WINGMAN 21 THE JERICHO STORM BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2021.

The United Americans are looking for Viktor Robotov. They get an anonymous tape mailed to them from the Caribbean. It is a monster movie filmed in Tokyo. Only it reveals in the background a Russian cruiser that belongs to Viktor. They immediately head to Tokyo and find the city under the control of what the locals call The Big Trouble. This is Robotov who now controls the city. He has taken over a movie production company on an island in Tokyo Bay. The employees are forced to work in his underground factory that makes nuclear IEDs. They are put in stuff like fire hydrants, trash cans and mailboxes. Viktor’s goal is to plant them around the world and threaten to set them off unless everybody submits to his rule.

Hawk Hunter has other plans. He hooks up with this kooky group called the Knights of the Flying Cross. A group that believes they are the Knights Templar and fly around in YAK-38s. They come up with a plan to free the captives on Viktor’s island then nuke it out of existence. They first have to deal with hundreds of F-86 Sabres flown by kamikaze pilots. Then they have to fight the robots on their former Russian aircraft carrier that Viktor is able to take over. All ends well when they succeed in freeing the prisoners and nuking his island. A chase in Viktor’s flying cube ends with the leader of the Knights sacrificing himself to stop him. This may be all for nothing for they find out the real power was Viktor’s wife who is still at large.

I thought the last book would be the end for a while, but Mack released this just before Christmas. I always think that his books just can’t get any weirder and the next one always disproves that. This is one really weird book. I didn’t know the Russian carrier they captured had robots on it. Yet in this book we find out they do. Arming themselves with AK-47s, they go on a rampage that Hunter of course stops in the nick of time. Sounds like he is setting up Viktor’s wife who we were introduced two books ago as the new number one baddie. Apparently, she must have escaped her daughter’s captivity. We will have to wait for my guess is the end of this year. Maloney has been fairly consistent with putting out a new book every year for this series.

WINGMAN 20 BATTLE OF THE WINGMEN BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2020.

The Asian Mercenary Cult has decided to leave their colony in the Southwest. After the stunning victories of the United Americans under Hawk Hunter against the Russians they wisely see the writing on the wall. They agree to leave all their weapons behind and boards transport ships back to Asia. The UA decides to send its carrier USS USA along to make sure they comply. Halfway there the AMC ships are attacked by hordes of drones that kamikaze into them. There is a new ruthless faction and Hunter has to find out who they are. His search brings him to the Solomon Islands. Here he finds the Yellow Star a new mercenary group is using the natives as slave labor to build huge mirrors to convert solar light to power. They have to stop this new group and find a way to defeat the hordes of kamikaze drones. Hunter also comes up against a Russian mercenary pilot that is as skilled as he is. Naturally they come out on top but at the end find out their arch enemy Viktor Robotov is still kicking and leading the Yellow Star.

It took twenty books to finally come up with a pilot that could go against the Wingman. Yet Hunter manages to take him out because the guy is a braggart and didn’t notice that Hunter had his .357 in his boot. Another really strange and goofy story. This time we get hordes of kamikaze drones that threaten to actually defeat them. Yet the United Americans as usual use their ingenuity to defeat the Yellow Star and free the native peoples from slavery.

WINGMAN 19 THE ODESSA RAID BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2019.

The United Americans know that Viktor Robotov the evil terrorist has a base in the artic off the coast of Russia. Hawk Hunter leads a bombing strike on the base which destroys it. Unfortunately, Viktor gets away in his submarine The Odessa. Going back to the aircraft carrier USS USA, Hunter develops engine trouble and is forced to land on a small island off the coast of Scandinavia. It is inhabited by British refugees who are being terrorized by the local garrison of Russians on the next island. Hunter manages to get an old Swedish fighter from the fifties and take care of those Russians.

After being rescued, he finds himself on another adventure in the Bermuda Triangle. Their allies the Free Canadians have lost some freighters and their destroyer escort. While investigating he finds that this convoy was hijacked by bikini pirates, under the leader of Viktoria Robotov the daughter of his arch enemy. She is being threatened by her mother who leads a flotilla of giant seaplanes. Well Hunter joins forces with her to defeat her crazy mother and free the Canadian ships.

Finally, he has to rescue the boyfriend of his former lover Dominique from Russian occupied Hamburg. He was caught spying and is being tortured by the NKVD. Hunter and two others infiltrate a prison island off the coast of the city and rescue him. Then they firebomb the city and destroy The Odessa and it is assumed kill Viktor Robotov.

This book was basically three separate stories. Yet they tied together perfectly. Hunter is as always, the ultimate hero who singlehandedly gets the job done. He manages to kill his enemy (or does he?) while teaching those evil Russians a lesson. He helps out the daughter of Robotov and gets a romp in the sack. (Well, she is after all hot so can’t hold any grudges against who her father is.) Also introduces this mysterious strawberry blonde girl in a white baseball cap that helps him in all three adventures. Another fun and goofy adventure in the world of Hawk Hunter.

WINGMAN BOOK 18 BATTLE FOR AMERICA BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2017.

Hawk Hunter is back and reforming the United American forces. Which is a good thing since the Russians have decided to invade. Landing a 65,000-man army in New York they quickly rechristen it Ruskiy-NYC. Hunter though hears that his former girlfriend Dominique is alive in this universe. She also apparently has hooked up with the head of the NKVD a commissar Zmeya. Flying around is a little clown plane he searches to find out why she has done this. Yet there are more important things to deal with. The Russians plan to sail a fleet lead by the massive aircraft carrier Admiral Isakov loaded with chemical, nuclear and biological weapons. The convoy also carries a 30,000 army of fanatics to sow death and destruction across America. The solution is to launch an assault to capture the Admiral Isakov and later a direct assault on NKVD HQ in the World Trade Center.

The Wingman is back and goofier than ever. They assault an aircraft carrier and capture it. They have a huge battle at the Twin Towers that involves hauling artillery pieces up one tower to shoot at the other. The villains are over the top in their evil. After all, Zmeya is the son of his arch enemy Viktor Robotov. Fortunately, Dominique was working for the Americans undercover and not a traitor. Only she found someone else in the time Hunter was gone but Hunter easily finds a replacement girlfriend.

This book is supposedly in an alternate universe very similar but somewhat different. Thus, the NKVD instead of the KGB. Characters that were killed off like Dominique, Dozer and Fitzgerald are brought back. A good idea actually to explain any continuity errors from restarting this series after a decade. It does bring up the conundrum of Hunter being established as only one guy throughout the multiverse but somehow being in two similar realities at once. A fun book and great start to the rebooted series.

WINGMAN BOOK 17 ATTACK ON AREA 51 BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2013.

It is ten years since the famous Hawk Hunter saved Earth by destroying a comet. Everyone thinks he died in the attempt. Since then, America has once again fallen apart. Various criminal gangs now control the country. In Football City formerly known as St. Louis it is still controlled by Louis St. Louis. Only it is a shadow of its former glory days. Gone are the casinos and 24/7 football game. It is now a poor city state that has to pay tribute to the Red Army Mafia. A Russian criminal gang that controls Detroit.

One day a space shuttle crashes next to the city and inside is none other than the legendary hero Hawk Hunter. Hunter gets with doing what he does best. In an old F-86 Sabre he saves the city from a bombing run. He gets them organized to take out the Red Army Mafia and free Detroit. He finds out from a former government agent that there might be information helpful to determine what happened to him at Area 51. Only Area 51 and the entire southwest is now occupied by the Asian Mercenary Cult. Hunter mounts a mission that finds the cult operating a giant ray gun they found at the site. They are testing it to see if they can properly dispose of a lot of bodies because they plan some good old-fashioned genocide of the American people.

It was about ten years since Maloney last wrote about Hunter. He decided to bring back the old character that he originally started out as. Before it went off the rails with alternate timelines and far future space opera. He sets it in the old post-WWIII America with all the old friends and enemies. We do find out at the end that his secret government organization has discovered how to look at alternate timelines. They were very interested in Hunter for he appears in many of them. That there seems to be only one Hunter in all the universes, but he gets around many of them. The conclusion reached is this is from divine intervention. So basically, God uses him to fix the various universes. Well makes sense to me.

This first was a short novella at only 123 pages making it a short read. Yet it packs in plenty of action and sets the stage for an ongoing series.

STARHAWK STORM OVER SATURN BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2004.

The evil fleet from Hell has been defeated. Now Hawk Hunter has to continue his fight against the Fourth Empire. The empire is in a state of open civil war. Both sides the Space Forces and the Solar Guard are gathering their forces. The empress who gave her life to disable the Big Generator that powers the entire galaxy has caused weird power outages known as blinks. The Solar Guard who has control of the generator on Earth are attempting to alter it so only they can receive power. This will give them complete control of the galaxy or at worse damage the generator beyond repair. This would plunge the galaxy into the dark ages. There is also word that the SG are planning to launch a XWMD (Extreme Weapon of Mass Destruction) on the rebel forces. The only one who can help is another man from the past that came with the ancient astronaut to form the Third Empire. A mad Russian that has built an amusement park on the moons of Saturn.

This dizzylando as it’s called is where Hunter must go to find him. Using an outdated matter transport device, Hunter is soon caught up in this crazy amusement park. First is Adventureland where he is Buck Gordon who with Dr. Zoloff and his daughter Anne have to rescue Anne’s fiancé from the dungeon of Ping the Pontificator. A crazy adventure with rockets on strings, wingmen and fishmen. Then he finds himself in the House of Horrors. Hunter is thrust back to WWIII and flying missions in an F-16 against the invading Russians. Only on this ride he finds out his weapons are useless, and the Americans are the cowardly and demoralized foes in the face of the invaders. Then it is Dreamland where Hunter is taken to New York and with Anne goes to a rock concert. The Land of the Lost which consists of endless socks that are missing one of the pair in front of a washing/dryer machine. Hunter didn’t get the joke, do you?

It continues to a world in war where two Nazi armies are battling for a castle called Valhalla. Inside the prize is a picture of Hitler in a dress. Then a trip with a Spetsnaz commando group infiltrating Area 51 to steal alien technology. Finally in the western land he meets the mad Russian who turns out to be Dr. Zoloff from the first ride. He does know the secret to stopping the Solar Guard, but their agents show up to torture it out of him. Luckily Hunter manages to defeat them, and they take off in a ship to destroy the saucer that the SG has launched to destroy the rebels.

The final book in the series and if I though it couldn’t get any weirder, I was wrong. This was one crazy ride. Also, a very interesting book as Maloney’s usually are. The whole strange amusement park was a totally unexpected idea which you have to love about his stories. It does end with the hanging threads of defeating the empire. A new enemy named Victorix who I assume to be the reincarnation of the evil Victor was now in charge of the SG and had Hunter’s Flying Machine. I have to admit that his whole attempt to reinvent the Wingman into a space opera was while interesting was nowhere near as enjoyable as the original premise.

Anyway, we never find out what happens to Hunter in the far future of the 73rd century but that is not the end of Hawk Hunter’s story.

STARHAWK BATTLE AT ZERO POINT BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2003.

Hawk Hunter and the United Planets Fleet escaped destruction by going to Heaven. Now this fleet plans to return to the fight. Yet something evil has also resulted when the fleet went to Heaven. It also opened a door to Hell and the opposing Solar Guard REF fleet went there. Now they have returned with their ships and uniforms a blood red. They seek to cause death and destruction. The first thing they do is execute a Space Force spy. This causes the two branches of the empire the Space Force and Solar Guard to openly fight one another. It looks as though the empire is now in a civil war.

Hawk must find allies. His search brings him to the seventh arm. There he finds the ancient astronaut. A NASA astronaut from the twentieth century. He is immortal and was brought forward to fight evil. He succeeded in forming the benevolent Third Empire. Yet through some unexplained reason the remnants of the Third Empire were exiled to the seventh arm. He recognizes the evil of the Hell fleet and releases the forces of the Third Empire. Hunter races to Point Zero where the fleet will entire this universe. He has to fight the evil SG Hell fleet that is waiting for the fleet. A big final battle that happens every 1 billion years between good and evil.

This was a very weird book. Not that it wasn’t interesting. But it was a very weird book. We get introduced to this big battle between demons and angels. The SG fleet crew turns into demons bent on sadist death and destruction. The UPF fleet that goes to Heaven has its crew turn into angels. The story becomes this whole biblical battle. All the others that went to Heaven when they come back turn into these superpowered angels. Plus, we find out that an astronaut from the twentieth century was brough forward just like Hunter to fight the coming evil. Naturally Hunter and his super-fast flying machine that can travel like a million light years a second destroys most of the fleet single-handedly. As I say a weird book but still very interesting.

STARHAWK THE FOURTH EMPIRE BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2002.

Hawk Hunter has found the lost peoples of Earth. Now he has united them into a force called the United Planets Force. He starts to take this army down the two arm with the goal of eventually reaching Earth. Along the way he discovers some ancient mind rings that reveal the tragic history of the empires. That in the twenty-first century three brothers who were IRA terrorists are revived by aliens. Given advanced knowledge the first Emperor Jimmy is a benevolent leader who founds the first empire. Then his evil brother Michael is brough back and forms the second empire. A revolt brings the third brother O’Nay to the throne. He betrays the people of Earth and exiles them to the prison system outside the galaxy.

This was a fascinating story. Especially the rise of the empires. It starts out with Hunter and his forces having an easy time defeating the Solar Guards. Only the SG comes back with a vengeance, and it looks like the UPF are defeated. Only the princess Zara manages to deliver technology that transports the rebel fleet to what is essentially Heaven. Maloney keeps his stories interesting.

STARHAWK PLANET AMERICA BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2001.

Hawk Hunter has deserted from the Empire’s forces. With two friends he searches for clues to his past. After some adventures fighting various space pirates, destroying a Deathstar and rescuing two thousand women he finds what he is looking for. A way to the Home Systems. A computer program transports him and his friends to Planet America. This planet is just like America in the twentieth century. Only it is a small planet consisting of just the American continent. You can travel by speedboat from L.A. to New York.

Hunter and friends are eventually captured and find that the CIA are the ancient keepers of knowledge on this world. They know that periodically their world has been destroyed in some post-apocalypse events. Hunter finds out that Planet America is one of 35 worlds orbiting a sun located just outside the Milky Way. Each planet consists of a nation of Earth. The rightful inhabitants of Earth were deported and moved to what was in essence a giant prison camp. The whole system is in a time bubble that slows down time. They are also guarded by a million-man mercenary army known as the Bad Moon Knights. Located on Moon 39 they monitor the planets for signs of them developing space travel. When a planet does, they invade and destroy it back to the stone age. Planet France just recently launched a rocket and was invaded. Hunter now has to organize an army and with his super F-16 manages to defeat the BMK.

The second book in the series really picks up the story. It starts out goofy with the first chapter basically a reenactment of the first Star Wars only Hunter just easily destroys the Deathstar in seconds and saves the day. After some more goofy adventures he winds-up on what seems to be twentieth century America. Only the planet is a bit off. It keeps you wondering what the hell is going on. Yet we find out that Earth was conquered, and the original inhabitants were put on an elaborate prison system. Now Hunter has to find out who did this and lead the Home Planets in a war to retake the Earth. A really unique and fascinating story.

STARHAWK BY MACK MALONEY

Copyright 2001

The year is 7200 and the galaxy is ruled by the Fourth Empire. A ship crashes on Fools 6 and the two survivors are rescued by a mysterious man. Hawk Hunter has no memory of his past life. He found himself on this isolated planet and built a ship using parts from crashed vessels. Erx and Berx the two survivors never seen such a man or his odd ship. Yet it is the fastest thing they ever saw. When an empire ship comes to rescue them, they tell the captain who decides to draft Hunter and enter him in the Earth Race. This race held once a year is a very prestigious event. Hunter and his ship easily win it and receives a promotion in the Empire. He has an exploration ship and heads off to the five arm. There he helps the moon of Zazu-Zazu from being wiped out by mysterious attackers. At the end he finds clues to his origin from the Freedom Brigade mercenaries that were wiped out.

This has to be the wildest reboot of a series I ever saw. Maloney changed his whole Wingman series into a space opera science fiction. He mysteriously gets transported to this future with no memory. He manages to rebuild his F-16 into a super advanced spaceship with old parts from a Keon Bombardment cruiser. How he accomplished this? Don’t know. You just have to go with the fact that Hunter is the most brilliant man that ever existed.

The book is actually a fun read. He creates this vast empire with its intrigues and goofy ass technology. I think it really works for Maloney’s style of writing. He can just make up all kinds of bullshit and past it off as futuristic. Despite the setting it is still basically a Wingman book. He still has his trusty F-16. He can basically do the impossible and is the greatest pilot that ever lived. It you like the Wingman than this series won’t disappoint.