Mack Bolen: Retaliation

Rating:
Summary: Slightly Better Than Warrior's Requiem, But Nothing Else
Review: After the abomination that was Warrior's Requiem, damn near anything would be an improvement. But this sequel is only a slight improvement, at best. It astounds me that Mike Newton could write two novels that suck so badly, let alone one right after another. In the past, Newton has written many excellent Mack Bolan adventures...Maybe he had to rush to meet a deadline with this duology or perhaps his heart just wasn't in it.

But this is is glaringly unimaginative, by the numbers Bolan. It suffers from the same lack of characterization as Warrior's Requiem and the same lame, pathetic, cookie-cutter villains. You would think that in the wake of Katz's death that Mack Bolan and David McCarter would show a little emotion. I know they are hardened fighting men, but, come on, man, they're not freaking robots!

Once again in Retaliation we are subjected to a non-plot that plods at a glacial pace. Pages upon pages upon pages describe action that should take place in a matter of paragraphs. The redundacy practically retarded me. Ah kin beerely rite thish revuwe feewing sew retahded!

In the past, I have appreciated Mike Newton's rather crisp dialogue and strong supporting characters. There is little evidence of either in this book. Rebecca Mindel seems like she should be a cool character and like she should be interesting. Sadly, she just isn't. Her personality---or, rather, lack thereof---is about as compelling my mother's favorite freaking doily.

In the final battle, when the villains were defeated, when justice was supposedly served, when Katz was suppposedly avenged, I felt absolutely nothing at all. This books stirred not one single emotion within me.

Well, that's not quite true, actually.

I feel angry.

Angry that this book was so damn lame.

What a freaking waste of my time.

Since I can't give it one and a half stars, all it gets is one, though it is slightly better than Warrior's Requiem.

Rating:
Summary: Slightly Better Than Warrior's Requiem, But Nothing Else
Review: After the abomination that was Warrior's Requiem, damn near anything would be an improvement. But this sequel is only a slight improvement, at best. It astounds me that Mike Newton could write two novels that suck so badly, let alone one right after another. In the past, Newton has written many excellent Mack Bolan adventures...Maybe he had to rush to meet a deadline with this duology or perhaps his heart just wasn't in it.

But this is is glaringly unimaginative, by the numbers Bolan. It suffers from the same lack of characterization as Warrior's Requiem and the same lame, pathetic, cookie-cutter villains. You would think that in the wake of Katz's death that Mack Bolan and David McCarter would show a little emotion. I know they are hardened fighting men, but, come on, man, they're not freaking robots!

Once again in Retaliation we are subjected to a non-plot that plods at a glacial pace. Pages upon pages upon pages describe action that should take place in a matter of paragraphs. The redundacy practically retarded me. Ah kin beerely rite thish revuwe feewing sew retahded!

In the past, I have appreciated Mike Newton's rather crisp dialogue and strong supporting characters. There is little evidence of either in this book. Rebecca Mindel seems like she should be a cool character and like she should be interesting. Sadly, she just isn't. Her personality---or, rather, lack thereof---is about as compelling my mother's favorite freaking doily.

In the final battle, when the villains were defeated, when justice was supposedly served, when Katz was suppposedly avenged, I felt absolutely nothing at all. This books stirred not one single emotion within me.

Well, that's not quite true, actually.

I feel angry.

Angry that this book was so damn lame.

What a freaking waste of my time.

Since I can't give it one and a half stars, all it gets is one, though it is slightly better than Warrior's Requiem.