Publication
New York : Random House Large Print, c2014.
Collection
Call number
Large Print Fiction C
Physical description
528 p.; 23 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
"Someone has taken a shot at the president of France in the City of Light. The bullet was American. The distance between the gunman and the target was exceptional. How many snipers can shoot from three-quarters of a mile with total confidence? Very few, but John Kott--an American marksman gone bad--is one of them. And after fifteen years in prison, he's out, unaccounted for, and likely drawing a bead on a G-8 summit packed with enough world leaders to tempt any assassin. If anyone can stop Kott, it's the man who beat him before: Reacher. And though he'd rather work alone, Reacher is teamed with Casey Nice, a rookie analyst who keeps her cool with Zoloft. But they're facing a rough road, full of ruthless mobsters, Serbian thugs, close calls, double-crosses, and no backup if they're caught. All the while Reacher can't stop thinking about the woman he once failed to save. But he won't let that happen again. Not this time. Not Nice. Reacher never gets too close. But now a killer is making it personal."--Dust jacket.… (more)
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Series
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member Teritree001971
Fans of Jack Reacher will not be disappointed with PERSONAL. In this story, Reacher ends up in the UK to prevent a crime and keep himself alive. It seems one of the prisoners he caught has been released and he is seeking a little payback.
PERSONAL opens with Reacher having a favor he owes called
PERSONAL opens with Reacher having a favor he owes called
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in. Like the good soldier he is, he immediately gets into contact with the general and soon he is overseas for a new adventure. As in every other book, this story is engaging and pulls you in. You have no problems understanding any of the slang used, as the information is right there. Every character is interesting and one of the best things about these stories is the action. The author has a way of delineating the scenes, the movements, that you can visualize them in your mind. You can see Reacher as he throws the punch, as he picks up the paper or sits on a bus. As in other books, Jack Reacher remains the man who says what he means and does what he says. He worries about what is right, he cares, but he will also kill a man then sleep like a baby that night without any problems. Show Less
LibraryThing member StanSki
When this book arrived in the mail, I had to put down whatever else I was reading. That is the draw of Lee Child's great series. What more needs to be said, other than this is another in the Jack Reacher series. When you open another "Reacher", you know you are on a ride. Always interesting, always
If for some reason you are not familiar with this series, why not? This is the quintessential thriller series--there is none better.
Lee Child must have been a whiz bang in Physics class. Velocity, trajectory, etc. The calculations just flow from the pages. If you were not lucky enough to get a free copy of this book, go buy it!
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thrilling, always entertaining.If for some reason you are not familiar with this series, why not? This is the quintessential thriller series--there is none better.
Lee Child must have been a whiz bang in Physics class. Velocity, trajectory, etc. The calculations just flow from the pages. If you were not lucky enough to get a free copy of this book, go buy it!
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LibraryThing member WhitmelB
Having read every Lee Child book presently published, when I got the opportunity to review his latest, Personal, I turned to a book, How to Read Novels Like a Professor” by Thomas C. Foster. In it I found the ideal comment, to wit: “The novels we read allow us to encounter possible persons,
These kind of heros share certain characterisitics, some more than others. A solid belief in the individual, a tendency to live self-sufficiently, a definite distrust of society’s bureaucracies and certainly a firm moral code that doesn’t necessarily correlate with society’s but is based on the ideas of justice and fairness.
Jack Reacher certainly matches those traits and with a vengeance. He is a peripatetic wanderer, wears only one set of clothes and buys a new set every three or four days throwing the old set away and carries a fold-up toothbrush. He is big (more like a Schwartzenegger or The Rock than Tom Cruise) and fast. An ex Captain of the US Army Military Police he has tremendous investigative skills. One of the more delightful qualities of Lee Child’s character is his extensive knowledge of so many things all of which he brings to bear and explains them so very well, with the occasional nugget of information that might or might not be germane but you know is true in the real world no matter how esoteric. And best of all is his logical train of thought as he examines each situation and works out his responses.
In this, the newest of the Jack Reacher novels, Jack finds an ad in the Army times telling him to call a friend. Within 30 minutes of his calling a car picks him up, takes him to an Air Force Base where he is whisked of to Pope Air force Base in North Carolina. There he meets an old friend and finds out that there are five elite snipers loose in the world one of whom has a deep grudge against Reacher. After all Kott has just completed a fifteen year prison sentence and is longing to get even. The first indication of this cabal of snipers is the rifle shot against the President of France. At a range of 1400 yards he was apparently saved by the protective glass around him.
The list of snipers is cut down as the suspects are found and their innocence proven. Eventually two remain and the search moves to England where the G8 Economic conference is to be held and it is apparent one if not more of those Ministers will be a target. To explain more would be to ruin one of Lee Child’s best thrillers except I will say that the title of the book fortells much of the end game.
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versions of ourselves that we would never see, never permit ourselves to become, in places we can never go and might not care to, while assuring that we get to return home again.” And Jack Reacher fills all of those premises and more. He is a tainted hero of the finest order; think of Shane, Dirty Harry, Yojimbo of Japan, Ned Kelly of Australia, Robin Hood of England and many more.These kind of heros share certain characterisitics, some more than others. A solid belief in the individual, a tendency to live self-sufficiently, a definite distrust of society’s bureaucracies and certainly a firm moral code that doesn’t necessarily correlate with society’s but is based on the ideas of justice and fairness.
Jack Reacher certainly matches those traits and with a vengeance. He is a peripatetic wanderer, wears only one set of clothes and buys a new set every three or four days throwing the old set away and carries a fold-up toothbrush. He is big (more like a Schwartzenegger or The Rock than Tom Cruise) and fast. An ex Captain of the US Army Military Police he has tremendous investigative skills. One of the more delightful qualities of Lee Child’s character is his extensive knowledge of so many things all of which he brings to bear and explains them so very well, with the occasional nugget of information that might or might not be germane but you know is true in the real world no matter how esoteric. And best of all is his logical train of thought as he examines each situation and works out his responses.
In this, the newest of the Jack Reacher novels, Jack finds an ad in the Army times telling him to call a friend. Within 30 minutes of his calling a car picks him up, takes him to an Air Force Base where he is whisked of to Pope Air force Base in North Carolina. There he meets an old friend and finds out that there are five elite snipers loose in the world one of whom has a deep grudge against Reacher. After all Kott has just completed a fifteen year prison sentence and is longing to get even. The first indication of this cabal of snipers is the rifle shot against the President of France. At a range of 1400 yards he was apparently saved by the protective glass around him.
The list of snipers is cut down as the suspects are found and their innocence proven. Eventually two remain and the search moves to England where the G8 Economic conference is to be held and it is apparent one if not more of those Ministers will be a target. To explain more would be to ruin one of Lee Child’s best thrillers except I will say that the title of the book fortells much of the end game.
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LibraryThing member Hardboiled
Another Reacher adventure that does not disappoint. In this installment Reacher is involved in finding snipers who threaten G8 leaders. As one might expect, the book is filled with a broad range of characters and action that weaves an intricate fabric for "Reacher Justice." The first half of the
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book is reminiscent of Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger character but once removed from first person experience of the sniper. I especially enjoyed the twist at the end; however, for some reason I felt the ending was rushed a bit especially for the Casey Nice and Bennett characters. Just when you get the feeling that the Reacher series may be getting a little stale, Child finds ways to change it up. My tooth brush is packed ... I'm ready for the next one! Show Less
LibraryThing member booksgaloreca
This book is #19 in the Jack Reacher series. I have read and enjoyed them all although some of the most recent books were not quite as good. I know it is hard for authors to continue to write fresh stories for characters that they have had going for so long, so it was great to me that this book is
In this book Jack ends up travelling to Europe to help catch a sniper that he had originally caught and jailed. The sniper has been released from prison and is now onto a new agenda. This book has lots of action and international intrigue. Great story and characters....recommended read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review from Netgalley.
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among one of the best of the series (IMO).In this book Jack ends up travelling to Europe to help catch a sniper that he had originally caught and jailed. The sniper has been released from prison and is now onto a new agenda. This book has lots of action and international intrigue. Great story and characters....recommended read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review from Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member dyarington
This one was somewhat disappointing. I've read them all. I think Lee Child should stick with books about Reacher traveling around the United States. In this one, Child, puts Reacher right in the middle of international intrigue, like a spy thriller with another attempt to assassinate world
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leaders--a pretty far stretch for Reacher. The romantic liaison with the young twenty-eight year old Nice never materializes. And the twist at the end seems contrived..Also quite unbelievable is the fight between Reacher and the giant, Joe If we are to believe the wild descriptions of Joe's body parts, Reacher would not have a chance against him.All in all not one of the better Reacher books. Don't get me wrong--I love Lee Child and the previous eighteen Reacher books, but my advice to Lee child is to stick with what has worked in the past. Show Less
LibraryThing member Randal37
As a big fan of the Jack Reacher novels I was very disappointed by this story. I found the plot very mondaine. Usually Lee Child writes a very griping tale. I was never invested into the story. If this was anything other than a Jack Reacher tale I wouldn't have ever taken the time to finish it.
LibraryThing member lauranav
A Lee Child book doesn't remain unread for long in my house. I enjoyed this book, even the international travel that brings him in contact with Russian and British agents who know how things work. As enjoyable as it is to see how good Jack Reacher is when he knows more than anyone else around, it's
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also fun to see him interact with others who may be as good as he is. This book has a lot of both. Definitely a satisfying read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Another in the 'get me Jack Reacher' vein. Boy, if Reacher feels he owes someone, he pays up no matter the cost. In this story, that drives him to help identify and track a rogue sniper, but also a sense of not letting someone he once bested get the upper hand with a new crime. When the female lead
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was introduced, I cringed at the possibility of a sex angle, but thankfully Child doesn't go there since the age difference is pretty icky. She's another interesting amalgam of capable and vulnerable, but the constant use of both her first and last names was annoying. Maybe because of the age difference I noticed that Reacher became Teacher in this one and does a fair bit of gentle lecturing while he solves the case. Another thing I noticed, maybe because I read this one with my eyes and not my ears (I can still hear Dick Hill in my head though) is that while Child got very specific with fighting moves and ordinance, he didn't with tech. Those items are left generic; cell phone, tablet computer etc. An effort to curtail dating? Overall a solid Reacher story with lots of action, deduction and planning, setbacks and betrayals. Oh and a nifty little twist that once you figure out why Jack wanted to know something, points the finger only one way. Reacher makes sure he knows it, too. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookWallah
Jack Reacher with his first rate investigative skills is on the loose again, this time in Paris and London. The only way I can resolve this in my mind is that he must still be mad that they casted Tom Cruise to play him in the first Reacher movie.
The plots flows relatively well in spite of the
The math around the snipers was a nice touch. The repayment of a debt of honor to a friend was nice as well. But otherwise I had a hard time identifying with this one. Recommended only for the faithful Reacher fans, everyone else should look elsewhere.
The plots flows relatively well in spite of the
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contrived need for the international locales. Perhaps we should just leave Europe for Jason Bourne, and keep Reacher in America where he belongs?The math around the snipers was a nice touch. The repayment of a debt of honor to a friend was nice as well. But otherwise I had a hard time identifying with this one. Recommended only for the faithful Reacher fans, everyone else should look elsewhere.
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LibraryThing member AnneWK
What would readers new to Jack Reacher think of this novel? I can't imagine. But I can picture them laughing out loud at some of the preposterous situations that the hero encounters -- and that he always overcomes. There's one scene in this book where a disarmed Jack and a half-dozen or so others
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(one a giant) are crowded into a small shed and -- well, it's typical of this series that Reacher prevails. And maybe that is the fun of these books; Child sets up the most outrageously dangerous predicaments and then we wonder how Reacher will escape -- but we never doubt that he will. Show Less
LibraryThing member ansate
Short form: woohoo, just like all the other books in the series, this is a fun action movie of novel. Describe the cars, describe the fights, talk about the guns. Out think them so you can hit them first. If you like Jack Reacher, this book isn't going to change your mind.
Possibly spoiler-y:
I was
Look, the only people who read these books are me and old dudes in airports, (there are A LOT of old dudes in airports. and they buy books) and old dudes don't need any more encouragement that we're all just coddled and should buck up out of these mental illnesses.
Possibly spoiler-y:
I was
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expecting to be even more grar about this book's sidekick having anxiety. Pretty sure meds don't work as written, and DAMN sure that you can't just be logicked out of having anxiety. "You did great, you have nothing to worry about." does not work and is a harmful idea to pass around. Look, the only people who read these books are me and old dudes in airports, (there are A LOT of old dudes in airports. and they buy books) and old dudes don't need any more encouragement that we're all just coddled and should buck up out of these mental illnesses.
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LibraryThing member dearheart
Never having read a Jack Reacher book before, and with this being outside of my normal genre, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I can understand why this series is so popular.
For others new to the series, Jack Reacher is ex-military police who stays under the radar. No driver’s license or
He gets sucked back into the game when a sniper takes a shot at the French president and there are only three people who could have made that shot from such a distance. Kott, a man Reacher caught and had jailed sixteen years ago is one of them. Paired up with Casey Nice, a somewhat low-level CIA analyst who had never done field work before, they set out to hopefully stop an apparent attack on the G8 in London.
The story is a good combination of mystery, details, international politics, espionage and action; you never know who to trust.
I can’t claim to love the book. There were a few instances where I didn’t understand what was being talked about. Others who have more knowledge or perhaps read these types of books won’t have this problem. And Reacher does give us a play-by-play on his reasoning. It works well in most cases, but in others it can feel like overkill or even that his reasoning has been hijacked for a bit. The climatic confrontation felt drawn out with a lot of details on his reasoning.
It didn’t grab me right away. The short, clipped sentences often used, along with some things just going over my head made it difficult to continue. But that didn’t last for long and I was soon swept along. Enjoyed the action, philosophy, most of the reasoning and the relationship Reach has with Nice as well as how it all comes together.
Would I recommend this book. Yes. I have no reservations about reading other books in this series.
For others new to the series, Jack Reacher is ex-military police who stays under the radar. No driver’s license or
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credit cards and never staying at the same place two nights in a row. The only thing he carries with him is a toothbrush and he either takes public transportation, or he walks. But apparently there is always a way for the military to get his attention when they need his help whether he wants to help or not.He gets sucked back into the game when a sniper takes a shot at the French president and there are only three people who could have made that shot from such a distance. Kott, a man Reacher caught and had jailed sixteen years ago is one of them. Paired up with Casey Nice, a somewhat low-level CIA analyst who had never done field work before, they set out to hopefully stop an apparent attack on the G8 in London.
The story is a good combination of mystery, details, international politics, espionage and action; you never know who to trust.
I can’t claim to love the book. There were a few instances where I didn’t understand what was being talked about. Others who have more knowledge or perhaps read these types of books won’t have this problem. And Reacher does give us a play-by-play on his reasoning. It works well in most cases, but in others it can feel like overkill or even that his reasoning has been hijacked for a bit. The climatic confrontation felt drawn out with a lot of details on his reasoning.
It didn’t grab me right away. The short, clipped sentences often used, along with some things just going over my head made it difficult to continue. But that didn’t last for long and I was soon swept along. Enjoyed the action, philosophy, most of the reasoning and the relationship Reach has with Nice as well as how it all comes together.
Would I recommend this book. Yes. I have no reservations about reading other books in this series.
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LibraryThing member satchmo77
As much as I hate to say this. I think Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels have worn thin for me. I am not sure if the writer has changed or I have. I have to suspend believe to a point where I don't enjoy it anymore. This recent novel Personal might be the last book that I will read about Reacher
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Who knew answering a personal ad could be so dangerous?
Old debts, old grudges, and old guilt bubble to the surface as Jack Reacher feels his way through a tangle of international politics with a young and slightly at-sea operative at his side - keeping them both alive to the finish may strain even
Old debts, old grudges, and old guilt bubble to the surface as Jack Reacher feels his way through a tangle of international politics with a young and slightly at-sea operative at his side - keeping them both alive to the finish may strain even
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Reacher's talents. Sans luggage, but never without a plan of action, this installment doesn't disappoint. Sit back with a couple pots of hot coffee, and enjoy. Show Less
LibraryThing member jnwelch
Lee Child always knows how to keep you racing through the pages of his Jack Reacher novels, but this ER Personal: A Jack Reacher Novel was one of the lesser ones. As fans know, the large, non-Tom-Cruise-sized (arggh, horrible film choice) Reacher rambles around the U.S. with no home base or car or
He comes across an ad in a military newspaper targeting him, and we're off and running with a complicated sniper on the world stage plot. International conspiracies, apparent assassination plans, and a participant who may have a personal vendetta against Reacher, all keep the pages flying by. Yet this one never reached the heights of the best in the series, including the recent pulse-pounding countdown 61 Hours. The young female CIA operative teaming with Reacher never takes on much of a personality, and no sparks fly between them. The investigation into which world class sniper might be causing the mischief isn't as riveting as other plot devices Child has used. And the types of physical clashes that highlight many of the series' books are few and far between. I'd never miss a chance to read a new Reacher, but this was only so-so. Three stars.
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phone. He does no laundry, instead buying cheap new clothes when he needs them. Either because of a contact from his military police past, or because he stumbles into something nasty, he ends up righting wrongs, using an infectious combination of keen analysis and a supreme ability to kick ass. In this one I enjoyed the sarcastic reference to him as "Sherlock Homeless".He comes across an ad in a military newspaper targeting him, and we're off and running with a complicated sniper on the world stage plot. International conspiracies, apparent assassination plans, and a participant who may have a personal vendetta against Reacher, all keep the pages flying by. Yet this one never reached the heights of the best in the series, including the recent pulse-pounding countdown 61 Hours. The young female CIA operative teaming with Reacher never takes on much of a personality, and no sparks fly between them. The investigation into which world class sniper might be causing the mischief isn't as riveting as other plot devices Child has used. And the types of physical clashes that highlight many of the series' books are few and far between. I'd never miss a chance to read a new Reacher, but this was only so-so. Three stars.
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LibraryThing member azroadrunner88
Another Jack Reacher novel which I enjoyed. It was a quick read with quite a bit of action. This time he goes to Paris and London in search a sniper Jack once caught and put in jail for 15 years. Although I enjoyed it, I prefer Jack to stay in the good ole U.S.A.
LibraryThing member Brian710
I enjoyed the book, it was a very quick read. Reacher is asked to join a multi-national task force to help catch a sniper who took a shot at the President of France. He and his female companion(Casey Nice) go first to Paris, then to London. Typically, mayhem ensues in both locations as they follow
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the clues. I did notice an absence of a couple of Reacher characteristics that are usually seen in every book, in particular his internal clock. Finally, I felt a bit let down by the final confrontation between Reacher and the sniper. Show Less
LibraryThing member satxreader
Another good Jack Reacher adventure, although I agree with several previous reviewers that I would rather keep him in the US in the future. As with most of the later installments, the reader has to suspend some major chunks of disbelief to really get into ReacherWorld. He's smarter than everyone
I received a free pre-pub copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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else, tougher than everyone else, more clever than everyone else, and just in general a couple steps ahead of...yeah...everyone else. But that's what we love about the guy, right? I received a free pre-pub copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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LibraryThing member murphy430
I think this is my favorite Reacher book so far. Child knows how to hold your interest so you don't want to put the book down. If you haven't read this one yet and are a Reacher fan, run to the bookstore and get it.
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
Outstanding, as always. Lee Child crafts another compelling Jack Reacher novel. After seeing an add in the military news looking for him, Jack finds himself involved in thwarting an assassination attempt on world leaders. Well done, with an interesting twist at the end.
LibraryThing member vnesting
An interesting twist on the usual Reacher novel--this one takes place in Europe. The Army has contacted Reacher (via an ad in an issue of the Army Times left on a bus) to get his help finding a sniper who may be someone that Reacher sent to prison back when he was an Army MP. Reacher and special
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agent Casey Nice are sent to the United Kingdom as “unacknowledged assets” to work outside official channels and find the sniper before he targets an upcoming G8 meeting. A suspenseful thriller that may be enjoyed by both newcomers and longtime fans. Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
As Jack Reacher was wandering along the west coast with no destination in mind, an apparent shot was fired at the President of France. The bullet, fired from more than 1400 feet, was deflected by the bulletproof glass around him.
Reacher happened to see a copy of The Army Times which someone left
The list of suspects was narrowed to four men, one each from the US, England, Israel, and Russia. All four countries were looking for them. The American was John Kott, who Reacher had sent to prison sixteen years previously but had been released the previous year.
Reacher realized that he was the bait.
PERSONAL is action-filled and fast-paced. It includes some clever prose, e.g., trying to start a car being compared with the postal service and a tedious committee meeting. There is an interesting twist at the end.
A lot of the writing is in phrases rather than in complete sentences. Especially when it relates to thoughts rather than dialogue. Repetition of phrases is rampant is several areas, sometimes even the same paragraph. And, like in one of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next books, the commas seem to have escaped and are excessively inserted in some questionable locations. (These may be changed in the final version.)
One of my pet peeves is short chapters, especially when two or more of them take place in the same location with the same characters at about the same time. I automatically deduct a star because I feel that the author is talking down to the readers, thinking they have very short attention spans.
I received an advance copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads.
Reacher happened to see a copy of The Army Times which someone left
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on the bus in which he was riding. In the personal notices was one reading “Jack Reacher call Rick Shoemaker.” Reacher called his old acquaintance and found himself traveling to Europe to try to determine who had fired the bullet (not too many shooters could be that accurate at such a far distance) and what the next target would be. A few meetings of heads of state, including the US President, were scheduled within the near future.The list of suspects was narrowed to four men, one each from the US, England, Israel, and Russia. All four countries were looking for them. The American was John Kott, who Reacher had sent to prison sixteen years previously but had been released the previous year.
Reacher realized that he was the bait.
PERSONAL is action-filled and fast-paced. It includes some clever prose, e.g., trying to start a car being compared with the postal service and a tedious committee meeting. There is an interesting twist at the end.
A lot of the writing is in phrases rather than in complete sentences. Especially when it relates to thoughts rather than dialogue. Repetition of phrases is rampant is several areas, sometimes even the same paragraph. And, like in one of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next books, the commas seem to have escaped and are excessively inserted in some questionable locations. (These may be changed in the final version.)
One of my pet peeves is short chapters, especially when two or more of them take place in the same location with the same characters at about the same time. I automatically deduct a star because I feel that the author is talking down to the readers, thinking they have very short attention spans.
I received an advance copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads.
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LibraryThing member everfresh1
Jack Reacher at his best. I did find some of the later books from these series somewhat tiring but the new novel comes across as very fresh. Good plot, easy read and, of course, the best part is Jack Reacher character. The only thing that keeps me from being very involved is the knowledge that no
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matter what difficult and desperate situation Jack reacher will come into he will always come out just fine. I guess this is inevitable shortcoming after going through so many novels from this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheJeanette
In this novel we get to visit England and France, and that's what makes it fun to read. Those of us who have been with Jack Reacher from the start have grown a mite weary of seeing him land in yet another creepy one-hydrant small town somewhere in the bowels of America. So Lee Child got smart and
When I look at a review of a book I've been anticipating with great relish, it's upsetting to have one or two lines in that review ruin it all for me by giving away too much information. I don't generally write much in the way of reviews for books in the suspense/thriller category because I'm afraid that one little thing I say might spoil it for some eager reader.
So how to review this book? Without spoilers. Without even a hint of spoilers. You can read the publisher blurb and get a pretty good feel for the general plot, but even blurb writers seem to include spoilers these days.
What I will say is that this book was one heck of a lot of fun to read. There's a great mix of characters we've never met before. There are colorful English hoodlums and American military has-beens and world-class snipers, one of whom takes a shot at the president of France, which sets the wheels in motion for Reacher to seek a confrontation with a guy he put in prison over 15 years ago.
This is a super-intelligent thriller with some great humor thrown in. I won't tell you my favorite laugh-out-loud lines, because I want you to be as surprised and delighted by them as I was.
Seeing how Lee Child is so smart and does his research so well, I was surprised to find that he didn't do his homework on pharmaceuticals for this novel. He apparently has Zoloft confused with Xanax, and has a major female character popping a Zoloft whenever she's nervous or needs to sleep. That's my only real criticism of the book. I read an advance copy, and I hope the error will be corrected in the final version.
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made him a world traveler in this latest installment. When I look at a review of a book I've been anticipating with great relish, it's upsetting to have one or two lines in that review ruin it all for me by giving away too much information. I don't generally write much in the way of reviews for books in the suspense/thriller category because I'm afraid that one little thing I say might spoil it for some eager reader.
So how to review this book? Without spoilers. Without even a hint of spoilers. You can read the publisher blurb and get a pretty good feel for the general plot, but even blurb writers seem to include spoilers these days.
What I will say is that this book was one heck of a lot of fun to read. There's a great mix of characters we've never met before. There are colorful English hoodlums and American military has-beens and world-class snipers, one of whom takes a shot at the president of France, which sets the wheels in motion for Reacher to seek a confrontation with a guy he put in prison over 15 years ago.
This is a super-intelligent thriller with some great humor thrown in. I won't tell you my favorite laugh-out-loud lines, because I want you to be as surprised and delighted by them as I was.
Seeing how Lee Child is so smart and does his research so well, I was surprised to find that he didn't do his homework on pharmaceuticals for this novel. He apparently has Zoloft confused with Xanax, and has a major female character popping a Zoloft whenever she's nervous or needs to sleep. That's my only real criticism of the book. I read an advance copy, and I hope the error will be corrected in the final version.
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Awards
British Book Award (Shortlist — 2014)
Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist — 2015)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014-08-28
ISBN
9780804194587