Troubles and Bad Luck
by Lee Child
Recommended by a friend, this book proved to be more than enjoyable, but tremendously addictive, so much so that one is likely to seize every free moment one can possibly squeeze out of his already tight schedule, to read the book.
I reckon most readers, like me, faced the dilemma of fighting off the urge to turn the pages too quickly for the the fear of looming end, while trying to whet their unrelenting appetite for more.
Even though the ending was somewhat predictable: the triumph of the good over the bad, the victory of right over the wrong, the meandering road leading to its definite end is an enjoyable and worthwhile journey.
The story adopts a third-person narrative and centers mostly around Jack Reacher, or simply Reacher, a former leader in the most promising special investigation team the US army has ever had.
It begins with the most ordinary happening in mundane city life that will only rings an alarm bell to Reacher's unerring eyes : a unjustified deposit of $1030 into Reacher's bank account. A call to the bank confirmed his fear and sent him off to a journey with no return, a journey of putting back the old team for the investigation of a teammate's mysterious death. As the mystery was unveiled, Reacher and what was left of his team discovered a bigger scam threatening national and global security.
The book praises and worships comradeship, camaraderie, a spirit enshrined in several catchphrases, one of which the readers would not have missed would be "You do not mess with the special investigators" The spirit was best displayed by the seamless cooperation between Reacher, Neagley, Karla and O'Donnell, in their `pursuit to crack the case. They knew one another's natures so well that nothing could stand on their way to resolve their friends' deaths.
Besides the larger theme, there is a sustained subtle attention paid to the painful process of ex-army retirees adapting to feed themselves in a civilian world. None but one of the old team was "making it". With marvelous skills and incredible agility of the mind and body, as the author has accredited to his characters, it inevitably evoked a sense of revered sympathy. However, I believe this is not the writer's keenest intention. His attitude, best represented by the main character itself, is one of indifference and nonchalance.
Reacher is a apparent misfit in the civilian, standing conspicuously apart from all the mundane and ordinary components that constitute life that we all are so familiar with. But nowhere in the story suggested his vulnerability. In fact, as an isolated individual refusing to accept the norms, a conspicuous derail from the other teammates,he is more focused than anyone else, sharper and faster than they ever can be.
The story is action-packed, testing the author's ability to pen an accurate portrayal to a great length. I must say it is a job well done and I haven't seen anyone who can do it as good as Lee Child. I was literally watching the actions and fights unfolding right in front of me. The accomplishment of which is only attainable with both knowledge and experience in the security industry. In this respect, readers like me can be forgiven. Besides, Lee Child cunning employment of techniques in flaring up readers' appetite for more leave them totally defenseless. He used short sentences for impact and never failed to end the chapter with one, just at the climax of chapter.
Well, Lee Child has his own consideration for the readers The brief interjection of romance between Reacher and Karla brings momentary relief from the intensity of the team's pursuit and the suffocating mystery blanketing the the death of their four closest friends. What's more ingenious about Lee Child is that the "breaks" are well-paced to bring the much needed relief while maintaining a sense of urgency and a degree of intensity.
It is not, therefore, extravagant in saying that Lee Child can tell a great story, and he tell it good.