I have to say that I was disappointed in this follow up to the Killing Floor. Without spoilers, I felt this novel failed to deliver on two aspects of the initial book: 1) there was an abundance of character viewpoints; and 2) the mystery was a bit more straightforward (classic thriller with some plot twists). Jack Reacher is still an excellent character and I sped through this novel. The plot was fun and easily adapted to a Hollywood movie. But it wasn't anything like the carefully plotted, slowly revealing masterpiece that was Killing Floor. I hope the next book is more like the first novel.
This review might appear to be full of spoilers, but they're not that at all. They are not spoilers but organizing principles. Second book of the series and already the formula seems to be established. Reacher accidentally finds himself in the middle of something. Meets a new woman, law enforcement type. Together they fight the bad guys who are sadistic and maybe weird in some way, physically, mentally, both. The woman ends up in danger. Law enforcement is suspicious of Reacher because he's not bound by their rules and better than they are at doing what they're supposed to be good at. There's some time deadline that has to be beaten. And there's someone we all trust who turns out to be on the other team. At the end, the new woman has to be disposed of so the story can begin anew next book.
The story is carried along …
This review might appear to be full of spoilers, but they're not that at all. They are not spoilers but organizing principles. Second book of the series and already the formula seems to be established. Reacher accidentally finds himself in the middle of something. Meets a new woman, law enforcement type. Together they fight the bad guys who are sadistic and maybe weird in some way, physically, mentally, both. The woman ends up in danger. Law enforcement is suspicious of Reacher because he's not bound by their rules and better than they are at doing what they're supposed to be good at. There's some time deadline that has to be beaten. And there's someone we all trust who turns out to be on the other team. At the end, the new woman has to be disposed of so the story can begin anew next book.
The story is carried along by alternating between tense threat of total defeat and equally tense almost triumph. The bad guys are mostly amateurs and make mistakes that Reacher explains to us. You should never burn your stolen cars, you should hope for the best and prepare for the worst, there are correct and incorrect ways to patrol, choke, mislead, capture, use various weapons, whatever. We are learning valuable survival skills throughout the story. We end, with Reacher riding off into the sunset, and with us much wiser about the ways of the scary violent world then we were on page one.
I'm ready to start the third in the series because there's something addictive about it. It's clearly bad for me, but compelling at the same time. I hate myself for not quitting here and now. Maybe I will just read one more and then be ready to return to those books that are healthy and literary. How can I know so much about how it's done yet still be pulled in?
