Daren
Mickey Spillane's Tiger Mann #4, the last of this series that was published - not that is has a conclusion any differently to the other three - I suppose Spillane was keeping his options open with his espionage / counter espionage character he ran in parallel with Mike Hammer, the detective. Published in 1966.
Tiger Mann, by the time we get to book 4 is pretty slick - far cleverer than book one, where quite frankly, he came across as not being able to see the most obvious things. He pits his skills against Russia's top assassins, one being killed on page 1 of this book, another at the end. The Russian assassins are not only after Tiger Mann (he is top of their list of hits generally) but are after the other main antagonist of this story, a scientist who has embedded the titular 'by-pass control' in the American Intercontinental Ballistics Missile system, whereby he can deny the authorities control or set the missiles off himself.
Tiger gets embroiled again with IATS (the government spy agency), who ostensibly are out to close down Martin Grady's private spy agency, but are again forced to work with Tiger, as nobody else has the leads he does. Rondine features, but only very briefly in this story, but Tiger picks up another ladyfriend to keep him amused on the way.
Overall, this series is easy to read, amusing enough, but never really challenges the reader to much. It makes a nice break from Mike Hammer, but must admit, I am keener for another Hammer episode.
3 stars
Mickey Spillane's Tiger Mann #4, the last of this series that was published - not that is has a conclusion any differently to the other three - I suppose Spillane was keeping his options open with his espionage / counter espionage character he ran in parallel with Mike Hammer, the detective. Published in 1966.
Tiger Mann, by the time we get to book 4 is pretty slick - far cleverer than book one, where quite frankly, he came across as not being able to see the most obvious things. He pits his skills against Russia's top assassins, one being killed on page 1 of this book, another at the end. The Russian assassins are not only after Tiger Mann (he is top of their list of hits generally) but are after the other main antagonist of this story, a scientist who has embedded the titular 'by-pass control' in the American Intercontinental Ballistics Missile system, whereby he can deny the authorities control or set the missiles off himself.
Tiger gets embroiled again with IATS (the government spy agency), who ostensibly are out to close down Martin Grady's private spy agency, but are again forced to work with Tiger, as nobody else has the leads he does. Rondine features, but only very briefly in this story, but Tiger picks up another ladyfriend to keep him amused on the way.
Overall, this series is easy to read, amusing enough, but never really challenges the reader to much. It makes a nice break from Mike Hammer, but must admit, I am keener for another Hammer episode.
3 stars