Ian's Reading 2012

[ian]

Synopsis

Jack Reacher washes up in the Florida Keys with his savings running out; he spends his days digging pools and his nights as the bouncer in the local strip club. But a private investigator intrudes upon his tropical refuge, seeking Reacher out. When he discovers the PI's lifeless beaten body lying in the street, Reacher heads north to determine who is trying to find him and why.

 

Tracing the dead man's trail to New York, Reacher discovers the PI was working for Reacher's former commanding officer, mentor and close friend Leon Garber. Reacher teams up with Garber's daughter Jodie, a sharp Wall Street lawyer, to find out why Leon needed Reacher's help and they find themselves embroiled in a life-threatening search for the truth—and the deeper they dig, the more dangerous and twisted their path becomes.

 

In this third novel featuring Jack Reacher, author Lee Child masterfully intertwines the domains of the underworld and the bureaucracy of the U.S. Army. Reacher and Jodie uncover 30 years of deceit—and their love for each other—in a thriller that reaches its heart-stopping, plot twisting climax on the 88th floor of the World Trade Center.

 

What I thought.

There were times reading this that I just wished it would hurry up and get to the point. I’ve been reading the books in order, so this is my third Jack Reacher book and I should know the formula by now. However, this time, I’d pretty much guessed the ending, so I was waiting for the book to catch up. Still, it’s a well written book, with plenty of believable dialogue and some interesting looks at the way military red-tape works in between the action. There’s the obligatory love scene of course, but it’s worked into the plot a little better than the previous two books.

 

Over all a 3 out of 5

 

books read so far = 23

Edited June 8, 2012 by ian

[ian]

I've gone for Watership Down - by Richard Adams as my next read

[poppyshake]

I've gone for Watership Down - by Richard Adams as my next read

I loved the film and mean to read the book .. how's it going?

[ian]

It's brilliant! I'm about halfway through now and there hasn't a dull moment. Not bad for a charity shop find for 79p!

[ian]

Finished Watership Down. This was an absolutely fantastic read from start to finish; completely un-put-downable. I sure I don't need to go into the plot of this, as most people will be familar with at least the basic premis of this book. Strangely enough, It's only in the last 6 months that I actually saw the film for the first time as well.

 

In tone, it's probably what would now be called a YA book, for me it's pitched somewhere between a classic childrens book and an epic tale - so it fits in nicely with two of my all-time favourite books, The Wind in the Willows and LOTR. I enjoyed every second and didn't want it to end.

 

Easily a 5/5

[~Andrea~]

Watership Down is fantastic! I only read it about 5 or 6 years ago but was blown away. It's one of my all time favourites. I still don't think I've seen the film all the way through.

[ian]

My wife bought the DVD on an impulse for the kids to watch. Both of us were completely unaware that Kehaar tells the rabbits to......erm.... go away! Hilarious!

 

Another complete shift of tone and genre for my next read - Gregg Hurwitz " Or she dies"

[ian]

Finished "Or she Dies", which I enjoyed. I've put a review on the thriller page, but I'd give it 4/5.

[ian]

I had started reading "Hanging Hill" by Mo Hayder. 70 pages in, but I'm having to admit defeat. I'm not sure whether that's down to me just not being in the right mood for it, or if I just don't enjoy the writing - I've not anything by her before to compare it against. Either way I couldn't find any empathy with any of the charactors and thought the story advanced at a snail's pace. As I say though - it might be me not the writing, so apologies to any MO Hayder fans I might have upset. My first DNF of the year.

[ian]

I've just finished reading "Fenton's Quest" by Mary Braddon. pretty good - 3/5

[ian]

Back to the Reacher! I'm now reading Running Blind (also known as The Visitor) by Lee Child

[ian]

Back to the Reacher! I'm now reading Running Blind (also known as The Visitor) by Lee Child

 

I've got to say I was pretty disappointed in this. I've been reading the books in order and this is the fourth (I think) and it left me wondering if the series has jumped the shark already. Reacher's attitude to the FBI actively irritated me at times (OK he HAD been falsely accused so I might let him off that one), but I'd guessed the murderer and the exact method halfway through the book.

 

Hope the next one is better

[ian]

Just finished reading "Echo Burning" by Lee Child. That was more like it! I enjoyed that one much more than the previous one, although Reacher does seem to have developed an almost supernatural ability to out-think his enemies. Still. all good fun, and I never take these sort of books too seriously. 4/5

 

I'm going to re-read Great Expectations for my next book

[Karsa Orlong]

although Reacher does seem to have developed an almost supernatural ability to out-think his enemies.

 

Yeah, that's an element that gets really annoying in some of the books, especially in some of the later ones that I've read (although 61 Hours was a real - if brief - return to form, imo)

[ian]

I'll stop reading if they get as ridiculous as Clive Cussler's "Dirk Pitt" books!

[poppyshake]

I'll stop reading if they get as ridiculous as Clive Cussler's "Dirk Pitt" books!

I have no idea what they (Dirk Pitt) are but any (Jack Reacher) extracts I've read or heard have been extraordinarily silly. Having said that I do find it hard to suspend disbelief and testosterone fuelled books are not my thing. I'm sure they would make me laugh in all the places I shouldn't. There was a lot of 'there was eight of them and only one of me .. you had to feel sorry for them' sort of nonsense I'm not good with that. He's a bit insufferable isn't he? (Jack) .. someone who could probably kill four hired assassins and make love to a beautiful woman whilst on his way down to breakfast.

I must actually read one .. then I will know for sure whether it's up my alley.

[ian]

I have no idea what they (Dirk Pitt) are but any (Jack Reacher) extracts I've read or heard have been extraordinarily silly.

 

Yep, it's a load of old tosh, really - but enjoyable anyway!

[ian]

Just finished Great Expectations. I was pretty sure I'd read it before, but now I'm not so sure. Certainly, there were elements of the ending that seemed unfamilar to me. Perhaps I'm just remembering the films / tv adaptations better?

 

Still, very enjoyable, although I did think the last couple of chapters dragged on a little. For that reason, i dropped it a point , so only 4/5.

 

Back to the tosh! Without Fail - Lee Child

[ian]

Finished "Without Fail" which I enjoyed a little better than the last two Lee Child books 4/5

 

I decided for my next book that I needed to tackle the shopping bag of books that my wife's friend gave me some time ago. They are all either fantasy or historical fiction - not genres that I have tackled a lot recently. I looked through all the titles and decided on "Calenture" by Storm Constantine. I thought it would be interesting to read a book that appears to have been written by a soft porn actress!

 

I'm about halfway through it now, and I still haven't made up my mind if I like it yet!

[ian]

Well, I finished "Calenture" by Storm Constantine. I still don't know what to think of this book. I finished it, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed it that much. I found the charactors to be mostly annoying, two-dimensional and entirely predictable. The "plot" appears to have been made up as the story went along, and the "final terrifying and liberating climax" I pretty much guessed less than a quarter of the way through the book. A shame because some of the ideas were quite good, just poorly executed.

 

2/5

 

I'm now starting on "Attilla" by William Napier.

[ian]

Finished Attila by William Napier. I don't read a great deal of historical fiction, so I don't really know if my opinion is of much use to those that do, but I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. It follows the life of Attila as a young boy when he is a hostage of peace in Rome - held there as an assurance that the Huns will honour their pact to aid Rome in her wars. There is also another thread that follows a Roman soldier on his way back to Britain and his wife and children. Some of the speech doesn't seem very authentic and in tone - well, if you ever saw the BBC/HBO series "Rome" then this is what it's like!

 

This is the first of 3 books about Attila that William Napier has written. I will have to get hold of the other two as I couldn't put this down once I started it

 

5/5

[Raven]

Just finished Great Expectations. I was pretty sure I'd read it before, but now I'm not so sure. Certainly, there were elements of the ending that seemed unfamilar to me. Perhaps I'm just remembering the films / tv adaptations better?

 

Dickens actually wrote two different endings to the book. Some copies print one or the other, some print both and the various TV and film adaptations are a mix of the two.

[julie]

Ian

I was going to mention the same thing as Raven -- G.E. had 2 endings ,so maybe the one you read before had the other ending .

I remember thinking that he should have went with his gut instinct and stuck to the ending he liked best. I would have liked it better myself .

Too bad I am clueless now as to what EITHER ending was. Been too long since I read it ,and the old brain cells aren't what they used to be .

[ian]

I read about that too afterwards, but to be honest, I couldn't distinctly remember either!

 

Julie - the difference between the two endings seems to have been simply in one he leaves Satis house with nothing, and in the other he leaves giving the impression that Estella and he were later married. Dickens apparently preferred the former, more downbeat ending.

[julie]

Ian

Thanks for clearing that up. Now I must eat my words and say I would have liked the Happliy-Ever-After ending the best . Who told Dickens to change the ending,do you remember that ? I remember the note at the end about him choosing one ending, then I "think" someone else mentioned ending it differently . Maybe his publisher ? Or did he come to his own conclusions,that he couldn't decide which one to use ?

I'm thinking it was an idea from someone else ,though .