Joe's review of Nothing to Lose
Nothing to Lose (Jack Reacher Series, #12) by Lee Child
I'm done with Child after this latest installment. The last few Reacher novels have really dragged and I was hoping this one might revive the series. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Furthermore, the writer decides to jump on a soap box towards the end and throw in random anti-bush/anti-war diatribe. Obviously, this is his right as the creater of the novel but I found it completely ridiculous and hypocritical of his main character. It would be one thing if Child had done this in previous books (Disclaimer - I've read every Reacher books and have never even smelled a hint of political rants. I could be completely blind though and just missed it...) but it just seemed completely nonsensical.
Unless he takes a break from Reacher for a while and writes something else, I'm on haitus.
*Edited to correct spelling errors. This from a guy who writes "wuite" eloquently. Thanks for pointing them out Grim. Bastard.
Furthermore, the writer decides to jump on a soap box towards the end and throw in random anti-bush/anti-war diatribe. Obviously, this is his right as the creater of the novel but I found it completely ridiculous and hypocritical of his main character. It would be one thing if Child had done this in previous books (Disclaimer - I've read every Reacher books and have never even smelled a hint of political rants. I could be completely blind though and just missed it...) but it just seemed completely nonsensical.
Unless he takes a break from Reacher for a while and writes something else, I'm on haitus.
*Edited to correct spelling errors. This from a guy who writes "wuite" eloquently. Thanks for pointing them out Grim. Bastard.
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I think what would be strange is if Reacher DIDN'T have an opinion on the current situation and act on it as the occasion arose.
If that makes him "anti-Bush," well, he's not alone. Checked the Glorious Leader's approval ratings lately?
I don't know, it just seemed out of sorts with the character and themes from the previous novels. In my opinion, these books have not been political in the past. If you want to write a political thriller then do so from the very beginning instead of changing directions towards the end of a story that wasn’t headed that way. The randomness of it all really stuck out at me. It read as a complete throw in to me.
I also don’t think there is much support for your theory about it being strange if Reacher didn’t have an opinion on current events. This is a guy who in “Jules” from Pulp Fiction style, walks the earth, meets people and gets into adventures. He does not watch TV, rarely picks up a newspaper (other than to check out baseball box scores) and barely even talks to anyone (unless they are messing with him). Now he’s suddenly current on clandestine, over the boarder Iran incursions and anti-war propaganda. I just didn’t buy it.
And I'm well aware of the presidential ratings... I just like my political fiction limited to the real world. Novels are my escape to somewhere else. :)
