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Bad Luck and Trouble (Jack Reacher #11)
by
Lee Child
From a helicopter high above the California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night. On the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher is pulled out of his wandering life and plunged into the heart of a conspiracy that is killing old friends . . . and the people he once trusted with his life.
Reacher is the ultimate loner–no phone, no ties, no address. But a woman from his...more
Reacher is the ultimate loner–no phone, no ties, no address. But a woman from his...more
Mass Market Paperback, 512 pages
Published
May 19th 2009
by Dell
(first published 2007)
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Jesse
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers.
Jesse Holian
Mrs. Ebarvia
Honors World Lit.
November 27, 2007
Bad Luck and Trouble Book Review
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child was the novel I read. This book is the 11th book, the newest one, in a series about a man named Jack Reacher. Some of the other books in this series are The Enemy, The Hard Way, and One Shot. Lee Child has also written many short stories including “Bloodlines”, “The Chopin Manuscript”, and “Death do us Part”. The newest piece of literature...more
Mrs. Ebarvia
Honors World Lit.
November 27, 2007
Bad Luck and Trouble Book Review
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child was the novel I read. This book is the 11th book, the newest one, in a series about a man named Jack Reacher. Some of the other books in this series are The Enemy, The Hard Way, and One Shot. Lee Child has also written many short stories including “Bloodlines”, “The Chopin Manuscript”, and “Death do us Part”. The newest piece of literature...more
Good late night change of pace after reading Austen's archaic prose earlier in evening. According to the massive ad campaign for his newest book, Child seems to be the latest boss of the hard-boiled crime scene, complete with damaged, loner anti-hero hero as protag. Only 30 pgs into it, but so far, so good. The prose is pretty blunt and spare -- more Hammett than Chandler -- but effective.
I stopped reading a few weeks ago,after a 100+ pgs, and haven't felt compelled to retur...more
I stopped reading a few weeks ago,after a 100+ pgs, and haven't felt compelled to retur...more
Dear god, the sentences get shorter and shorter as this series goes on, and Reacher gets more and more tremendous!! I love the way he tells us so much with so little to go on, and the way that he's always one step ahead - and the reader loves it! (well, I do) I like the author's style but I can imagine it can annoy - but I fell in love with Reacher when he was younger and sassier (weren't we all) and have remained faithful eevr since. Some of the other books have been poor on plot, but this one...more
A friend gave me the ENTIRE series of Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child. I've been slowly wending my way through them. This is the 4th or 5th one that I've read. I think I'd rate this the best of the ones I've read so far.
Someone is killing off Reacher's old Army pals, and so the remaining members of his old unit get together to resolve the issue. And get revenge.
But it was rather nicely done. Long buildup, during which we experience some of the frustration of doing this kin...more
Someone is killing off Reacher's old Army pals, and so the remaining members of his old unit get together to resolve the issue. And get revenge.
But it was rather nicely done. Long buildup, during which we experience some of the frustration of doing this kin...more
3 ½ stars. Not much action until the end, but the last two hours were excellent.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Most of the book is learning about and trying to solve the mystery, which was ok, not great. But I enjoyed it because I like hanging out with Reacher. Then the last two hours were great - lots of fun, well done tough guy action.
Again you need to suspend disbelief for a few things. Most of that I didn’t mind, but I had a little trouble with this one. I found it har...more
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Most of the book is learning about and trying to solve the mystery, which was ok, not great. But I enjoyed it because I like hanging out with Reacher. Then the last two hours were great - lots of fun, well done tough guy action.
Again you need to suspend disbelief for a few things. Most of that I didn’t mind, but I had a little trouble with this one. I found it har...more
I had started despairing of ever finding a good thriller. They were getting all hackneyed and preposterous. How many serial killers can there be out there, and how many times will the world almost blow up?. All the characters miraculously sprung to life out of cardboard. This book gives me hope.
This is the 11th Jack Reacher novel. He put together a great team of special investigators in the beginning of the series. Now, all in private practice, some of them have been murdered and it...more
This is the 11th Jack Reacher novel. He put together a great team of special investigators in the beginning of the series. Now, all in private practice, some of them have been murdered and it...more
I happened to read this book during the week when three people were executed in the United States, including Troy Davis—a man who may well have been entirely innocent and who almost certainly would not have been convicted had he been granted a new trial. In all three cases, the families of the murder victims—the original victims, that is, not those who were murdered by state—expressed satisfaction. They felt "justice" had been done.
The feelings of families whose loved ones ...more
The feelings of families whose loved ones ...more
If Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer had a love child, I'm pretty sure it would be Jack Reacher. I liked this book, but had to suspend some serious belief to get into it. No, I'm not talking Harry Potter magical Hogwarts stuff, just super action hero packed moments. OK, yes, Reacher is definately an action hero, but how does he beat the bad guys every single time, even when you think he's about to die?? Apparently nothing gets past him.
I learned:
YOU DO NOT MESS WITH THE SPECIAL INVESTIGAT...more
I learned:
YOU DO NOT MESS WITH THE SPECIAL INVESTIGAT...more
My last two books have been like going from the Taxi Driver to Transporter 3.
I've got into the habit of reading Jack Reacher Novels on Holidays. They are quick, short chaptered and usually OK if you want to understand the workings of a firearm and want some quick action from the ultimate tough guy.
Usually they are wrapped around a credible and entertaing story. We know what we will get - Reacher gets into a scrape - 300 pages of his unique skills working out what is goi...more
I've got into the habit of reading Jack Reacher Novels on Holidays. They are quick, short chaptered and usually OK if you want to understand the workings of a firearm and want some quick action from the ultimate tough guy.
Usually they are wrapped around a credible and entertaing story. We know what we will get - Reacher gets into a scrape - 300 pages of his unique skills working out what is goi...more
Another enjoyable Reacher outing.
In this one Reacher discovers that one or more of his old unit has bitten the dust due to some down and dirty doings. The remaining members of the unit, a crack force, help Reacher track down the bad guys and scotch their plans.
As always, it's fun to spot the Brit-isms that pepper Child's dialogue, even though all the characters are American. People "laugh like drains" and call buildings "old piles".
Another writer...more
In this one Reacher discovers that one or more of his old unit has bitten the dust due to some down and dirty doings. The remaining members of the unit, a crack force, help Reacher track down the bad guys and scotch their plans.
As always, it's fun to spot the Brit-isms that pepper Child's dialogue, even though all the characters are American. People "laugh like drains" and call buildings "old piles".
Another writer...more
From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night.... In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex--army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher--soldier, cop, hero--is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Child's explosive new novel, Jack Reacher is plunged like a knife into the heart of a conspiracy t...more
De beste Lee Child in jaren. Om maar meteen met de classificatie te beginnen, daar waar One Shot een '5' kreeg en Hard Way een '6' (beide ondergewaardeerd), is dit voor een 9. Het is levendiger geschreven, en wat er op het spel staat, werkt meer op het gevoel en laat het hart van onze held zien, die in ieder nieuw boek iets meer op een robot ging lijken. Zelfs de sex is beter omdat er een vage gevoeligheid en begrip ontstaat bij de korte verhouding tussen Karla Dixon en Reacher, ondanks dat hij ...more
This was my first Jack Reacher book. The series had caught my eye a couple of times before, but I had never managed to read one until now. I don't think it helped that days before reading this book, I ran across a conversation about how horrible these books were. Now, I get that they're airport fiction, and I generally don't mind that. Really, airport or beach fiction is fine and a lot of the authors I like would be classified as that.
However, I guess because I was on the lookout f...more
However, I guess because I was on the lookout f...more
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Jack Reacher is a former MP in the US Army Special Investigations unit. Few weeks after one of his former buddy was killed rather brutally he receives a call for help from Frances Neagley, a sergeant in his old investigations team. Frances sends the message to all of the unit members and half of the team re-assembles to avenge the death of their pal. When some members of the team do not show up they learn that they have met with a similar cruel ending.
The team does a fantastic job and ...more
The team does a fantastic job and ...more
I've recently discovered Lee Child (courtesy of listening to Sirius Books - who featured Gone Tomorrow) and like the writing style. The narrative includes interesting facts along the way and the plot really moves along.
'Bad Luck and Trouble' begins with a man, after being tortured, being dropped into the desert from a helicopter. It takes a couple of chapters for the plot to coalesce, but by that time I cared very much about the man who died in the opening pages, because he was an ol...more
'Bad Luck and Trouble' begins with a man, after being tortured, being dropped into the desert from a helicopter. It takes a couple of chapters for the plot to coalesce, but by that time I cared very much about the man who died in the opening pages, because he was an ol...more
What can you say about Jack Mother F$*%ing Reacher that hasn’t been said before? One of a kind for sure, in this adventure though he’s gets some pals to join in him in his escapades. I was glad to see Neagley back though, I like her, and I hope to see more written about her in the Reacher future. Obviously there is still some unknown story there. For all I know it’s revealed in the next book, ha. Between Bob Lee Swagger, Joe Pickett and Jack Reacher I feel that my head stays right. 3 badasses, 3...more
No, I didn't like my second Reacher as well as my first (Persuader is mighty hard to top), but still gave it 5 stars.
Why? Because this one is markedly different in style and tone from that one, but gets the job done nevertheless.
Not only does this one alternate first person with third (a necessity, in order to deliver the backstory, so that we know exactly how nasty the villains are from the start), but it pairs Reacher on a far more interactive level with his teamma...more
Why? Because this one is markedly different in style and tone from that one, but gets the job done nevertheless.
Not only does this one alternate first person with third (a necessity, in order to deliver the backstory, so that we know exactly how nasty the villains are from the start), but it pairs Reacher on a far more interactive level with his teamma...more
Lee Child's hero Jack Reacher returns when he responds to a call for help from his old military police unit. Back in their service days the unit's motto was, ""You do not mess with the special investigators."" The problem is that one of them has turned up dead after being thrown from a helicopter so Reacher decides to avenge the death of his colleague with the help of the surviving members of his unit; if only they will pick up their phones and get in touch. Without giving aw...more
This is still my favorite of the many 'Reacher' novels I've read. I've come across arguments online that this series should be read in order, but it hasn't affected my enjoyment of Child's novels, and I can't see that as being important. They stand on there own real well. What I like about this one is it does give a glimpse into Reacher's past as a military cop, before he went off the grid. Having Reacher work with old friends helped to humanize him, and take some of the weight off his shoulders...more
Jack Reacher book 11
This series is totally addictive; hard not to love Jack Reacher a loner with few ties, tough ex-military, and one that is fanatically interested in codes, numbers and probabilities.
The story starts high above the California desert, when a man is sent free-falling into the night. Frances Neagley, a woman from Reacher's old military unit manages to find him using a code that only members of their unit would recognize. Decoding her message, Reacher reunit...more
This series is totally addictive; hard not to love Jack Reacher a loner with few ties, tough ex-military, and one that is fanatically interested in codes, numbers and probabilities.
The story starts high above the California desert, when a man is sent free-falling into the night. Frances Neagley, a woman from Reacher's old military unit manages to find him using a code that only members of their unit would recognize. Decoding her message, Reacher reunit...more
The best Reacher yet, for a couple of reasons:
1. Child teams Reacher up with an appealing group that's almost as bad-ass as he is; and
2. Child wisely gives Reacher some moments of self-doubt and insecurity that humanize him.
Reacher-as-invincible-superman kills all suspense. Reacher-who's-not-afraid-to-die-but-who-wonders-about-the-way-he-lives: awesome.
1. Child teams Reacher up with an appealing group that's almost as bad-ass as he is; and
2. Child wisely gives Reacher some moments of self-doubt and insecurity that humanize him.
Reacher-as-invincible-superman kills all suspense. Reacher-who's-not-afraid-to-die-but-who-wonders-about-the-way-he-lives: awesome.
En lättillgänglig och upptempo actionthriller, som för sin genre håller relativt hög kvalitét. Lee Child är en författare som vet hur man levererar.
"Den 11 september 2001 förändrades den före detta militärpolisen Jack Reachers tillvaro. Han var en onåbar vagabond med endast en tandborste som bagage. Nu måste han bära ID-kort. Men är fortfarande så anonym det alls går att vara i USA. Trots det lyckas en före detta kollega spåra honom. Och få fram ett meddelande.
Samla ihop vå...more
"Den 11 september 2001 förändrades den före detta militärpolisen Jack Reachers tillvaro. Han var en onåbar vagabond med endast en tandborste som bagage. Nu måste han bära ID-kort. Men är fortfarande så anonym det alls går att vara i USA. Trots det lyckas en före detta kollega spåra honom. Och få fram ett meddelande.
Samla ihop vå...more
A few new surprises for Reacher Lovers
I have read a number of the Jack Reacher books and I believe that "Bad Luck and Trouble" is the best. I won't go into detail about the book there are many already, except one tid-bit surprise: Reacher is no longer in Miami, now he is stirring things up in Portland, and Neagley with all her skills and resources returns. The plot is exciting and the story will keep you turning pages. The characters are well developed and the ending was s...more
I have read a number of the Jack Reacher books and I believe that "Bad Luck and Trouble" is the best. I won't go into detail about the book there are many already, except one tid-bit surprise: Reacher is no longer in Miami, now he is stirring things up in Portland, and Neagley with all her skills and resources returns. The plot is exciting and the story will keep you turning pages. The characters are well developed and the ending was s...more
Nearly ever critic faulted the title of Lee Child's newest Jack Reacher novel__but that minor complaint, lost in a sea of high praise__speaks volumes about the book's great merits. Child brings to Bad Luck and Trouble the same heart-racing plots, intriguing characters, and minimalist writing for which he's known; this time, reviewers note that Child has perfected his taut, no-nonsense dialogue. Reacher, the quirky antihero, also exhibits his mathematical talents: codes and probabilities add an i
...more
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Can I give this book zero stars? It was by and far the worst book I've read in quite some time. If I didn't have to finish it for class, I wouldn't have bothered.
The characters were boring, none of them had any personality or spark to speak of. The only thing that differentiated any of them was their names. Even their genders did little to make them different characters.
The plot I couldn't care less about. The use of short chapters didn't serve in driving the plot forward as D...more
The characters were boring, none of them had any personality or spark to speak of. The only thing that differentiated any of them was their names. Even their genders did little to make them different characters.
The plot I couldn't care less about. The use of short chapters didn't serve in driving the plot forward as D...more
Listened to this in the car. It was good because a lot of it was unexpected. It was a bit violet with living people being thrown from heliocopters but I liked the mystery of the story and also the friendship of the characters.
Still not as good as Persuader or Without Fail (and probably not even as good as The Hard Way), but Reacher is so undeniably bad ass in this installment that it has to rank near the top. Apparently, Reacher was a part of an elite crew of eight special investigators (one of which is Neagley, who first appeared in Without Fail. Someone kills one by throwing them out of a helicopter. And then another. And then another. You just don't screw with Reacher's friends.
I loved the final scene in...more
I loved the final scene in...more
VHROOOOMMMM!!! That's basically how fast the reading goes in these here Jack Reacher books, and this is no exception. A catchphrase for this one is "you do not mess with the Special Investigators!" referring to the eight-person elite MP team from Reacher's days in the Service, some of whom have made appearances in previous books. Well, now, dang it, somebody's been killin' 'em off in a particularly grisly fashion, dumping them out of a helicopter after a LOAD of torture. Reacher the No...more
I seem to be attracted to mystery/crime novels, although I never would have guessed that about myself a dozen years ago. I've read several that reflect some of the best writing I've every read, so I suppose that would have something to do with my attraction to them.
This book is not one of those. The writing is good enough for it to have been optioned by Paramount Studios, but I think that has more to do with the somewhat clever plot. And it's a feel good book, the good guys win, a...more
This book is not one of those. The writing is good enough for it to have been optioned by Paramount Studios, but I think that has more to do with the somewhat clever plot. And it's a feel good book, the good guys win, a...more
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Lee Child was born in 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation ...more
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“You do not mess with the special investigators.”
—
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“Now they broke my toothbrush, I don't own anything.”
—
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