Past Tense - ***SPOILERS***

[Dan M.]

I haven't finished reading the book yet, just wanted to get the thread started. I'll probably finish it tonight and then I'll post some thoughts. I have an idea of what is going to happen, but we'll see. There are a couple of potentially interesting possibilities. Maybe they'll both happen.

[Dan M.]

One thing I'll mention right up front. At the end of the book there's a note:

In Memoriam
John Reginald Grant, 1924-2016
Norman Steven Shiren, 1925-2017
Audrey Grant, 1926-2017

One assumption would be John and Audrey were Lee's parents. A second would be, in context, Norman was Lee's father-in-law. If so, belated condolences would seem appropriate. Do any of you know about any of this? Deanie maybe?

Edited to add: I asked Maggie, and she confirmed my assumptions.

[4AMNTN]

started Past Tense last night chapter 3.....

[momckee]

Condolences to Lee's family.

[4AMNTN]

SPOILER INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok unless less something GREATLY turns around in the last 20% of this book ......

[Dan M.]

SPOILER INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok unless less something GREATLY turns around in the last 20% of this book ......

Meaning...too slow? Which lead to a question: what are everybody's thoughts about what goes into making an ideal Reacher story? I'm not asking what your favorite Reacher book is. I'm asking you to think back over your favorite(s) and see if you can find a few commonalities that put them on your favorites list.

Here are mine, in no special order:
1. Reacher being unstoppable, ideally in multiple situations throughout the book (Killing Floor, Trip Wire, Bad Luck & Trouble, One Shot, to name a few)
2. Reacher out-thinking the other guy (same examples as above)
3. A really good bad guy who is almost unstoppable himself and displays it in multiple situations throughout the book (Hook Hobie, the Zec come to mind)
4. Building suspense toward the showdown (Trip Wire, BL&T, One Shot)
5. A great showdown, where the outcome is in question, even though Reacher always wins (Trip Wire, BL&T, One Shot)

[momckee]

I probably wouldn't be able to assign the segment that stayed with me and couple it to a book, however, I still get a bit of chuckle out of a couple of places - one where Reacher was in romantic mode and it just didn't move heaven and earth, and another which I thought was almost unbelievable where he was sending messages in morse by, I think, blinking? Did I remember that correctly. I was really interested in the very first book I read which I had picked up at the library, but not Lee's first Reacher book. It started me off and I just couldn't get enough of the books. So I think maybe his earlier books appealed to me more so than some of the later ones.

[4AMNTN]

I agree with Mo. I liked his earlier books & most of all the "flashback" books - as I've stated before. I WISH he's do one of those.

Has anyone else read Past Tense???????

[Dan M.]

Has anyone else read Past Tense???????

Yes.

[YB]

I had to wait for Santa to bring my copy, which he did so I must have been good

I liked it. A bit slow in the early stages but got better as it went on.

[4AMNTN]

Yep. I agree? What do u think of the news about a TV series Jack Reacher???


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[Meg]

I'm still like 75 on the hold list at the library!
TV show?

[4AMNTN]

yeah Meg. Lee Child actually said they were "looking" for suggestions for the lead. He admitted that TC wasn't a good choice (to the exact description of the character)- and the fans really didn't like it. Whaaaaaaa. I thought I posted about it on TBJ.... can't find it.

[YB]

The idea of Reacher in a TV series is good. However I doubt I'll see it, I don't subscribe to Netflix or similar. I can find more than enough to watch on UK's "free" TV, not prepared to pay extra, never have done

[momckee]

The "who should play Reacher is still pottering along on Facebook and I asked to be excused - I didn't have a clue as to who the people were that were being suggested.