Reacher and Bosch, my .02

Register to hide this ad
You hit a nerve! I have just read both books also. I agree that while reading "Night School" by Lee Child, I had the thought that while a very enjoyable read, Jack Reacher was still as one dimensional as ever. He was going to stomp aground stirring up a commotion, have a big fight scene (which IMHO was contrived as any that Child has concocted) and then by superior reasoning power and sheer force of presence was going to solve the mystery. After the previous Reacher novel, I resolved to quit reading the series. Having the premise that Reacher was back in the Army sucked me back in. Again, I read the novel and enjoyed reading it. Am I ever going to buy a new novel featuring Reacher and written by Lee Child? I don't think so. .....

Now, Michael Connelly's character development of Harry Bosch just keeps getting better. I very much enjoyed "The Wrong Side of Goodbye" and the continued very likable character of Harry Bosch. He reminds me of an old LV Metro Detective that I knew. I can count on Harry always muddling thru any adversity and wrinkle following the clues that are presented to him. I like the disdain Harry feels toward incompetent superiors in the PD's hierarchy. I will continue reading anything that Michael Connelly writes, no matter which series in which it is the next book. ......
 
I'm with you on both of these. I'm currently re-reading the 5th Witness, I think I have every one he wrote on my Kindle, and one of the nice things about being older and having a poor memory is you can enjoy these books a 2nd and 3rd time.
 
Connelly is just a writing machine. Will he ever slow down? He is almost a book a year since the Black Echo.

I'm doing the Reacher series in order and am now on One Shot now. I notice, to me, Child's quality varies from book to book unlike most authors first books are usually better......I take that back, I don't think any of Hunter's or Clancy's books were a drop in quality, though many think so.
 
This is going back a ways, but I really enjoyed the first Spenser novels by Robert B. Parker. Then they just got bland and wordy. Then Parker generated all the other character lines, and none of them except maybe Jesse Stone had any real depth. I don't see Child expanding his base, but I think he's just riding the crest for as long as it will go.
 
Amazon has an original TV series, Bosch, based on the books. Very good, in my opinion. Oops! Beat me to it!
 
Last edited:
I finished ECHO PARK about three weeks ago. I read it outside on the porch during the best days of the fall color hitting the 12,000 foot mountains off toward the West Elks. This was my first Bosch story, but I have seen some of the Amazon episodes.
But the book itself: I grabbed it for a buck on the outer lobby library sale of what must have been donations. Look inside...First Edition! Hmmm....there is handwriting! Wow, it is signed by Connelly.

Mark this one up a few bucks!
 
I read a lot of books but I couldn't get through the first Bosch book. Connolly's writing style was terrible to me. If the writer cannot pull me into the story even thought the story appeared to be good I will put it down. Just me opinion.
 
cougar14 said:
Just finished both of the newest in each series. In my opinion, Lee Child is looking for a reason to stop this line of books. Big dud. But, the new Harry Bosch novel is very good. Now, if Robert Crais could just get something going...
Click to expand...

Jack Reacher has become more or less a comic book/graphic novel type of hero, while Harry Bosch has remained totally realistic ever since he came on the scene back in 1992's The Black Echo.

I've pretty much given up on Child/Reacher...haven't read the last few in the series. Did just finish the newest Bosch, The Wrong Side of Goodbye, and it's another top notch Connelly piece of work.

I like Robert Crais and his early work. My opinion is that he peaked with L. A. Requiem, his most brilliant novel. I've continued to read his later work, but it just doesn't seem to have the intensity of his earlier books, although The Last Detective came close.
 
After about half a dozen I finally got rather board with the Reacher books. I've recently found Vince Flynn's books with Mitch Rapp and after downing 3 of them I kind of like 'em.
 
billwill said:
There are 2 seasons of Bosch on Amazon video. Very good TV/Amazon series. They
stick close to the book character.
Click to expand...

Somewhat modernized the Amazon Bosch is a gulf war vet rather than a Viet Nam era tunnel rat. As far as attitude Michael Connelly is an adviser too the show and you can tell.
 
cougar14 I agree

I agree with your assesment of these two authors. I really enjoy the Bosch books but luke warm on the Reacher series. Another author I enjoy and recommend is Baldacci. I just finished Memory Man and recommend it.
The Ken Follet trilogy currently out is a must read. I am 2/3 of the way through the last book and it has been an eye opener. It has been a book that I look forward to reading at bedtime everyday. JA
 
Faulkner said:
After about half a dozen I finally got rather board with the Reacher books. I've recently found Vince Flynn's books with Mitch Rapp and after downing 3 of them I kind of like 'em.
Click to expand...

I have read all the Reacher series EXCEPT the latest one - Night School. In my opinion the best of the series is "Bad Luck and Trouble", and if they make THAT one into a movie they will have a big hit on their hands! I've also read the entire Bosch and enjoyed them immensely.

Brad Thor has a nice character in the person of Scott Harvath as well.

Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp character is the most promising to me. The first movie based on him is due out in 2017, "The American Assassin". Michael Keaton will play Stan Hurly and the kid from "The Maze" will play Mitch. If they do it right this character will replace all the other CIA bad guy types as the Apex Predator. Sadly, Flynn passed away at a young age, so while someone is sure to continue the character it remains to be seen how their writing style will differ.
 
Hmmm, I didn't realize Vince Flynn had passed away. I just did the google thing and discovered that the Mitch Rapp series will continue and in the next two books he'll be teaming up with Alex Cross. That could be interesting . . . .
 
I gave up on the only Vince Flynn novel I heard on CD after over 300 rounds of full auto rifles were fired in a European hotel room with no injuries to the person being shot at and no report of any kind of police response. The hero did kill 5 or 6 with his 9mm handgun.
It was obvious that the Author had never been to Europe and their hotel rooms that hold not much more than a double bed.
 
mtgianni said:
I gave up on the only Vince Flynn novel I heard on CD after over 300 rounds of full auto rifles were fired in a European hotel room with no injuries to the person being shot at and no report of any kind of police response. The hero did kill 5 or 6 with his 9mm handgun.
It was obvious that the Author had never been to Europe and their hotel rooms that hold not much more than a double bed.
Click to expand...

I know the story. Too bad you didn't continue reading. You would have learned that the assassin DID take a round, and barely escaped being killed.

Additionally, there ARE rooms in Europe that are more spacious - for those willing to pay the prices (which most likely would include the Ambassador whose room the assassin was in at the time. :cool:
 
Faulkner said:
Hmmm, I didn't realize Vince Flynn had passed away. I just did the google thing and discovered that the Mitch Rapp series will continue and in the next two books he'll be teaming up with Alex Cross. That could be interesting . . . .
Click to expand...

Yeah, he died of prostate cancer at the age of 47 I think.
Don't know how excited I am about Mitch teaming up with Alex Cross. They don't operate at the same level, and Cross, while VERY smart is not near ruthless enough or experienced enough militarily to run with Mitch Rapp. This guy is a *whole* other animal altogether...but I will read the first book to see what they do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
New Reacher Novel?
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
CCantu357
CCantu357
U
Jack Reacher....huh? Huh?
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
scooter123
S
Faulkner
Jack Reacher
Replies
18
Views
2K
John Frederick Bell
J
The Real Hawkeye
My Dog And The Rat Snake
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
The Real Hawkeye
The Real Hawkeye
W
Smith, Wesson, Colt, and my dog Cassius
Replies
0
Views
454
Wyatt Burp
W

Latest posts

Back
Top