Tripwire (Jack Reacher, No. 3)
by Lee Child
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Book Reviews of Tripwire (Jack Reacher, No. 3)
Book Review: Just Okay
Summary: 3 Stars
Reacher's back with TRIPWIRE doing what Jack Reacher does best- getting even, which just means getting the bad guys out of the picture. This time it is a disturbed Vietnam vet with a Lee Child twist.
The basic training information for the era was off- not 12 weeks at Fort Dix, NJ, followed by four at Fort Polk, LA. Then it was eight weeks Basic Training and eight weeks AIT (Advanced Infantry Training). Since it was Fort Polk that meant good ol' Tigerland. You had to have been there to understand. Still, all in all a halfway decent story.
The drawback I'm finding is that Reacher is becoming much like the character of the old Don Pendleton series- The Executioner. He's taking on everybody as a one-man army, righting the wrongs of the world or the world that revolves around his past.
A good effort but not Child's best.
Book Review: Three down, more to go...
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed the first two Reachers and I have to read them all in sequence. This did not disappoint me.
The action and plot sequencing was different from the first two with Reacher playing more of a supporting role -- the main emphasis seems to be on his opponent. The character development for all the characters was remarkable; you weren't aware that these people are being developed as you read. I really appreciate the art that Child is able to put on paper. Every now and then you realize that Child is not an American, but English. How many of you refer to your cell phone as a "mobile"?
A bit more character development for Reacher. We learn more about his mentor and the mentor's relationship with him. Geez, I wonder what's in store for me next?
Book Review: A Bit Dated, A Bit Dull
Summary: 3 Stars
I love Jack Reacher and hope they never bring him to the big screen cause there's no one I could imagine who could play him. That said, I thought 'Tripwire' was fine. Not the best, but fine. There's a dated quality to the book that's no fault of the writer, where cell phones, called 'mobiles' here are a luxery item and not the modern day replacement of the land line. It's also pre 9/11, so much of the ease with which Reacher walks up to a counter and books a flight is now a thing of the past. The story I found a bit boring at times, and although the final twenty pages or so were gripping, for the first time I called the ending. Still having read all the most recent books, it's fun to go back and see some of the origins of such an unforgettable character.Book Review: Good But Not Perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I like mystery novels. Novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I saw these Jack Reacher novels next to Lincoln Child's works in the bookstore, and made a gamble. About 8 months later, I'm glad I made that gamble. These books are good, easy to read, and they can get addicting. The only thing that's keeping me from giving these five stars are the endings. For some reason, I never feel like things were quite summed up well enough. Perhaps I prefer a book with a detailed dénouement. These books provide a story that will slowly suck you in, then keep you up all night one night, and leave you wondering "what if" and "what happens next?" after. Overall, great books, just missing something that is hard to put into words.Book Review: Craft issues and a dull snare
Summary: 3 Stars
The key to a thriller or mystery is to write an opening that snares or hooks the reader into turning the page. Read any Elmore Leonard book for an example. Crisp, clean writing will also propel a reader into the real meat of the story. Unfortunately the first page of this book lacks either. Some editorial cleanup might have eliminated the second appearance of the phrase "wall that wasn't there" or the use of the term "some kind of" as a modifier. The third strike on page one was reading "hot whiteness of the Key West sun" followed by "a hot white sun."
Maybe I'm not giving the author his due, but in every creative writing class one of the early lessons emphasizes these points.