Rating: 
Summary: Heroes Live!
Review: I've spent a long time searching for a hero to replace John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee. I've found him in Jack Reacher. I was clueless when I purchased the book based on an Amazon recommendation, and I was hooked from page 1. Author Lee Child creates well-rounded, fully developed characters and places them in jeopardy in plots that are original and wonderfully complex. The amount of technical information actually *enhances* the action; you barely have time to breathe before being thrust into another life-and-death confrontation with evil. Okay, I'm in love with Jack Reacher, all right? He's way too tall for my tastes, but that's the magic of imagination -- I can make him Richard Burgi in my mind! If you love mysteries with a hard edge or jaw-clenching adventure, you must read this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Time To Play "Find The Flaw"
Review: This is a really fun book. First of all it is a pretty good story, and that's why I gave it a handful of stars, but please don't try and suspend your disbelief while reading it. Read it as a frenzied, fantasy thriller sinking under the weight of its hilarious mistakes. I'll give you one example. Our hero has spent a good half-hour crawling through a totally dark cave tunnel when he emerges into a large cavern where equipment is stored. The cavern is dimly lit from cracks of light coming through a large door to the outside. Folks are in the cavern talking amongst themselves, but before John Reacher joins them he stops to let his "vision build." The author doesn't seem to realize that vision adaptation takes place when going from light to dark, but not from dark to light. When you get up in the middle of the night and turn your 40-watt bedside lamp, you don't sit there for ten minutes waiting for your "vision to build."Our fearless protagonist spends this book fighting a fanatic militia group located in a remote Montana forest. He's way outnumbered of course, but the FBI is coming to the rescue. Three of their stalwart agents decide to penetrate the dense, heavily patrolled forest, so they button their pin stripe suit coats, straighten their ties, shine their wingtip shoes, and head for the woods. Child doesn't tell whether or not they took their briefcases with them. What ever happened to the casual attire, the jackets with FBI emblazoned on the back? Then there's the shrugging. When is the last time you shrugged? Child's characters do it constantly, often more than once per page. It really grates on you after awhile. The author also seems compelled to use that creaky old literary device of providing a lengthy description of every weapon used. You know, the one that goes something like this: "George picked up his Schlock .369 rifle with its lemon scented, knotty pine stock, cantilevered lead alloy barrel, and viscous damped trigger. The Schlock is capable of firing a 27.6 gram projectile at the rate of ..Etc." [...]P>In any event it's still a fun read relatively unmarred by mushy romance. Well, there is one scene where he and the lady do it, but our quick triggered hero is in and out of that tricky maneuver in two short sentences. Some of the book is rather exciting, like the law of physics bending climatic finale. I read that, then put the book down, shrugged, and went to bed.
Rating: 
Summary: Shrug...shrug...shrug...shrug
Review: A nify thriller, like his others, but irritatingly blemished by a nervous tick: every time two characters speak to one another, one or both "shrugs." He likely uses the word "shrug" more in this one book than in all of literature throughout the ages -- his other novels not included. Obviously the man has no editor, or at least one he's listen to.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but could have been better
Review: I have been newly acquainted with books like Die Trying. I read Killing Floor first and was hooked. In Die Trying I didn't feel as sucked into the drama as in Mr. Child's first book. I think part of the reason that this book left me feeling different was that it was not written in first person point of view as in Killing Floor. Also, I don't think that there was as much emphasis on the character Jack Reacher as in the previous offering. Still, as you continue to read, you find yourself anticipating what will happen next. I will continue to read Mr. Child's books. I think that he has brought a unique vision to suspense writing and hope that he will continue to entertain readers.
Rating:
Summary: This author just gained a new fan!
Review: This is the first Lee Child book I've read, and it grabbed my attention from the very start. It has an evolving plot that keeps you wondering what the next page will bring. The involvement of the FBI and the Miltary shouldn't be looked at too critically or unrealistically as some readers may tend to do. This story, having as it's plot,a militia, lead by a charismatic,dangerous wacko who wants to form his own separate world in the wilds of Montana. When he instigates the kidnapping of an FBI agent,he unknowingly involves an innocent bystander who turns out to be Jack Reacher, a very skilled and highly decorated former member of the Military. This spells trouble for the militia's plans involving the agent and their sinister plans for their celebration of Independence Day. I look forward to catching up with past Reacher books,as I really enjoyed this one.
Rating:
Summary: Wowwy Zowwy
Review: I found this book to be very interesting and the pace was just right. While I found some of the stuff to be a little boring they were made up for with the fast-paced action.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: This is a fantastic book! If you are looking for a fast, action packed thriller this is the one for you. Jack Reacher is the perfect hero and more you read the more you love him. The plot twists and turns leading to a heart stopping climax. Lee Child has constructed a complexe, explosive thriller which will take you off the edge of your seat. A MUST READ!!!
Rating:
Summary: Move Over James Bond
Review: Steven Segal would be a great pick for the lead in a Jack Reacher series of movies. Lee Child's hero is a good guy drifter who began life as an army brat and then grew up to become Militry Police. He can shoot faster and straighter than all the bad guys. Having been downsized out of the army where he had served with lots of status and recognition, he is now wandering around the United States trying to remain as ananomyous as possible. In Die Trying he just happens to be walking by a dry cleaners as Holly Johnson, an injured FBI agent, stumbles out the door. He catches the drycleaning and sets Holly back on her feet just as two kidnappers pull guns on them and force them into a waiting car. Holly is the intended victim and she has some impressive connections which make everyone want to get her back unharmed. Reacher was just in the wrong spot at the right time, and the kidnappers have no idea what a tiger they have captured. Reacher and Holly are driven from Chicago to Montana to the headquarters of a para miliatary group planning to take over the United States. This book bogs down a bit in the middle but is a fun read and worth sticking through to the end. The plot is somewhat farfetched, but then so is the 6:00 news most nights.
Rating: 
Summary: Easily the worst book ever written!
Review: This story wouldn't even make a good Roadrunner cartoon - the plot is too weak, the characters too unbelievable, and the physics are from some other dimension. Forget the fact that people don't act and react as these characters were written. Forget the extreme odds of the events that can only charitably be called "coincidences". Forget the excruiating "technical" details that don't match the real world. One is still left with just plain unbelievable physics. Just one physical impossibility (out of dozens) to prove the point. A ton of unstable dynamite inside a panel truck explodes completely vaporizing the truck without cratering the road its rolling over; and the explosion doesn't even damage a helicopter hovering less than 75 yards away. (Comparison: look what happened to the truck, road and building in Oklahoma) The only reason I finished this audio book was that I had nothing else to listen to on a long trip. And, after the first ten minutes it became a game to count how many totally stupid things the author was going to say.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: Jack Reacher is back and even better than in The Killing Floor. This book has it all - great plots, super characters, nonstop action and an all around hero in the form of Jack Reacher. This book is one terrific read and even better than the Killing Floor! Although not necessary, it might be helpful to read The Killing Floor first to get a history on Jack Reacher. In any case, go get this book - you won't be sorry.
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