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Product Description
Daily Mirror
Child is a great storyteller, building plots that, although
complex, are as compelling as they are ultimately logical...another
sure-fire hit. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
complex, are as compelling as they are ultimately logical...another
sure-fire hit. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Yorkshire Evening Post
The twists come thick and fast...and the surprise developments are
genuinely unexpected...Child, as always, delivers.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
genuinely unexpected...Child, as always, delivers.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bad Luck and Trouble is your typical Jack Reacher novel from author Lee Child. Once again Reacher, our hard as nails, itinerant former Military Policeman hero, gets caught up in a twisting plot involving murderous and iredeemabe bad guys, a hidden conspiracy (this time with links to the global war on terrorism) and a mounting body count. This time the twist is that events require Reacher to reunite and work with former colleagues from his army days; colleagues almost as hard nosed & capable as he is. Apart from that it is the standard mix of hard edged, punchy prose, bone jarring action and twisted plotting, all leading up to to the usual final, bloody reckoning. Its also as entertaining and fast moving as always; a great example of the book that is impossible to put down.
So why only four stars? Well quite simply as good as Bad Luck and Trouble is it also has the undeniable hint of staleness about it. This is the eleventh Reacher novel and without any real exceptions they all follow the same standard template. This has produced some highly entertaining books, but reading this latest one there was a feeling of 'been there, read that' about it. There was no real sense of suprise in how events played out, and as always minimal character development or emotional depth. Reacher isn't exactly a one dimensional character, but nor is he someone with much room for personal development. With such a fixed central character the only way for Child to do something new with the series is by coming up with varied and interesting plots, something he seems reluctant to do. He does normally chuck in some unique twist, such as including Reacher's former colleagues this time around, but otherwise the plots tend to follow an increasingly predictable path. Unless that changes however, there is a real danger of familiarity breeding contempt and the series becoming boringly and predictably repetitive.
Its not quite at that stage yet, but nor is Bad Luck and Trouble in any way a departure from Lee Child's highly successful template. It will therefore please fans and is worth picking up, but its not going suprise anyone and the overly familiar plot quickly fades from the memory. It can only be hoped that Reacher's next adventure tries to break some wholly new ground.
So why only four stars? Well quite simply as good as Bad Luck and Trouble is it also has the undeniable hint of staleness about it. This is the eleventh Reacher novel and without any real exceptions they all follow the same standard template. This has produced some highly entertaining books, but reading this latest one there was a feeling of 'been there, read that' about it. There was no real sense of suprise in how events played out, and as always minimal character development or emotional depth. Reacher isn't exactly a one dimensional character, but nor is he someone with much room for personal development. With such a fixed central character the only way for Child to do something new with the series is by coming up with varied and interesting plots, something he seems reluctant to do. He does normally chuck in some unique twist, such as including Reacher's former colleagues this time around, but otherwise the plots tend to follow an increasingly predictable path. Unless that changes however, there is a real danger of familiarity breeding contempt and the series becoming boringly and predictably repetitive.
Its not quite at that stage yet, but nor is Bad Luck and Trouble in any way a departure from Lee Child's highly successful template. It will therefore please fans and is worth picking up, but its not going suprise anyone and the overly familiar plot quickly fades from the memory. It can only be hoped that Reacher's next adventure tries to break some wholly new ground.
50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have read all the Reacher series, and one criticism that could be leveled is that there has been too little character development. Reacher is a great hero, but the "lone avenger" thing was a little too one dimensional.
This story sees things move on, because suddenly Reacher is forced to contemplate and compare his life against the lives of those he has worked with - this provides some welcome variety and depth to things. Similarly the story is more a puzzle than an action thriller, and Reacher has to rely on others to help, rather than fixing things on his own. This helps things in my view, as there are fewer plotlines which strain credibility.
All the familiar landmarks of a Reacher tale are here and this will keep you reading till the end, because you will want to know what happens - it's just that the journey travels through slightly unfamiliar territory.
This story sees things move on, because suddenly Reacher is forced to contemplate and compare his life against the lives of those he has worked with - this provides some welcome variety and depth to things. Similarly the story is more a puzzle than an action thriller, and Reacher has to rely on others to help, rather than fixing things on his own. This helps things in my view, as there are fewer plotlines which strain credibility.
All the familiar landmarks of a Reacher tale are here and this will keep you reading till the end, because you will want to know what happens - it's just that the journey travels through slightly unfamiliar territory.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have read all the Jack Reacher novels, some several times as Lee Child has built a character that is credible (even to an ex-army man) and able to give us the ultimate male dream - no ties drifting!
Bad Luck and Trouble hits the Reacher aficianado like it was ordained to happen. Although Jack has worked with his team before, in this book they come together like the "Seven Samurai" each adding to a strong fast-moving plot with an admixture of agendas and sub-plots derived from strong characters. The pace is as usual warp speed with all the twists that we have come to expect from Child. I finished the novel in one sitting, exhausted and happy.
Does this guy ever do slow? Perhaps next time. keep em coming.
Bad Luck and Trouble hits the Reacher aficianado like it was ordained to happen. Although Jack has worked with his team before, in this book they come together like the "Seven Samurai" each adding to a strong fast-moving plot with an admixture of agendas and sub-plots derived from strong characters. The pace is as usual warp speed with all the twists that we have come to expect from Child. I finished the novel in one sitting, exhausted and happy.
Does this guy ever do slow? Perhaps next time. keep em coming.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bad luck and trouble
My favorite author great storylines,his character Jack Reacher is brilliant gripping stories,edge of seat stuff very hard to put down.I hope he keeps writing.
Published 1 month ago by John Hurley Luscombe
Jack Reacher books
Have now read 15 Jack Reacher books, can't get enough of them, and would recommend them all, most obtained fom Amazon. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ET
THe Child effect
Lee Childs what can you say about this author apart from the fact that his story telling is brilliant especially his Jack Reacher books. BRILLIANT.
Published 1 month ago by Mr. David Pietsch
Teamwork and loners don't really mix
The 11th book in the series is slightly different as Reacher works with his old team from the 110th Special Investigators. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrenshaw
Bad Luck and Trouble
Jack Reacher never lets you down if you want a gripping read, and number 11 is no exception. We learn new things about his past in every volume and in this one I feel he is showing... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Maggie
Great to meet the gang
Possibly because I have read these books very quickly one after the other I am not troubled by any sense of staleness as some readers seem to be. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. M. Dickson
Sheer Pleasure
There's something irrestible about Jack Reacher -- maybe it's the machismo so pathetically absent in much of our society. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Davi
Bad Luck and Trouble
Lee Childs has become one of my favorite authors and in this book I found the research facinating.
The charachter of Jack Reacher is one that he must have known at some stage... Read more
The charachter of Jack Reacher is one that he must have known at some stage... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ceasar Roberto
Dull - Lee Child is not as his best with this one.
To be fair to Lee I've been reading the Jack Reacher books incessantly over the last fortnight so I haven't had the usual wait for a new book to be released. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alison Simmonds
jack reacher
Another great Jack Reacher story by Lee Child! Its great to read a book and then discuss it with others who enjoy the same author
Published 6 months ago by linda
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