Midnight line - spoilers!!

[Dan M.]

Anybody else reading MIDNIGHT LINE, the latest Reacher novel that came out on 11/7? I'm halfway through and it feels like it's bogged down a little. It had a good start, and I expect the bogging down is temporary. But what I really wanted to discuss...

***SPOILERS***SPOILERS***SPOILERS***

...is how Reacher keeps having these little episodes of..."pining", for lack of a better term. They have to do with the girl he was just with at the beginning of the story, Michelle Chang. They were together 3 days and there have been multiple implications of Reacher wondering what Chang is doing right now. He's on a bus and she's at airport with her gold card, or she's probably at work by now, or hints that he considered her a girl friend. Plus other little glimpses of perhaps a wearing thin of the Reacher lifestyle--the constant moving, etc. Is it just me or is anybody else getting this vibe? I can't recall this much introspection and self-examination since 61 HOURS.

[Deanie]

I have The Midnight Line and will read it after I finish "Into The Yellowstone." Yes, I know ~ it took me forever to get around to reading it. But now that I am - I'm enjoying it.

[Dan M.]

I have The Midnight Line and will read it after I finish "Into The Yellowstone." Yes, I know ~ it took me forever to get around to reading it. But now that I am - I'm enjoying it.

Well, don't let me rush you!

[momckee]

I have it, should I read it? I really hated the horrific one which I couldn't finish - will I like this one better?

[Dan M.]

I have it, should I read it? I really hated the horrific one which I couldn't finish - will I like this one better?

Yes, I think you will like it. The bogging down part was brief and, admittedly, happened when it was very late and I was tired. This one reads more like an older Reacher story, although, the body count is lower than most of the stories. And the spoiler stuff I mentioned above (if you peeked) was only in the early-on chapters--it didn't pop up again.

[momckee]

Started the book and sorry to say Reacher annoyed me right away, he just picks fights to keep himself entertained I think, the big 6'5, 250 lbs surrounded by tough guys wanting to take him apart is really old hat. Even his terse conversations challenging people to get the information from him is irritating. Will leave it for a little while and maybe get back to it

Could be just the mood I'm in right now not the book, maybe?

[Dan M.]

Started the book and sorry to say Reacher annoyed me right away, he just picks fights to keep himself entertained I think

That was part of the issue I had early on about him pining for his just-ended 3 day fling. It felt like he was he was escalating the situation as a way of working through whatever emotion was riding him. It's different than 6 guys trying to pick a fight with him. He did keep telling them they could avoid it all by answering the one question of who sold the ring to Jimmy Rat, but a guy like Reacher knows that's not going to happen. But that all passes pretty quickly.

[momckee]

Maybe I should skip to further on in the book - I do notice that Lee has a style of writing in conversation that doesn't change much which may be an appeal to those who enjoy it but after so many books and so much of the dialogue sounding familiar it somehow falls a bit flat. I feel like saying, "for heavens sake just spit it out what you're wanting". However Dan you seem to have moved on from the part you found a bit slow so I guess I should.

[4AMNTN]

Gonna start it today! --tonight.

[Deanie]

Your book was a change of pace for me, Dan. Interesting story. I enjoyed it. I like your style of writing and your voice. You're a good writer. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're a good writer. There. You should do more of it!

I also enjoyed The Midnight Line....I don't think Reacher was pining. You stay with someone three days and have a really good time and you're 'apt' to wonder about the person a little before she eases from your mind.

[4AMNTN]

On chapter 7 .... I like it so far.
“Tell your wife to keep reading” Reacher said”She sounds like a very smart woman”.


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[momckee]

You were correct Dan, it gets better, jumped a bit further in and am now half way through and enjoying it.

[Dan M.]

Your book was a change of pace for me, Dan. Interesting story. I enjoyed it. I like your style of writing and your voice. You're a good writer. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're a good writer. There. You should do more of it!

Thank you!

I also enjoyed The Midnight Line....I don't think Reacher was pining. You stay with someone three days and have a really good time and you're 'apt' to wonder about the person a little before she eases from your mind.

I think it was more than wondering. There was a mention of Reacher having a "bad day" with the implication being he was affected by the separation, plus a couple of implications that he didn't care about the possibility that taking on 6 bikers might be more than he could handle because of how he was handling the separation. I can't think of any of the other books showing him reminiscing with a negative slant, with the possible exception of Running Blind, where Jodie and he split when she goes to London.

[momckee]

Have finished the book, it was an interesting plot line, can't really rate it against his other books but looking back I was always eager to read the next one and somewhere along the line the interest has abated,maybe something about reading so many books by the same author. And, with the previous book, which I couldn't deal with at all, I think I'm maybe on the sidelines now with Lee's writing.

[4AMNTN]

I'm 84% into.