2020-08-23
Re-read this as I remember it as one of my favorites in the series. But how did it hold up this time around?
As a thriller I think it’s a superb story, and in that way alone make it one of the best Lee Child books. It starts off with such a simple enough premise that grows into something much bigger as the novel progresses. Also, the character of Jack Reacher remains injured from the previous book, and a vulnerable hero is more interesting than an invincible one.
However, this time around I found the violence too extreme. While some people may argue it was justified, the way the character goes out of his way to cripple people from the start didn’t work for me. By the end there was plenty of opportunity to see justice done, but instead there was too much cold-blooded mass murder.
Because of that, I’d regard this as a five-star story but am removing a star as the violence can be unpalatable.
Rating: 4/5