MovieChat Forums > Jack Reacher (2012) Discussion > Jack Reacher, the novel (Killing Floor)

Jack Reacher, the novel (Killing Floor)

posted 9 years ago by Hanz-Willhelm
15 replies | jump to latest

I just read Killing Floor and was interested in talking it over with those who have read it. I checked out the Lee Childs board but it was very dead so I figured there'd be more traffic on the movie board.

Of course I'm going to give away what happens so spoilers...duh. I really like it a lot, it only took 4 days to read it. I saw the movie first so I did notice some of the differences.

In the movie Cruise was kind of a trained martial arts fighter. In the novel, he fought and won mostly but it was more of just brute strength, fighting tough and dirty, being smart and having a plan (he's been there, done that before) rather than being some trained MMA, karate, hand to hand combat expert.

I didn't completely see the ending coming, I figured some twist was on its way but I didn't predict the FBI friend. I did get annoyed the moment Roscoe got shipped off somewhere by herself. I figured that was going to go bad someway or another. I thought it was stupid. They had already committed to always staying together (safety in numbers) because they didn't know who the bad guys were (not all at least) and the butcher squad had already come once, Reacher, Roscoe and Finlay needed to stay together, not separate like that.

I was bummed they killed the girl in the Atlanta airport but I didn't like how they did it. It was very believable to me. I've flown through Atlanta and what he described seemed unbelievable. The way she got off the plane and they could see each other but the hoard of people just pushed her on against her will into the baggage claim "room" and Reacher couldn't get to her and then she's dragged into the "behind the scenes" area of the baggage claim. I was like "what?". That was totally unbelievable that he was standing right there waiting for her to get off the plane, she saw Reacher and wanted to go to him but she couldn't move against the flood of people going the other way. I've never seen an airport like that ever and I've flown through Atlanta and that wasn't even close to what I experienced. Other than the way they explained her death I really liked the rest.

I also thought Hubble was dead, I was surprised he showed up alive at the end. I thought him knowing exactly where to go in the entire state (within a couple of blocks) just by deduction of what he knew...even picking all the cities he was moving around in was a little far fetched too but hey, he's the hero, we cut him a little slack in how smart and invincible he is.

How did others like the book?
Checkmate!
Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! 🇩🇪🇺🇸

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

To me, The Killing floor was the best of the lot and I've read them all.

As you said, Reacher's the hero, so you cut some slack, but I think Child has researched things sufficiently enoug to make a fairly believable book.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] Hanz-Willhelm 9 years ago

I'm currently reading a different book but when I finish the book I'm currently on I own the 2nd Reacher novel "Die Trying" and will read that.

Checkmate!
Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! 🇩🇪🇺🇸

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

That's the second novel, Dye trying. I liked it, too. Reminded me of something David Morrell would write.

I just finished Make me. Don't know if you've read it, but if what you're saying is true about Child ending the series, based on Make me, I'm more inclined to the end being Reacher settling down, than him dying.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

I think it's time to end Reacher,one way or another. Child's been writing him for 20 years now. Reacher is close to 60. It's time.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

It's time.

I love the character and have read the entire series and IMO Make Me is the worst of the series. Just filled with pages of waffle and one of the most unlikely plots you'd ever come across. Seriously can't see Tom rushing out to film this one ... a major disappointment.🐭

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

"Personal" was worse, IMO. "Make me" sort of reminded me of some older books, so it was OK, but the overall quality is definitely dropping.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (2212087) 9 years ago

I hate to say it, but I started to read "Personal" and got about 40 pages into in and thought, "Nah, can't be bothered."

I must add, I have read all the earlier Reacher books and am a fairly fast reader (probably could have read it in a couple of days), but just couldn't raise any interest in it. Everything about it felt so pedestrian.

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

Child had a great idea and the basic premise is good, but it was the writing that annoyed me. It was very forced. Seemed very aggressive at times. The way he formulated some sentences and passages often made me kinda nervous, gave off a bad mojo. The part with the giant and his house was cool, but unnecessary.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] Nikon11 9 years ago

Ha, yes. I just finished, Make Me, and I have to agree.

Like many authors, after more than a few books, they sometimes start to become somewhat formulaic.

Reacher's travelling, and somehow, randomly gets involved in some sort of local small-town crime syndicate. Usually his involvement is the result of meeting someone, typically a young woman, who's being victimised by said criminals. He reluctantly helps out, sleeps with the woman, kills and maims a few bad guys, gets taken prisoner or the woman does, gets out of it, destroys the criminal operation, and then moves on.

Sure, there are variations, but they’re all pretty similar, and I know what I’m getting into when I read them.

[–] Hanz-Willhelm 9 years ago

I recently finished reading Die Trying and one thought occurred to me. How does this one guy who is just staying off of the grid and roaming the U.S. from place to place end up in so many of these intense, deadly situations. It is a little far fetched. I enjoyed the two novels and I enjoyed the film but it does kind of seem like lighting is striking the same guy a few too many times.

Mitch Rapp, the hero from the Vince Flynn novels is always in life and death situations but it is more believable because he is an anti-terrorism government agent dealing with terror threats all over the world. It's his job.

For a guy to just be wandering around, minding his own business, A LOT of stuff sure falls right into his lap. Just the two novels I've read, he just happens to get off a bus, by whim, in the one little town in the U.S. where something going down and it involves his family. Then in Die Trying, he just happens to be in that city and walking at the wrong place at the wrong time just as something goes down to pull him in against his will.

They are fun but part of me just looks at what type of mathematical odds and probabilities are beaten. It's like he picked the winning lottery numbers ten straight times.

I'm just noting it.

Checkmate!
Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! 🇩🇪🇺🇸

[–] Beauq81 9 years ago

Not in every book. In some he is sought after by the government or people from his past, a few are prequels, from his time in the army, and others are like you say - he gets of the bus and into trouble.

Fighting a religious war is like fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

[–] lippysyd 9 years ago

I read The Killing Floor after seeing the movie. I thought the Reacher from the movie had a bit more confidence than the one in the book. (I liked the movie Reacher better) I plan on reading the rest of the series, so it will be interesting to see how the character progresses.