Running Blind (Jack Reacher Novels (Audio))

Rating:
Summary: A Kinder, Gentler, Jack Reacher...
Review: ...meaning that in "Running Blind", Lee Child's stoic vigilante, Jack Reacher, slides a notch below Genghis Khan on the scale of body-count and mayhem. In "Running Blind", Reacher actually strings together more than two consecutive sentences, expresses conflicting emotions, and considers - ever briefly - "settling down". Yikes! Next we'll hear than Howard Dean is voting for "W". This is Child's fourth Reacher installment and, while definitely not his best, is still another fine example of Child's lean, unadorned prose, sticking close to the plot and keeping the reader in suspense. In a plot somewhat less believable than most we've come to expect from Child, Reacher is drawn into a series of bizarre murders of women all that've had a connection to Reacher. Most engaging is the manner in which these women died - no one can find a cause. The mystery involving the murders keeps the reader guessing to the end that, if a bit far-fetched, is certainly clever. If you're a Lee Child fan, you'll want to read "Running Blind". But if you've not yet been exposed to this fine writer of popular mystery/thrillers, I'd recommend becoming a fan first: start with "Tripwire", Killing Floor", or, my favorite, "Persuader".

Rating:
Summary: I don't think so!
Review: Give me a break. I like Mr. Child's Reacher so I'm willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief to get a good read. But the idea of the FBI threatening to let some mob person beat up your girlfriend if you don't serve them and then keeping you in a locked room while you're helping them? Hello Mr. Attorney General? Hello CNN? I don't think that's going to be happening in America. Not to mention them standing around watching as Reacher beat up a couple of hoods while under surveillance. I'm sure that broke a few laws too. Pull the other leg please.

And then we have the MO. Please. I doubt that scenario could be pulled off once much less four times. And I have no doubt whatsoever that it couldn't be accomplished without the victim thrashing around and getting paint on the floor. Certainly wouldn't be a quite, peaceful death.

And if Jack doesn't start changing his clothes and practicing some better hygiene all his women are going to be singing is Hit the Road, Jack.......

OK, I'll have to say that even with one preposterous thing after another I still read every word. Mr. Child is a talented writer and I look forward to continuing improvement as he puts Jack through his paces. Maybe I should have given this one three stars afterall.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent work. Interesting plot, characters, twists.
Review: Great storytelling. More than one plot developing at the same time. Mr Child ranks among my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: An Exciting, Well-Done Thriller
Review: I have now read all of the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child and I believe this one to be the best of them all. Not that it doesn't have flaws - some of the activities carried out by the FBI are pretty questionable, Reacher at times approaches super-human in his skills, and there are probably a few too many red herrings and digressions. Nevertheless, for what it is, this is an extremely fast-moving and exciting thriller. It is genuinely hard to put down and the ending will likely surprise you (though admittedly a careful reader will probably see it coming; there are clues aplenty). Child plays fair, however, and you buy the whole thing. I do wish Child's novels "reached" (pun intended) a wider audience; he is a good writer who has created an interesting and charismatic character. This book is well worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: A milder Reacher, but still good
Review: I love the character of Jack Reacher. So, like others I am reading through the series. Killing Floor was a great introduction to Reacher. I was disappointed after reading Die Trying and Tripwire. Those books were just boring in comparison to Killing Floor. All of the Reacher novels have action and suspense, but in Running Blind you actually get a more complex mystery than in novels two and three.

Sure the blackmailing by the FBI is far-fetched, but this is fiction, right? If you overlook the unrealistic aspects of the book, then you will not be disappointed by the plot itself.

On a side note, isn't it odd that Reacher being the genius that he is can outsmart anyone he faces. Yet, he is terrified of owning a large wardrobe because he can't figure out how to do laundry. Huh? That was actually in one of the previous books, but it just stuck with me.

Rating:
Summary: Not his best
Review: I was introduced to Lee Childs with Persuader, one of the best of this genre I've ever read. I then did something I've never done: purchased every book Childs ever wrote, and I'm working through them chronologically.

Running Blind was tough to get through. As others have noted, the plot often doesn't seem believable. Childs lost me with the FBI's threat of "work for us or we'll go after your girlfriend."

Also, Childs' use of some words takes me out of the story. In Running Blind, everyone is always "shrugging." He shrugged. She shrugged. Really? This is the response that most humans do in situations? And every third page? I actually found myself trying to "shrug", to see if it's something normal. I don't think I've shrugged a response but twice in my life. If you read this, be forewarned: you're going to see a lot of shrugging.

Don't be put off, if this is your first Jack Reacher story. Pick up Persuader. Amazing book.

Off to his next story, "Tripwire."

Rating:
Summary: Two and three quarters, is more like it.
Review: Running Blind is a definite step up from TRIPWIRE, which absolutely stunk, but that's still not saying much for this book.

Frequent readers of this genre will figure out the motive, the method and the identity of the killer hundreds of pages before Jack Reacher and the entire FBI do. Sure I was momentarily distracted by some of the red herrings Child threw at me, not the ridiculous appearance of an Army chaplain from out of the blue towards the end, that was just lame.

KILLING FLOOR and DIE TRYING remain my favorites in this series. The Jack Reacher character is getting annoying by now with his steadfast refusal to own anything that doesn't fit in his pockets. That includes any changes of clothes! Jack just sleeps in the buff and lets his clothes air out to wear day in and day out. I'm about the same size as Jack, six foot five and 260lbs, and believe me, if I didn't change clothes daily there is no way bra-less FBI agents or gorgeous Wall St. lawyers would be throwing themselves at me. Not that they do anyway, but that's another story.

I may pick up another Jack Reacher story in the future but only if I can find it in my local library where I found this title. While these stories are mildly entertaining, they simply aren't worth the money.

Rating:
Summary: Weakest in the series
Review: The "top 100 reviewer" said, "The absolutely very best thing about RUNNING BLIND is the plot twist identity of the Perp". And I'd agree, if I hadn't guessed the perp after about a third of the way into the book. Child's Reacher thrillers are good because you are not supposed to guess what comes next. But in the Reacher mysteries, his clues are often pretty obvious. Read it anyway; see if you agree.

Rating:
Summary: Weakest in the series
Review: The "top 100 reviewer" said, "The absolutely very best thing about RUNNING BLIND is the plot twist identity of the Perp". And I'd agree, if I hadn't guessed the perp after about a third of the way into the book. Child's Reacher thrillers are good because you are not supposed to guess what comes next. But in the Reacher mysteries, his clues are often pretty obvious. Read it anyway; see if you agree.

Rating:
Summary: Robin Hood and the Lone Ranger meet the 21st century
Review: This is the first Lee Child book I've read, which is perhaps unfortunate, as several of the other reviews indicate that this book is not as good as some of the others in the Jack Reacher series. (By the way, this book has two different titles: "Running Blind" in the USA and Canada, and "The Visitor" in the UK and elsewhere.)

To start with the positive stuff, I love Lee Child's writing style. I'm a fan of thrillers, and this means I'm used to fairly mediocre writing, so this book was a very nice change.

The basic idea behind Jack Reacher's character is also interesting. He's a sort of vigilante Robin Hood, righting wrongs around him that the normal forces in society don't take proper care of. And he's not just muscle and weapons and fighting techniques, he's also very intelligent and knowledgeable and observant.

I also liked the basic story line, with a serial killer who has the FBI outsmarted and a motive that will come as a surprise.

So all-in-all I found the book appealing in many ways.

But now comes the list of problems that I have with this book, problems that are sufficient that it's doubtful if I'll ever get around to reading another book by Lee Child.

The characters aren't really believable. Jack Reacher is supposed be a loner, but not wanting to own anything other than a folding toothbrush must be a bit problematic. Lisa Harper is having problems with sexual harassment in the FBI so she gives up wearing a bra. Jodie Jacobs has found her long-lost secret love from her youth, but still prefers to pursue a high-flying career rather than make the relationship her top priority. And the nasty FBI guys are so nasty that Internal Affairs would be after them if they were ordinary cops.

On top of the unbelievable characters we have a story that lacks realism and seems contrived. The most unrealistic part involves the method by which the murderer kills the victims, which in my opinion is totally impossible on two different counts. Unfortunately, I can't describe this problem in detail without revealing too much and getting this review labeled as a spoiler.

So I think I'll wish Jack Reacher good luck in his continuing lonely travels, and continue my search for thrillers that appeal to me on other shelves in the bookstores of cyberspace and elsewhere.

Rennie Petersen