A Book Review: Make Me by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #20)

In the past 5 weeks, I read 5 Jack Reacher books; one week one Reacher. I am not reading this series in the sequential order. My local library has these books, but they are being loaned out all the time, so I can only borrow these books as they become available. That is fine, because every Jack Reacher novel tells a stand alone story. This means you can start from anywhere you like. This week I read Make Me. This is the 20^th installment in the series. Admittedly, this book is sharing a similar structure with its predecessors. Formulaic? Maybe, but Make Me is still a very fine thrill machine.

Synopsis:

Jack Reacher stepped off a train in the middle of nowhere. What was Jack doing? He just wanted to find out, why on earth would anyone name a town, Mother's Rest?

All was quiet when Jack set his foot on the ground. On his side stood a steel post, marking the train stop. Meanwhile, straight ahead, the shape of a little town loomed silently in the distance. Jack was making his way into the town when a woman approached him.

She seemed distressed.

The woman introduced herself as Michelle Chang. She had mistaken Jack as her missing partner from a private investigation. She suspected, their small investigation must have dug out something big and deadly. The woman was worried about her partner's life. Jack decided to help her out. After all, it was not like Jack had anywhere to go.

The duo drove a car into Mother's Rest. They followed the clue to a motel, where they met a strange and watchful clerk. From there, Jack would unravel a dark secret spanning from a little Midwest town all the way to Chicago, LA, Phoenix, San Francisco and then back.

Some people wanted Jack to back off from the case. No chance in hell! Jack Reacher's way is this – If you want me to stop, then you gotta make me.

My thoughts on this book:

Lee Child has written more than 20 Jack Reacher novels, and this series fetched a crazy sales figure exceeding 125 million copies. While some have flagged these books with a description such as guilty pleasure reads, but the staggering sales figure alone testifies the endurance, and the appeal, of these books. Make Me showcased all the fine qualities that earned a lasting fondness from the reading community.

Upon the first glance, Make Me has a similar setting to previous books; Jack Reacher visited a small town at whim, he discovered a criminal activity untouchable by the legal authority, so he decided to dispense some justice. The setting in this book might be giving its reader a deja vu, but to Lee Child's credit, this book still surprised me all the way.

How? Well, the crimes in this book is unique.

In fact, what sets every Jack Reacher novel apart from each other, is the crimes. I have no idea where Lee Child is getting his ideas from, but the crimes in each Jack Reacher book is always distinctive and intriguing, Make Me is no exception. The plot in this book is multi-layered, the story twisted and turned as it unfolded in front of a reader's eyes. Lee Child is a master at mounting the suspense. He keeps the secret very close to the heart. He keeps a reader guessing at the answer, and he only unveils the solution, very close to the book's end. This is why, reading a Jack Reacher novel is always a rewarding experience. In this book, Jack Reacher overcame obstacles and gradually solved puzzles. Ultimately, Reacher did expose the villain's machination in full, but it was disbursing! In my opinion, the criminal activity in Make Me is the darkest in this series. Thankfully, the sort of things that were mentioned in this book are fictitious (I hope).

While Jack Reacher books are not exactly “action-packed”, but these book never run short on the action side of things either. Throughout Make Me, there are some fighting scenes here and there to spice things up. Especially at the end of the book, where a concentrated dose of fighting scenes provided an excitable conclusion to Reacher's quest for justice. While the ending is pretty good, but in my opinion, it is somewhat falling flat in comparison to the previous novels, such as Gone Tomorrow, where the action scenes in the end was so thrilling it sent me to the edge of my seat. Despite its slightly flat ending, Make Me is still a thrilling and entertaining read. The plot, the characters, and the suspense, worked their charms in this book and gripped me right from the first chapter.

I returned this book to the library and searched for more Jack Reacher books. To my disappointment, I was told by the librarian, all of their Jack Reacher novels are being loaned out. So I guess I will just have to bide my time for Jack Reacher's next thrilling adventure. Meanwhile, if you are fond of crime thrillers, then don't waste anymore time. Acquaint yourself with Jack Reacher. Make a trip to your library or the local bookstore, and get a book called Killing Floor. I think you will like it.

A Book Review: Worth Dying For by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #15)

It has been estimated, every 20 seconds, a novel featuring Jack Reacher is being sold somewhere in the world. The series' creator, Lee Child, is a publishing phenomenon. There is something enduring and unique about Jack Reacher; he has the brain and the brawn, he is Dirty Harry and Sherlock Holmes rolled into one. Reacher is the strong silent hero from the Western, who dispenses sweet justice where it is most needed. Oh yes, justice! In Worth Dying For, Lee Child dropped another story that will have you punch the air and screaming “yes!”, while Reacher dispenses those sweet sweet justice in a troubled little town.

Synopsis:

A woman stood in her living room and dialed the doctor's number. It was winter, her nose was busted and bleeding like a water tap. She lived in a corn county in Nebraska.

Dozens of minutes later came a knock on her door. In the doorway stood two men. She saw the familiar shape of her doctor. Besides the doctor walked a big man; six foot five, blond, and his blue eyes flaring on a rugged face like the cold fire.

The doctor looked at the woman's nose and told her that she will be fine. Then the big man, calling himself Jack Reacher, asked her about the injury. The woman let out more than she was willing. The answer – her husband.

Jack Reacher and the doctor drove to a diner. The place smelled of burgers and grilled steaks. Reacher found the woman's husband, punched him in the face and broke his nose. Little did Reacher know, the punch would put him on the track to exposing an ugly secret, twenty five years in the making.

It was time to right the wrong. The stakes were high, but Jack ain't gonna stop because he believed it was a cause worth dying for.

My thoughts on this book:

Worth Dying For returned Jack Reacher to solving crimes in a small town. The story started small. Jack Reacher was passing by and became involved in a case of domestic violence. From there, this tale unfolded in the most unexpected manner. This book will surprise you. Lee Child's writings, stylized and hardboiled, vividly portrayed the atmosphere and the emotions of the town's people, who were being terrorized and bullied by a local clan. Some readers have complained about Lee Child's prose. In my opinion, Jack Reacher books are westerns disguised as crime thrillers. Therefore, I think Lee Child's writings pitched a perfect tone for a story such as this one.

It is intriguing to read about Jack Reacher's thought process. How he solved the crime, and how he tackled his opponents strategically. While Jack Reacher took the centre stage in this book, but Lee Child also featured a small cast of richly depicted, supporting characters. The narratives were moving, laying bare these characters' pains and the fears. They were the little folks being bullied by the local gang. They had no hope. It was very rewarding to read, with Jack Reacher's help, these characters gradually built up their confidence and finally stood up against their tormentors. Justice did arrive, albeit too late.

Indeed, justice, is the best thing about this book. When the story revealed the final piece in the puzzle, and the dirty secret came into the light, I became furious at the villains. I felt a burning rage. The bad guys in this book were committing a crime so foul, so wrong, and so disgusting, I wanted to rip their throats out. But Jack Reacher did that for me, and I cheered and clapped my hands. I have never read a more satisfying ending than the one in Worth Dying For. This book's conclusion, while immensely satisfying, but it also tasted bitter and sweet.

Worth Dying For exemplifies the enduring power of Jack Reacher books. If you are wondering what is so compelling about Jack Reacher, then pick up this book and read it. I do not think you will regret it.

A Book Review: Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #13)

Lee Child's Jack Reacher series may be crime thrillers, but I think Jack Reacher is a fantasy of a man. Reacher doesn't have a job, he is a vagrant who diets on cheeseburgers and pan cakes, but he never goes broke and he has the physique of a WWF wrestler. It suffices to say, these books ask you to suspend a whole lot of disbelief.

But I love this series anyway!

My review for Gone Tomorrow will tell you why I am fond of this series. But firstly let me provide a synopsis for the book.

Synopsis:

Jack Reacher is a drifter. He is here today, and gone tomorrow.

It was 2AM in New York. A subway train was gliding along the tracks. Jack Reacher was sitting on the train and staring at four passengers. Three of them were ordinary people going about their own businesses. But Jack thought something smelled fishy about the fourth person.

“May be a suicide bomber”, thought Jack.

On the swaying train, Jack Reacher approached the fourth passenger, and the suspect did the unthinkable...

My thoughts on this book:

Gone Tomorrow captured the bone and the marrow of what made this series so good; the suspense, the deductions, and the justice.

I can't say too much about the plot, because it will spoil the story. Let me just say, the first page in Gone Tomorrow immediately seized my attentions. From there, every following chapter was a surprise. This book was suspenseful from the beginning to the end. It was a hell of a ride to follow Jack Reacher while he was solving the crime. Lee Child wrote this book with his signature writing style; hardboiled, punchy, and brutal. The writings matched perfectly to Jack Reacher's character. Every page in this book delivered a powerful imagery too hard to erase from my memory.

Gone Tomorrow also differed from its peers. Many Jack Reacher books were set in small towns, but Gone Tomorrow was set in New York. The metropolitan setting was refreshing, a welcoming break to the series' pattern. As usual, reading about Reacher's thought process was fun. It was very interesting to see how Jack Reacher altered his methods, because he was operating in a big city instead of a small town.

This book also had a lot of actions. In fact, I think Gone Tomorrow is the most action-packed Jack Reacher book I've read. The action scenes in this book were nail-biting. The antagonists were smart and terribly cruel, they sent chills down my spine. Reacher was outnumbered, but the book showed us how the gears were turning in his head, how he analyzed every situation and maneuvered tactically to take out his opponents. The last 50 pages of this book had me sitting at the edge of my seat, it was a thing that I will not forget anytime soon. Here I have to put up a warning. Gone Tomorrow is VERY violent. But the violence added weights to the story, rendering Reacher's quest for justice meaningful but haunting at the same time.

Gone Tomorrow, what a great book! After I returned this book to the library, I came home and toyed with the idea of buying a copy for myself. I will re-read this book. Meanwhile, I highly recommend Gone Tomorrow to those who have an interest in crime thrillers.

A Book Review: Nothing to Lose by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #12)

You just arrived at an eerie little town. The locals reacted to your arrival with hostility. During your stay, you stumbled upon a secret, discovering its entire populace is plotting a conspiracy and you are completely alone. Isn't this a horrifying thought? We have seen this scenario played out in horror novels (The Shadow Over Innsmouth), and it has also appeared in movies (The Wicker Man). This is an intriguing scenario. It is full of suspense and paranoia, but it has yet to make its way to the genre of crime thriller.

Lee Child's novel, titled Nothing to Lose, uses the above scenario and it promises readers a ticket to thrill. This is the 12^th Jack Reacher novel. Does it deliver?

Synopsis:

Jack Reacher lingers, on the boarder between Hope and Despair.

Hope and Despair? Is good old Jack suffering from an episode of anxiety attack? Not likely! What did Jack get himself into this time? On the rocky landscape of Colorado sits two lonely towns; Hope and Despair. Hope is a bright and nice little town, but Jack is intrigued by the name of its neighbor, Despair.

Why would anyone name a town Despair? Jack walked 12 miles of dusty road to find out. Over the boarder near Despair, Jack saw neighborhood houses brooding silently in the distance. The town' main street; neat, straight, and lit by a yellow sun, is curiously waylaid by a seedy looking diner and a semi-abandoned motel. Jack thirsted for a cup of coffee. Before he could walk into the diner, the cops pulled up in a car and they arrested him. The charge – vagrancy. The cops dropped Jack at the border of Despair and told him to sod off.

“Never come back”, the cops told him.

Why are the cops so desperate at keeping a stranger out? Curiosity got the better of Jack. He walked straight back to Despair, into a shocking discovery: Justice is needed in this town. It is the sort of justice that can only be dispensed by someone like Jack, a guy with nothing to lose.

My thoughts on this book:

The only Jack Reacher novel I have read prior to Nothing to Lose, is Killing Floor. Halfway into Nothing to Lose, I couldn't help but noticing these two novels were sharing some commonalities. Both books started with Jack Reacher drifting into a new town and getting himself arrested by the cops. In both novels, Jack Reacher uncovered a criminal secret hidden deep in the bowels of the town. At this point, one might be wondering if Nothing to Lose feels formulaic. Not at all! While similarities exist between these two books, Nothing to Lose distinguishes itself from Killing Floor, because this book extends the sense of paranoia and suspense to the entire town. This time, Jack is not just pitting himself against a bad guy and his crew in a small town. No, in Nothing to Lose, Jack is taking on a whole town.

Does this mean Nothing to Lose is a better book than Killing Floor? In my opinion, no. While Nothing to Lose instills a deep sense of mystery and thrills, but there are several issues with this book. I think the biggest of these issues is the book's pacing. The first 100 pages of this book gripped me. It was whipping up a story of intrigue and suspense. However, in the next 200 pages, Reacher's quest to dispensing justice moved somewhat slowly, and repetitively. The middle of the book felt particularly slow, because Reacher repeatedly traveled between Hope and Despair. The book did pick up the pace again in its final act. But the finale felt somewhat flat compared to the dramatic conclusion in Killing Floor.

This is not to say Nothing to Lose is a bad book. No, this book is far from being terrible. Despite its pacing issue, Nothing to Lose features a cast of interesting characters. Jack Reacher remains an impressive hero. He has the brawn, the brain, and a hell of an attitude. This book casts a spotlight on Reacher's deductive powers. It was fun reading how Reacher pieced together a puzzle and solved the crime. The action scenes in this book, although scarce, pumps adrenaline into the story and taking us into Jack's head, where we saw his strategic plan for ass kicking. Jack is a big guy and he is physically strong, but his brain made him an unstoppable force at dispensing justice.

Nothing to Lose may have a problem with its pacing. But this book still entertained me. The story soaked me with suspense and paranoia. Its plot surprised me here and there. It was not as good as Killing Floor but it is still a satisfying read. I want to read more Jack Reacher novels, and I would recommend Nothing to Lose to thriller fans.

A Book Review: Killing Floor by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #1)

I finally read a Jack Reacher novel.

Jack Reacher, is the famous creation of Lee Child. A few years ago, Hollywood made a movie adaptation. Starring Tom Cruise, the 2 hours crime thriller did not impress me. It killed my interest for exploring Jack Reacher books. Then came the “thrill” seeking month of March 2017. I went to the library. I saw a Jack Reacher book standing on the shelf. I decided to give it a go, and I borrowed it.

Which book is this? It is called Killing Floor. This is also the first installment in the series, Lee Child's debut. From the library I came home with the book tugged under my arm. I opened it, read the first chapter, and I was hooked.

The story began, in a small Georgian town washed by the morning rain. The town is called Margrave. It was September and the sun was just rising to cook the day. A quiet restaurant squats over the town's street. Inside the diner sat a man eating his breakfast - scrambled eggs. This man; tall, blond, and powerfully built, pierced the window with his cold blue eyes into a hazy world. Without a warning, the restaurant’s door banged wide open. Three policemen hushed into the diner. They arrested the tall man and read his rights to him. The man stayed silent. He uttered no word. The police said this man is a murderer, and they were taking him to the jail.

The cops interrogated the man at the station. The man said he is Jack Reacher, and he committed no murder. Jack said he jumped off the bus and walked 14 miles in the rain to reach the town, because he is looking for a dead guitar player. The cops didn't believe him. This is the first homicide in 30 years and Jack is the only stranger in town. They wanted to make Jack take the fall. But later on it became obvious they picked the wrong guy; dead bodies were piling up under the summer sky, turning the town into a killing floor.

From there, Jack's misadventure in Margrave twisted and turned for 500 pages. This is the best damn thriller I've read in awhile!

Some people say Killing Floor reads like an action flick from the 80s, starring good old Arnie. But I tell you, that is painting the wrong picture for this book. By my estimation, only 30 out of 525 pages in this book narrated action scenes. The rest of it focused on characters, suspense, deductions, and the story. Killing Floor told a ripping yarn! In this book, Lee Child mounted suspense in the story. He hid the central mystery away from the readers. Then Jack peeled back the mystery's curtain as he pieced the puzzles together, revealing one surprise after another. This book is a fine example of a masterfully plotted crime thriller.

Thriller novels don't usually have good characterization. Killing Floor is one of those exceptions where the characterization is intricate and memorable. Lee Child fleshed out Jack Reacher's character, so well. While Jack didn't speak much in this book, but Lee Child's first person narratives shot us right into Jack's head. We could see how Jack calculated his every move, this guy is brilliant. Jack Reacher may be an action hero, but he is also Sherlock Holmes. That is not all. Lee Child created Jack as the “strong silent type”. Yet, through Lee Child's vivid depictions of Jack, we saw those inner feelings, and the thoughts, of this Clint Eastwood like hero.

Speaking of depictions. Some readers say it takes time to adjusting to Lee Child's writing style. It is true if you are used to reading long sentences. Lee Child's style is rather hardboiled. He uses short sentences, and often without verbs. Personally, I like his style because it suits the atmosphere of an action crime thriller. It is punchy and descriptive, it renders Killing Floor an addictive read.

My regret is I didn't read Killing Floor sooner. My initial impression about Jack Reacher, based on the movie, is wrong. Killing Floor offers so much more than a simple action romp. This book impresses a reader with a memorable protagonist. It entertains with a well executed plot, and it grips a reader with nail-biting suspense. After I read the last chapter in Killing Floor, I risked a rainy storm, made haste to the library and borrowed 4 more Jack Reacher books. If you are craving for thrillers, then you can't go wrong with Killing Floor.

Until the next time, happy reading!

A Book Review: The Sacred Vault by Andy McDermott (Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase #6)

My reading habits go through cycles. At times I feel like reading sci-fi/fantasy books, on occasions I crave for historical and literary fictions, and some nights I just want to loose myself in a nail-biting thriller novel. With the arrival of March, a craving for thrillers came knocking at the gate to my reading world. I trekked to my local library, seeking a good thrill, and Andy McDemott's thrilling tale, The Sacred Vault, waved at me from a bookshelf.

Initially, I was hesitant, unsure if I wanted to read The Sacred Vault. You see, this book belongs to the 6^th installment in a series of thrillers featuring; archeologist Nina Wilde, and her ex-military husband, Eddie Chase. At my mentioning of the word, archeologist, you can likely form an idea for what sort of books are these. This series is what I would call, treasure hunt thrillers. A classical treasure hunt thriller smells and tastes like an Indiana Jones adventure; its story usually involves a race against the baddies to uncover a lost secret from some ancient civilization, its plot is then served up with an overdose of octane-driven, impossible action sequences.

I usually like treasure hunt thrillers. A few years back, I devoured some James Rollins and Dan Brown novels, and this sort of book opened my appetite for this genre. Since then, thrillers has been one of the main courses in my literary diets. But I am just not head over toes for Andy McDermott novels even though I have read 5 of them in the past 2 years. I did end up loaning The Sacred Vault from the library, not only because it was the sole thriller novel available at that time, but also because I wanted to give this series another go. Unfortunately, The Sacred Vault could not change my opinion about this series.

Don't get me wrong, The Sacred Vault is indeed, a fast-paced action romp that comes packed with loads of suspense and feats of daring-do. The story opened with a series of art thefts, these events quickly instilled mystery and suspense into the book. From there, the story moved at a neck-breaking pace, where Andy McDermott threw scenes after scenes of epic action scenes at his readers; gun fights, fist fights, car chases, and fiery explosions. Yet, none of these crazy actions were enough to make up for this book (and the series') persisting weakness – that is, cartoonish characters. The villains in this book have these.... unrealistic motives. In fact, their villainous intentions are so unbelievable that I thought they were borrowed from some 1980's cartoon program. Furthermore, other than their appearances and nationalities, the villains in this book are almost interchangeable with the ones from the previous books. There is nothing memorable, or distinctive, about the villains in this book, it's almost as if the author just baked these villains from one cookie cutter.

Aside from villains who lackluster, The Sacred Vault also feels formulaic. Its structure followed the same formula as its predecessors, which can be summarized in these 6 stages: 

1) The bad guys are scheming to take over the world with an ancient secret X, 

2) Nina and Eddie are playing heroes to stop the baddies, 

3) Nina is kidnapped by the baddies, where the evil overlord reveals the plan to her, 

4) Eddie rescues Nina, and the wife-husband duo races the baddie to uncover the ancient secret X in some forgotten tomb, 

5) Nina and Eddie uncover the ancient secret X, only to have the baddies intrude and steal the secret from them, 

6) Nina and Eddie track the baddies to his evil hideout (usually in some remote location), where they kill the baddies and recover this ancient secret X, mere seconds before the world is destroyed.

Yes, The Sacred Vault just recycled the plot structure from the previous books. But my biggest qualm against this book (and the series), is that the evil overlords are really dumb!

I mean, if I was an evil overlord, when I capture the heroes, I will immediately shoot them in the heads. As an evil overlord, I would NEVER reveal my evil plan to the heroes, let alone wasting time telling them about it and risking the chances that my stupid henchmen might slip, letting the heroes escape with the knowledge of my master plan! But this sort of trope occurred book after book in this series. Seriously, this is just unrealistic and cartoon like.

Despite all these flaws, The Sacred Vault is not without its charm. Nina and Eddie remained very likable protagonists. This husband and wife duo bickered constantly throughout the whole book, and some of their dialogues are quite funny. Furthermore, the action sequences blew away the pages in this book with a cinematic quality. As an indication, I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I like the character of Nina and Eddie, and I have a genuine like for this genre. This is why, I will be reading the sequel, Empire of Gold, because I still want to give this series another go. Hopefully, at the next time, I will be giving the sequel a higher rating.

A Book Review: The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #27)

In boxing, there is a saying that every great fighter has one last fight left in him. In Discworld, a similar principle applies; every great hero has one last deed of heroism left in him. The time has come, for the Disc's greatest heroes, Cohen the Barbarian, and his band of ultra-experienced warriors, to undertake one last quest, a quest so grand that it's likeness is yet to be seen in the history – they are going to return the fire to the gods!

When the news of Cohen's latest endeavor reached Lord Vetinari's ear, it had the patrician holding his throbbing head in both hands. Why? Should Cohen and the Silver Horde succeed, it will unmake the magic of the Disc, effectively bringing the world to an end. Being greatly concerned about the fate of the Disc, the ruler of Ankh Morpork consulted the eccentric wizards at the Unseen University. Together, they decided to send a small task force and preventing Cohen's quest from coming to fruition. This task force consists of three extra-ordinary individuals; the cowardly wizzard Rincewind (spelt with double z), the charismatic watchman Carrot, and the genius inventor Leonard of Quirm. But anything involves Rincewind is sure to attract misadventures like the gravity pulls apples to the center of the earth. If you are a veteran of Discworld, then you know what is coming your way, when Rincewind is involved.

The Last Hero is the 27^th novel in Discworld series. In this book, Sir Terry parodied every fantasy trope known to the humankind (in particular, tropes for barbarian heroes), and this humorous story will make you bend over at the stomach and laughing uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Sir Terry also made sure his story will send an invitation to your hungry mind, to be a guest at his table of philosophical dinner, where he treats you with a banquet of food for thoughts.

If I may call The Last Hero a Discworld fable, then this fable, 160 pages in length, is witty, exciting, and though-provoking. Aside from telling us a fantastic tale, The Last Hero also treats us with beautiful illustrations, provided by artist Paul Kidby. Mr. Kidby has illustrated a number of book covers for Discworld novels, but The Last Hero is fully illustrated. When I say “fully illustrated”, I mean it. Mr. Kidby lavished The Last Hero with wondrous artworks on every page. These illustrations captured, vividly, the mood, the looks, and the witty charms of Sir Terry's timeless creations. While parody and philosophy are key ingredients to any Discworld novel, but ultimately, these books are so good because they are very human. (minor spoiler ahead) The last few pages in this book moved me deeply, I do not think there is a better way for Cohen and his silver headed warriors to walk into the legend.

This book belongs to a sub-series in Discworld, featuring the cowardly wizard Rincewind. While I like every book about Rincewind, but I don't like them as much as other Discworld novels featuring Death, City Watch, and the Industrial Revolution. This is because Rincewind novels usually narrate the stories incoherently, the stories are too random. The Last Hero, though, is an exception. The narratives in this book is easy to follow, the storytelling is cohesive, and it was a joy ride. Despite being one of the shorter Discworld novels, but I think The Last Hero is among the best of the Disc.

Having said the above, I do not recommend reading The Last Hero until you have read the other Rincewind novels. The story in this book is an expansion from the previous Rincewind novels, it helps to have some knowledge of Rincewind's past adventures. Otherwise, I believe The Last Hero is a must read for anyone who already has a loving taste for the Disc.