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Jack Reacher #8
The Enemy
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING JACK REACHER SERIES THAT INSPIRED TWO MAJOR MOTION PICTURES AND THE STREAMING SERIES REACHER
“A thriller that gallops at a breakneck pace.”— Chicago Sun-Times
Jack Reacher. Hero. Loner. Soldier. Soldier’s son. An elite military cop, he was one of the army’s brightest stars. But in every cop’s life there is one case that changes everything. For Jack Reacher, this is that case.
New Year’s Day, 1990. In a North Carolina motel, a two-star general is found dead. His briefcase is missing. Nobody knows what was in it. Within minutes Reacher has his orders: Control the situation. Within hours the general’s wife is murdered. Then the dominoes really start to fall.
Somewhere inside the vast worldwide fortress that is the U.S. Army, Reacher is being set up as a fall guy with the worst enemies a man can have. But Reacher won’t quit. He’s fighting a new kind of war—against an enemy he didn’t know he had. And against a conspiracy more chilling, ingenious, and treacherous than anyone could have guessed.
The Enemy, like most of the books in the Jack Reacher series, can be read as a standalone thriller.
“A thriller that gallops at a breakneck pace.”— Chicago Sun-Times
Jack Reacher. Hero. Loner. Soldier. Soldier’s son. An elite military cop, he was one of the army’s brightest stars. But in every cop’s life there is one case that changes everything. For Jack Reacher, this is that case.
New Year’s Day, 1990. In a North Carolina motel, a two-star general is found dead. His briefcase is missing. Nobody knows what was in it. Within minutes Reacher has his orders: Control the situation. Within hours the general’s wife is murdered. Then the dominoes really start to fall.
Somewhere inside the vast worldwide fortress that is the U.S. Army, Reacher is being set up as a fall guy with the worst enemies a man can have. But Reacher won’t quit. He’s fighting a new kind of war—against an enemy he didn’t know he had. And against a conspiracy more chilling, ingenious, and treacherous than anyone could have guessed.
The Enemy, like most of the books in the Jack Reacher series, can be read as a standalone thriller.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 11, 2004
10072 people are currently reading
52284 people want to read
About the author
Lee Child
442 books34.2k followersLee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,239 reviews
February 20, 2013
OK, I will admit it....after not even paying attention to Lee Child's name in the bookstores all these years, I am now a committed Jack Reacher fan. And it even pains me more to reveal that it was the Tom Cruise movie that motivated me to start reading the series! (Ouch...that hurt just to type)
But, whether you go to see the movie or just want a fun read, I highly recommend these novels. I have read two now and am on my third. Same engaging character (Reacher,) great plot lines, wonderful supporting character development, and best of all, a nice pace to the story.
After seeing the movie, I researched a little, and found out that "The Enemy" was the eighth in the Reacher series but actually was a pre-quel to the first novel Child wrote. There are conflicting opinions as to whether you should read the books in order or start with this pre-quel. For whatever it's worth, I think reading "The Enemy" first is a great move. It really gives you a terrific insight into what makes Reacher tick and therefore gives the reader an improved perspective into the character as he is developed in the remainder of the series.
"The Enemy" starts off a tad slow in pace but as you read on, you realize it is all part of the development of the main character. Reacher is a product of life in the military. He was literally born while his father was an active soldier. This is important as you move into the later books in the series because it helps you understand the way he approaches almost everything in life...problems, people, relationships, eating....literally "everything!"
Do NOT get thrown off by the author's repeated use of the phrase "I said nothing." Just keep yourself in check and put the phrase into the context of YOUR understanding of "Reacher." This is an important tidbit because otherwise, the phrase will drive you nuts after a while. Just keep in mind exactly who this guy is, how he got there, and how different his view of the world has been compared to yours.
So with that, you are on your own to either pursue "The Enemy" or not! However, be forewarned, if you DO choose to try a Child novel, my bet is you won't be able to read just one.
But, whether you go to see the movie or just want a fun read, I highly recommend these novels. I have read two now and am on my third. Same engaging character (Reacher,) great plot lines, wonderful supporting character development, and best of all, a nice pace to the story.
After seeing the movie, I researched a little, and found out that "The Enemy" was the eighth in the Reacher series but actually was a pre-quel to the first novel Child wrote. There are conflicting opinions as to whether you should read the books in order or start with this pre-quel. For whatever it's worth, I think reading "The Enemy" first is a great move. It really gives you a terrific insight into what makes Reacher tick and therefore gives the reader an improved perspective into the character as he is developed in the remainder of the series.
"The Enemy" starts off a tad slow in pace but as you read on, you realize it is all part of the development of the main character. Reacher is a product of life in the military. He was literally born while his father was an active soldier. This is important as you move into the later books in the series because it helps you understand the way he approaches almost everything in life...problems, people, relationships, eating....literally "everything!"
Do NOT get thrown off by the author's repeated use of the phrase "I said nothing." Just keep yourself in check and put the phrase into the context of YOUR understanding of "Reacher." This is an important tidbit because otherwise, the phrase will drive you nuts after a while. Just keep in mind exactly who this guy is, how he got there, and how different his view of the world has been compared to yours.
So with that, you are on your own to either pursue "The Enemy" or not! However, be forewarned, if you DO choose to try a Child novel, my bet is you won't be able to read just one.
June 5, 2020
Although this is the eighth book to be published in the Jack Reacher series, it's a prequel to the others. It begins on New Year's Eve, as 1989 is turning into 1990. At the time, Reacher is still in the army and has just been transferred from Panama to Fort Bird, North Carolina. While almost everyone else is out celebrating, Reacher is the Military Police duty officer on the post when a two star general is found dead in a sleazy motel thirty miles from the base.
It appears that the married general has died of a heart attack while in the middle of having sex with a cheap hooker. By the time Reacher arrives, the hooker is long gone and so is the general's briefcase. Reacher's orders are to contain the situation so that the army will not be embarrassed. But what seems like a minor problem that can be solved relatively easily, turns into something much, much larger when Reacher finds the general's widow murdered miles away in Virginia. It also turns out that a very sensitive document is missing along with the general's briefcase.
The whole situation becomes very complicated and Reacher pairs up with a tough female M.P. named Summer to tackle the problem. He will find himself in a lot of trouble and in very grave danger as he digs into a situation that could ultimately threaten a lot of lives and careers, including his own. And, in the middle of all this, he has to deal with a critical family situation as well.
This is a very entertaining read that explains a lot about the army at the end of the Cold War and about the way in which the Military Police work. It also provides a lot of background about Reacher and his family that the reader hasn't learned before. Reacher, while younger, is his usual self and will naturally have to break a few heads along the way as he battles a boatload of adversaries, most all of whom are in the army as well and some of whom are his superior officers. All in all, a fun book with lots of action.
It appears that the married general has died of a heart attack while in the middle of having sex with a cheap hooker. By the time Reacher arrives, the hooker is long gone and so is the general's briefcase. Reacher's orders are to contain the situation so that the army will not be embarrassed. But what seems like a minor problem that can be solved relatively easily, turns into something much, much larger when Reacher finds the general's widow murdered miles away in Virginia. It also turns out that a very sensitive document is missing along with the general's briefcase.
The whole situation becomes very complicated and Reacher pairs up with a tough female M.P. named Summer to tackle the problem. He will find himself in a lot of trouble and in very grave danger as he digs into a situation that could ultimately threaten a lot of lives and careers, including his own. And, in the middle of all this, he has to deal with a critical family situation as well.
This is a very entertaining read that explains a lot about the army at the end of the Cold War and about the way in which the Military Police work. It also provides a lot of background about Reacher and his family that the reader hasn't learned before. Reacher, while younger, is his usual self and will naturally have to break a few heads along the way as he battles a boatload of adversaries, most all of whom are in the army as well and some of whom are his superior officers. All in all, a fun book with lots of action.
June 18, 2017
4.5/5
“You’re wasting your time,” I said. “And you’re making a big mistake. Because you really don’t want to make an enemy out of me.”
Absolutely brilliant.
You can’t go wrong with anything Lee Child has published. This is my eighth book I’ve read from him, and I can tell you that it totally exceeded my already high expectations. Such a fantastic read!
In this installment, Jack Reacher, way back when he was still a Military Police, had teamed up with Lieutenant Summer to investigate the killings of two soldiers and one civilian. Every time they thought they found some new clues, it turned out that what they got led them to nowhere. Every turn seemed like a dead end. The deeper their investigation went, the more complex the situation became. Reacher found himself fighting against the unknown enemy. The worst enemy. Their jobs were in jeopardy and they both might ultimately end up in jail. But Reacher never quits. There was no going back. No easy way out. The only way to get out of this mess was to win this fight.
Even though I felt like the action took a backseat to the suspense, it definitely had me hooked throughout. There was so much happening that I wished I could turn the pages fast enough because I desperately wanted to find out the truth behind these murders!
One of the things that impressed me about this book was that Reacher went from badass to super badass in such a strong way. Undoubtedly, with his cleverness, calmness, confidence, and unassailable character, Jack Reacher made The Enemy truly stand out from the crowd.
“Where’s the best place you ever served?”
I smiled. Gave her the same answer I give anyone who asks that question.
“Right here,” I said. “Right now.”
“Even with Willard on your back?”
“Willard’s nothing. He’ll be gone before I am.”
All in all, this was a very gripping and riveting suspense/crime mystery novel. For fans of this genre, this is a reading experience that you shouldn’t miss out on. Highly recommended!
**Each book in Jack Reacher series is a stand alone that can be read in any order.
“You’re wasting your time,” I said. “And you’re making a big mistake. Because you really don’t want to make an enemy out of me.”
Absolutely brilliant.
You can’t go wrong with anything Lee Child has published. This is my eighth book I’ve read from him, and I can tell you that it totally exceeded my already high expectations. Such a fantastic read!
In this installment, Jack Reacher, way back when he was still a Military Police, had teamed up with Lieutenant Summer to investigate the killings of two soldiers and one civilian. Every time they thought they found some new clues, it turned out that what they got led them to nowhere. Every turn seemed like a dead end. The deeper their investigation went, the more complex the situation became. Reacher found himself fighting against the unknown enemy. The worst enemy. Their jobs were in jeopardy and they both might ultimately end up in jail. But Reacher never quits. There was no going back. No easy way out. The only way to get out of this mess was to win this fight.
Even though I felt like the action took a backseat to the suspense, it definitely had me hooked throughout. There was so much happening that I wished I could turn the pages fast enough because I desperately wanted to find out the truth behind these murders!
One of the things that impressed me about this book was that Reacher went from badass to super badass in such a strong way. Undoubtedly, with his cleverness, calmness, confidence, and unassailable character, Jack Reacher made The Enemy truly stand out from the crowd.
“Where’s the best place you ever served?”
I smiled. Gave her the same answer I give anyone who asks that question.
“Right here,” I said. “Right now.”
“Even with Willard on your back?”
“Willard’s nothing. He’ll be gone before I am.”
All in all, this was a very gripping and riveting suspense/crime mystery novel. For fans of this genre, this is a reading experience that you shouldn’t miss out on. Highly recommended!
**Each book in Jack Reacher series is a stand alone that can be read in any order.
October 3, 2018
Superb, 5 Stars!
Child's best-ever writing, especially Reacher's personal life with brother Joe and his dying mother, poignant, honest and true. A gem. For the first time, after 8 books and 8 years of Reacher, Child produces pathos and real honour. Well done. Welcome to my favourite writers club.
And all this is wrapped in a deliciously complex military conspiracy. Wonderful.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Summer talking to Reacher about Kramer's wife:
"I came all this way and I've got nobody to hug."
Reacher: "Sounds like a country song. Then your truck breaks down and your dog dies."
Reacher's dying mother to him and brother Joe:
"I'll be dead. I won't be missing anything. It's you that will be missing me. Like you miss your father. Like I miss him. Like I miss my father, and my mother, and my grandparents. It's a part of life, missing the dead."
The farewell scenes with Joe and his dying mother are superbly handled by Child, poignant and true and with death calmly presiding. Perhaps the best scenes he's ever written.
Tanks
... the twentieth century's signature sound is the squeal and clatter of tank tracks on a paved street. That sound was heard in Warsaw, and Rotterdam, and Stalingrad, and Berlin. Then it was heard again in Budapest and Prague, and Seoul and Saigon. It's a brutal sound. It's the sound of fear. It speaks of a massive overwhelming advantage in power. And it speaks of remote, impersonal indifference. Tank treads squeal and clatter and the very noise they make tells you they can't be stopped. It tells you you're weak and powerless against the machine. Then one track stops and the other keeps on going and the tank wheels around and lurches straight towards you, roaring and squealing. That's the real twentieth-century sound.
Abrams tank
Full size image
Not really a spoiler .... *in my rarely humble opinion*
Summer to Reacher:
"Your mom died, and you're hurting, and you're closing in on yourself. But you shouldn't. You can't do this alone, Reacher. You can't live your whole life alone."
I shook my head. "It's not that," I said. "It's that I'm only guessing here. I'm holding my breath all the time. One long shot after another. And I don't want to fall flat on my face. Not right in front of you. You wouldn't respect me any more."
She said nothing.
"I know," I said. "You already don't respect me because you saw me naked."
She paused. Then she smiled.
Lots of Humvees in this book
I applied what the unofficial Humvee manual called 2-40 air conditioning, which meant you opened two windows and drove at forty miles an hour.
Humvee
Full size image
I never went back to Paris, either. I meant to. I thought I might go climb down under the Pont des Invalides, late at night, and just sniff the air. But it never happened. I was in the army, and I was always where someone else told me to be.
For me, one phrase sums up Reacher's life more than any other:
He didn't look back.
Reacher's ribbons (perhaps)
Full size image
The Silver Star medal
Full size image
The Soldier's Medal
Full size image
Expert Sharpshooter medals
Full size image
.
Child's best-ever writing, especially Reacher's personal life with brother Joe and his dying mother, poignant, honest and true. A gem. For the first time, after 8 books and 8 years of Reacher, Child produces pathos and real honour. Well done. Welcome to my favourite writers club.
And all this is wrapped in a deliciously complex military conspiracy. Wonderful.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Summer talking to Reacher about Kramer's wife:
"I came all this way and I've got nobody to hug."
Reacher: "Sounds like a country song. Then your truck breaks down and your dog dies."
Reacher's dying mother to him and brother Joe:
"I'll be dead. I won't be missing anything. It's you that will be missing me. Like you miss your father. Like I miss him. Like I miss my father, and my mother, and my grandparents. It's a part of life, missing the dead."
The farewell scenes with Joe and his dying mother are superbly handled by Child, poignant and true and with death calmly presiding. Perhaps the best scenes he's ever written.
Tanks
... the twentieth century's signature sound is the squeal and clatter of tank tracks on a paved street. That sound was heard in Warsaw, and Rotterdam, and Stalingrad, and Berlin. Then it was heard again in Budapest and Prague, and Seoul and Saigon. It's a brutal sound. It's the sound of fear. It speaks of a massive overwhelming advantage in power. And it speaks of remote, impersonal indifference. Tank treads squeal and clatter and the very noise they make tells you they can't be stopped. It tells you you're weak and powerless against the machine. Then one track stops and the other keeps on going and the tank wheels around and lurches straight towards you, roaring and squealing. That's the real twentieth-century sound.
Abrams tank
Full size image
Not really a spoiler .... *in my rarely humble opinion*
Summer to Reacher:
"Your mom died, and you're hurting, and you're closing in on yourself. But you shouldn't. You can't do this alone, Reacher. You can't live your whole life alone."
I shook my head. "It's not that," I said. "It's that I'm only guessing here. I'm holding my breath all the time. One long shot after another. And I don't want to fall flat on my face. Not right in front of you. You wouldn't respect me any more."
She said nothing.
"I know," I said. "You already don't respect me because you saw me naked."
She paused. Then she smiled.
Lots of Humvees in this book
I applied what the unofficial Humvee manual called 2-40 air conditioning, which meant you opened two windows and drove at forty miles an hour.
Humvee
Full size image
I never went back to Paris, either. I meant to. I thought I might go climb down under the Pont des Invalides, late at night, and just sniff the air. But it never happened. I was in the army, and I was always where someone else told me to be.
For me, one phrase sums up Reacher's life more than any other:
He didn't look back.
Reacher's ribbons (perhaps)
Full size image
The Silver Star medal
Full size image
The Soldier's Medal
Full size image
Expert Sharpshooter medals
Full size image
.
October 28, 2016
I love this fast action, fast moving series. Jack Reacher is a mans man with a tough exterior and a good moral compass. I have not read this series in order but this could be the first. It is the explanation of why Jack opts out of his military career. The storyline moves along smartly with good characters who are likable and believable. I love when any of these come up as a Daily Deal. Dick Hill is not always my favorite narrator but Reacher is the perfect character for him.
November 15, 2021
I wasn't as engaged in this one as much as usual. I think I was distracted in the listening process, and if I had held this one in my hands, I would have said it was too wordy.
Reacher was trying to find the bad guy, but this time it as in his own organisation, and he as completely and utterly fed up. I thought this may have been the installment where we saw him decide to quit the military.
Funding being cut, positions being lost and positions being given to bad seeds, and lots of times where his brother is encouraging him to watch his future and watch his back.
It was nice seeing Reacher and his brother interact, but it is clearly evident Reacher isn't all warm and fuzzy. But this we well know.
Reacher and Joe's mother dies, the boys are different in their interactions with her, Reacher is a realist and accepting of their mother's desire to die without fuss, Joe is more inclined to show his heart on his sleeve. But, again, this we know.
I enjoyed seeing Reacher deal with the bad eggs of the military, dead pan comments and simple but oh so effective cutting comments.
On the bad side of Reacher us civvies would not want to be!
Oh, another thing I always notice in Lee Child's writing is the use of the term 'for a spell'. I don't like it. But that's ok, uber cool Reacher makes up for it.
Reacher was trying to find the bad guy, but this time it as in his own organisation, and he as completely and utterly fed up. I thought this may have been the installment where we saw him decide to quit the military.
Funding being cut, positions being lost and positions being given to bad seeds, and lots of times where his brother is encouraging him to watch his future and watch his back.
It was nice seeing Reacher and his brother interact, but it is clearly evident Reacher isn't all warm and fuzzy. But this we well know.
Reacher and Joe's mother dies, the boys are different in their interactions with her, Reacher is a realist and accepting of their mother's desire to die without fuss, Joe is more inclined to show his heart on his sleeve. But, again, this we know.
I enjoyed seeing Reacher deal with the bad eggs of the military, dead pan comments and simple but oh so effective cutting comments.
On the bad side of Reacher us civvies would not want to be!
Oh, another thing I always notice in Lee Child's writing is the use of the term 'for a spell'. I don't like it. But that's ok, uber cool Reacher makes up for it.
July 24, 2018
I tend to read Jack Reacher (or simply Reacher as everyone calls our hero) in "batches". I've got to say I like the books but after a while the logical flaws begin to bother me a bit and I lay them aside until I can beef up my "suspension of reality" muscles again. You know jack travels around with no change of clothes, sometimes no money and meets extremely, unbelievably, impossibly beautiful women who all fall helplessly in love with him...oooookay.
But here we get a really good addition to the series. This one has an intricate plot that is well detailed and hangs together well.
The synopsis says it. Jack being Jack (I mean Reacher) stumbles on to some very odd oddities and won't let it/them go... Of course he won't, even if it means his career.
But then, that's Reacher.
Well told, very interesting and absorbing. Recommended.
But here we get a really good addition to the series. This one has an intricate plot that is well detailed and hangs together well.
The synopsis says it. Jack being Jack (I mean Reacher) stumbles on to some very odd oddities and won't let it/them go... Of course he won't, even if it means his career.
But then, that's Reacher.
Well told, very interesting and absorbing. Recommended.
February 8, 2017
First in the Jack Reacher thriller series (and technically eighth) revolving around an ex-military policeman out to see the world. And save it. This story takes place at Fort Bird in North Carolina.
My Take
I just love how Reacher's mind works. It's fascinating to read how he pulls the clues together, how he puts himself into the killer's mind. I do like the post pathologist. He's as interested in truth as Reacher and they dance around the evidence and keeping it safe.
Make me laugh… "The Reacher brothers' need for caffeine makes heroin addiction look like an amusing little take-it-or-leave-it sideline."
I did enjoy Reacher and Summer's European tour. Tearing ahead of Willard and terrifying Armored Branch officers. Then there's the little escape at the airport.
Sadly, Reacher also fit in a trip to his mom's. Talk about not knowing someone. It takes a situation like this for Reacher to learn an extremely important, valuable fact about his mother.
For the most part, this story was so convoluted, twisting around on itself and so full of betrayals! There is no organization in the world that is without people more interested in their own power, their own status quo than in the organization they are supposed to be a part of. It's one thing in the corporate world but when it comes to the military or the church---or government! Stop, just stop laughing so hard. So I'm an idealist... You know what I mean. In a perfect world, people would look out or each other. It would be full of Reachers.
This story has one Reacher, but it does have a lot of support for him. My heart raced, I cried for people like Kramer and Carbone for what they had to hide just so they could do what they loved [in the army!], and I was so angry about the lives destroyed just for jerks who want to get ahead. D'ya reckon they might ever come out with a conscience bomb??
I do wonder if Reacher makes the decision he does at the end because of people like Willard and others like him in the army. That he doesn't want to start down that road.
The major lesson here? Don't piss Reacher off.
The Story
With the Berlin Wall coming down, soldiers are nervous. No more Cold War means fewer soldiers needed.
There are a few things you can count on the army for: to screw up and to cut inexplicable orders. Jack thought it was odd enough that he was suddenly ordered out of Panama and sent to Fort Bird. He finds it even odder as he discovers that a number of M.P.s, good ones, have all been rearranged around the world. All on the same day. None of the signatures on their orders make sense either. Nor do the lies.
Then there's the two-star general who bought it with a heart attack in a rundown motel. And his briefcase is missing. He'd had a very good chance of becoming Vice-Chief of Staff. If he'd lived. They don't have too long to worry about having to tell the widow.
It just gets weirder when Reacher is arrested when he returns from a quick trip to Paris to see his mother. But it does introduce him to his enemy.
Willard may think he has it all over Reacher, but he reckons without the loyalty Reacher commands. Well, how would Willard understand loyalty, anyway?
The Characters
Major Jack Reacher is one of the best of the military policemen in the army and the top people know it. Joe Reacher is his brother who moved over to the FBI from military intelligence. Their mom is dying from cancer. Monsieur Pierre Lamonnier knew her when Josephine Moutier was Béatrice and rescuing downed soldiers. For which she received La Medaille de la Résistance.
Lieutenant Summer is eager to transfer into 110th Special Unit and she thinks she's lucky to have caught Reacher's eye. Lieutenant Colonel Norton is an instructor in Psy-Ops for the army.
Colonel Leon Garber suddenly gets sent to Korea with a promotion. Just in time to screw up Reacher's trip home from Paris. Now, Reacher is answering to Colonel Willard, a.k.a., The Enemy. A jerk who is more interested in the status quo and his own rise than in truth. Blackmail works just fine for him.
Kenneth R. Kramer is, or rather was, a two-star general in Armored Branch, staying in a flea-bitten motel while en route to a hush-hush, no-big-deal conference at Fort Irwin in California. Mrs. Kramer is already home in Virginia for the holidays. General Vassell and Colonel Coomer with Kramer were "the corporate face of Armor" and they were traveling together to this conference. Major Marshall is their driver.
Rick Stockton is the deputy chief near Fort Bird in North Carolina. Detective Clark is on Mrs. Kramer's case.
Special Forces Sergeant Christopher Carbone seemed like such a good guy. His mates in Delta Force are not gonna be happy. Colonel David C. Brubaker, Fort Bird's Special Forces CO, is found murdered in very suspicious circumstances. Sergeant Trifonov is also with Delta, but he has an excellent excuse. And his friend's sister can back him up. So can her soon-to-be-ex husband.
The Cover
The cover is a deserted, rainy street with the light from traffic lights and neon signs reflecting off the wet pavement in a glorious blur of red, white, and blues.
The title is too accurate, for Reacher did find The Enemy. You just know Reacher was army, prepared to make on-the-spot decisions.
My Take
I just love how Reacher's mind works. It's fascinating to read how he pulls the clues together, how he puts himself into the killer's mind. I do like the post pathologist. He's as interested in truth as Reacher and they dance around the evidence and keeping it safe.
Make me laugh… "The Reacher brothers' need for caffeine makes heroin addiction look like an amusing little take-it-or-leave-it sideline."
I did enjoy Reacher and Summer's European tour. Tearing ahead of Willard and terrifying Armored Branch officers. Then there's the little escape at the airport.
Sadly, Reacher also fit in a trip to his mom's. Talk about not knowing someone. It takes a situation like this for Reacher to learn an extremely important, valuable fact about his mother.
For the most part, this story was so convoluted, twisting around on itself and so full of betrayals! There is no organization in the world that is without people more interested in their own power, their own status quo than in the organization they are supposed to be a part of. It's one thing in the corporate world but when it comes to the military or the church---or government! Stop, just stop laughing so hard. So I'm an idealist... You know what I mean. In a perfect world, people would look out or each other. It would be full of Reachers.
This story has one Reacher, but it does have a lot of support for him. My heart raced, I cried for people like Kramer and Carbone for what they had to hide just so they could do what they loved [in the army!], and I was so angry about the lives destroyed just for jerks who want to get ahead. D'ya reckon they might ever come out with a conscience bomb??
I do wonder if Reacher makes the decision he does at the end because of people like Willard and others like him in the army. That he doesn't want to start down that road.
The major lesson here? Don't piss Reacher off.
The Story
With the Berlin Wall coming down, soldiers are nervous. No more Cold War means fewer soldiers needed.
There are a few things you can count on the army for: to screw up and to cut inexplicable orders. Jack thought it was odd enough that he was suddenly ordered out of Panama and sent to Fort Bird. He finds it even odder as he discovers that a number of M.P.s, good ones, have all been rearranged around the world. All on the same day. None of the signatures on their orders make sense either. Nor do the lies.
Then there's the two-star general who bought it with a heart attack in a rundown motel. And his briefcase is missing. He'd had a very good chance of becoming Vice-Chief of Staff. If he'd lived. They don't have too long to worry about having to tell the widow.
It just gets weirder when Reacher is arrested when he returns from a quick trip to Paris to see his mother. But it does introduce him to his enemy.
Willard may think he has it all over Reacher, but he reckons without the loyalty Reacher commands. Well, how would Willard understand loyalty, anyway?
The Characters
Major Jack Reacher is one of the best of the military policemen in the army and the top people know it. Joe Reacher is his brother who moved over to the FBI from military intelligence. Their mom is dying from cancer. Monsieur Pierre Lamonnier knew her when Josephine Moutier was Béatrice and rescuing downed soldiers. For which she received La Medaille de la Résistance.
Lieutenant Summer is eager to transfer into 110th Special Unit and she thinks she's lucky to have caught Reacher's eye. Lieutenant Colonel Norton is an instructor in Psy-Ops for the army.
Colonel Leon Garber suddenly gets sent to Korea with a promotion. Just in time to screw up Reacher's trip home from Paris. Now, Reacher is answering to Colonel Willard, a.k.a., The Enemy. A jerk who is more interested in the status quo and his own rise than in truth. Blackmail works just fine for him.
Kenneth R. Kramer is, or rather was, a two-star general in Armored Branch, staying in a flea-bitten motel while en route to a hush-hush, no-big-deal conference at Fort Irwin in California. Mrs. Kramer is already home in Virginia for the holidays. General Vassell and Colonel Coomer with Kramer were "the corporate face of Armor" and they were traveling together to this conference. Major Marshall is their driver.
Rick Stockton is the deputy chief near Fort Bird in North Carolina. Detective Clark is on Mrs. Kramer's case.
Special Forces Sergeant Christopher Carbone seemed like such a good guy. His mates in Delta Force are not gonna be happy. Colonel David C. Brubaker, Fort Bird's Special Forces CO, is found murdered in very suspicious circumstances. Sergeant Trifonov is also with Delta, but he has an excellent excuse. And his friend's sister can back him up. So can her soon-to-be-ex husband.
The Cover
The cover is a deserted, rainy street with the light from traffic lights and neon signs reflecting off the wet pavement in a glorious blur of red, white, and blues.
The title is too accurate, for Reacher did find The Enemy. You just know Reacher was army, prepared to make on-the-spot decisions.
March 23, 2020
Soldier Jack Reacher tries to uncover a complex conspiracy that emerges after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. A Reacher back story? Will it work? Can it work. The answer is no, I feel like the series is built around the idea of an unregulated lone wolf and bringing in his back story just seems like a space filler! 4 out of 12
March 15, 2022
Book 8 in the Jack Reacher series and this is where I go for a comfort read. I know I'm guaranteed to be immersed, taken away from reality and it's going to be a 5 star journey.
Once again Lee Child did not disappoint.
In this novel we see Jack in the army which Is something I'd been hoping for plus we got a bit of back story with his mother and his relationship with Joe, his brother.
I love the precision in the writing style in these books. Its so simple, straight to the point and accurate, there's no room for error in the format of these books and it really appeals to me.
I really enjoy this series and Jack, my ultimate fictional character crush.
Five stars.
Once again Lee Child did not disappoint.
In this novel we see Jack in the army which Is something I'd been hoping for plus we got a bit of back story with his mother and his relationship with Joe, his brother.
I love the precision in the writing style in these books. Its so simple, straight to the point and accurate, there's no room for error in the format of these books and it really appeals to me.
I really enjoy this series and Jack, my ultimate fictional character crush.
Five stars.
October 30, 2023
3,5 Căderea comunismului a luat prin surprindere armată americană, care nu mai avea motive să mențină un număr mare de angajați. Lupta pentru apărarea posturilor duce la conspirații și corupție la nivel înalt, iar cei de jos devin pilonii celor de la putere. Unul dintre volumele bune ale seriei.
January 22, 2019
I previously listed this 3 stars although I had no memory of this story. Upon re-read (listen), I rate this story 5 of 10 stars.
July 14, 2019
I am liking this.
On New year's day 1990, a highly ranked soldier is found dead, Reacher is on duty. Reacher is on a roll in search of the facts and to inform the widow. But he founds out the dead body of widow.
This itself can raise the curiosity within me at least. I will stick with this book and then will finish the remaining.
On New year's day 1990, a highly ranked soldier is found dead, Reacher is on duty. Reacher is on a roll in search of the facts and to inform the widow. But he founds out the dead body of widow.
This itself can raise the curiosity within me at least. I will stick with this book and then will finish the remaining.
December 10, 2017
One of the better Jack Reacher books--an interesting look at Reacher's earlier military career.
July 14, 2022
The Enemy is the eighth adventure of Jack Reacher, the military policeman created by Lee Child. In these early books, the investigative part is still predominant, and this book is no exception. Reacher, who at the time is still in the army, must investigate a series of murders that will take him all over the world, this time accompanied by Lieutenant Summer, a very determined woman who will give Reacher fundamental support. Indeed, two, since she will also support Reacher in another sense.
The investigation part is very well constructed and articulated and the twists are not lacking; Reacher uses as usual his few orthodox ways to dig deeper into the facts and also on this occasion he does not disdain to lead his hands towards those who deserve it. After all, Reacher is certainly not famous for being a model of compliance with procedures and that is precisely why I like him. In the book there is also a parallel part concerning Reacher's private life, in particular the relationship with his brother Joe and their mother; it is a part that will lead Reacher to discover things that he did not know about his mother's past and that makes us understand a little more why he is like this today. The book is written in the usual Lee Child style, that is, it never exceeds vulgarity even if all the events take place in environments that are certainly not known for their refinement. All in all a book that hits its target.
The investigation part is very well constructed and articulated and the twists are not lacking; Reacher uses as usual his few orthodox ways to dig deeper into the facts and also on this occasion he does not disdain to lead his hands towards those who deserve it. After all, Reacher is certainly not famous for being a model of compliance with procedures and that is precisely why I like him. In the book there is also a parallel part concerning Reacher's private life, in particular the relationship with his brother Joe and their mother; it is a part that will lead Reacher to discover things that he did not know about his mother's past and that makes us understand a little more why he is like this today. The book is written in the usual Lee Child style, that is, it never exceeds vulgarity even if all the events take place in environments that are certainly not known for their refinement. All in all a book that hits its target.
April 7, 2025
You don't need to solve all the world's problems. Only some of them. There are enough to go around
فصل فصل ریچر خوندن بود و خیلی چسبید. بخصوص که بعد از اون کتاب قبلی ای که ازش خوندم(پرسوئیدر) که یه اشاره ای به گذشته ریچر کرده بود، یهو برگشتم و کلا راجع به گذشتهاش اونم اول شخص خوندم خیلی به جا و مناسب بود. واقعا به پیشنهادهای حمیت اعتماد کنید! درست حسابی میگه.
تو این کتاب دیگه ریچر همینطور رها تو آمریکا نمیچرخه و دردسر و مصیبت ها اتفاقی گریبانش رو نمیگیرند، بلکه تو دورهای هستیم که تو ارتشه و اصلا کارش اینه دنبال دردسرها باشه.
اینکه این طرف قضیه این گولاخ دوستداشتنی رو م��دیدیم جالب بود. ریچر اینجا به نسبت قبلیهایی که ازش خوندم بیشتر فکر میکنه و تحلیلگره تا اینکه بخواد بره بزن بزن کنه و درگیر بشه؛ اصلا میشه گفت اینجا بیشتر یه کارآگاهه تا یه سرباز(/سرباز بازنشسته).
نویسنده هم خوب بلده که با دادن یه سری دیتیل ریز رفتاری و روانی، به شخصیتهاش بپردازه و اونا رو قوی کنه. اینکه اون وسط دغدغه های اخلاقی رو جا میده و با موضوعاتی مثل وجدان و وفاداری و عمل به دستور و ... کلنجار میره قشنگه.
نمیتونم راجع به ورژن صوتی نگم. چقدر این اقا قشنگ میخونه و چقدر بامزه لهجه فرانسوی مادرشون رو درآورده بود.
آخ مادرشون گفتم، به صورت کاملا اتفاقی ای همین چند کتاب پیش راجع به زندگی و انتخاب های آدمها بعد از تشخیص یه بیماری ترمینال(سرطان و امثالهم) یا پیری خونده بودم و اینجا حرفها و مدل برخورد مادرشون قشنگ یه سری چیزای دیگه رو یادآوری و تحکیم کرد.
It’s like walking out of a movie. Being made to walk out of a movie that you’re really enjoying. That’s what worried me about it. I would never know how it turned out. I would never know what happened to you boys in the end, with your lives. I hated that part. But then I realized, obviously I’ll walk out of the movie sooner or later. I mean, nobody lives forever. I’ll never know how it turns out for you. I’ll never know what happens with your lives. Not in the end. Not even under the best of circumstances. I realized that. Then it didn’t seem to matter so much. It will always be an arbitrary date. It will always leave me wanting more.
"Life," Joe said. "What a completely weird thing it is. A person lives sixty years, does all kinds of things, knows all kinds of things, feels all kinds of things, and then it's over. Like it never happened at all."
"We'll always remember her."
"No, we'll remember parts of her. The parts she chose to share. The tip of the iceberg. The rest, only she knew about. Therefore the rest already doesn't exist. As of now."
فروردین ۱۴۰۴
December 29, 2011
Weak 3 stars. It wasn’t as fun or engaging as other Reacher stories. A long drawn out mystery with a tell-all at the end.
STORY BRIEF:
A general was meeting someone for sex in a motel and dies of a heart attack. His briefcase with confidential documents is missing. Someone kills his wife the same day. Someone kills a Delta force soldier in the woods a day or so later. Reacher’s boss is transferred out and replaced by Willard who tells Reacher not to investigate these deaths.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is not typical tough guy Reacher with a lot of action and good mystery. The mystery drags through most of the book. There is some discovery but not much. Then all of a sudden toward the end, Reacher has a eureka moment in his head and tells his partner in a five minute monologue the complicated story of what has been going on. I would have preferred we learn clues and some of the mystery as we go along. This book doesn’t have the energy of prior books. There are a few good fighting and macho scenes, but not enough to make up for the rest.
This is the first Reacher book that I have NOT labeled as a thriller. I call it mystery suspense. In a thriller we watch the bad guy planning and doing bad things to Reacher and others. In this book, the bad guys are hiding and covering up things rather than planning future harm to Reacher. That might be part of the reason it’s not as good as the prior books.
Reacher wants to investigate a murder, but his incompetent bureaucratic boss orders him to write it up as a training accident and to not investigate. So Reacher investigates on the sly, with his boss threatening to arrest him for being AWOL or not following orders. That is the main threat to Reacher which is not as fun as when bad guys try to harm him.
PERSONAL PREFERENCE DISLIKES:
I did not like two things toward the end. Usually I like seeing Reacher beat up and kill bad guys. But he killed one of them in a way that bothered me. It felt like an assassination. It wasn’t killing in self defense. I don’t know why it bothered me when other Reacher killings did not. I wish it were done differently.
Another thing that bothered me was that Reacher received an inheritance. He said he didn’t want it and gave it away. In other books, he is a vagabond and uses his savings to pay for busses, motels, and cheap restaurant food. The inheritance would help him. Yes he is still in the army and has not yet started his vagabond lifestyle, but it felt unsettling and impractical. Army pay is not very good. In another book he inherited money that he put in a bank account to fund his vagabond lifestyle. I don’t see why this inheritance should have been different. There was no taint to it. To be fair, his charitable donation was for a worthwhile cause.
THE SERIES:
This is book 8 in the Jack Reacher series. I gave 4 or more stars to all of the first 7 books except for Running Blind, gave that one 2 ½.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Dick Hill was very good.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 14 hrs and 9 mins. Swearing language: moderate. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two referred to not shown. Setting: January, 1990, mostly N and S Carolina, plus other US locations and Europe. Book copyright: 2004. Genre: mystery suspense. Ending: Technically good, but an unsettled feeling.
STORY BRIEF:
A general was meeting someone for sex in a motel and dies of a heart attack. His briefcase with confidential documents is missing. Someone kills his wife the same day. Someone kills a Delta force soldier in the woods a day or so later. Reacher’s boss is transferred out and replaced by Willard who tells Reacher not to investigate these deaths.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is not typical tough guy Reacher with a lot of action and good mystery. The mystery drags through most of the book. There is some discovery but not much. Then all of a sudden toward the end, Reacher has a eureka moment in his head and tells his partner in a five minute monologue the complicated story of what has been going on. I would have preferred we learn clues and some of the mystery as we go along. This book doesn’t have the energy of prior books. There are a few good fighting and macho scenes, but not enough to make up for the rest.
This is the first Reacher book that I have NOT labeled as a thriller. I call it mystery suspense. In a thriller we watch the bad guy planning and doing bad things to Reacher and others. In this book, the bad guys are hiding and covering up things rather than planning future harm to Reacher. That might be part of the reason it’s not as good as the prior books.
Reacher wants to investigate a murder, but his incompetent bureaucratic boss orders him to write it up as a training accident and to not investigate. So Reacher investigates on the sly, with his boss threatening to arrest him for being AWOL or not following orders. That is the main threat to Reacher which is not as fun as when bad guys try to harm him.
PERSONAL PREFERENCE DISLIKES:
I did not like two things toward the end. Usually I like seeing Reacher beat up and kill bad guys. But he killed one of them in a way that bothered me. It felt like an assassination. It wasn’t killing in self defense. I don’t know why it bothered me when other Reacher killings did not. I wish it were done differently.
Another thing that bothered me was that Reacher received an inheritance. He said he didn’t want it and gave it away. In other books, he is a vagabond and uses his savings to pay for busses, motels, and cheap restaurant food. The inheritance would help him. Yes he is still in the army and has not yet started his vagabond lifestyle, but it felt unsettling and impractical. Army pay is not very good. In another book he inherited money that he put in a bank account to fund his vagabond lifestyle. I don’t see why this inheritance should have been different. There was no taint to it. To be fair, his charitable donation was for a worthwhile cause.
THE SERIES:
This is book 8 in the Jack Reacher series. I gave 4 or more stars to all of the first 7 books except for Running Blind, gave that one 2 ½.
NARRATOR:
The narrator Dick Hill was very good.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 14 hrs and 9 mins. Swearing language: moderate. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two referred to not shown. Setting: January, 1990, mostly N and S Carolina, plus other US locations and Europe. Book copyright: 2004. Genre: mystery suspense. Ending: Technically good, but an unsettled feeling.
September 26, 2010
This is one of my favorite Lee Child books - and that says a lot as I would say he IS my favorite author! This book is a bit of a departure as it follows Jack Reacher while he is still in the military instead of Reacher, the ex military hobo.
He is removed from his post in Panama and stationed in North Carolina on New Year's Eve. A strategic relocation by someone that still has yet to be identified... While "celebrating" the new year in the MP office he is called to a run down hotel where a 2 star general is found dead... then hours later and miles away, he finds the general's wife dead too. This is just the beginning of a conspiracy that Reacher has to unravel in order to find a killer in his own ranks and avoid being set up as the fall guy for it all.
In between the military mystery, you learn about his family as well. While visiting his mother in France with his brother, Joe. Secrets are revealed and his mother's mysterious past comes to light.
I particulary like the ending and the explanation for background we have learned about Reacher in Child's other books. This trip back introduces us to characters referenced in other books and gives a sense of how he was demoted before leaving the military... I look forward to the next flashback book which I anticipate will introduce us to his elite team while they were still in the military (Re: Bad Luck and Trouble).
He is removed from his post in Panama and stationed in North Carolina on New Year's Eve. A strategic relocation by someone that still has yet to be identified... While "celebrating" the new year in the MP office he is called to a run down hotel where a 2 star general is found dead... then hours later and miles away, he finds the general's wife dead too. This is just the beginning of a conspiracy that Reacher has to unravel in order to find a killer in his own ranks and avoid being set up as the fall guy for it all.
In between the military mystery, you learn about his family as well. While visiting his mother in France with his brother, Joe. Secrets are revealed and his mother's mysterious past comes to light.
I particulary like the ending and the explanation for background we have learned about Reacher in Child's other books. This trip back introduces us to characters referenced in other books and gives a sense of how he was demoted before leaving the military... I look forward to the next flashback book which I anticipate will introduce us to his elite team while they were still in the military (Re: Bad Luck and Trouble).
November 12, 2017
My Rating: 3.8/5
The first thing I loved about enemy is the first person perspective. The story is well thought and detailed. Characters are well written in terms of how interesting they are. The prose goes down a skid in some places and you can actually guess a lot of the twists around the path but The enemy is a thrilling ride. It's a lot of fun. We even get to know a lot more about Reacher. Overall it's a good read
I'm waiting to read the next book. Thank you, for reading the review.
The first thing I loved about enemy is the first person perspective. The story is well thought and detailed. Characters are well written in terms of how interesting they are. The prose goes down a skid in some places and you can actually guess a lot of the twists around the path but The enemy is a thrilling ride. It's a lot of fun. We even get to know a lot more about Reacher. Overall it's a good read
I'm waiting to read the next book. Thank you, for reading the review.
October 19, 2019
4.5 Stars - Loved Reacher's "backstory"! This one goes back in time to when Reacher was an elite military cop. Reader's get a front row seat to the case that came back to bite him - ultimately destroying his career. At first, it seemed a bit strange to go back to a time before any of the previous books, but I ended up loving this story and finished having a better insight into the man Jack Reacher. As always with Child's writing, there are a lot of details and information woven into this story but it doesn't disrupt the flow/pace of the suspense as it continuously builds to a dynamic climax. This one is personal and emotional - putting the heart and soul of the man out there. I wiped a few tears before finishing this book. A fantastic addition to the Jack Reacher series! Can't wait to continue the journey!
October 31, 2016
I love the character of Jack Reacher, but sometimes the author makes the plots a little too convoluted.
This isn't my favourite book in the series and at 540 pages it could have been two hundred pages shorter.
It seemed that the plot was engineered to take Reacher to lots of locations, and ultimately it was getting a bit boring.
This was one of the earlier novels, and I think the author has now grown into the character and spends more time with Reacher and less with contrived plots.
This isn't my favourite book in the series and at 540 pages it could have been two hundred pages shorter.
It seemed that the plot was engineered to take Reacher to lots of locations, and ultimately it was getting a bit boring.
This was one of the earlier novels, and I think the author has now grown into the character and spends more time with Reacher and less with contrived plots.
May 31, 2018
Number 8 in the Jack Reacher series.
This took me by surprise. Number 8 in the series and it's back to 1990 and Jack is still in the army.
For all that it is still a great read. Jack is still the same "mess with me and you will regret it" guy.
There is dead soldiers all over the place. Jack is being threatened by his CO to do a cover up on the deaths but Jack is not buying it. There is something very wrong going on in the US Army and Jack will break as many heads as he needs to to find out what is going on.
Jack's number two, lieutenant Summer, is a young and very attractive woman. This partnership soon becomes very unprofessional, I'll say no more.
The two are of like minds when it comes to the investigation and together they start a chain reaction that will have, even the top brass, worried.
As usual, this book has a tight, tense plot. It's full of army machismo. God help me, but there were some characters that I hated so much I really wanted Jack to work his magic on them.
Recommended for lovers of page turners.
This took me by surprise. Number 8 in the series and it's back to 1990 and Jack is still in the army.
For all that it is still a great read. Jack is still the same "mess with me and you will regret it" guy.
There is dead soldiers all over the place. Jack is being threatened by his CO to do a cover up on the deaths but Jack is not buying it. There is something very wrong going on in the US Army and Jack will break as many heads as he needs to to find out what is going on.
Jack's number two, lieutenant Summer, is a young and very attractive woman. This partnership soon becomes very unprofessional, I'll say no more.
The two are of like minds when it comes to the investigation and together they start a chain reaction that will have, even the top brass, worried.
As usual, this book has a tight, tense plot. It's full of army machismo. God help me, but there were some characters that I hated so much I really wanted Jack to work his magic on them.
Recommended for lovers of page turners.
April 26, 2025
What, me, jump into a series at book 8? Yup, after becoming a fan of the Reacher series, I decided to move a few books away from the first three seasons and boy did I pick a good one to start.
This was definitely a prequel story which means it’s also a perfect standalone— the mister has read all of them through the years and after seeing the Tom Cruise movies (I do like my share of bad guys getting their comeuppance even served with an overdose of violence), I didn’t think I’d like the series. Shaking my head at my literary snobbery!
While I’m not a fan of military settings (and I definitely don’t know the US Army’s armory details), I do love a guy doing the right thing for victims even when the system fails them. No brushing any crumb of any crime under the rug for this big dude. While not one-dimensional (as I had figured after the Cruise movies), Reacher isn’t an emotional guy either Feelings? Something Reacher keeps locked up tight (the side trip to Paris to see his Mother is telling), but when it comes to being canny or doing the right thing (which does mean deviating from what’s legal occasionally), he’s your guy!
The plotting is fierce in this one— miss a few details and you’ve missed something important. Superb set up every time. Every thing matters and there’s not a lot of information wasted here (okay, there’s the prerequisite bedding of a young lady— something I got used to in the series— one per season equals one per book, is my educated guess). There are also enough red herrings to keep a mystery lover happy, and enough punching to keep the bad guys down.
Consider me a fan — already in line for the next book.
This was definitely a prequel story which means it’s also a perfect standalone— the mister has read all of them through the years and after seeing the Tom Cruise movies (I do like my share of bad guys getting their comeuppance even served with an overdose of violence), I didn’t think I’d like the series. Shaking my head at my literary snobbery!
While I’m not a fan of military settings (and I definitely don’t know the US Army’s armory details), I do love a guy doing the right thing for victims even when the system fails them. No brushing any crumb of any crime under the rug for this big dude. While not one-dimensional (as I had figured after the Cruise movies), Reacher isn’t an emotional guy either Feelings? Something Reacher keeps locked up tight (the side trip to Paris to see his Mother is telling), but when it comes to being canny or doing the right thing (which does mean deviating from what’s legal occasionally), he’s your guy!
The plotting is fierce in this one— miss a few details and you’ve missed something important. Superb set up every time. Every thing matters and there’s not a lot of information wasted here (okay, there’s the prerequisite bedding of a young lady— something I got used to in the series— one per season equals one per book, is my educated guess). There are also enough red herrings to keep a mystery lover happy, and enough punching to keep the bad guys down.
Consider me a fan — already in line for the next book.
April 11, 2015
I really wish I could love Jack Reacher books more. In theory they are everything I should enjoy in a story but in reality I find them a bit of a trudge through treacle and always about a hundred pages or so too long.
This one was interesting in that it took you back to perhaps a light bulb moment in Jack Reacher's army career and life and shows you a little more of his personal life. The isolated relationship he has with his family - even his mother only calls him Reacher.
We find Jack unexpectedly drafted to Fort Bird where on New Years Eve a General is murdered close by and things go to hell in a hand basket rather quickly. The General's wife is also murdered and Reacher has to turn that investigation over to local police as its a civilian homicide. The company boss is switched out with a colonel who insiats that Reacher does not continue to investigate the murder. This doesn't sit well and despite the orders Jack continues to look into the situation.
Reacher also has to deal with a very upsetting personal situation and the most interesting point of the book is the history of his mother and what she did during the second world war as part of the resistance.
Between trying to avoid charges and arrests instigated by his new CO and being blocked at every turn in the investigation there is as always time for Reacher to get into bed with a subordinate. This seems to be a theme through the books and there doesn't seem to be any attraction between him and the female lieutenant in this book until the point they go to Paris.
In a way this book has actually made me a bit anti Reacher but I can't quite put my finger on why. He obviously has honour and fights for what is right but even MPs can't go off doing half of what he does and get away with it. Not wanting to ruin the ending I think perhaps this is what does it for me. To me it was pre-meditated murder and makes him just as bad as the rest of the people he was rounding up.
Three stars is about as good as I can manage for this. Will I read the next Reacher book? Probably but then I am a glutton for punishment!
This one was interesting in that it took you back to perhaps a light bulb moment in Jack Reacher's army career and life and shows you a little more of his personal life. The isolated relationship he has with his family - even his mother only calls him Reacher.
We find Jack unexpectedly drafted to Fort Bird where on New Years Eve a General is murdered close by and things go to hell in a hand basket rather quickly. The General's wife is also murdered and Reacher has to turn that investigation over to local police as its a civilian homicide. The company boss is switched out with a colonel who insiats that Reacher does not continue to investigate the murder. This doesn't sit well and despite the orders Jack continues to look into the situation.
Reacher also has to deal with a very upsetting personal situation and the most interesting point of the book is the history of his mother and what she did during the second world war as part of the resistance.
Between trying to avoid charges and arrests instigated by his new CO and being blocked at every turn in the investigation there is as always time for Reacher to get into bed with a subordinate. This seems to be a theme through the books and there doesn't seem to be any attraction between him and the female lieutenant in this book until the point they go to Paris.
In a way this book has actually made me a bit anti Reacher but I can't quite put my finger on why. He obviously has honour and fights for what is right but even MPs can't go off doing half of what he does and get away with it. Not wanting to ruin the ending I think perhaps this is what does it for me. To me it was pre-meditated murder and makes him just as bad as the rest of the people he was rounding up.
Three stars is about as good as I can manage for this. Will I read the next Reacher book? Probably but then I am a glutton for punishment!
February 18, 2022
Врагът отвътре.
Беше забавно и разнообразяващо да се чете за младата версия на Ричър. Макар някои общи черти, то се намират и доста разлики в поведението му. Доста по-избухлив, прибързан, правещ далеч повече грешки.
Армията се оказва (както сам казва) не с една гнила ябълка, а гнила е цялата кошница. Разбираме повече за отношенията с брат му и съдбата на майка му. Отношенията с красивите жени (които неизменно в поредицата са от полицията, армията или поне знаят как да ритат и стрелят) ... е, те са си същите, каквито добре знаем.
Самото разследване е сравнително заплетено. По едно време към средата дори леко ми забоксува, нооо пък тогава се появи сержант Трифонов. Слави Трифонов. Българската връзка, макар и не много оригинална, все пак беше интересно допълнение.
Една от по-различните книги за Ричър. Смятам ще допадне на всеки почитател на поредицата. Освен това, ще ни върне и към първите мигове на 90-те, края на студената война и един съвсем друг свят - както стария (Европа), така и новия (Америка). Ще разберем повече и за машините на американските военни от онова време. Както и за лостовете тип "щанга" ...
Беше забавно и разнообразяващо да се чете за младата версия на Ричър. Макар някои общи черти, то се намират и доста разлики в поведението му. Доста по-избухлив, прибързан, правещ далеч повече грешки.
Армията се оказва (както сам казва) не с една гнила ябълка, а гнила е цялата кошница. Разбираме повече за отношенията с брат му и съдбата на майка му. Отношенията с красивите жени (които неизменно в поредицата са от полицията, армията или поне знаят как да ритат и стрелят) ... е, те са си същите, каквито добре знаем.
Самото разследване е сравнително заплетено. По едно време към средата дори леко ми забоксува, нооо пък тогава се появи сержант Трифонов. Слави Трифонов. Българската връзка, макар и не много оригинална, все пак беше интересно допълнение.
Една от по-различните книги за Ричър. Смятам ще допадне на всеки почитател на поредицата. Освен това, ще ни върне и към първите мигове на 90-те, края на студената война и един съвсем друг свят - както стария (Европа), така и новия (Америка). Ще разберем повече и за машините на американските военни от онова време. Както и за лостовете тип "щанга" ...
August 15, 2012
This is a Jack Reacher novel. He gets into trouble, he gets into more trouble, then there is a fight or something gets blown up, then everything works out, and Reacher moves on. Good stuff, but he is not Tom Cruise!
March 3, 2022
Το 8ο βιβλίο της σειράς είναι κάτι σαν prequel των υπολοίπων, καθώς χρονολογικά προηγείται όλων και ο Τζακ εξακολουθεί και βρίσκεται στον στρατό.
Μου αρέσει πολύ να διαβάζω Lee Child και ο λόγος είναι ότι, από τη μία τα βιβλία είναι δράσης και ''ανάλαφρα'', αλλά από την άλλη, στο παρασκήνιο, υπάρχει πάντα πολυπλοκότητα. Από τους αγαπημένους μου συγγραφείς.
Μου αρέσει πολύ να διαβάζω Lee Child και ο λόγος είναι ότι, από τη μία τα βιβλία είναι δράσης και ''ανάλαφρα'', αλλά από την άλλη, στο παρασκήνιο, υπάρχει πάντα πολυπλοκότητα. Από τους αγαπημένους μου συγγραφείς.
September 11, 2017
I was in the army, and I was always where someone else told me to be. (Reacher page 559)
4 Stars
The Enemy takes us back to Reacher's army days as an MP. At the beginning of a new decade Reacher is suddenly transferred from Panama to Little Bird then a two star general is found dead and very much naked in a motel room. His briefcase is the only thing that's missing.
Reacher enlists the help of Lieutenant Summer to unravel the mystery which proves to be difficult as everyone is stone walling them during the investigation.
The Enemy shows us how Reacher lived in the army; even then he still was not conventional. He's definitely still a bad ass though.
4 Stars
The Enemy takes us back to Reacher's army days as an MP. At the beginning of a new decade Reacher is suddenly transferred from Panama to Little Bird then a two star general is found dead and very much naked in a motel room. His briefcase is the only thing that's missing.
Reacher enlists the help of Lieutenant Summer to unravel the mystery which proves to be difficult as everyone is stone walling them during the investigation.
The Enemy shows us how Reacher lived in the army; even then he still was not conventional. He's definitely still a bad ass though.
October 30, 2018
در واقع 3.5
خب بازم عمو ریچر اما اینبار در تاریخ
این کتاب جک ریچر فلش بکی به قبل از کتاب اول بود که یکی از ماجراهای قبل از بیرون اومدنش از ارتش رو تعریف میکنه و برعکس کتابای قبل با یه جک ریچر خارج شده از ارتش طرف نیستیم
چیزی که یکمی اذیتم کرد اصطلاحات زیاد ارتشی و آوردن اسم های خیلی زیاد تو کتاب بود که باعث میشد بعضی جاها در طول کتاب گیج بشم
ترجمه هم که مثل کتابای قبل خوب بود
سفر های داستان از کتابای قبلی بیشتر و طولانی تره و محدوده بزرگتری رو هم در نظرمیگره و تا اروپا هم میره
هیجان و اتفاقات غیر منتظره کتاب همون چیزهاییه که از لی چایلد سراغ داریم
در آخر باید بگم که اگه مجموعه ای خیلی بخواد ظولانی بشه (این عقیده شخصیمه) نویسنده برای نگه داشتنش در سطح بالا بیاد خلاقیت و قدرت تخیل بالایی داشته باشه که لی چایلد تا این کتاب یعنی جلد هشتم کاملا این توانایی رو داشته
درآخر نتونستم جمله ای بهتر از جمله پشت کتاب پیدا کنم «ریچر همچنا از یکی از دو یا سه شخصیتی است که در ژانر مرد تنها و جان سخت فرمانروایی میکنند»!
خب بازم عمو ریچر اما اینبار در تاریخ
این کتاب جک ریچر فلش بکی به قبل از کتاب اول بود که یکی از ماجراهای قبل از بیرون اومدنش از ارتش رو تعریف میکنه و برعکس کتابای قبل با یه جک ریچر خارج شده از ارتش طرف نیستیم
چیزی که یکمی اذیتم کرد اصطلاحات زیاد ارتشی و آوردن اسم های خیلی زیاد تو کتاب بود که باعث میشد بعضی جاها در طول کتاب گیج بشم
ترجمه هم که مثل کتابای قبل خوب بود
سفر های داستان از کتابای قبلی بیشتر و طولانی تره و محدوده بزرگتری رو هم در نظرمیگره و تا اروپا هم میره
هیجان و اتفاقات غیر منتظره کتاب همون چیزهاییه که از لی چایلد سراغ داریم
در آخر باید بگم که اگه مجموعه ای خیلی بخواد ظولانی بشه (این عقیده شخصیمه) نویسنده برای نگه داشتنش در سطح بالا بیاد خلاقیت و قدرت تخیل بالایی داشته باشه که لی چایلد تا این کتاب یعنی جلد هشتم کاملا این توانایی رو داشته
درآخر نتونستم جمله ای بهتر از جمله پشت کتاب پیدا کنم «ریچر همچنا از یکی از دو یا سه شخصیتی است که در ژانر مرد تنها و جان سخت فرمانروایی میکنند»!
July 21, 2023
This really dragged on for me. I can see why this book is important for some background on Reacher; however, I just couldn’t get into it. I learned from reading this one that I much prefer Reacher kicking ass. This book read more like a mystery to me than a fast-paced thriller.
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