Book Review - Worth Dying For by Lee Child
Category Book Review Lee Child Worth Dying For
It's rare that I look forward to a specific novel by an author as much as I was anticipating Worth Dying For by Lee Child. This episode in the Jack Reacher story was highly anticipated after the cliffhanger ending of 61 Hours. Did Reacher die in the underground explosion? If he didn't (and you pretty much had to figure Child wasn't going to kill off his franchise character), then how did he escape? And how was Reacher going to recover from whatever happened down there?
Unfortunately, the reality didn't come anywhere close to expectations. This was just another Jack Reacher novel... solid, enjoyable reading, but pretty much completely disconnected from 61 Hours. You learn early on that he's moving stiffly, and he can barely raise his arms. A doctor guesses at a diagnosis, and Reacher gives him a bare bones description of what happened for him to suffer that type of injury. And that's it for 61 Hours. The rest of the book centers around Reacher's appearance in a small isolated town in Nebraska. What is supposed to be a quick rest stop on his way to Virginia (supposedly to meet the person he talked with over the phone in 61 Hours), turns into a mini-war that pits Reacher against four members of a family that have held the townspeople hostage with fear and intimidation over the years. And when Reacher figures out what they are doing to make their money, he's determined to make sure they are taken out of the picture completely.
While it might sound like I didn't care for Worth Dying For, that's not the case. Had I read this without 61 Hours, I wouldn't have had much in the way of negative things to say about it. My main complaint is that 61 Hours set expectations, and Worth Dying For ignored them. At least the story was good, though... :)
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed
It's rare that I look forward to a specific novel by an author as much as I was anticipating Worth Dying For by Lee Child. This episode in the Jack Reacher story was highly anticipated after the cliffhanger ending of 61 Hours. Did Reacher die in the underground explosion? If he didn't (and you pretty much had to figure Child wasn't going to kill off his franchise character), then how did he escape? And how was Reacher going to recover from whatever happened down there?
Unfortunately, the reality didn't come anywhere close to expectations. This was just another Jack Reacher novel... solid, enjoyable reading, but pretty much completely disconnected from 61 Hours. You learn early on that he's moving stiffly, and he can barely raise his arms. A doctor guesses at a diagnosis, and Reacher gives him a bare bones description of what happened for him to suffer that type of injury. And that's it for 61 Hours. The rest of the book centers around Reacher's appearance in a small isolated town in Nebraska. What is supposed to be a quick rest stop on his way to Virginia (supposedly to meet the person he talked with over the phone in 61 Hours), turns into a mini-war that pits Reacher against four members of a family that have held the townspeople hostage with fear and intimidation over the years. And when Reacher figures out what they are doing to make their money, he's determined to make sure they are taken out of the picture completely.
While it might sound like I didn't care for Worth Dying For, that's not the case. Had I read this without 61 Hours, I wouldn't have had much in the way of negative things to say about it. My main complaint is that 61 Hours set expectations, and Worth Dying For ignored them. At least the story was good, though... :)
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed
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Comments
Since he doesn't have a car, rarely takes public transportation and usually relies on the goodwill of people to pick him up and drop him off in different places, you have to figure he is going to end up getting into trouble somewhere along the way first.
Child is smart enough to play this possible meeting out and I thought this stop over was a good one and I am looking forward to the day he meets the person in 61 Hours.
Posted by Roy Rumaner At 16:57:57 On 14/11/2010 | - Website - |
I am looking forward to the meeting in Virginia, and think that could be really interesting. I just don't think that Child delivered on the type of suspense he dished out at the end of 61 Hours.
Of course... your mileage may vary. :)
Posted by Duffbert At 17:06:20 On 14/11/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by skip At 09:26:28 On 15/11/2010 | - Website - |
Lee Childs for, just one broken head after another. I last read Persuader, way out of order and that and 61 Hours were brilliant.
Posted by Hinshaw At 23:02:13 On 02/12/2010 | - Website - |
Posted by silent vulcan At 07:18:29 On 01/01/2011 | - Website - |