Not Sure What To Think Anymore
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I love the Jack Reacher series and have even pre-ordered them knowing they would be good. I didn't enjoy the previous book and didn't enjoy this one. Something is missing from the Jack Reacher of old. I think what appealed to me about the earlier books was that we saw different sides of Jack Reacher and also learned more and more about his earlier life as the series went on. We learned nothing new in this book. I would say it is a stand alone. The fact the Jack Reacher entered the political arena for the first time was surprising. I hope Lee can figure it out by the next book or I won't be willing to blindly order his books in hardcover.
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One Man Versus the Town Plot Marred by Slow Pace and Unrealistic Threats
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Unless you feel like you have to read every Reacher novel in the series, you could skip this one.
If you think America should withdraw immediately from Iraq, you'll like this anti-war book better than those who favor continuing to fight there. The primary subtext for this novel is that being in Iraq is bad for America, soldiers, and veterans of that conflict. If you believe that fundamental Christians are all scheming to create the Apocalypse, you'll also like this better than if you are a God-fearing, Bible-reading Christian.
Beyond whether or not you agree with the subtexts, the book's primary weakness is that it moves too slowly. After Reacher is expelled from the town of Despair to the town of Hope, he seems to spend most of the book traveling back and forth. Ho hum. Lee Child would have done better to develop a plot that kept Reacher in hiding in Despair. The book could have been 170 pages shorter and a lot more fun to read.
For those who want their villains to be veritable devils, this book will also disappoint. This villain is more annoying than threatening.
As for the big ending and what's at risk, it didn't seem credible so I couldn't take it seriously.
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