The Enemy (Jack Reacher, No. 8)
by Lee Child
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Book Reviews of The Enemy (Jack Reacher, No. 8)
Book Review: misfire
Summary: 2 Stars
Lee Child was due a dud, and whilst this may seem harsh I make the assessment based on the brilliant, dark atmopshere of his previous novels. To backcast his character into a now irrelevant world time zone, Child forced himself into a corner. I felt as he wrote this novel he wasn't entirely convinced himself that it was a great idea. The story itself lacked relevance in today's world - and instead of taking his character closer to the reality we live in today - he was placed in a rather dull backdrop - with a bit of a 'so- what' punchline. His previous novels bristle with a sense of anarchy in the modern world - but the Enemy did little to enhance the Reacher character. Instead he was a on a giddy, improbable merry go round, that was annoying in some parts. the additional subplot of his dying mother was material you could simply eliminate as it didn't resonate with the style of the book - which was effectively a murder mystery. The lead character - reacher - murdering one of the murder co-conspirators at the end, seemed a bit over the top, and didn't seem to fit with the usual sense of justice this character demonstrates. I only make these criticisms because I feel Child has set such a high standard with his writing - and has created a character and a world that is unique in popular fiction. So 9 or ten novels - and one bad one - is a pretty fine record, really.
Book Review: Lee Child Writings, general review
Summary: 3 Stars
First, I am a Jack Reacher fan for pure escapist reading. Lee Child's books become progressively better with time, but there are basic flaws in the character premise:
1. Few or NO male graduates of West Point would opt for a military police branch assignment upon graduation. Probability: 1 on a scale of 1-100.
2. An inveterate wanderer with only a toothbrush in his shirt pocket? One who discards his old clothes and purchases new every few days with no or rarely a mention of a bath in between? Get real!
3. A veteran career officer with no understanding of military structure, history or organization; confusion about military rank and sequence? I am a veteran officer of the 82d Airborne Division, but Lee Child mentions the 83d Airborne Division (no such unit, ever!).
4. A brother three years older (also a West Point graduate - there had to be a one year overlap in their attendance) with no contact whatsoever over a seven year period since their mother's funeral and the brother's death? No mention of classmates - please note that classmate bonds at West Point are very tight. Get real!
Now the positive: If one can get past the non-sensical above premise and the often non-sensible plots, the development of characters and fast moving plot development and lately, twisted plots make for a fast page turner and fun reading!
Book Review: Prequel that hasn't become a soap opera (yet)
Summary: 5 Stars
This story is set in 1990, just after the fall of the Berlin wall, so is about a young Reacher and a time before email, cell phones, DNA testing... It discloses the tough guy's personal history (a sure sign of impending soap-opera-ness. I hope Child doesn't go that route) and how his character's analytical mind works.
There's certainly a lot of numerical analysis and military procedure, but it's not written with an eye toward an easy revision into a screen play. Child's restraint against writing screen-play-masquerading-as-novel (such as Michael Crichton's recent oeuvre) is especially laudable because the author did indeed write TV scripts. However, as the plot unfolds into the second half of the book, it lapses into straight narrative to review for the reader the twists and turns, instead of unveiling the plot for the reader to 'see.' This is a weakness.
The characters, main as well as secondary, have more facets than in earlier novels and there's a very dry humor. Whether it's authentic military humor, I don't know, but I do giggle every few pages, especially over the terse dialog. I wish I could treat my colleagues like that without inviting deadly office politics. Best of all, I learn from the intentionally insubordinate Reacher how not to be intimidated by superior officers. I love this tough guy.
Book Review: A Look Into What Makes Reacher Tick!
Summary: 4 Stars
In his eighth book involving Jack Reacher, Lee Child shows us the episode that led him to eventually leave the army. Set at the time of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, there are people in the service who are worrying about how they will survive the inevitable restructuring of forces that will result. Unfortunately, some are doing more than worrying. They have decided to force an outcome that protects their interests. Unfortunately, some people have to die to make that happen.
When a two star general dies in a pay by the hour motel near Camp Bird in North Carolina, Jack Reacher is notified. Heart attack. The general is married. He was not with his wife. The person he was with has fled...in an army Humvee. Later a Delta Forces sergeant is murdered on the post in a most grotesque fashion. Both deaths are to be handled "in the best interests of the army." Reacher is ordered to cover up the true facts by his new commanding officer, General Willard, one of the bad guys.
Never one to take orders such as that Reacher starts to investigate a lot of what is going on. In doing so, he involves a young black lady, Lt. Summers as his sidekick. As they dig deeper into the layers of intrigue, they begin to stir up a hornet's nest, the culmination of which is very interesting reading.
Very!
Book Review: Weaker Entry in the Series
Summary: 2 Stars
I've read seven of Lee Child's novels, and I thought THE ENEMY was definitely one of the weaker entries in the Jack Reacher series.
My major problem with this novel is that it's surprisingly slow paced. Unlike other Lee Child novels, this book isn't much of a page turner. THE ENEMY is instead a military police procedural, where Child goes into mind-numbing detail about every step of the investigation. This book isn't as tightly plotted as Child's other work. I think this novel could have benefited from some heavy-duty editing.
The resolution of the plot is also quite silly, and involves a high-level military conspiracy that I found completely unbelievable. I also found most of the supporting characters in THE ENEMY to be uninteresting, and the romantic subplot to be underdeveloped and a waste of time.
One thing I did like about this novel was the subplot about Jack Reacher's mother, which I thought was very well done. I also liked Reacher's descriptions about life on a military base, which seem true to life.
All in all, don't make THE ENEMY your first Lee Child novel. I think he's done much better work, with superior novels like KILLING FLOOR, ONE SHOT, THE HARD WAY, ECHO BURNING and PERSUADER.