Jack Reacher: "Nothing to Lose"

Blogging was a little slow yesterday, because I received the latest "Jack Reacher" novel ("Nothing to Lose") in the mail from Amazon. When I got home from work I checked my mailbox, and there it was. So I took it inside, settled down in the Geek Chair, and read the whole thing. I turned the light out at 1am, meaning it took me about six hours to read it.

No, it wasn't an "I Couldn't Put It Down" situation. I put the book down about 9:30, so I could go down to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of milk. Then I went back upstairs and finished the book.

Lee Child is an excellent writer of action novels, and he didn't disappoint me until the end, when he got into his little American Politics rant. It doesn't matter whether or not I agreed with him, I didn't really want my reading pleasure interrupted with his opinions about the current Administration and how the War in Iraq has been mismanaged.

Well, I haven't experienced a war that hasn't been mismanaged, so as far as I was concerned this latter portion of the book was an indulgence by the author. I trust he will show a little more forbearance, if not discretion, in the future.

Still, Jack Reacher still remembers his roots: He thinks nothing of walking 20 miles to the next town; limits his personal possessions to cash, an ATM card, his passport and a folding toothbrush; and he can take any six guys in a bar brawl.

At least Child doesn't make Reacher (his protagonist) shoot his initial ("J") into a 6" Aspen at over a mile range using a .50 caliber Barret, as he has done in a previous book.

Do I recommend the book?

Oh yeah, sure. Reading books by Lee Child is a lot like eating Cracker Jacks.

Once you get started, you just can't quit.

PS: to the Hobo Brasser --
yes, I have all the first 11 Jack Reacher novels, and I will bring them to you at the TCGC Tactical 3-gun match this weekend.

But I want them back when you have read them!