The Hard Way. Finished 4-26-15, rating 3.5/5, thriller, pub. 2006
Unabridged audio read by Dick Hill. 12 hours.
Jack Reacher series #10 (Killing Floor) (Die Trying) (Tripwire) (Running Blind) (Echo Burning) (Without Fail) (Persuader) (The Enemy) (One Shot)
Jack Reacher was alone, the way he liked it, soaking up the hot, electric New York City night, watching a man cross the street to a parked Mercedes and drive it away. The car contained one million dollars in ransom money. And Edward Lane, the man who paid it, will pay even more to get his family back. Lane runs a highly illegal soldiers-for-hire operation. He will use any amount of money and any tool to find his beautiful wife and child. And then he’ll turn Jack Reacher loose with a vengeance–because Reacher is the best man hunter in the world.
from Goodreads
The last one was one of my favorites of the series so maybe that’s why this one fell a little short with me. Reacher was still his ex-military, loner with a taste for justice self, but the focus this time around was fully centered on the kidnapping and while that was fine, it didn’t really elevate it above any other thriller. Well, except for Reacher, he always elevates the story I suppose. I just wanted more of him and his vigilante ways. It goes without saying that he was able to convince a woman to sleep with him (I feel like every Reacher book should start with a disclaimer telling women reading the book not to try this at home – Do Not Sleep With Drifters Especially Ones With A Menacing Presence And No One To Vouch For Their Character). Anyway, the mystery part of the book was fine, with an interesting ending location, but it only left me wanting to read the next one since I didn’t quite get my fill of the badass Reacher that I’ve come to love.
So, how many of you are Reacher fans? Are you obsessed with reading them in order like I am?
This is a series I have never been able to get into. I liked the books I read, but not enough to want to continue.
They are sort of my standard fare. I know what I’m going to get when I read them and I wait for the mood to strike.
I read the first two, not back to back, maybe a year apart and while I enjoyed Reacher I just didn’t have a burning desire to continue him. I found similar hero crushes in Baldacci books. Thanks though!
I’ve not read the Baldacci books. I probably should.
I read probably 4 and stopped. I don’t really know why I stopped because I liked them. Just one of those things. But I do prefer to read a series in order. Having said that, I’ve read a couple of books recently that were not #1. They were both Recycle Book Club authors. And in each case, the author told me to read #5 (out of 5) and #3 (out of 5). Both times our book club members thought it was fine to jump ahead. I guess it depends on the author/series.
The authors want you hooked and not dismissive because there are too many to read so I think some authors are better at making each book feel like a new one, with only as much backstory as needed.
I am obsessed with reading all series in order! My husband however has the bizarre ability not to care – how weird is that? LOL
I always like to know there are others who can’t read a series out of order!
Don’t think I’ve ever read a Child book. I have to read a series in order. I get upset if I find out a book I read was in a series and not the 1st one.
That’s happened to me too, readong one out of order by mistake. Always ticks me off 🙂