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jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
I've not read many of Lee Child's early Jack Reacher novels. This one felt like he might have been finding his feet a little.
First, a quick precis/primer about man-mountain Jack Reacher. He's a retired former military policeman who gets into excitement, as he travels about the US, rescuing people, and blowing things up.
In the book, Reacher is brought in to help defend the Vice President, because of course he was. Who wouldn't hire a long since retired policeman for the most important security detail of he life? Anyway, he's been recommended by someone close to him, and approaches the job with vigour and vim. The question is, can he and the secret services save the day?
The book itself wasn't a bad read. It just felt a bit posted in, or as if he was doing the novelistic equivalent of that.
First, a quick precis/primer about man-mountain Jack Reacher. He's a retired former military policeman who gets into excitement, as he travels about the US, rescuing people, and blowing things up.
In the book, Reacher is brought in to help defend the Vice President, because of course he was. Who wouldn't hire a long since retired policeman for the most important security detail of he life? Anyway, he's been recommended by someone close to him, and approaches the job with vigour and vim. The question is, can he and the secret services save the day?
The book itself wasn't a bad read. It just felt a bit posted in, or as if he was doing the novelistic equivalent of that.
lethaldose's review against another edition
5.0
Reacher helps the secret service foil an attempt on the vice president. A fantastic book, but once again I could have done without the romance in it. There is not alot to be said about the book, if you have made it this far into the Reacher series you don't even need this review. If you liked the rest you will like this one, it doesn't do anything special, but it is a fun story.
bradstowdave's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Sixth in the Jack Reacher thriller series revolving around an ex-military policeman whose brother believes in him completely. His mandate? To assassinate the Vice-President.
My Take
It's definitely a Reacher with his deductive abilities, but there's something missing in this one for me. It might've been the suits...
M.E. was clever in the way she found Jack.
I do enjoy reading Reacher's analysis of situations and people. The way he assesses the threat and calculatingly determines the best approach to deal with it. And he's do damn cheeky about it!
Interesting bit about the origin of the Secret Service. And ironic. As was Reacher's assessment of the Lone Gunman theory per the Warren Report. The comments M.E. made about studying video and literature for possible ways to assassinate someone have stuck with me as well. A sad bit as well when M.E. and Reacher get into it about whose fault it was that Joe died. Interesting analysis. Then there's Reacher's comment about his family. They don't own property. Nurture.
Child confused me thoroughly with that one "message". I kept going back and re-reading it. There is something to be said for knowing how to proofread, knowing history, when it provides one of the clues that Reacher finds.
The cleaners being scared...was this ever explained?
Maybe we should just shoot all the bullies...
The Story
Threats to the vice president-elect are all taken seriously by the Secret Service. But there's something about these particular threats that find M.E. Froelich considering Jack Reacher's words and recommendations very seriously. It may be five years later, but even M.E.'s boss has faith in Joe's judgment.
M.E. finds him in Atlantic City, protecting an old couple---she sings like Dawn Penn; he's a keyboardist. The deal is the Secret Service escorts them out of town when they finish their act. They're planning on a gig in New York City.
The Characters
Jack Reacher is an ex-military policeman and he's enjoying taking his time exploring the country he's protected for thirteen years but so rarely spent any time in. He's one of those guys who can't take injustice and, lord, he can be pretty cold-hearted. I like that in a man. Frances Neagley was a master sergeant under Jack but now works as a security consultant. Hired by Jack.
M.E. Froelich is promoted ahead of other men in the Secret Service to head up the vice president-elect's protective detail. Her boss, Stuyvesant, thinks she's earned it. Since she's a woman, the others are questioning it. Nendick is their tech guy. Swain is a researcher with the Office of Protection Research (the ones who watch the movies); he worked with Joe.
Brook Armstrong is the vice president-elect. A nobody from North Dakota brought into prominence. Bannon is the FBI agent in charge of this assassination attempt. He thinks it's an inside job. Detectives Richard and Peter Wilson.
The Cover and Title
It's a pearlescent cover—a pearly white with splotches of gold fading diagonally from top right to bottom left through more gold that fades into copper. The lower left corner is a collage of the U.S. Treasury seal, a law enforcement shield, and what appears to be the deeply grooved lines of a map.
The title is what M.E. was reaching for, what the Secret Services strives to achieve, what Jack Reacher is all about, Without Fail.
My Take
It's definitely a Reacher with his deductive abilities, but there's something missing in this one for me. It might've been the suits...
M.E. was clever in the way she found Jack.
I do enjoy reading Reacher's analysis of situations and people. The way he assesses the threat and calculatingly determines the best approach to deal with it. And he's do damn cheeky about it!
Interesting bit about the origin of the Secret Service. And ironic. As was Reacher's assessment of the Lone Gunman theory per the Warren Report. The comments M.E. made about studying video and literature for possible ways to assassinate someone have stuck with me as well. A sad bit as well when M.E. and Reacher get into it about whose fault it was that Joe died. Interesting analysis. Then there's Reacher's comment about his family. They don't own property. Nurture.
Child confused me thoroughly with that one "message". I kept going back and re-reading it. There is something to be said for knowing how to proofread, knowing history, when it provides one of the clues that Reacher finds.
The cleaners being scared...was this ever explained?
Maybe we should just shoot all the bullies...
The Story
Threats to the vice president-elect are all taken seriously by the Secret Service. But there's something about these particular threats that find M.E. Froelich considering Jack Reacher's words and recommendations very seriously. It may be five years later, but even M.E.'s boss has faith in Joe's judgment.
M.E. finds him in Atlantic City, protecting an old couple---she sings like Dawn Penn; he's a keyboardist. The deal is the Secret Service escorts them out of town when they finish their act. They're planning on a gig in New York City.
The Characters
Jack Reacher is an ex-military policeman and he's enjoying taking his time exploring the country he's protected for thirteen years but so rarely spent any time in. He's one of those guys who can't take injustice and, lord, he can be pretty cold-hearted. I like that in a man. Frances Neagley was a master sergeant under Jack but now works as a security consultant. Hired by Jack.
M.E. Froelich is promoted ahead of other men in the Secret Service to head up the vice president-elect's protective detail. Her boss, Stuyvesant, thinks she's earned it. Since she's a woman, the others are questioning it. Nendick is their tech guy. Swain is a researcher with the Office of Protection Research (the ones who watch the movies); he worked with Joe.
Brook Armstrong is the vice president-elect. A nobody from North Dakota brought into prominence. Bannon is the FBI agent in charge of this assassination attempt. He thinks it's an inside job. Detectives Richard and Peter Wilson.
The Cover and Title
It's a pearlescent cover—a pearly white with splotches of gold fading diagonally from top right to bottom left through more gold that fades into copper. The lower left corner is a collage of the U.S. Treasury seal, a law enforcement shield, and what appears to be the deeply grooved lines of a map.
The title is what M.E. was reaching for, what the Secret Services strives to achieve, what Jack Reacher is all about, Without Fail.
lockleson's review against another edition
3.0
I'm still in mourning because I finished the published Strike books, so this feels like a poor substitute. Certainly, the characters aren't as developed or as likable and the writing isn't nearly as good, but I have little patience for learning new characters right now, so it's nice to be able to jump in and already know the main one. Plus, Reacher is very smart and capable.
missyjohnson's review against another edition
4.0
I do not normally like to read books by the same author ( in a series) close together because they are usually too similar. That was not the case with this Jack Reacher book. I had recently read a Reacher further along in the series and this one from an earlier publication was much different. I really liked it as it was not as unbelievable as to Reachers abilities in this one. He and Neagley were able to predict and figure out the mystery of who was after the Vice-President elect without the steps being too far out of the realm of possibility. I liked learning about Jack’s brother Joe and some of the family background. The bad guy cops were interesting.
jared_gumbs's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
femkealtena's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
ironfordy85's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0