Never Go Back
Ratings63
Average rating3.8
As good as any of the Reacher novels. The first half was excellent but the second dragged a bit. The fifty-fifty refrain was nonsense.
The journey that Reacher started following 61 Hours is at an end – he's back at the 110th MP, his old unit to meet the person the goes with the voice at the other end of the phone line – the new CO, Maj. Susan Turner. He's planning on asking her to dinner, and to see what happens from there. Sure, walking from South Dakota to get a date seems extreme – but other than bringing justice to various locations between South Dakota and Virginia, what else does Reacher have in his day planner?
Sure, since this is Jack Reacher – it won't go all that easily for him. He arrives at the gate, hoping to get a date – instead he gets a global conspiracy, a cross-country trip, a chance to visit life-changing mistakes he may have made over a decade ago, and a return to active duty. On the whole, this is a lot less violent than most Reacher novels – with a comparatively very small body count (but it is violent, and there is a body count – never fear).
This story alone is fun – Reacher being Reacher. This time he's got a version of himself along for the ride. Turner has the job he used to have, has a lot of the same opinions, skills, background – but Turner's made some different choices in her life, has different attitudes, making her a mirror image in many ways (not just being small and female). She's willing to do a lot to take down the criminals behind the conspiracy, but not as far as Reacher will. She's far more interested in the courts and the Army having a crack at the conspirators, while Reacher's just focused on stopping them and breaking as many eggs as he has to go get his omelet made.
Turner's own appraisal of Reacher and the reader's own look at her in contrast to Reacher tells us a lot more about the ex-MP than what we've seen before (at least adding depth and color to our impression of him, if not actual new information). In many ways Susan Turner is the most objective look we've ever gotten of Reacher (our typical omniscient third-person narrator isn't terribly objective when it comes to Jack Reacher). She likes him – a lot – but is very critical. I like her and think there's probably a lot her appraisal.
This was a very satisfying read – Lee Child and his hero, firing on all cylinders, doing what they do best. Told in a pretty fresh way, with added insight into the character. Just what the doctor ordered.
Went back to a reacher book after a really long time and that too because of the movie. Must say the consistency of character is really good. Reacher, given that this is the 18th book, is still the same man he was in the first. What's also consistent is the shallow storyline but then that is not really the purpose of a Reacher book. What however seems to be lost is the flavor of places in the US. Cant have everything can we!
Engaging and unpredictable. I deducted a star because the ending didn't pack the punch I expect from a Reacher novel, but maybe that's the point. Reaches seems to evolve a bit in this one, and I'm not sure whether I like that or not.
Vacation reads #5
Why does Reacher stay? Why does Reacher leave? Don't know, but he does the Reacher thing in the middle. (The kid tho... Ah well)
Reacher finally makes it to Susan Turner.....kind of. Things have gone bat shit crazy and all of a sudden Reacher finds himself back in the Army.
This was an unusual installment in the Reacher series. We find Reacher contemplating his lifestyle in a way he never has before, including wondering if he missed out on things he never thought he cared about. But Reacher is still there. He's still the guy who needs to right the wrongs and take care of the people who can't take care of themselves. Of course, Turner isn't necessarily one of those people. I think Turner could take care of anybody, but things go easier with Reacher by your side.
So now that four book odyssey is over with. Let's see where the road takes Reacher next.