Make Me discussion

I just started reading Make Me, the newest Jack Reacher novel, even though I have millions, make that zillions more things I should be doing. And I am inhaling it just like I inhale all his books, even though I am A) not a violent person, more into happy endings and B) not really interested in violence for its own sake. I inhaled The Martian in the same way, even though I am A) not really scientifically inclined and B) not all that interested in space travel.

So the question is why? Why do I love and feed off of these books?

Today I think I figured out the answer, or at least part of it.

Both books are ever so USER FRIENDLY. By this I mean The Martian talked about a lot of technical things, but I never felt like I was studying a textbook, which happens, I think, with science-oriented or even science fiction novels. The reader gets stuff that only the scientist can appreciate. Not so with The Martian.

The Jack Reacher novels talk a lot about violence, but...I don't know how to describe it. Not in a violent way. In a conversational way, like, "Right now I have to get through this large knot of criminals, and this is how it has to be done. Here are THESE options, which may turn out this way, and here are these, which could turn out in another. Which is the logical choice? What do you think, Intrepid Reader?"

I felt the same way about The Painter, which had violence and FISHING, for Pete's Sake. Camping, even, which I could not care any less about if I tried. But I loved it.

I don't know if I'm explaining these theories in a satisfactory way. But they are topics which might not ordinarily hold my interest, but instead made me feel like I'm sitting down to a really interesting and satisfying dinner conversation. With wine. And chocolate.

And that's they way I love to read me a book! #amreading

I think it mostly has to do with Child's prose. I recently read Make Me and I think that scenes like when (view spoiler)[Reacher kills the three dudes at the house in Scottsdale (hide spoiler)], while obviously pretty violent, are described coldly and with a very logical precision like it was a math problem being solved and not a gruesome act of passion. That's just Child's style. It's very neat, precise, clean, systematic and procedure-oriented. To be honest, it can bug me. I like books where drama, plot and violence have a truly visceral and gut-level feeling. Sometimes Child can feel like he's just making lists of stuff or digressing excessively about clothes and cars and guns and different locales. That said, Make Me was a very fun book.

Nate wrote: "I think it mostly has to do with Child's prose. I recently read Make Me and I think that scenes like when [spoilers removed], while obviously pretty violent, are described coldly and with a very lo..."

Nate--

I totally hear you. One of my closest friends, Shawm, inhales horror and violence in his books for the feeling and drama, immersing himself in the "flavor", and therefore would have really no use for Child. I feel like Stephen King has a nice mix of both of these concepts. Which is why he is so awesome!
The description of the violence and the action doesn't really do it for me in the same way, though. I also like learning stuff--Child's analogy of the Internet through tennis balls in the swimming pool was lots of fun!:-)

Kelley said:The Jack Reacher novels talk a lot about violence, but...I don't know how to describe it. Not in a violent way. In a conversational way, like, "Right now I have to get through this large knot of criminals, and this is how it has to be done. Here are THESE options, which may turn out this way, and here are these, which could turn out in another. Which is the logical choice? What do you think, Intrepid Reader?"

I kind of agree with you. It's interesting to see the thought processes that go into Reacher's actions. The thing is Child makes that exciting reading.