Jack Reacher Novels

[Nardpuncher]

I was pleasantly surprised to find the latest Lee Child novel 61 Hours at my bookstore here in Taipei.
The new mass market paperback usually comes out in March or April, but I guess Mr. Child is working a bit faster (the next one comes out soon)
If you don't know who the character Jack reacher is:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_reacher

So, have you read them?

I'm happy to find an author I like who shows no signs of getting tired of writing about their pet character. It's comforting to know that basically every year he'll write an enjoyable Reacher book for the foreseeable future.

Inevitably many people discuss who could play Reacher if they make a movie.
I usually have an ambiguous image in my head when I read novels...I may not really put a face on the character...they are the size they should be, with a hairstyle, but the facial features may never solidify for me.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I've got all of them except this one and the new hardback - they're great. I like the first-person ones best (even though I usually hate first-person)

 

[Captaindemotion]

The Jack Reacher novels are the crack cocaine of literature. They can't be good for you but they are ridiculously addictive.

They also remind me of The Simpsons, in that you have no idea where they will go, even if you've read the blurb on the back. There will be an opening sequence which involves Reacher in the story, then where it goes from there is anyone's guess. Lee Child is brilliant at putting in unlikely bits of information and facts to drive the story along - the bit about suicide bombers in Gone Tomorrow or stuff about the printing of dollar bills in one of the early novels.

Apparently Chris McQuarrie of The Usual Suspects fame is to write and direct an adaptation of One Shot, which is the first novel to be filmed (if all goes to plan) though not the first novel in the series. But who could play Reacher? He's described as 6'5", built like a brick shithouse, thinning blond hair.

I always imagine Adam Baldwin in the role (with a hair dye job); I could see him giving Reacher a suitably sardonic delivery. However, it's unlikely that a studio would cast a character actor like him in the role. If they started at the beginning of the series, with the prequel novel where Reacher is still in the army, then Alexander Skaarsgard is a physically good match.

I just hope they don't completely f*ck it up, the way the movie adaptation of my other favourite thriller character, Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger was f*cked from the start by the casting of Mark Wahlberg, as a character who should have been played by Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones or a more grizzled Kevin Bacon.

 

[ancientone51]

I love the books. Hubby devoured them as fast as I could get them to him.

Not sure what he'd have thought of this last one and the title of the next.

Hopefully Child isn't pulling a Richard Castle on his main man.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Lee Child has said that he knows how and when Reacher will die. I can tell you whether or not the ending of the last novel fits the bill!

 

[Nardpuncher]

Could you explain what you mean by "Richard Castle' acientone51? i googled and saw that he's a character on a TV how that's an author, but I'd like some help.

 

[ancientone51]

In the first episode of the TV series Castle the titular author had just killed off the lead character in his best selling, long running detective series.

It set up the premise for him following/working with the female cop to "research" his new character for a new series of books.

 

[JoeZhang]

One of the things that interests me about the Reacher books is that the Readership is 2/3 women when you'd assume it would be mostly men.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I love the books. Hubby devoured them as fast as I could get them to him.

Not sure what he'd have thought of this last one and the title of the next.

Hopefully Child isn't pulling a Richard Castle on his main man.

Well, you could look at the official site...

http://www.leechild.com/WDF.php

Spoiler: Worth Dying For blurb

Does Reacher survive the explosive ending of 61 HOURS? How could you doubt him? Now he's hoofing it through Nebraska to Virginia to see the new CO of the 110th Special Unit. She'll have to be patient because Reacher's just met victims of the Duncan family and before long he'll make up his mind to show those three badass brothers and wife-beating son just why you shouldn't interrupt a man on his way to meet an intriguing woman with a very sexy voice.

There's also an great excerpt on that page.

61 Hours appeared in paperback in our local store on Monday, and I guess it's a long wait till the end of the month

 

[flandry84]

I've always pictured Reacher as Russel Crowe as he appeared in "L A confidential".

But taller..

 

[Jack Bauer]

I just hope they don't completely f*ck it up, the way the movie adaptation of my other favourite thriller character, Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger was f*cked from the start by the casting of Mark Wahlberg, as a character who should have been played by Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones or a more grizzled Kevin Bacon.

I'm hoping they won't screw up Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp. They changed the villains in Ton Clancy's Sum of All Fears from Muslim terrorists to European Neo-Nazis and pussiified the movie. I'm not sure who they should cast as Rapp but I'll know if they're wrong or right when they ever get around to making one. They really need to have good casting for these types of characters.