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matttlitke 's review for:
Better Off Dead: A Jack Reacher Novel
by Lee Child, Andrew Child
adventurous
fast-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
Despite sticking fairly true to the Jack Reacher formula, Better Off Dead is one of the weaker of the series. It has all the elements that readers have grown to expect (a bad guy with a mysterious plan, plenty of fistfights, an opponent even larger than Reacher, a capable female sidekick, etc.), but each of them feel a little more bland than usual.
The villain lacks the teeth and edge that usually accompany a Reacher bad guy. His plan is unclear for most of the story, which is gripping but takes away most of the feeling of threat. We also get a lot of telling about how evil and brutal the guy is, but he lets Reacher go multiple times and doesn't really do anything serious or egregious. Not to mention his name is "Dendoncker" which is just straight goofy.
The action and fights also don't seem to be as well planned or organized as usual. In most Reacher stories I can follow or picture the fight choreography, but the altercations in this one didn't flow as well.
We also get a typical adversary ("Mansour") who is big enough to challenge Reacher, but their rivalry is very unsatisfying this time around. They have a few tussles that don't really damage either of them, and then the final showdown is completely forced.(Reacher and Fenton are holding Mansour and Dendoncker at gunpoint, yet Reacher decides to take Mansour out in a final fistfight rather than just killing him with the gun. To me, this is an unnecessary risk that Reacher wouldn't take.)
Reacher's sidekick and sounding board ("Michaela Fenton") is sidelined for most of the story, and fails to be a highlight.
Overall, the book is still a decent action/thriller, but lacks the punch (pun intended) fans expect from a Reacher novel.
The villain lacks the teeth and edge that usually accompany a Reacher bad guy. His plan is unclear for most of the story, which is gripping but takes away most of the feeling of threat. We also get a lot of telling about how evil and brutal the guy is, but he lets Reacher go multiple times and doesn't really do anything serious or egregious. Not to mention his name is "Dendoncker" which is just straight goofy.
The action and fights also don't seem to be as well planned or organized as usual. In most Reacher stories I can follow or picture the fight choreography, but the altercations in this one didn't flow as well.
We also get a typical adversary ("Mansour") who is big enough to challenge Reacher, but their rivalry is very unsatisfying this time around. They have a few tussles that don't really damage either of them, and then the final showdown is completely forced.
Reacher's sidekick and sounding board ("Michaela Fenton") is sidelined for most of the story, and fails to be a highlight.
Overall, the book is still a decent action/thriller, but lacks the punch (pun intended) fans expect from a Reacher novel.