Okay, I just read my first Reacher book, and it was okay. I'm starting on another one, and so far so good. Pretty good writing, plot flows quick, not plodding like too many authors. I think I like it. Lee Child has a different and distinctive writing style, different than some of my other favorite writers. But good.
Jack Reacher novels.
- Thread starter jackknife
- Start date
Locutus D'Borg
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2012
- Messages
- 4,835
He is British, and sometimes uses unusual phrases or locutions, at least for American characters. But the novels can be addictive.
eschwebach
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 4,177
I like the Reacher character because of his black & white morality. It's either right or it's wrong, and if you are on the wrong side of the fence, watch out! They are fun books to read especially after reading something non-fiction or heavier in the plot department. I think I only have 3 more to read to be current with the series.
I haven't seen the movie, but I can still NOT believe they cast Tom Cruise for Reacher...
I haven't seen the movie, but I can still NOT believe they cast Tom Cruise for Reacher...
Locutus D'Borg
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2012
- Messages
- 4,835
THE production crew had to come up with 10" lifts. Or require the other actors to be 5'2" or less, to make Tom look taller. I would have went with Viggo Mortenson or some other manlier actor. There are quite a few out there. But Cruise bought the film option, and the rest is history.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2010
- Messages
- 367
Yeah, Tom Cruise is not my favorite actor, and he's about a foot shorter than Jack Reacher is supposed to be, but he did bring the right attitude in the One Shot movie adaptation. Props.
I think that is what I like about the Reacher novels. They sort of remind me of the Louis LaAmore westerns I grew up reading. There's no ambiguity about the issues, it's either right, or it's wrong, and this is a character that will stand up for what is right. He won't walk away from a innocent person being victimized, and he sure isn't one of the new generation of "I don't want to get involved" kind of people.
I must be reading them out of order though. I can only wonder if there's an earlier book that explains how this guy manages to wonder around the country, not much money in his pocket, yet buying a new set of clothes ever few days and just tossing the old ones rather than clean them. Must have built up a nice nest egg those years in the army.
But after reading two of them now, I can see why there was such a ruckus over Tom Cruise playing him. After the first book, I had a mental image of this guy, and it ain't a five foot 6 or so cocky little guy with a big nose. Just can't see it.
eschwebach
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 4,177
My understanding is he was a 20 year guy in the Army so he is living off his pension basically. I know he has a bank account because in one of the books someone leaves a specific amount of money in it as a kind of code. He doesn't seem to carry an ATM card though so not sure how he easily accesses the money all over the country.
He wanders because that is what he knows from the military, and from having a military father. To him being settled is unsettling (pun intended).
He wanders because that is what he knows from the military, and from having a military father. To him being settled is unsettling (pun intended).
I devour the Reacher novels as soon as they are released. Agree that Cruise was the worst possible choice for the movie but the dialog was spot on as far as what Reacher would say.
To clear up some questions in this thread: Reacher wanders because he has never seen his own country - and is terrified of commitment. He lived in Garber's house after he died - and couldn't handle it. He affords daily gallons of coffee and new clothes because he steals from bad guys! He straight up says that in A Wanted Man. And occasionally digs swimming pools. Gets his cash via Western Union pre-9/11 and ATM card post-9/11.
The only bad thing about Reacher: he hates knives.
To clear up some questions in this thread: Reacher wanders because he has never seen his own country - and is terrified of commitment. He lived in Garber's house after he died - and couldn't handle it. He affords daily gallons of coffee and new clothes because he steals from bad guys! He straight up says that in A Wanted Man. And occasionally digs swimming pools. Gets his cash via Western Union pre-9/11 and ATM card post-9/11.
The only bad thing about Reacher: he hates knives.
Locutus D'Borg
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2012
- Messages
- 4,835
That tells you right there that the writer is British - he made Reacher hate knives. I guess knives aren't part of the British culture. No American action writer would do such a thing. But that is a small thing.
Insipid Moniker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
- Messages
- 26,732
The hatred of knives seems to be pretty exclusive to them being used against him. There's a fairly pivotal scene in which a Benchmade 3300 plays a fairly pivotal role.
I will say that I like the books but I groan a bit whenever I start reading one that Child has written in the first person. I think Reacher works much better as a bit of a mystery and, while he's an immensely fun character, he doesn't have such a unique voice that it really justifies first person narration. Those books seem to consistently be the worst of the series in my opinion.
I just finished A Wanted Man this afternoon. Those two points were made about the ATM card he carries and that he never seems to have a lknife on him. Towards the end of the book, when he's trying to free the tied up FBI agent, he's sawing through tough rope with a motel key. WTF???
Aside from Childs more ridiculous British views, I'm enjoying the books, but not as much as say, the old Matt Helm books by Donald Hamilton, or the Spencer and Jessie Stone books by Robert Parker. A close second would be James Lee Burke authored Dave Robicheaux novels. He does the New Orleans area gritty detective novels well. But I'm going to continue with the Jack Reacher books to see what happens. I'm liking them enough to read some more.
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2003
- Messages
- 2,417
jackknife I was going to ask you what other books/series/characters you like, but it seems you already answered that. We all seem to like similar stuff so it's good to find out what others like. Unfortunately a lot of these are a bit too R rated for my tastes. I don't mind violence but cussing and sex is too much for me (don't watch it and don't want to read it either). So it's hard for me to find "cleaner" stuff. Are any of these you recommended on the cleaner side?
I just realized this was in the Community Center and not Traditionals. Sorry, when I said "we all seem to like...", I was referring more to the folks on The Porch.
I just realized this was in the Community Center and not Traditionals. Sorry, when I said "we all seem to like...", I was referring more to the folks on The Porch.
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 22,964
Lee Child is totally inept, as are his editors.
Anything pertaining to firearms, one might expect a bit of unreality, especially from a British author, but when shotguns fire a two story tall cone of death without being aimed, and the bad guys are pointing "Clock 17s" at the head of "Jack Readier" it throws you right out of the story. I stopped reading partway into the second novel. Research? Proofreading? Never heard of it.
Anything pertaining to firearms, one might expect a bit of unreality, especially from a British author, but when shotguns fire a two story tall cone of death without being aimed, and the bad guys are pointing "Clock 17s" at the head of "Jack Readier" it throws you right out of the story. I stopped reading partway into the second novel. Research? Proofreading? Never heard of it.
jackknife I was going to ask you what other books/series/characters you like, but it seems you already answered that. We all seem to like similar stuff so it's good to find out what others like. Unfortunately a lot of these are a bit too R rated for my tastes. I don't mind violence but cussing and sex is too much for me (don't watch it and don't want to read it either). So it's hard for me to find "cleaner" stuff. Are any of these you recommended on the cleaner side?
I just realized this was in the Community Center and not Traditionals. Sorry, when I said "we all seem to like...", I was referring more to the folks on The Porch.
Some of the books I grew up with were the Donald Hamilton books he wrote, most of all the Matt Helm series. They were well written with a minimum of foul language. In fact, I don't remember much cussing at all in them. Violence was another matter. The main character was pretty cold blooded, and reference was made by him as to he didn't really care which way the guy was facing that he was assigned to 'remove'. But they were well done.
Another of my favorite authors is Bernard Cornwell, author of the Sharpe series. Extremely well done historical novels set in the period of the Napoleonic wars, and a rough hewn British officer that is from gutter poor background and pretty rough in general. Gritty, got into the history of the era, and Cornwell sets the action in a backdrop of real events. Cormwell is a professor Of history, so he gets it pretty right.
Carl.
Okay, after three of Lee Childs books, I'm done. Just too dumb and while I know that movies and novels require a period of suspension of belief, Childs just pushes the envelope too much. I don't think I'll be reading any more of his stuff. Jack Reacher just didn't reach me. Tom Cruise is welcome to the franchise. :thumbdn:
I have enjoyed some of the Jack Reacher novels but I have found I hard to believe that he never carries a knife, lighter or other useful tools as he wander over America. Jack Reacher is supposed to be an experienced and competent field soldier but never has a pocketknife, penlight, lighter or other basic Every Day Carry. Worse, some of the other characters have been decorated military men who never have a knife when needed.
Please clue in Reacher concerning the uses of a Zippo, a P-38 and a military-issue pocket knife.
Please clue in Reacher concerning the uses of a Zippo, a P-38 and a military-issue pocket knife.
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Mar 2, 1999
- Messages
- 26,343
Just into my first of his novels, 61 hours, our local library has them to loan out via electronically, so I get a few books that way, you get 21 days and then it's times up and goes poof but you can always just reserve it again.
It's pretty interesting so far, doesn't seem that you need to read them in order?
G2
It's pretty interesting so far, doesn't seem that you need to read them in order?
G2
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2002
- Messages
- 2,145
Gary. You don't need to read them in order, but it helps, Child sometimes references back to previous novels.
I've read all the Reacher Novels, but they lost me as a fan when they cast Tom "The Smurf" Cruise as Jack Reacher.