Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, No. 1)
by Lee Child
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Book Reviews of Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, No. 1)
Book Review: Good story, but lacked credibility
Summary: 3 Stars
I finally got to read a Lee Child book, with the hero, Jack Reacher. Good plot, good writing, but too many coincidences. O.K. so, you have a smart, tough guy, bitter at the army and world in general. He walks into a small town, on a whim and gets accused of killing someone. O.K. maybe. He has a cool head and powers of observation that would make Sherlock Holmes proud. Then, while in jail, he kills and cripples some convicts who attack him. O.K. hard nut to deal with. Then he moves in with an attractive female cop. O.K. a bit of Matt Bolen, here. Then he gets threatened and followed by some Hispanic hit men. O.K. so no one in a small, mostly white, obviously corrupt town don't bat an eye. Without giving away the whole story, I will not mention some coincidences that made no sense to me. I guess I miss the hard characters who have a bit of depth and some philosophy about life in general. I like coming away from a fiction piece with a bit of insight or "wow, who would have guessed?"
Doug Setter, Bsc.
Author of One Less Victim: A Prevention Guide and Stomach Flattening
Book Review: Re-Reading Reacher
Summary: 5 Stars
We walk with Reacher down a new road. No baggage. No hassles. Striding out happily with the big man, who yearns only to be invisible, craves solitude, anonymity, a loner who can fit his possessions into a zip loc bag.
This is the first Lee Child novel, and having read virtually all the Jack Reacher thrillers, I revisited this road again, thinking I would reread the book that turned me on, that excited me to start with, The Killing Floor.
Lee Child weaves action, suspense, mystery, raw power and a killer plot into his debut novel. Still on the Amazon best seller list, which begins as Reacher, a drifter, six months out of an elite military police unit, gets off the bus in Margrave, Georgia with only a vague plan, a whimsical pilgrimage to discover the roots of a long dead guitar player named Blind Blake. He finds an old lady who sang with him. And a whole lot more he didn't bargain for.
An almost dozen books later, I'm more than acquainted with the man who simply calls himself, Reacher. This book is the beginning. Maybe the best in the series, and a good place to start. Maybe years from now, after reading Reacher a couple dozen times, you will reread this first novel too, forgetting how good it was that first time.
Book Review: A Real Thriller
Summary: 5 Stars
Contrary to what many reader's believe Lee Child is British, but moved with his family from Cumbria to the United States to begin a new career as an American thriller writer. What probably fools a lot of people is that is rare for a British author to be able to write American thrillers with any kind of authenticity. He has won a number of awards with his books and he lives just outside New York City with his American wife Jane. The couple have a grown-up daughter, Ruth and when Lee is not writing he shares his time between music, reader and supporting the New York Yankees.
When Jack Reacher hops off a Greyhound bus near the little town of Margrave, he little realises that in a couple of shakes of a rabbits tale, he is going to end up in jail. The ex-military cop is the only stranger in town, so he is the obvious choice of suspect for a murder that has been committed.
It soon becomes obvious that Reacher is not the murderer, but imagine his surprise when one of the victims turns out to be his brother. This obviously makes it personal for Jack and his investigations soon uncover things below the surface of what appears to be a sleepy little town, but on closer inspection is anything but.
Book Review: Page-turning tough guy action aplenty
Summary: 3 Stars
Yes, it's ridiculously implausible. No, it's not Shakespeare. No, sensible women rarely fall in love with unshowered hulking hobos who are sitting in holding pens. Yes, Mr. Child should probably have a custom rule in his word processor that alerts him to overuse of the terms "shrug" and "shrugged" (123 appearances in this novel).
We've all heard the gripes, but having gotten that out of the way, this is a rip-roaring, action-packed page turner that any fan of this kind of thing will probably be fairly pleased with. I was, anyway. If you're an english lit major who just finished Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow" and you're looking for you next beefy read, move on (unless you secretly read crime thrillers for the pure fun of it).
Lots of bone crunching dust-ups, horrific crime scenes, plot twists and a very exciting conclusion. I rate it 3 stars because I rate all books on the same scale, but if I were rating just within this genre, I'd maybe give it 4 stars. I am new to the Reacher series, but on the basis of this one, I will be reading the next one and am assuming that as Child develops the character in subsequent novels, they will get even better.
Book Review: Just discovered this author
Summary: 4 Stars
"Who is this Lee Child?" Because of the enormous recent publicity for this author, I asked this of a friend I saw at a party. He drew back in obvious surprise. Within an hour I had his whole library of Lee Child.
I had already started Killing Floor when I learned Lee Child would be appearing at a local bookstore. So I took a teenaged budding writer with me to hear Child. I was concerned that perhaps no one would show. NOT TO WORRY! More chairs! More chairs!
Child is a tall Englishman with a great sense of humor, is quick on the uptake and totally entertains his admirers with a very funny presentation. After a query about Reacher from a tight-jean female, he seemed baffled of why women were so "crazy" about this character. He wonders? Jack Reacher is the alpha male. Say what you want about the metro man, the sensitive man, the poetic guy, women love a man of decision and principles, especially an attractive one who is 6'5" (despite occasional heavy-duty grime). Subsequently, I've sold Child to numerous friends who are enjoying his series immensely, as do I.
Now, who is this Jack Sheldon?