiun into satire and parody), but based on possible situations. The first Colonel Tobin novel, Dead Sea Submarine is a plan by Arab nations, pooling their resources to buy a submarine, crew it with Chinese and put it into the Dead Sea to launch missile attacks on Israel. And another thing with the Tobin books the sex isn't nearly and prominent as other books of the genre.

Caliiou--real name Alan Lyle-White, also an actor who appeared in movies such as the Devil's Brigade, and Hellfighters--with john Wayne--and many other movies--has also written the Cabot Cain thrillers, about a man who acts as a consultant to Interpol and refuses to use a gun. I'm liking Colonel Tobin even more as I age.

[Tom Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Private Army of Colonel Tobin #2: “Terror In Rio” by Alan Caillou. Brazil has hired Colonel Matthew Tobin’s private army to do what they haven’t been able to do, put a stop to Juan Xira’s revolution. The revolution has now become army size with tens of thousands of men and women, and their tactics are those of terrorists. Assassinations; hit and run murders, and deadly ambushes. Their own military is ineffective. Colonel Tobin brings in 120 fighting men, using military tactics capable to stopping Xira’s army of killers. Tobin’s command consist of Major Paul Tobin (the colonel’s son), Pamela Charles (aide de camp), Betty de Haas (maps), Major Rick Meyers, Major Bramble, and Captain Duyvel. Considered a men’s action novel, there is a difference. Most men’s action novels are primarily about sex and mass killing. Colonel Tobin is more military tactic, and well-written adventure, without the need of mass killing and sexual encounters every few pages. In other words, this series is more professional than mere mindless action we usually get in these series.