Jack Reacher, Lee Child's Unforgettable Character

Jack Goes By His Last Name, Reacher

What makes Jack Reacher likable? It's probably not his wardrobe. He travels with only the clothes on his back, throwing the old ones away when he needs a new outfit after a few days of wear. His replacement clothes sometimes come from a second-hand store or an Army-Navy Surplus. He doesn't like baggage.

He's a man's man who goes out of his way to protect a damsel in distress or the downtrodden. Whether it's a child, a sister figure, or a stripper, he takes responsibility for setting things right when it comes to the vulnerable of society.

His powers of deductive reasoning rival those of Sherlock Holmes. He's a vigilante. Although not a member of law enforcement, he pursues and punishes persons suspected of lawbreaking. He's an insubordinate, quick-witted, well-traveled drifter, six-foot-five and muscular with some nasty-looking scars earned in combat. He has an internal clock that tells him the time of day to the second, eliminating his need for a watch.

Killing Floor

Killing Floor, the first Lee Child novel, introduces Jack Reacher as a protagonist who takes no nonsense. The story takes place in the town of Margrave, Georgia, a clean, quiet southern town. Behind the scenes, a ring of nefarious criminals run the town propping up the businesses with streams of cash.

Reacher arrives to explore the history of his favorite blues singer and is arrested for murder. He's put in jail until another murder occurs and someone else confesses. When he's released, Jack steps in to help the understaffed police force. Eventually, a major counterfeiting operation is discovered, and the bad guys are exposed and reap their just rewards.

The book and the new Amazon Prime TV series based on this book offer lots of action, from foreign hitmen and dirty cops to old Southern charm. Stick around for the peach pie at the diner while this muscled, retired military Major battles his way toward the secret that, when revealed, changes everything about the town.

In Tripwire, Child creates a heinous villain whose stock market profiteering and treachery stretches back to his time in Vietnam. He's the sort of criminal that lacks any degree of conscience or sense of decency. Throughout the mystery, the victims multiply, and Jack Reacher comes close to becoming another body on a slab.

In a rare phase where he's actively involved with the daughter of his former commanding officer, he follows her into a battlefield where few make it out alive. Another page-turner that keeps the reader spellbound, eager to see what comes next.

Reacher's preferred method of buying goods and services is cash. In his later adventures, he's added an ATM card so he can easily draw money from his retirement pension. He has no permanent address where he can be contacted or receive mail. He doesn't own a computer or a cell phone, although he understands how they work and how to use them.

He has no driver's license despite often finding himself behind the wheel of a car, an SUV, or even a Humvee, where he demonstrates driving proficiency. He tends to get arrested on a regular basis, but thanks to his exceptional military personnel record, he is quickly vindicated.

He checks into cheap motels using the names of former presidents or baseball players, paying for one day at a time, carrying only his folding toothbrush as luggage. He drinks gallons of coffee and is a connoisseur of the proper blend, ingredients and most adequate vessel best serving the tastiest brew.

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He's well-educated, often borrowing philosophies from the greats of the past. He speaks of Zeno and laments humankind's atavistic human fears, a feeling that "there's something out there". He claims to know the inner workings of the minds of soldiers, citing that their greatest fear is not death but of sustaining a grotesque wound."

He grew up mostly in Europe, the dependent of a military officer who traveled from one foreign base to another, lending a desire to explore the continental United States as if a tourist. He's considered career military, growing up in a military family, then joining the Army and working his way up the ranks to Major. He's experienced downsizing from the perspective of the military reducing forces. He saw the cloud on the horizon and voluntarily left a position of authority and power to become a vagrant with no permanent address.

A Formula That Works

Each of the novels by author Lee Child has the power to captivate the reader from the opening paragraph. These novels are true page-turners. His style is neither intellectually stuffy or pompous. He writes like most people think or talk, using sentence fragments and one-word answers. This could be one of the ways he draws in and holds the reader's attention.

Child's stories generally follow a basic pattern of events. Reacher is new in town, usually arriving after hitchhiking or riding the bus. He gets into a fight that he wins even against overwhelming odds. He's arrested and held in jail for a short period of time. Then, he's released after the authorities run a search on his military records. Often, the local cops turn to him for help and advice, tapping into Reacher's vast experience as a special investigator in the military police.

The author's style includes rich descriptive narratives like "Satellite dishes tilted up and facing southwest like a regiment of expectant faces." His words paint clear pictures, often graphic and detailed.

But why do people like Reacher? He's a hero. He's a man's man. He always does the right thing. He looks after the underdog in a story that spills out a web of intrigue that hooks the reader on the mystery right up front and fills in the gaps with fascinating detail and introspection into the human condition. He has a deep understanding of human nature.

Watching workers return home from a 12-hour shift, he sees the plight of the common man. "He saw hopeful boys with balls and mitts looking for a last game of catch. He saw some fathers agree and some refuse. He saw small girls run out with treasures that required urgent inspection."

He's flippant, self-assured, refined to an extent, homeless, and a veteran who is seemingly invincible when it comes to beating the odds in barroom brawls or against characters with superior size and strength.

Author Lee Child

Lee Child is the pen name for James Grant, born in Coventry, England, in October 1954. His first novel, Killing Floor, in 1998, won the Anthony and Barry Awards for best first novel. He characterizes his novels as revenge stories. "Somebody does a very bad thing, and Reacher takes revenge."

This author is also a talented TV director and the source for hours of television commercials, along with a host of short stories he's penned. A lengthy series of books followed featuring the main character, Jack Reacher. You can find more titles on the official website of Mr. Lee Child.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 Peg Cole

Comments

Peg Cole (author) from North Dallas, Texas on May 01, 2018:

Hi Peggy, I'm an insomniac so I read a lot late at night.These books keep me turning the pages into the wee hours and I've read many of them more than once. It made gift giving easy for my hubby who ordered these novels for me. I hope you'll try at least one and see it they suit your reading taste.

Thanks so much for coming by.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on May 01, 2018:

I have heard of the character Jack Reacher probably because of movie previews I would have seen but have never read one of these books nor did I see the movie. Now you have me interested in reading some of these Lee Child (James Grant) books. Thanks Peg! They truly sound interesting.

Peg Cole (author) from North Dallas, Texas on December 07, 2017:

Hey there, Frank. Like most movies, the Tom Cruise version falls way short of the actual character who is not at all smug and condescending. Jack Reacher is six foot five which is a far cry from the actor's stature at five foot seven. I would have pictured someone like Chris Hemsworth playing the role. Thanks so much for the visit.

Frank Atanacio from Shelton on December 07, 2017:

I've never read any of Lee Child's novels.. but I do remember seeing a movie with Tom Cruise playing his character ... maybe I should.. you have good taste in literature.. so yeah.. maybe I should

Peg Cole (author) from North Dallas, Texas on March 19, 2017:

Hello Flourish, Simply because of my nature, I started with the first of the series and progressed numerically through the books. Each one stands independently, although, some characters return in later books and their history might be a little brief to avoid redundancy. I was intrigued with "Killing Floor" because of the depth of false assumptions and misdirection that abounded in the little town. My favorites are where the story is from Reacher's times in the military, for example, "The Enemy." If you were to watch the movie, "One Shot," you'd find the book to be much better.

Elaina Baker from USA on March 17, 2017:

Although I'd never see the movie because Tom Cruise is in it, your description of the books makes me want to read them. I've never read any of them. Sounds like I've been missing out! Any suggestions on what book to start with? Or does it matter?

Peg Cole (author) from North Dallas, Texas on January 27, 2017:

Hello Ann, What a small world we live in. How interesting that you took training in Coventry where this author was born. I agree with you on the choice of actors in the films. I can think of a few who might have been structurally more suited to the part. Thanks for stopping in to share your thoughts.

Ann Carr from SW England on January 27, 2017:

I didn't realise Child was born in Coventry; I went to teaching training college there. I have read one of his novels but can't remember the title; I know I enjoyed it as a refreshing read and an intriguing character in Reacher. I don't think Tom Cruise is a good choice for the character in the film - not nearly tall enough and certainly not good-looking but then that's entirely subjective!

Great review.

Ann

Peg Cole (author) from North Dallas, Texas on January 25, 2017:

Hello Bravewarrior, There are so many great books out there and not enough time to read them all. Glad you are intrigued by this series and thanks for stopping in to comment.