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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
I have a guilty pleasure. Actually, I have many. As relates to this novel, however, I’m speaking of my love of Doc Savage books. Those novels are not well written, but they always make me smile. I usually rate them with 5 stars, as if they were the equivalent of Dostoevsky or Dickens. But Doc Savage books are out of print and not easily had, so I have been searching through contemporary thriller/mystery/suspense novels looking for something that can fill, at least partially, Doc Savage’s shoes.
I have found my new guilty pleasure: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series.
Jack Reacher is the gritty, modern version of Doc Savage. He may not have Doc’s medical and scientific abilities, but he has his size, strength, skill, and intelligence. While the stories lack the technicolor fantasy of Doc Savage books, Reacher is more erudite than your typical contemporary action lead, which I appreciate. On the downside, I don’t care much for Reacher’s loner aspect. It brings a darkness and melancholy to the stories. Perhaps Reacher is as much Bruce Banner/Hulk as he is Doc Savage, wandering from town to town, arriving alone, making connections, breaking them and leaving as he arrived: alone.
As for this particular novel, 61 hours, it’s a great mystery/suspense story with, as the title implies, a countdown to the explosive conclusion. The only reason I do not give it the 5 stars I would give a Doc Savage novel is the occasional uncharacteristically stupid line. Example:
Bad guy: “Do you think you can beat me?”
Reacher: “Does a bear s*#t in the woods?”
Really, Mr. Child? You set your character up for delivering a great comeback, along the lines of “Do you expect me to talk?/No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” and you fall back on a macho profanity? Maybe Reacher, in the heat of the battle, has so much testosterone flowing through him that he actually loses IQ points.
At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed this, my second Jack Reacher read, and will undoubtedly read others.
I have found my new guilty pleasure: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series.
Jack Reacher is the gritty, modern version of Doc Savage. He may not have Doc’s medical and scientific abilities, but he has his size, strength, skill, and intelligence. While the stories lack the technicolor fantasy of Doc Savage books, Reacher is more erudite than your typical contemporary action lead, which I appreciate. On the downside, I don’t care much for Reacher’s loner aspect. It brings a darkness and melancholy to the stories. Perhaps Reacher is as much Bruce Banner/Hulk as he is Doc Savage, wandering from town to town, arriving alone, making connections, breaking them and leaving as he arrived: alone.
As for this particular novel, 61 hours, it’s a great mystery/suspense story with, as the title implies, a countdown to the explosive conclusion. The only reason I do not give it the 5 stars I would give a Doc Savage novel is the occasional uncharacteristically stupid line. Example:
Bad guy: “Do you think you can beat me?”
Reacher: “Does a bear s*#t in the woods?”
Really, Mr. Child? You set your character up for delivering a great comeback, along the lines of “Do you expect me to talk?/No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” and you fall back on a macho profanity? Maybe Reacher, in the heat of the battle, has so much testosterone flowing through him that he actually loses IQ points.
At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed this, my second Jack Reacher read, and will undoubtedly read others.
All I can say is "Wow!" I must read the next book ASAP!
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Bot quite as gripping as some of the previous books in the series but still enjoyable enough.
Great thrills! But ..the ending? I have questions!!
Um bom livro para passar o tempo. Não me interessei por aí além pelas personagens.. E desconfiei do agente duplo muito cedo...
My big problem with this addition to the series was that the 61 hours being counted down just weren't that meaningful. IT was just 61 hours until the climax happened to happen. I was expecting something earth shaterring was planned for 61 hours from the start of the book--and yes what happened was earth shattering, but it wasn't planned.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my first foray into Lee Childs' territory, and I must say I'm a bit disappointed. I'd heard a lot of good things about his novels, but this one doesn't live up to the hype. 61 hours is proof positive that just because a story unfolds against the clock, doesn't automatically make it suspenseful. 2.5 stars.