Jack Reacher - any good?

Author
Discussion

Nuclearsquash

1,329 posts

261 months

Thursday 19th July 2012
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I finished Killing Floor the other day, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is completely brain out stuff, but it works, and given it's the first in the series i can only assume the writing gets better.

Ace-T

7,688 posts

254 months

Saturday 4th August 2012
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Just finished Killing Floor. Lightweight but entertaining tosh that moves along at a fair old pace. The equivalent of an 'exploding helicopter movie'.

Trace smile

BOBBY G

481 posts

209 months

Saturday 25th August 2012
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They are great.

I love it when he unleashes some woop ass!


Futuramic

1,763 posts

204 months

Monday 24th September 2012
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Ace-T said:
Just finished Killing Floor. Lightweight but entertaining tosh that moves along at a fair old pace. The equivalent of an 'exploding helicopter movie'.

Trace smile
I'll agree with that. One summer I worked at a small recycling depot and found a Jack Reacher book in a bin. I hooked it out and whiled away half an hour sitting in the sun on a folding chair reading, smoking and drinking Fanta. Entirely pleasant way to spend my break (it was a very small site so the other one worked whilst I took my break and vice versa). The book was reasonably engaging but I can't recall a thing about it now. The style was best described as plain, perhaps even functional or catering-quality. It fulfilled what it was supposed to do.

The book was, to me, free to take away and in reasonable condition however the bit I read didn't create any desire to read on once my break had finished.

lordgrover

Original Poster:

33,531 posts

211 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
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Killing Floor is first in the series, and I think the author's first novel. They improve, though they're not literary genius the stories become a little more complex and his writing style matures. I find them 'page turners' and get through them in a day or three.
My thanks to whoever it was on PH who recommended Reacher.

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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Crap books but annoyingly page turning.

Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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Have read five or six now, mostly on Aeroplanes when I can't manage my copy of War & Peace or Crime & Punishment wink

I quite like the observational stuff in them and the description of down at heel small town America. Reads more like a modern version of Kung Fu (hero arrives in town, fixes stuff by beating people up or killing them, then moves on)

But all in all I enjoy them, I don't worry about the snob value of reading something, its just a question of entertainment.

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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A little game I play when reading a Reacher book is to spot the little mistakes where the author has the American character say something that only an English person would say. There are normally quite a few, probably hard to avoid for an English author writing American characters.

Yes I am sad.


oldnbold

1,280 posts

145 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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I have read a few of the Reacher books already. Very easy reading, sometimes detail is incorrect, but on the whole as good as Ryan/McNab/Duncan Falconer/Gerald Seymour type books.

In fact I've just loaded 5 onto my kindle for my week in Sharm, flying in the morning.

Rollcage

11,327 posts

191 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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Just spent a couple of evening reading "The Affair".

Up to his usual standard, whatever that may be! hehe I enjoyed it at any rate, but I like the books, so that's no surprise!

I guess the character is somebody that many men would aspire to be like.

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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oldnbold said:
I have read a few of the Reacher books already. Very easy reading, sometimes detail is incorrect, but on the whole as good as Ryan/McNab/Duncan Falconer/Gerald Seymour type books.

In fact I've just loaded 5 onto my kindle for my week in Sharm, flying in the morning.
Nooooo, no way can Gerald Seymour be put into the same category!! His books are far better written.

Huff

3,141 posts

190 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
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Ayahuasca said:
Nooooo, no way can Gerald Seymour be put into the same category!! His books are far better written.
+10 to that. Entirely different level (one that requires readers who don't need to follow the words with a fingertip and vocalise them; and can breathe at the same time)

Obiwonkeyblokey

5,399 posts

239 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Reacher is a guilty pleasure.

Rollcage

11,327 posts

191 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Obiwonkeyblokey said:
Reacher is a guilty pleasure.
I'm not so far up myself that I feel guilty about reading them.




Dunclane

1,222 posts

168 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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DoctorX said:
Similarly, the Scott Mariani Ben Hope books are quite entertaining. Similar premise, ex-special forces dude who can get out of ANY situation in a most unbelievable way. Very cheap kindle versions available.
I second this, really enjoyed the Mariani books in the same way I enjoy watching Strike Back on Sky. I think another one is due out shortly?

Obiwonkeyblokey

5,399 posts

239 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Rollcage said:
I'm not so far up myself that I feel guilty about reading them.
Good for you, thanks for sharing.

lordgrover

Original Poster:

33,531 posts

211 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Obiwonkeyblokey

5,399 posts

239 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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angel he started itangel

Rollcage

11,327 posts

191 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Maybe a smiley would have been more appropriate.


I just don't see why anybody would view them in that way. It's a bit like those that look down their noses at Dan Brown. I don't read to criticise sentence construction and the like - I just like a bit of escapism from time to time. (And so do plenty of others, judging by their success!)


Now Jackie Collins, that would be a guilty secret!

lordgrover

Original Poster:

33,531 posts

211 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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