Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "NATHAN RUBIN DIED because he got brave..." (more)
Key Phrases: punishment hut, jumpy guy, tech chief, Holly Johnson, General Johnson, Beau Borken (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Television writer Lee Child's otherwise riveting first thriller, Killing Floor, was criticized by some reviewers because of an unconvincing coincidence at its center. Child addresses that problem in his second book--and thumbs his nose at those reviewers--by having his hero, ex-military policeman Jack Reacher, just happen to be walking by a Chicago dry cleaner when an attractive young FBI agent named Holly Johnson comes out carrying nine expensive outfits and a crutch to support her soccer-injured knee. As Holly stumbles, Reacher grabs her and her garments--which gets him kidnapped along with her by a trio of very determined badguys. "He had no problem with how he had gotten grabbed up in the first place," Child writes. "Just a freak of chance had put him alongside Holly Johnson at the exact time the snatch was going down. He was comfortable with that. He understood freak chances. Life was built out of freak chances, however much people would like to pretend otherwise." Lucky for Holly--whose father just happens to be an Army general and current head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, thus making her a tempting target for a bunch of Montana-based extremists--Reacher still has all the skills and strengths associated with his former occupation. And Child still knows how to write scenes of violent action better than virtually anyone else around. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Jack Reacher is in both the wrong and the right place at the same time when FBI Special Agent and daughter of the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Holly Johnson is abducted from a Chicago street. It is the wrong place because Reacher, a former army major drifting around the country, is kidnapped as well. It is the right place because only he has the instincts to foil the complex, deadly plan of the kidnappers, a Montana militia group headed by a charismatic, brilliant, but psychotic leader. Child's tale, very well read by Dick Hill, engrossingly portrays Reacher's efforts to manipulate the captors; the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the FBI, the army, and the White House; and the many unexpected roadblocks thrown in his path. Child devotes too much time, however, to the predictable rantings of the militia. Recommended for public libraries.?Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr., New York
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Jove (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515142247
• ISBN-13: 978-0515142242
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (138 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,566 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Jack Reacher Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Jack Bauer. . .er. . . Reacher Always Gets the Job Done, June 8, 2006

By	D. R. Jeanclerc "Reader, Listener & Obsessive... (Brunswick, OH USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Die Trying" is the second installment in Lee Child's popular Jack Reacher series. Reacher is an ex-Army-MP-turned-vigilante-drifter, a tough guy with an unflinching sense of right and wrong who always manages to stumble into a situation in need of his style of correction.

In this book, Reacher happens on to the kidnapping of a government worker and not only ends up being snatched along with the target but also gets [...] as the prime suspect after being identified by witnesses. Bad luck for Reacher - worse luck for the bad guys. As Reacher uses his MP background to put together the clues, he discovers that this is no ordinary kidnapping of any ordinary person and that the perpetrators are out for much more than simple ransom. He has to solve the mysteries, save the girl, and stop the growing conspiracy - all before the nationwide manhunt mistakenly takes him down. It's all in a day's work for Jack Reacher.

The Reacher series is a throwback in action writing, unencumbered by modern sensitivities and moral ambiguities that plague so many other contemporary heroes. All characters are cut-and-dry either on the side of right or wrong, women are typically fodder for rescue and/or quick, passionate affairs, and all problems can be solved with the right mixture of brains and force. This world view can sometimes lead the books down a path of being overly simplistic or even hokey, but ultimately Reacher's charisma and conviction make for worthwhile Summer reading. Pacing is typically swift as Child's background as a television writer becomes apparent with each passing chapter. Book after book, the Reacher series is a mixture of "24", "CSI" and even a little bit of "McGyver".

"Die Trying" is a good volume in the Reacher series. It signals the beginning of the shift from Reacher as pure tough-guy action hero to mystery sleuth, which adds some needed depth. It's not quite as well-written as "The Enemy" or "Running Blind", but definitely worth a pickup for all Reacher fans.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack Reacher the Hero of the 21st Century., April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Die Trying is the sensational sequel to Killing Floor by Lee Child. If you haven't read Killing Floor I would recommend doing so before you read this book as it provides a basis for Reacher's character realism. As before the main character is Jack Reacher, ex military policeman and all round superhero. Reacher is intelligent, deductive and physically prodigous, so if you like heroes of the elite variety then this is the character for you. If you prefer cardiganed librarians and lack the ability to suspend disbelief (an essential criteria for FICTION readers) avoid this book as the storyline is astounding with a capital ASTOUND. Lee Child has produced a book that captivates and ensnares its readers with suspense, intrigue and a plot with more twists than a bowl of particularly tangled spaghetti. A man mountain of a psychopath, a beautiful FBI agent with more secrets than the FBI itself, moles galore and the president of the United States, all come together in the valleys of Montana, in a literary feast. If that isn't enough there's even a spot of romance (but not too much). All in all a book for those of us who believe in a world where heroes do exist.

28 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Jack Reacher takes on the right wing militia., August 16, 2001

By	E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Die Trying (Jack Reacher, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Holly Johnson is a spunky FBI agent who is suddenly snatched off a Chicago street while picking up her dry cleaning. She also happens to be the daughter of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Jack Reacher is in the neighborhood, and he is kidnapped along with Holly. Do the bad guys immediately kill him just as they kill almost everyone else they get their hands on? Of course not!

"Die Trying" deals with a right wing militia based in (where else?) Montana, led by a disgusting villain named Beau Borken. Borken wants to set up his own country, since he is convinced that the United States has become a corrupt and unfriendly place. Kidnapping Holly Johnson is just one element in his master plan to lash out at the United States government.

Borken and his henchmen do not take Jack Reacher's skills into consideration when they decide to let him live. Reacher can shoot any weapon, and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of trajectory and bullet speed. He is a tremendous marksman and can kill anyone with his bare hands in a matter of seconds. Reacher can almost always anticipate what the bad guys are planning and he generally comes up with a clever plan to stop them. On top of all these qualities, he is fearless, compassionate, intuitive, and loyal.

"Die Trying" is extremely violent, even within the conventions of this genre. Not only is the body count very high, but the people who die do not go gently into that good night. They often suffer agonizing and gruesome deaths. Beau Borken is a hissable villain, although he is so obviously insane that it is hard to imagine why anyone would listen to him.

Although this is a fast moving and action-packed thriller, the plot make little sense and the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes. Child has written what is basically a macho fairy tale for fans of escapist adventure novels.