I skipped ahead in my project to read the Reacher series in order to Lee Child’s latest Jack Reacher novel because I needed a quick read during the Holiday chaos. Reacher involves himself in a situation where an elderly couple find themselves deeply in debt to loan sharks. This morphs into a gang war between rival Ukrainian and Albanian criminals.
In order to wreck maximum havoc, Reach enlists a feisty waitress, a former Marine, and a former tank commander (now a Security consultant) to bring down the Albanian HQ–a lumberyard–and the Ukrainian home base. The body count grows and grows in Blue Moon as Reacher and his team confront groups of Bad Guys. Of course, the police are nowhere to be found so it’s the Wild Wild West in an urban setting. Sure, this is silly but it was the exactly right book to get me through the tumultuous time between Christmas and New Year’s. GRADE: B
Sounds a bit like Hammett’s Red Harvest (borrowed for the plots of Yojimbo and A Fistful of Dollars). Only read the very first Reacher and wasn’t overly impressed. I thought it read like a tv series waiting to happen. But a lot of people love this series.
Steve, RED HARVEST clone sounds about right for BLUE MOON. I enjoy Lee Child’s work every once in a while, especially if I’m on a plane or in an Airport.
As soon as I heard the description, I thought RED HARVEST too. Ross Thomas did his version with THE FOOLS IN TOWN ARE ON OUR SIDE. By coincidence, I got the ebook version from the library when we got to Florida yesterday. Of course I have two other books downloaded that I didn’t get to read on the road, but I will try and fit this in. It sounds more interesting to me than the last one, which was mediocre.
Jeff, BLUE MOON–like RED HARVEST–zooms along on action and high body counts. Lee Child honed his narrative skills to perfection and it shows in BLUE MOON.
George, I like Lee Child’s writing style. It’s what got me hooked to his books after I first read KILLING FLOOR.
Prashant, I find the pages just keep turning in a Lee Child novel. The author knows how to sustain the action for over 400 pages! Not an easy trick.
This one was over the top, even for Reacher, but it moved fast enough that that didn’t really matter. Reacher has become the mythic hero riding into town to settle all wrongs. He appeals to the kid in me. I’m addicted to his adventures.
Jerry, I had the same reaction to BLUE MOON that you did: over the top…but fun to read! I’m slowing reading the entire series.
I have read one or two and enjoyed but as a slow reader, I’d rather put my efforts into something new. Not a series reader in general.
Patti, if you’re read one Jack Reacher novel, you’ve pretty much read them all. Lee Child has a winning template, but there’s not much variation in his plots.