Rating: 
Summary: Not one of Dutch's best.
Review: Jack is a former minor league ballplayer who dabbles in breaking and entering. That is when he's not engaged in more legitimate endeavors like carpet cleaning or picking cucumbers. Nancy is a risk taking party girl with a mean streak a mile long. The Big Bounce is largely about the odd relationship between these two rather unsympathetic characters. Nancy wants to use Jack to pull off a big heist. Jack pretty much just lives from day to day. The words loyalty, ambition and commitment evidently are not part of his vocabulary.
Elmore Leonard's talent for writing realistic dialogue is well represented here. As is his signature habit of populating his books with quirky characters. The plot is somewhat on the thin side and a few of the scenes appear to have been added in for padding. The Big Bounce is an easy and amusing read. But not one of Leonard's best efforts by a long shot.
Rating:
Summary: Not one of Dutch's best.
Review: Jack is a former minor league ballplayer who dabbles in breaking and entering. That is when he's not engaged in more legitimate endeavors like carpet cleaning or picking cucumbers. Nancy is a risk taking party girl with a mean streak a mile long. The Big Bounce is largely about the odd relationship between these two rather unsympathetic characters. Nancy wants to use Jack to pull off a big heist. Jack pretty much just lives from day to day. The words loyalty, ambition and commitment evidently are not part of his vocabulary.
Elmore Leonard's talent for writing realistic dialogue is well represented here. As is his signature habit of populating his books with quirky characters. The plot is somewhat on the thin side and a few of the scenes appear to have been added in for padding. The Big Bounce is an easy and amusing read. But not one of Leonard's best efforts by a long shot.
Rating:
Summary: Elmore, entertaining as always
Review: Jack Ryan is a small-time migrant worker/burgular/baseball player who's never accomplished much, aside from getting arrested a couple of times and finding a job as a hotel handyman. Nancy Hayes is a rich man's girlfriend who's made a life out of taking advantage of men and whose idea of a good time is shooting out windows and running people off the road. When the two of them get together, Nancy sees a guy who can help her latest boyfriend pay off, while Jack just sees someone attractive and interesting, but whom he can't quite figure out.It's hard not to like any of Elmore Leonard's books; the characters are always shady, the plots are always interesting, and the dialogue is always fantastic. The Big Bounce is no different, though the ending is a little odd. This isn't Leonard's best book, but it's still entertaining and a pretty quick read. If you like Leonard's other work, you won't be disappointed with this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Exactly
Review: Just to ad to what Sarah Partridge wrote: Jack Ryan is best known as Tom Clancy's man, played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and possibly Ben Affleck next. Jack Foley is the character from Out of Sight that Clooney brought to life. I haven't read this book, but I gave it 4 stars out of respect for the author.
Rating:
Summary: "New" Novel More for Leonard Completists Than Newcomers
Review: Leonard's "new" book was actually written in the mid-1960s, I suspect. Whether it's a novel long out of print or simply an unpublished work, "The Big Bounce" is more for Leonard completists than newcomers. Hard-luck protagonist Jack Ryan loses his job at a migrant camp in Michigan after assaulting his crew leader. Resort owner Walter Majestyk hires Jack, despite the fact that his old boss, Bob Jr., told him to leave town. Bob Jr. and migrant camp owner Ray Ritchie are seeing Nancy on the side, unbeknownst to each other. Once Nancy learns that Jack's past consists of a life of crime, she seduces him into a plot to steal $50,000 from Ray. Those who found Leonard's last few books to be a bit tepid might also be disappointed in "The Big Bounce." Aside from being a dated piece of work, the novel falls more comfortably into a romance fantasy than traditional Leonard crime. Still, the impeccable characterisation and the way the plot pits characters against each other is indicative of Leonard's earlier works. Those looking for another "Ryan's Rules" or "Get Shorty" won't find as much bite here. If anything, "The Big Bounce" serves best as a means to chronicle Leonard's progession than fulfilling the need for an all-new Leonard novel (no more sequels, please).
Rating:
Summary: "New" Novel More for Leonard Completists Than Newcomers
Review: Leonard's "new" book was actually written in the mid-1960s, I suspect. Whether it's a novel long out of print or simply an unpublished work, "The Big Bounce" is more for Leonard completists than newcomers. Hard-luck protagonist Jack Ryan loses his job at a migrant camp in Michigan after assaulting his crew leader. Resort owner Walter Majestyk hires Jack, despite the fact that his old boss, Bob Jr., told him to leave town. Bob Jr. and migrant camp owner Ray Ritchie are seeing Nancy on the side, unbeknownst to each other. Once Nancy learns that Jack's past consists of a life of crime, she seduces him into a plot to steal $50,000 from Ray. Those who found Leonard's last few books to be a bit tepid might also be disappointed in "The Big Bounce." Aside from being a dated piece of work, the novel falls more comfortably into a romance fantasy than traditional Leonard crime. Still, the impeccable characterisation and the way the plot pits characters against each other is indicative of Leonard's earlier works. Those looking for another "Ryan's Rules" or "Get Shorty" won't find as much bite here. If anything, "The Big Bounce" serves best as a means to chronicle Leonard's progession than fulfilling the need for an all-new Leonard novel (no more sequels, please).
Rating: 
Summary: Meaningless, without a center, disappointing
Review: Leonard's style is to create strong, engaging characters and "see what happens." This story has neither interesting characters, nor does very much happen. Leonard is also famous for looking into the lives of petty crooks - but these are among the pettiest. A couple of selfish and self-indulgent losers get their kicks throwing rocks through the windows of homes. The readers are invited to giggle with glee at the stupid fools who live within, and stumble into the night to see what has happened. I tossed this book after reading the first half - a first for me. I have read every Elmore Leonard I could get my hands on. But this one, I couldn't wait get rid of. Skip this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Small Bounce
Review: Sorry Mr. Leonard, but this book is awful. Where's the argument, the plot, the meaning. Where's the sense. It's the second and last Leonard's book in my list.
Rating:
Summary: Noir and don't you forget it.
Review: The big bounce threw me until I realize it was in the tradition of the noir such as I married a Dead Man, The Postman always rings twice, The Killer inside of me and Pick-up. It was't going to follow the more modern concrete line but a more abstract plot. If classic noir isn't your strong point you might be totally lost if you expect a version of Mr.Paradise, Rum Punch or others of his work. The characters are strong, the plot is noir which might seem pointless or weak to those expecting a 'traditional' mystery. [Agatha Christie is over to the left thank you.] The play between the thrill seeker in life and those who just coast a long is strong. It is suprising who wins in the end or do they? If you are looking for a nice tight sewed up ending where the bad guys are carted off to jail and everything is sewn up neatly in a cute little package.. Aggie, the Cat who, and Sandford is off to the left thank you. If you want a bit of intellectual exercise or just plain miss the old noir of the 30s to the 50s come on down. It is a real rare bird these days.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this book!
Review: The most astonishing and strange thing about this book I find are the quotes from newspapers saying it's a great book. When I finished the book I thought the clue, story and good ending everyone is talking about were simply missing as I bought it secondhand on a trip trough China. I found out that the book really has no ending, no suspense, no clue and no good reason te read it. Too bad I just found out after I finished it. It's really a question of whether it should be called a story. I have no clue why someone would read or write it, as it is about as interesting as listening in on a conversation between some dull people on a train.
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