Jack Reacher

I have recently discovered and greatly enjoyed the written work of Lee Child. In particular, a character he created named Jack Reacher. When I see the opportunity coming, I've been swinging by the library to pick up another story about Jack's adventures.

What I like about Child's style is the short chapters, the constant development of the story and a simple amount of layers. I also appreciate the relatively minor sexual stuff. If my memory serves me correctly (it's been several years since I spent any time with fiction), many books in this genre have sexual scenes that contribute little, if anything, to the story. Let's keep the focus on the crisis and the solution, not the bedroom; thanks Lee Child.

Jack is a former MP; a very observant, powerful and cunning one at that. Since retiring from the service he has drifted around at his own whim seeking to enjoy what unstructured life has to offer. But trouble often finds him and he's man enough to step up and help sort things out. Who doesn't like the tender-hearted giant? The bad guys, that's who!

I started and finished Bad Luck and Trouble over the July 4th weekend. It was fun because it tied in elements from Reacher's typically vague past. And although I don't usually try to figure the story out, I did anticipate a few things and that gave me a tidbit of satisfaction. It also largely took place in California. Before that I read The Hard Way which takes place primarily in New York City but goes out of country and was a fun read.

If you're looking for a solitary hero who works with his hands and his head (not like McGyver, way more violent) check out Jack Reacher in one of Lee Child's fast-paced and not overly complex books.