Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2)
by Lee Child
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Book Reviews of Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2)
Book Review: Fun Read
Summary: 3 Stars
The review of Lee Child's books keep saying that the books are getting better. I decided to start the series at the beginning and to work my way through. Die Trying is number 2 and I do not see any improvement. In fact I think that this book is a step back. Others continue to summarize the plot so I will not do repeat the effort.
I found in Die Trying several long segments that were boring. The truck ride was never ending and really did not enhance the story. In addition, the sniper scenes were overly technical. Lastly as in many thrillers when the writer begins to discuss politics it is too unbelievable.
Putting all that aside, once it is accepted that Jack Reacher is super at all that he does and the reader suspends his knowledge of what is possible the book is very enjoyable.
I said in my first review of a Jack Reacher book this is the closest to 24 I have ever experienced in print. I will continue going forward with another installment in a few weeks.
Book Review: Villains Seem Almost Quaint Now
Summary: 3 Stars
Highly decorated, ex-military policeman Jack Reacher returns in his second outing and instantly finds himself kidnapped with a young FBI agent named Holly Johnson. It turns out she is a desirable target by birth and connection. If you dispel belief that one person can be in two unbelievable situations, you will just sit back and take the ride with Reacher. Given that this was written in 1998, one can remember that at the time breakaway U.S. militia groups were almost omnipresent in the media (and our imaginations). They seem almost quaint now in the era of religious extremism and middle-east uprisings. What I enjoyed about this Reacher novel was the varying viewpoints explored. Overall it dragged a bit but that is balanced with periodic bursts when Child lets loose the action. It is also interesting to find out more about the main character as the series progresses.Book Review: So annoying...
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm not even up to page 100 yet, but the writing style of this book annoys the crap out of me. Luckily I didn't start the Jack Reacher series from the beginning or I might not have read past Killing Floor. I will say the writing improves with his later books. Anyway, what's really bugging me is that EVERY character in this book at some point or other ends a sentence/statement with the word "right", in essence turning it into a question. Be it Reacher, Holly, the FBI agents, the local cop who's in the book for no more than a page, they all do it. Nobody talks that way. "We're the FBI, right?", "I'm the general's daughter, right?", "They stole a car and burned it, right?". Happens at least 3 times every page. And yes, as with Killing Floor, everyone in this book shrugs too, all the time.Book Review: Relentless Action, Technical Perfection with Just Enough Heart
Summary: 5 Stars
People always ask me for a good book for a guy. They know most men are not readers prefering something more movement oriented. However, in this great book they is so much nonstop action carried out for the good, that as you read along, your heart is racing to keep pace with the story. The female lead is smart, skilled and the tiny romance is handled well. Most of all, back in the good "Tom Clancy" days there was so much detailed information that you knew at least half of it was true. Same sense here. Tremendous examples of the usefulness of basic math skills, recognition that something--even if it's terrible--can be learned from books as well as a thread of connection for the lead character with the beauty of classic American Blues. Just couldn't be better.Book Review: Die Trying... to finish this book!
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm female, so maybe this is just a guy's book. I always like a good hero, and Jack Reacher qualifies as such, but I certainly am not interested in paragraphs-long descriptions of the geophysicalities of bullets as they traverse through the atmosphere. This and other testosterone-laden information unfortunately comes well into the book, so I plowed through to the end. I couldn't suspend disbelief in order to believe that any human can discern the difference between 1.4 seconds and 2.1 seconds (as it relates to the time it takes for a bullet to travel). I believe it took me 3.7 seconds to scan through each page to a part that I could tolerate reading until the end of the book, which fell flat.