I feel like the book really suffers from it being his first and us looking at it from a 2022 lens. Knowing that Childs was very involved with the show I wonder how many of the changes are things he wanted to adjust looking back on that first work. I felt like the changes are fixes we would all like to make looking back on our behavior form 20-30 years ago.
Look at me, I'm Lee Child: It was hot. And sunny. June. A guy was walking. Fast. It was morning. He walked down an alley. He turned left. Then left again. He was jumped. A guy in a mask. He hit hard. So hard it was lethal.
I didn't even know there was a show, and I picked up the book for the first time a few days ago, hah! It was just a random pick. Wanted some fun non-stop action. Can't wait to watch the show after I've finished the book! I haven't actually seen the movies, either.
You will LOVE the show (maybe even the movies) I thought they did a great job lightly editing the book to keep things moving from episode to episode and they got the idea of Jack Reacher down.
I 100% agree. the dialogue, the prose, the James Bondesque Invincibility and womanizing are lacking in this first book. but they get better and better. Im about 6 in and im enjoying myself
I really liked the Tom Cruise movies, but was never even tempted to pick up the books as I tend to find adaptations in this genre to be way more entertaining. I haven't watched the series yet as I am currently still in a fluffy K-drama phase that seems to center around mild urban fantasy with a touch of romcom my current sweet spot :D
I figured after 3 solid adaptations and the subsequent furor from the Reacher fanboys it was time to dive into the source material. In hindsight, that was a mistake.
thanks so much for your primer on jack reacher! i work in a public library and lee child is an author that is so coveted but i didn't quite get the hype. same with patterson, baldacci and john grisham. i haven't read it, but the show seems like a good place to start!
I read the book after I watched the show and you encapsulated all my views about both the book and series. My favorite difference between the two was the character Roscoe is better in the show. I liked Kliner better in the book, but Roscoe in the show is an actual character. Roscoe in the book is a damsel in distress and that is it.
Not a dude bro and have never read the books but I throughly enjoyed the series! Like you said David, I think a bit of it was nostalgia, good old bad guy wins over good guys à la Die Hard with violence and swearing but also lots of humor. Can’t wait for the second series!
Good review on book vs. show for Reacher. I like a few of tge reacher books but some I couldn’t even finish they were so bad. My favorite fun read is Prey series. I hope it’d be made into a show like Reacher.
I read the first Reacher novel awhile ago because I worked in a bookstore and men kept recommending Lee Child's (and Tom Clancy's, and Clive Cussler's) books. And I couldn't stand it (or the others). I am not the audience for sure, not a boomer, not male, but it was so, as you say, cringey. I got through one of each of those authors' books and just couldn't bring myself to pick up another one. But, they do work well when adapted to film or TV. So maybe I'll try the show
Their simplicity (I know, a bit of a backhanded snub) is perfectly suited to television! Nothing too chewy or complex here - but maybe I'm just not a sophisticated TV watcher.
hahahaha! I am pretty new to your channel but I love you already. Would you say Jack Reacher is a Mary Sue? That's what it looks like to me, so I'm kinda waiting for the alpha males to go after the showrunners.
I wouldn't go that far, at least not based on the first book/series. Who knows where it could go though? In both cases he's more punchy than anything, with a dash of careful observation but certainly not like magically an expert in what this particular case involves. (and thanks!)
No such thing as manslpaining. Its just called explaining. If a women explains something nobody calls it womansplaining lol. Its a term used by feminists that dont like being told something by men. Thats it. And men who use the term are lacking testosterone, simply put, are pathetic excuses for men who never got laid or they had their balls cut off by wives who wear the pants or think that if they appear on the side of women it will do wonders for their image. Self conscious, insecure people who care what other people think about them. True growth is not caring what anybody thinks about them. Man or woman.
Reacher is all white hat sherif rides into town, sets to rights, and rides off again into the sunset. Great American frontier myth, engaging, entertaining, forgettable. Read at least the first 20 novels, got turned off eventually by the simmering misanthropy and misogyny. Cruise has his chops, but he is not Reacher. The new series looks good, will be giving it a try. Who doesn‘t like an action film (except our cat, who leaves the room….). Thanks for the review, enlightening as always. 💫🙂
Cats just want baking shows and cozy mysteries. Man riding into town, righting wrongs before departing is such a simple through line but easy to get wrong, get fussy or just try and do too much. When it's kept nice and simple, sure you can sniff at the basic-ness of it all but it what's wrong with wanting a bit of simple action? Reacher gets it right. Hope you enjoy the series!
After watching the series, definitely liked it. Would likely have skipped it without your review, and missed some fine entertainment. Excellent acting and fight scenes, characters for the most part given a bit of depth and dimension. Some parts were quite moving. Loved Lee Childs’ walk on in the last episode, and the perplexed look on Reacher’s face as they passed in the diner. And yes, sometimes just a good, entertaining story is what we need. In addition to cooking shows and cozies, cats also like rom coms….🙈😹
I just finished the show last night and it was good fun but nothing special. I did read the book but cannot remember a thing about it. I've read most of the books and they're just good formulaic stuff. Brain candy.
I'd be happy with formulaic brain candy - but I went in with some expectations given the cult around Reacher that's warranted 3 movie/TV adaptations and a long string of best-selling novels. I at least expected a quick, easy read but with book 1 I just kept getting pulled out of the story and jarred by the disconnect between what I was reading on the page and what I'd seen onscreen.
I think the tv series understands the limitations of the source material and just works within those confines. It just doesn't grate as much because you're not slogging through all. those. short. sentences.
Reacher is a modern western.
I feel like the book really suffers from it being his first and us looking at it from a 2022 lens. Knowing that Childs was very involved with the show I wonder how many of the changes are things he wanted to adjust looking back on that first work. I felt like the changes are fixes we would all like to make looking back on our behavior form 20-30 years ago.
I'm reading it for the first time. Sure, it's a lil dated, but not terribly and I'm still having fun.
@@marileecornelius1777 I enjoyed it. There was just little stuff that felt dated. And to should because it wasn’t written yesterday.
Look at me, I'm Lee Child: It was hot. And sunny. June. A guy was walking. Fast. It was morning. He walked down an alley. He turned left. Then left again. He was jumped. A guy in a mask. He hit hard. So hard it was lethal.
Damn, that was uncanny!
If you've ever seen the old tv series "Bully Beat Down," that's what the Reacher series is, a bully beat down.
I love Reacher in the books. He's just so quirky. Then again I also think Bobby Goren is the best tv character in the world.
"Harlequin romance movie, except for middle-aged dad-bros" made me guffaw loudly.
Dad's do love that kind of book tho...
I didn't even know there was a show, and I picked up the book for the first time a few days ago, hah! It was just a random pick. Wanted some fun non-stop action. Can't wait to watch the show after I've finished the book! I haven't actually seen the movies, either.
You will LOVE the show (maybe even the movies) I thought they did a great job lightly editing the book to keep things moving from episode to episode and they got the idea of Jack Reacher down.
I 100% agree. the dialogue, the prose, the James Bondesque Invincibility and womanizing are lacking in this first book. but they get better and better. Im about 6 in and im enjoying myself
Also, he doesn't sing out loud! He's singing *to himself*, in his brain, to keep him occupied haha.
Dare I say, I may check out Reacher now? That is not something I thought I’d say today! Great video as always, thanks for being my booktube dad ❤️
You know what you're in for going in. Pure, actiony comfort food - just don't think about it too much!
You enjoy it? I loved it.
I really liked the Tom Cruise movies, but was never even tempted to pick up the books as I tend to find adaptations in this genre to be way more entertaining. I haven't watched the series yet as I am currently still in a fluffy K-drama phase that seems to center around mild urban fantasy with a touch of romcom my current sweet spot :D
I figured after 3 solid adaptations and the subsequent furor from the Reacher fanboys it was time to dive into the source material. In hindsight, that was a mistake.
Great video. I snort laughed through it. Loved Amazon’s Reacher. I snort laughed through that too.
Gonna assume a snort laugh is slightly better than laugh as air blowing through the nose but less than a legitimate guffaw.
I agree! The series is better than the book, and the book is great.
I'd quibble on the great for the book but the show definitely warrants another season!
thanks so much for your primer on jack reacher! i work in a public library and lee child is an author that is so coveted but i didn't quite get the hype. same with patterson, baldacci and john grisham. i haven't read it, but the show seems like a good place to start!
Show is probably the better place to start - maybe the books get better over time cause that first one was a slog!
Imagine when reacher harms an innocent individual and her family. That actually feed my neighbors gog Buddy. I bought him big bags of gravy train ,
I read the book after I watched the show and you encapsulated all my views about both the book and series. My favorite difference between the two was the character Roscoe is better in the show. I liked Kliner better in the book, but Roscoe in the show is an actual character. Roscoe in the book is a damsel in distress and that is it.
Kinda given up on Lee Childs but so stoked for season two of Reacher!
Not a dude bro and have never read the books but I throughly enjoyed the series! Like you said David, I think a bit of it was nostalgia, good old bad guy wins over good guys à la Die Hard with violence and swearing but also lots of humor. Can’t wait for the second series!
Nothing wrong with a little good guy beats bad guy simplicity once in awhile. Will have to keep my eye out for them shooting this summer.
Good review on book vs. show for Reacher. I like a few of tge reacher books but some I couldn’t even finish they were so bad. My favorite fun read is Prey series. I hope it’d be made into a show like Reacher.
Thanks! Yeah, not eager to dive back into the Reacher series anytime soon but will be there for season 2 of Reacher on Amazon at least.
Loved this! Jack Reacher is just so fun.
The show was great!
@@ThePoptimist I watched the first 5 episodes. I really like the fact that it does follow the book, and Reacher is well casted
I read the first Reacher novel awhile ago because I worked in a bookstore and men kept recommending Lee Child's (and Tom Clancy's, and Clive Cussler's) books. And I couldn't stand it (or the others). I am not the audience for sure, not a boomer, not male, but it was so, as you say, cringey. I got through one of each of those authors' books and just couldn't bring myself to pick up another one. But, they do work well when adapted to film or TV. So maybe I'll try the show
Their simplicity (I know, a bit of a backhanded snub) is perfectly suited to television! Nothing too chewy or complex here - but maybe I'm just not a sophisticated TV watcher.
hahahaha! I am pretty new to your channel but I love you already. Would you say Jack Reacher is a Mary Sue? That's what it looks like to me, so I'm kinda waiting for the alpha males to go after the showrunners.
I wouldn't go that far, at least not based on the first book/series. Who knows where it could go though? In both cases he's more punchy than anything, with a dash of careful observation but certainly not like magically an expert in what this particular case involves. (and thanks!)
"the constant mansplaining" really dude?
No such thing as manslpaining. Its just called explaining. If a women explains something nobody calls it womansplaining lol. Its a term used by feminists that dont like being told something by men. Thats it. And men who use the term are lacking testosterone, simply put, are pathetic excuses for men who never got laid or they had their balls cut off by wives who wear the pants or think that if they appear on the side of women it will do wonders for their image. Self conscious, insecure people who care what other people think about them. True growth is not caring what anybody thinks about them. Man or woman.
Reacher is all white hat sherif rides into town, sets to rights, and rides off again into the sunset. Great American frontier myth, engaging, entertaining, forgettable. Read at least the first 20 novels, got turned off eventually by the simmering misanthropy and misogyny. Cruise has his chops, but he is not Reacher. The new series looks good, will be giving it a try. Who doesn‘t like an action film (except our cat, who leaves the room….). Thanks for the review, enlightening as always. 💫🙂
Cats just want baking shows and cozy mysteries. Man riding into town, righting wrongs before departing is such a simple through line but easy to get wrong, get fussy or just try and do too much. When it's kept nice and simple, sure you can sniff at the basic-ness of it all but it what's wrong with wanting a bit of simple action? Reacher gets it right. Hope you enjoy the series!
After watching the series, definitely liked it. Would likely have skipped it without your review, and missed some fine entertainment. Excellent acting and fight scenes, characters for the most part given a bit of depth and dimension. Some parts were quite moving. Loved Lee Childs’ walk on in the last episode, and the perplexed look on Reacher’s face as they passed in the diner. And yes, sometimes just a good, entertaining story is what we need. In addition to cooking shows and cozies, cats also like rom coms….🙈😹
I just finished the show last night and it was good fun but nothing special. I did read the book but cannot remember a thing about it. I've read most of the books and they're just good formulaic stuff. Brain candy.
I'd be happy with formulaic brain candy - but I went in with some expectations given the cult around Reacher that's warranted 3 movie/TV adaptations and a long string of best-selling novels. I at least expected a quick, easy read but with book 1 I just kept getting pulled out of the story and jarred by the disconnect between what I was reading on the page and what I'd seen onscreen.
😂😂😂
I clicked on this thinking I was getting a review by a man. Instead I got a terrible review by a woman.
I read the first few books in the Jack Reacher series and got bored. Sounds like the tv series focuses on the good parts.
I think the tv series understands the limitations of the source material and just works within those confines. It just doesn't grate as much because you're not slogging through all. those. short. sentences.