A general overview of this action series. Jack Reacher is a former major in the US Army. He was a military cop, and as he points out, soldiers are meant to be tough, so the military police have to be tougher. With the exception of a few books, we follow Jack, post-military career, as he wonders around the United States, a country he has protected for almost all his life but hardly ever set foot in (his dad was a marine, so even before he was in the army, he was an army brat, living in multiple countries around the world). He does not have a house; he only owns what he wears and his toothbrush. Mostly Jack is a pretty relaxed guy - until someone wrongs him. Then 'someone' wishes they hadn't.
I like these books for some mind-numbing action. They are fun, usually fast-paced and predictable. The bad guy gets it. Jack wins. Oh, and there are usually some places where I chuckle, generally because I know someone is about to regret doing something stupid, like trying to pick a fight with Jack. These are not high-IQ reads. I save them for that point in the year where I am under so much pressure with work, that I need something completely simple and relaxing. The predictability of these help too.
The Affair (#16)
This book takes us back in time to Jack's last case in the army. A woman has been murdered in a small town where there is a military base. The military are being blamed, and too much information is made restricted. And then other people start dying.This one was enjoyable for the reasons I gave above. But, if I was going to be picky, and I must confess that I was very picky when I was reading it, I hated the way the female sheriff was portrayed. She was supposed to be such a clever woman, but she made one stupid mistake after another. Even to something as simple as not realising that the murdered woman was dumped and not murdered where she was found because ... Well, I will leave you to read it if you are interested. But watching her blunder along made me cringe, for both her and for Jack, who kept telling me she was smart. Yeah bloody right.
Oh... and I am a bit dubious about the sex scene in this one. Usually they just fade to black, but this one didn't. Hmmm... not sure what I thought about how it was written.
I gave it 3 stars. It was enjoyable.
A Wanted Man (#17)
This one follows after Worth Dying For, or book 15 in the series. Jack is still carrying the injuries he got. He manages to hitch a ride in a car, but he does not know the reason for the roadblocks they keep driving through. But... it doesn't stay that way for too long. In the previous town, a man has been murdered and it has all sorts of important agencies looking very nervous.I really should not read two after each other. I pick up on repetitive ideas and it gets a bit annoying. As a result, I didn't enjoy this one as much. But, still, it was not a bad book. It still had everything in it that I enjoy.
But, yet again, I found myself questioning the role of the females. In this book, the FBI agent that Reacher has contact with is a woman. And even though she is an FBI agent, I still found the fact that she deferred to him and followed his instructions, annoying. Yes, yes, I know the books are about Jack, and it wouldn't really do to have the hero of the story not make decisions, but ... I feel that these women should really be more assertive. I am glad that he has female agents and police in these books, but a part of me wonders if it is just for the attraction.
This one also got 3 stars from me.
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