I picked up one in the series with no expectations, having never heard of the author. I’ve quickly gone through about 7 or 8 of them. I think my favorite so far is Without Fail but all of them have been very good, engrossing page-turners.
I was surprised to find out that Child is British. Usually that would be obvious to me, but I don’t get that flavor from his style or his use of the language. Also surprising is how authoritatively he writes about the U.S. Army police (Jack Reacher is a former MP.) I have no military experience but it is very convincing to this civilian.
I’ve read 6 or 7 of the Reacher books, they’re pretty good if you’re in the mood for a light read. I don’t think they’re that realistic in terms of army life and MP training ( IANAS). Apparently he can’t be killed by conventional weapons.
I think one or two is a decent read. after that they get formulaic “Jack Reacher only has a liquid diet so he never has to poop, because he never knows with zero notice when he has to run far or kick ass and can’t waste time on the squatter…”
I enjoy reading them to kill time on flights, but they certainly aren’t very challenging. I thought the first one in the series, Killing Floor, was definitely the best (and the only one written in the first-person), and that the rest have dropped off a bit in quality from that. I’ve only read the first five (I haven’t been flying anywhere recently), so Without Fail is next on my list.
Was that the one with the 2 towns in Colorado that Reacher kept walking between? That was my least favorite by far. These books are in my stable of detective/hero fiction with:
Robert B. Parker
Robert Crais
Jeffrey Deaver
Vince Flynn
Michael Connelly
James W. Hall
James Lee Burke
Hey, I’m actually re-reading *Without Fail *now, it’s one of my favorites. I love the Reacher books. I can definitely pick out a British flavor in Child’s writing, but once again no specific examples. Also, I don’t know enough about the US military to pick out mistakes, so I find them thouroughly enjoyable. The plots are kind of formulaic, they generally go “Someone needs help, Reacher obliges out of a sense of duty, has sex with attractive woman, returns to life as a drifter.” That being said, I like all of them, although the one with the hypnotist was kind of dumb and predictable.
I like them, in the disposable-book-for-the-exercise bike kind of way. They’re not very inventive, the main character is perfect and invincible in anything he does, but they’re entertaining.
I love 'em too (so does my wife)–they’re a guilty pleasure. As has been mentioned, they’re so formulaic that the last couple have been a little stale. But I’ll still read them as long as Child keeps pumping them out. I also have to say, the first person was what got me hooked, and I’m disappointed to see that he’s moving away from that.
I was in England when Without Fail was released (months before it was released in the States). I picked up a copy and noticed that the US editions are definitely tweaked as far as spellings and terms.
I’ve read most of them, but not the last couple yet. They are entertaining, unrealistic fluff, but they are at least competently plotted and paced, and the prose isn’t bad–unlike, say, Dan Brown’s novels.
I’ve mentioned in another thread or two that I’m kind of surprised that Hollywood hasn’t jumped on making a series of Jack Reacher movies. Even if just direct-to-TV or video.
It is surprising, although it would be hard to find a star that size should they want to be true to the books.
I’m equally surprised that there haven’t been any Harry Bosch movies from the Michael Connelly series. Hollywood must move awfully slow; that series started in 1992.
There was a movie being mooted a couple of years ago but nothing seems to have come of it so far.
I think it would be better to have an unknown actor rather than an established star, he’d have to be a big guy and the age would be important. In the books Reacher is about 40 but you’d want the actor to do at least 4 or 5 movies (if they take off) so I reckon you’d need someone in early-mid 30s who looks older. Shouldn’t be too hard to find someone like that.
I think they’d make a great series of films if done right. Inexpensive to make as well - there’s nothing much to them in terms of setting, gadgets etc.
There’s a new one out in April/May called Gone Tomorrow. On his website it says:
I’ve read or two, on the recommendation of a net friend, They were OK, but frankly, I’d get more enjoyment out of re-reading my Parker or Chandler favorites.
I’m intrigued by the description of the latest though, Maybe my Library will have it.
It’s kind of hard I would think, for any series based on one character, to avoid becoming formulaic after a time. Having said that, I always pick up a new Jack Reacher when I’m at the airport. The books are a good holiday read, along with the Harry Bosch series, Milton Something, Inspector Rebus (vastly superior IMHO).
I’ve read all of them but the latest. Love the series - if you’re in the mood for competently plotted and written suspenseful action, they’re great. Nothing more, nothing less - it’s like having a favorite brand of jeans or coffee.
I think they’re pretty good too. Six foot six hunk (or whatever) doesn’t interest me so much, but what I like about Reacher is his reasoning and analysis. These episodes intersperse every book and are the high point in my opinion. “He didn’t look at Neagley’s ass”, the starting point for a brilliant deduction. (Or induction. I never learnt logic)
Any one-protagonist series is going to be formulaic, as has been stated above. James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, anyone? There is a formula, but i find it enjoyable. There is the pleasure of expectation and of recognition, as well as the suspense of wondering how Reacher is going to do it this time.
I would be interested to know from an American how correct is the local atmosphere. It seems spot on to me, but I have no local knowledge. His language is terse and precise and appears to me to be accurately descriptive. :Echo Burning" was particularly evocative.
He is not quite invincible or omnipotent, though nearly so. He can’t run well, is a merely competent driver, and as far as I can make out cannot wash or iron clothes. He probably knows nothing about the preparation of food. He is scared of owning property and of the responsiblities involved. He sometimes makes wrong deductions and decisions. I like “The Hard Way” for the way the whole story turned around when Reacher discovered he was wrong.
