Past Tense - ***SPOILERS***

[momckee]

Has anyone else besides me not read Past Tense?

[YB]

You two, Meg & Dan are cleverer than me. I didn't work it out

[Dan M.]

However, I guessed both "mysteries" about halfway through. Criminal Minds episode is why I new what was going to be happening to Patty and Shorty.

Same here, only the classic short story "The Most Dangerous Game" was the first thing I thought of. After that, "The Hunger Games" was what I thought of. I would've liked to see a more extended version of Reacher sneaking around wreaking havoc on the hunters in the woods, more like THG, but I was satisfied. I hope we get something more detailed on Stan in future writings though, or even some of these evil Reachers.

Stephen Hunter has his Bob Lee Swagger and Earl (Bob Lee's father) Swagger series, but he also has a semi-standalone book following the fate of an illegitimate son of Earl. Kind of a anti-Bob Lee story, titled "Dirty White Boys." Very well written, but this son, Lamar Pye, is a tragic character. Won't say more than that, but if you like the Swaggers, this one shouldn't be missed.

About his father...the description of the boys by the birdwatcher gave it away.

Yeah, there was about a half second of "Wait...what?" then on to reversed IDs.

[Meg]

Finished a few days ago...I thought it progressed nicely. However, I guessed both "mysteries" about halfway through. Criminal Minds episode is why I new what was going to be happening to Patty and Shorty.
About his father...the description of the boys by the birdwatcher gave it away.

[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.

[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

[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.

[Meg]

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

[4AMNTN]

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


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[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.

[Dan M.]

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

Yes.

[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???????

[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.

[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)

[4AMNTN]

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