Nothing to Lose (Jack Reacher, No. 12)

Up until now, the Jack Reacher novels have followed a sure-fire male fantasy formula--Reacher wanders about, finds people who need killing, and kills them. The fun is finding out how this lone man, who owns nothing more than a toothbrush, is able to defeat an enemy who is usually rich and powerful.

This book is nothing like that. Instead if laying out the problem up front and letting the mayhem commence, Childs writes this one like a mystery, and not a very interesting one. In addition to false leads that go nowhere, there are endless description of the physical layout of locations, neither of which do anything to move the story along at its usual whirlwind pace.

Although there is a political message, I don't think it is at all inconsistent with the Reacher persona. I have always had the feeling that if Jack thought he was getting bad or stupid orders, he'd defy them--or kill his CO. The problem with this book isn't its politics, but rather the endless delay until things go boom.

I genuinely wish I hadn't read it. I say that with sadness, not vitriol.

I've loved Reacher since The Killing Floor. Have met folks like him. Served with them. But I was completely jarred out of the story by what I viewed as inconsistencies between the character as previously written (which I respected, so to speak, and felt credible) and the one that emerges near the end of this book.

The author is allowed, of course, to write or re-write his character as he wishes. But when that character acts in ways that are 180 degrees out from prior books, in a sense this "ruins" the character for me.

In a nutshell, and without trying to spoil it for others, in this book Reacher condones breaking faith, breaking your word, breaking trust. My immersion in the book (it was then 1:30 AM) and my suspension of disbelief blew away like a puff of smoke in a windstorm. I put the book down with a snort of disbelief and went to sleep. Whatever you might think of an assignement, the idea of deserting your buddies before deployment is unthinkable for anyone with honor. And as cynical as Reacher's character is, he has always understood honor.

I never did finish the book. Maybe it was only a bad dream that Reacher had (a la Dallas).

If you like Reacher as he was in prior books, tenacious, brave, honorable, and willing to commit to an ideal regardless of cost, skip this book and hope the next one is back on track.

Never thought one of my favorite ex-military characters would condone deserters/desertion. I understand being burnt out, but this is way off track.

This is not one of Lee Child's better Jack Reacher stories and is certainly less plausible than the others.

Not in pare with Lee Child's reputation, I believe he will make up for this one!