Lee Child and Reacher

I'm new to the group. Anyone else love the Lee Child "Reacher" books? I like the raw character and the plots as well. Any recommendations for other authors/heroes in this vein?

I have read them all and am on hold for the new one-61 Hours. I like the character too. Once in awhile I would like to take off with just my toothbrush.

If you like the Reacher series, you might want to try the Rain series by Barry Eisler. John Rain is rather more, um, morally flexible than Jack Reacher--he is an assassin, after all--but shares a similar tough guy/tender heart dichotomy. The settings are quite exotic, as well. Rain Fall is, I believe, the first.

Two words -

Phillip
Marlowe

different era
different approach
same results

I am a HUGE Reacher/Lee Child fan. I am also a Reacher Creature.

I would be interested in another good author along the same lines so I am going to keep watching this thread. :)

What is your favorite Lee Child book?

I'm another fan, and can't wait for 61 Hours. I can't pick a favorite; I like them all. At some point I'd like to return to Killing Floor and read them all again.

I just recently started back at the beginning again. It was a blast! If you have the time, you should do it.

Love Reacher! Excited about his new one.

Have not read any of his before but you're all making me interested. Should I start with Killing Floor or The Enemy which his website says he wrote later but is actually first in chronological order? Thanks for advice.

start w/Killing Floor. It's not necessary to first read the one set earlier which was written later.

I agree...start with Killing Floor. It will be a good intro to Reacher.

I am just starting Gone Tomorrow. Not far into it but I am sure I will enjoy it! I used to read a lot of James Patterson but now much prefer Lee Child.

Huge Reacher fan.

As far as similar characters, one series that jumps to mind is the Repairman Jack books by F. Paul Wilson. They have a bit of Science Fiction stuff going on, but Jack is a real ass kicker.

Also if you like the whole "man's man" thing, the Prey books by John Sanford are great. The main character is Lucas Davenport. Another badass. There are a lot of these books, starting with Rules of Prey, and Sanford has done a pretty good job of keeping them fresh. I liked the early Patterson stuff, but, boy-oh-boy, did those become formulaic.

I VASTLY prefer Sanford's Davenport (Prey) series to the Wilson series. Repairman Jack is an incompetent boob and I'd like to see Reacher hand him his ass someday. But that's just me.

Another series that stands out is Robert Crais's Elvis Cole & Joe Pike books. Elvis had a great run starting with The Monkey's Raincoat, but now Pike is getting into the main character role. I don't know who kicks ass and says less, but Pike and Reacher are frigging great.

I'm another vote for John Sanford and Barry Eisler.

I just finished Killing Floor and I really enjoyed it. Good thriller that kept my attention and kept me guessing who was good and who was bad.
Reacher is a bad a** character...lol
Only downside was the kinda unplausible (sp) method in which he was able to locate a certain person in the book.
I will definitely be reading the rest of this series, along with Connelly's, Harry Bosch series.

I'll second Crais's Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Pike is the closest character to Reacher I've read.

Huge Reacher Fan.--I bought 61 Hours on Ebay about two months ago. Booksellers sell the ARC copies they get free on Ebay for sometimes big bucks. You have to wait until the first three or four ARCs sell before the price gets reasonable. 61 Hours was great as usual.

I know this is an older subject but I had the same question originally so have dug up some reasonable Reacher replacements for myself and thought I'd share my 2 cents:

Lawrence Block's Keller Hit Man is the absolute closest to Reacher as I've found.

Burke's Dave Robicheaux (Neon Rain is the first) is not too far off, though Burke is much more, err, "descriptive" than Child.

I only read the first Sandford Prey book and I agree with the others here on that.

I started at the beginning of Crais' Cole books and was a bit disappointed, but they say they get better as they become more "modern".

And I'm off just now to get Eisler's first book in the series since I never heard of this character before :-)

I just started 61 Hours in CD forum, which so far is very good. In audio it seems like characters really come to life.

Loved 61 Hours. Child alternates between 1st and 3rd person narratives--I tend to prefer the latter, and this is one of those. Lots of interesting insights (after all these years and 13 other novels!) into Reacher's character. Cliff-hanger ending...this is the first year Lee Child is going to do two novels (next one is due out in October). Hope he doesn't become a hack like some of them do, churning out more and more each year (sorry James Patteson--but 6 a year? Really?!). Oops tangential rant there...sorry.

I'm enjoying the action/adventure of the Reacher books, but does no one else find them a little predictable. I figured at least 3 of them out well in advance of the ending.

Yeah, they can be a bit simplistic, but I liken then to watching McGuyver; you watch not because you wonder if he'll get out of it, but how.

Happy Days! There's a new one coming out next week in the USA: http://www.amazon.com/Worth-Dying-Lee-Child/dp/0385344317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp...

YAY!!!!

I was getting worried that he was done with Reacher!!

The UK edition of Worth Dying For is already out, and it's a very enjoyable read. I won't give any hints, though!

Completely agree. I couldn't get into Reacher but love Sandford and Crais. If you haven't already, give Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series a go as well as John Lescroart.

Okay, for the Reachers Creatures . . . why do women love Reacher so much? Seriously, there is something odd going on here . . . I once got an answer from an author, and I'm trying desperately to remember who said it, but I remember the answer clearly. So, Creatures, in your own words, why do you love him so?

Primarily because he (as far as I've read) doesn't talk down to women or patronize them. That's key. and the smart, hot, bad-ass thing is just a bonus.

#28

I have to agree with Bookmarque. Reacher respects a woman's intelligence, and doesn't underestimate her abilities. Also, he never simply assumes he's going to end up in bed with her.

And yeah, the "smart, hot, bad-ass thing" is a lovely bonus. :-)

He is also chivalrous. He does not let any wrongs against women slide. Yeah, he's nearly misogynist in that drive of his but I can see where some women would find that charming. And he's presented as a physically fine male specimen with a very competent attitude. I'm a guy but I don't see much odd going on here. Okay, he lacks the financial pheromone (he's a drifter who wears cheap clothes) but he seems to make up for it with a clean cut bad boy vibe.

Thanks to many recommendations on this site I recently read Eisler's Rain series and it does have a lot to recommend it to a Reacher fan. In some ways I found Eisler to be a better writer. He gives us more character development and decently-researched (authentic) exotic locales that Child lacks. Not to knock the simple pleasures of Jack Reacher, lol.

Well, what I find "odd" is the devotion to a fictional character by primarily adult females the Reacher has acheived. And lets face it, Child didn't sit down and say "I'm going to write a thriller series full of violence to attract adult female readers." I understand that women enjoy these types of books too, but I don't see this level of interest in other thriller characters. Maybe Joe Pike (he's kinda like Reacher) or Mitch Rapp, but again, not to the level that Reacher has. The Reacher Creatures are on a level of their own.

But maybe I'm wrong. What other thriller hero has this level of love from his female fans? I'll start a new post and you can answer there if you like.

The explanation that I received (and I still can't remember from what author it came) about Reacher's appeal was pretty simple. He said that Reacher was unapologetically male. That's it. No further explanation was needed. Reacher is a Manly Man and Child writes him that way perfectly (that is not to say the Child's writing is perfect).

I've just finished reading Under the Dome by Stephen King and Jack Reacher is referred to twice in that!

I thought it quite unusual for a writer to refer to another authors fictional character in the course of his own writing

I read two books recently, The Doomsday Key by James Rollins and The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry (if I remember right) and they both mentioned Brad Thor's character Scot Harvath in passing. I thought it was unusual when I read it in the first one, imagine my surprise when I saw it in the second one! I thought I was seeing things.

Chuck Logan and John Sandford have done it as well, with Phil Broker and Lucas Davenport.

#33
I noticed that when I read "Under the Dome" also. I don't recall King having done before. It was fun.

I'm happy to see that King appreciates Jack R. as much as I do.

Brad Thor's character Scot Harvath is somewhat similar to Reacher. Great books by Thor. great thriller writer

Vince Flynn is another great thriller author.

I started with 61 Hours and just read the newest one, Worth Dying For, which was great. I decided to start with his first, the Killing Floor and am now up to #4. I listen to downloaded audiobooks from Audible.com to my I Phone. They are really enjoyable this way. I laugh out loud at times when he shouts at people to try and scare them. Listening to them makes Reacher seem so realistic! Give them a try if able.

I am listening to Worth Dying For now. It is the first Lee Child book I have listened to on CD. It is really good. I love "hearing" the voices...and not in my head. :)

Dick Hill is Reacher for me. I've never actually read one with my eyes, only read them with my ears.

Daniel Silva writes espionage thrillers that often deal with the psychological motives of uts characters. I gobbled up the entie series within afew weeks. I could not get my hands on them and read them fast enough. I've listened to many on audio, and I must say, they have been exceptional experiences.

hi bookmarque, the beefit of someone such as Dick Hill/ Lee Child is that you find the character takes on a new depth of personality, i tend to find myself with their accents in y head there after.
Some fantastic narrators are
Dick Hill "Reacher series" & "Harry Bosch series"
Richard Ferrone "Lucas Davenport series"
James Daniels "Elvis Cole/ Joe Pike series"

I've heard Ferrone do other things and one of the Prey novels. I like his voice a lot. He's no Henry Strozier, but I'll take it.

#43 You have the "Lucas Davenport series" attributed to Richard Ferrone. Lucas is the main character in John Sandford's series of novels that all have "Prey" in the title.

Lucas is as good as they come. Not only are Sandford's villains finely drawn and the plots great, but the by-play between Lucas and the other cops is priceless.

Anyone trying them for the first time should start with "Rules of Prey" and work through them in order. lucas evolves as the series unfolds and some plots refer back to earlier stories. Better not to read them out of order.

Sandford's new series breaking out Virgil Flowers as a separate lead character are pretty good, too.

Ferrone is the NARRATOR, not the author nor the character.

Aha! You are talking about audio books, right?

Was that the sound of a penny dropping?

To the person who bought an ARC online:

ARCs aren't supposed to be for sale. They can be given away, not sold. Those book sellers know that. Shame on them!

Ditto, #2!!

I don't love Reacher. I identify with him.

Go figure.

Just read my first Reacher Killing Floor and loved it! So happy to know the rest of the series matches up!

#51--Now there's a real Reacher Creature!

Reacher Creature! Love it!

>52 Storeetllr: You have lots of good reading ahead of you! I had a similar experience, coming upon this series after many had been written. One of life's great feelings!

>55 jnwelch: I love coming upon a good series with a goodly number of books already written, so I don't have to wait after each one for the next. And with this series, I understand, good new Reacher novels are still being written.

Should these definitely be read in sequence or can I skip around if necessary, do you think?

> 56 They can be read in any order without any loss of enjoyment or understanding, and I say that as somebody who (nearly) always reads series in story order. :-)

There are a couple of semi-exceptions . . .

The three books that reveal the most about Reacher's career as an Army cop -- Running Blind, The Enemy, and Bad Luck and Trouble -- are, perhaps, best read in that order, though they needn't be read one right after the other.

The two most recent books, 61 Hours and Worth Dying For, clearly take place in that order. Some details from Worth Dying For (though nothing plot-critical) will make more sense if you've read 61 Hours, and Worth Dying For resolves a question that the end of 61 Hours deliberately leaves hanging.

All that's minor stuff, however . . . if they come to you out of order, read them as you find them and enjoy!

(edited for clarity)

#56

I completely agree with ABVR's reply. I've read all the Reacher books. I started in the middle, because I judged a book by its cover (I often do that), and it turned out to be a Reacher book.

I enjoyed it so much, I began looking for other books by that author, and discovered the whole Reacher thing. From that point on, I just read them as I came across them, until I was caught up. Now I read them as soon they are published.

I'm dreading getting caught up. Now I can have a new Reacher book anytime I want, but there's only three left, so I'm rationing them.

Yes, that's the hard part! It was exhilarating to have many left to read, hard to be caught up and wait. Great series.

>58 millhold: and 58 Thank you! That's great news, since I happen to have two of the later books but can't seem to find a copy of the second in the series. I will, however, keep in mind the two exceptions you noted and try to read those in order.

Read them all in order I say. Try ABEBOOKS.com for earlier copies.

I found the first Reacher book on sale, read it liked it and bought the rest on ebay. Have read them one after the other and am now half way through Worth Dying For.....

Hoping to finish it before the nerxt instalment hits the shelves!

I'm pacing myself. I don't want to catch up to the end of the series too quickly and have nothing new left and have to wait along with everyone else. It's tough though.

So, is everyone happy that Jack Reacher will be played by Tom Cruise in a movie version?

T.C.? well, he's about a foot short and way too old.

>65 AHS-Wolfy:. Wouldn't have seen that coming. He did pull off Lestat, though.

Christopher McQuarrie is set to direct One Shot and Lee Child is said to be happy with the casting choice of Tom Cruise as lead. I guess he's looking at the big star name and hoping for increased sales for the books. Many fans of the series are said to be unhappy that the role will be played by someone (shall we say) not of the physical stature portrayed in the books.

Tom Cruise is an awful choice.

yeah, he's about as menacing as a donut.

Yeesh. Who thought *that's* a good idea??

probably the same casting director that thought Matthew McConaughey would make a great Mickey Haller:(

So, who WOULD make a good Reacher?

If I could turn back time...Clint Eastwood. But I don't know, I've always thought David Boreanaz could pull it off. He's charming, built and looks like he could headbutt you into next week.

I would say John Cena or The Rock have the size but not the gravitas. Liam Neeson is too old, same as the guy from the Transporter movies. I don't know just now, but that sawed off little turd Tom Cruise is NOT Reacher. I'd like to say I would boycott the books but, let's face it, that would really be cutting off my nose to spite my face. Definitely won't see the movie though.

can I just say this really pisses me off! (I try not to use exclamation points, but I thought one was warrented here.)

Okay, while walking the dog I had a thought. How about Adam Baldwin. He may be pushing the age envelope, but not by too much. He has the size, and he just looks like a mean SOB. I loved him in Firefly, and I think he could pull off a more serious demeanor.

Is it too obvious that this whole Tom Cruise thing is really upsetting me?

My mother thinks Pierce Brosnan would make a good Reacher. I think either Kavan Smith (who played Major Evan Lorne in Stargate Atlantis) or Josh Duhamel (who played Major Lennox in the Transformer movies) would be a great Reacher.

>72 debavp: I shudder at the thought.

Tom effing Cruise? No Way! On what planet is that a good idea? This makes me very angry! I usually don't care about these things, but Cruise is so not a good match here.

>77 tjm568: Adam Baldwin would definitely be a good Reacher.
If we could turn back time, Dolph Lundgren maybe. I think Tom Cruise is a very poor choice, even if they find a pair of lifts big enough he is just such a pipsqueak. Yuck.

Tom Cruise is terrible choice to play Reacher. It will keep me from seeing the movie.

I'd watch most things with Adam Baldwin :)

Some celebrity tweets in the Telegraph:

American author Tom Bergeron tweeted: "Novel Casting Dept: Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. Could work, I suppose. On the radio"

Scottish author Ian Rankin tweeted: "The story that Tom Cruise may play Jack Reacher reminds me that Lawrence Block's white, male cat-burglar was filmed with Whoopi Goldberg"

Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson wrote on Twitter: ‘Am i to believe what you're all tweeting; that Tom Cruise is to play Jack Reacher? Seriously? What!’

Lee Childs defence of the casting:

"Reacher's size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way,"

Way to cave, Child. Too hard to defend your work, buddy? Maybe he'll have some accident befall Reacher so he gets his shins blown off like Hank Hill's father (King of the Hill). Then Cruise would be perfect!

Think of it from the author's point of view... Tom Cruise is a bigger draw than some other actors. The more people who watch the movie, the more money LC will get!

And, remember that most people watching the movie will not have read the book.

TC would not be my choice either & will probably result in my not seeing the movie.

Geez. I can't think of anyone...I've always thought that George Clooney would make an excellent Harry Bosch and Benjamin Bratt would be the right build/look for Lucas Davenport. Idris Alba can't --he's doing Alex Cross.

I can't think of anyone fair haired--but the guy from L&O--SVU Chris Meloni can definitely work-attitude wise.

Wait--it just came to me ???? Russell Crowe as Jack Reacher...Hmmm?

Hugh Jackman meeets the physical part, well, he's 6'1", but Cruise is 8" too short. Jackman's hair could be lightened.

I understand Child wanting to get the biggest draw he can, AND I like Cruise, but he is just very wrong for this part. I know he can act tough, BUT he can't act TALL!

Cruise just looks wrong. Ok, he's short but that's not the biggest issue for me. He's just too damn PRETTY to be Reacher. Reacher is NOT obviously handsome, especially not in that oh-I'm-so-boyishly-goodlooking way that Cruise (still) is.

Facewise (if that qualifies as a word...) I'd have preferred Jason Statham, Hugh Jackman, John Cena, or that David Boreanaz someone mentioned in this thread (I haven't seen him act but based on his photos he could actually work as Reacher). Not Josh Duhamel -- I love him in Las Vegas and he's not bad in Transformers but still...too pretty.

I love Hugh Jackman--but could he really pull off being that much of a bad ass?

He does Wolverine pretty well.

haven't seen that movie- not my cuppa'-- I still think he's just not dark enough, that's what made me think of crowe--he can pull off a crazy character and has the build.

I still don't see how anyone, especially those ponying up the money to make this castastrophe, thought Cruise would be a good fit, box office draw or not.

Eh, Crowe just seems wrong to me. and he's too short, too. And fat...at least the last time I saw him. With all this protestation, Cruise seems the type who'd do it out of spite at this point. Even if I were to be tempted by it with good casting, I'm definitely not seeing it now. I've never been a Tom Cruise fan. Never even saw Risky Business when it came out and I was in HS.

Have you heard about the upcoming movie about Jack Reacher?
Tom Cruise is going to play Jack Reacher. Unbelievable but true.
Goto: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/reachermovie/ if you are opposed to that like I am

*headdesk*

#95 I'm with you. WTF?

from what I could tell, the poster found all the threads that had anything to do with Reacher and slapped that petition link on the bottom of them without reading anything.

>95 Bookmarque:
I was trying to think of a suitable reply - without shrieking SPAMMER...or being too rude...or what millhold said. :)
...yours is perfect!

Thank you both. I feel much better now.

To go back to the original question of other books in the vain of Lee Child..

I just read Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson and I have to say that Sheriff Walt Longmire instantly moved right up to the number two position on my "who would I want to come and rescue me" list. I am going to get the entire series, start at the beginning and indulge myself while I wait for the next Reacher novel.

And yes, Tom Cruise is NOT Reacher. (I shudder to even think about it.)

Excellent casting in a mystery movie? Tom Selleck as Robert Parker's Jesse Stone.

I have really taken really against the idea of TC being Reacher- there is no way I'll go and see that film. I think I thought of the ideal guy too- Josh Holloway, the guy that played Sawyer in Lost- he matches on most points. Frankly my mum matches on more points that TC does, but that's how jarringly wrong this poor bit of casting feels to me.

Well they could CGI either cruise or the rest of the cast so that the apparent heights are a better match. I'm not sure they will of course, accuracy seldom being a film adaption's strong point.

99 yeah--Selleck was an excellent choice for Jesse Stone. And Robert Urich was a great choice for Spenser as well.

I'm looking forward to Idris Elba as Alex Cross--I think that is close to perfect casting.

And Tom Hanks as Langdon--wouldn't have been in my top five, but he actually did pull it off.

I just read this now (yeah, behind the times, but it is summer)... and the thought of that little weirdo playing Reacher is just too darn much for my fragile mind right now...

I must go get some coffee to make sure I read this thread correctly 'cause no matter how big a "star" weirdo is, how on earth is he supposed to be a believable butt-kicker? guns ain't Jack's style and Tom couldn't beat up my poodle without one.

#103 ~~ I know. Reacher's very size is supposed to be intimidating to people. Can you imagine anyone being intimidated by Cruise's size?

omg... you guys weren't kidding!! I want to cry now...

Though Tom might make a decent Rain character (other than the lack of Japanese features that is)...

I'm disappointed by TC as the choice too. The size thing is a biggie. But not only that, TC's look just isn't right for Reacher. Makeup and acting took TC far in Interview With the Vampire, and Ann Rice was said to be ultimately satisfied after initially being very disappointed in the cast, however with Cruise as Reacher, the stretch seems insurmountable. The size and the pretty face can maybe be disguised by the camera. Maybe. But that whole Reacher demeanor of strong, silent, and lethal -- I don't see Cruise as portraying those characteristics.

Additionally, I don't think I can believe in Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher because I don't think I can get past remembering him jumping up and down on that couch.

I liked McConaughey as Haller!

I've liked all the Crais and Eisler books.
I liked the first Reacher book, but ... the plots get too similar, too much like writing to a formula.
Each Lee Child books is good, if you only read one of his books.

The book that Cruise' Jack Reacher is based on - One Shot, is very good.
Of course Cruise can do anything he wants if he owns the film rights. Doesn't matter that the film is less than faithful to the book, it was certainly successful at the box office.

I agree completely about Robert Crais's Elvis Cole and Joe Pike books. I look forward to each new one with great anticipation--and a bit of impatience. Joe Pike and Reacher definitely share "attitude."

I was surprised at how well a little guy like Tom Cruise was able to pull off Jack Reacher. Not faithful to the book but very faithful to the character.