Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

Top positive review

worthy Jack Reacher action thriller

Reviewed in Australia on 10 December 2021

Better Off Dead is the second Andrew Child’s Reacher book (with brother Lee) and the twenty sixth instalment of the ex-military police action hero. This time, Jack’s wanderings take him to a remote town adjacent the US-Mexico border, where he chooses to help an army veteran turned FBI agent find her twin brother. As usual with Reacher, troubles seem to find him and the action unfolds requiring him to take on a shadowy crime figure, Waad Dendoncker. Unusually for a Reacher book, the narrative is first person and his intonation is not quite that of other books. It feels a somewhat lessened or diminutive version of Jack Reacher’s earlier incarnations. Still a worthy enough formulaic action thriller in the Jack Reacher franchise, with a four-star read rating.

Top critical review

All critical reviews›

Sorry Lee. I have everyone of your books, it this one is not in the same league. I don't know if you wrote this one or your brother did, but this is not the REACHER I know and love. Only you know what you have done in this book. I only know I don't like him.

Reviewed in Australia on 28 October 2021

This is like reading one of the copy cat versions that came out after you finished your first three or four books about REACHER. They were so good. I could not wait for the following books.
Maybe it is time REACHER retired. And you find a different direction to go in. Please don't leave him to die by himself, of old age. Leave him with some dignity. As we all remember how he was.

19 people found this helpful

Sort by

Filter by

Filtered by

containing "lee child"Clear filter

500 global reviews

This filter only shows ratings with reviews.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From Australia

Kindle Customer

Not up to usual standard

Reviewed in Australia on 28 October 2021

Verified Purchase

I found the endless descriptions of the layout of buildings tedious and the plot needlessly convoluted. Also the fight sequences a little boring. Michael turning up alive felt very predictable. Lee Child where are you?

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Creggan

😩

Reviewed in Australia on 27 November 2021

Verified Purchase

What a let down! I have read all of the Jack Reacher books, and I am a big fan. When I saw the latest book was available for pre-order, I did just that, and was pleased to see it pop up in my kindle.
Some Jack Reacher books are better than others, but they all range from quite good to very good. That was before this one. Lee Child, it is not clear the extent you were involved in the creation of this book, but you should be embarrassed to be associated with it. Poor plot, child-like writing style, rambling, unnecessary descriptions, and an almost total departure from the Jack Reacher character.
If you have decided to cut back on your writing, you should allow Jack Reacher a dignified departure, and leave behind a proud legacy of great books, instead of having your loyal readers spend their money on sub-standard books like this. Thanks for years of entertainment Lee, but RIP Jack Reacher.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

worthy Jack Reacher action thriller

Reviewed in Australia on 10 December 2021

Verified Purchase

Helpful

The literary equivalent of painting by numbers.

Reviewed in Australia on 11 February 2022

Verified Purchase

Unfortunately this experiment in authorship didn't pay off. Lee Child thought his brother could slide into the chair and pump out another Reacher adventure, but the lacklustre result proves the folly of this experiment.

What we ended up with was the literary equivalent of painting by numbers.

There was an earnest attempt to follow the Reacher recipe, and therein lies the problem. With no imagination we are inevitably left with a lacklustre result.

I never thought I'd say this, but is it time to find another hero?

Helpful

Jack Tinley

This is a badly written book

Reviewed in Australia on 18 November 2021

Verified Purchase

Like others reviewing this book, I have read all Jack Reacher books AND I actually enjoyed Tom Cruise as our hero in the movies.
But, this book is so different. Seems to have been written by a first time would be writer with a plot that doesn't fly. Changed to 1st person narration which seems to ensure padding for length. I've no idea what caused this change but it is purile and has left me unsatisfied and perhaps never to buy another Child offering. With the millions of dollars already made, Lee probably doesn't care if I never buy another. Maybe that's the problem.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

shortee

Absolutely appalling

Reviewed in Australia on 17 November 2021

Verified Purchase

Lee Child it is not. Confusing, overly complicated and poorly thought out. The plot, such as it is, is implausible. I could not finish it.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. Kuyer

Disappointing.

Reviewed in Australia on 2 November 2021

Verified Purchase

This will be the last Lee Child's Jack Reacher I read. I got a into maybe 50 -60 pages in and that was skipping paragraphs before I gave up. Written like a B Grade novel. If I didn't know any better I'd say it was somebody trying to write like him.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Phil

Terribly, terribly disappointing

Reviewed in Australia on 21 December 2021

Verified Purchase

Like a number of readers I found this book woeful. Tedious in the extreme. Usually I can’t put a new Lee Child down until it’s finished, this one, I could barely get through. At least a half a dozen times I considered just deleting it from my kindle. I should have. I agree with others that it’s as if the author has never read a single Reacher novel. I’m not sure I’ll ever read another

Helpful

Brett J. Walker

boring and way too over descriptive

Reviewed in Australia on 5 December 2021

Verified Purchase

I have read every jack reacher book, but the last few have just been so boring. Where has the jack Reacher all us fans loved gone ? lee Childs's over use of totally unnecessary descriptions of things like windows and chairs and tables made me want to throw my kindle at the wall. Who cares have many orange chairs are in a room or whether the windows or doors have locks or not, it's not relevant to the story. Instead of a nail biting finish it just rambles on and on and on describing everything in the tunnels. I ended up speed reading the last 30% of the story. What an absolute fizzer.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kevin

Not a Jack Reacher novel

Reviewed in Australia on 20 November 2021

Verified Purchase

It was a decent enough story, but it wasn’t Lee Child, and it wasn’t Jack Reacher.
I kept thinking things like ‘he wouldn’t say that’, or ‘Reacher wouldn’t do that’. It spoiled my enjoyment.
This is the third novel in the series that has gradually watered down Reacher’s character until there is little of him left. I promised myself last time I wouldn’t buy another, but I liked him so much!
Maybe the title is all too true- he would be better off dead, rather than the steady demise into mediocrity.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Need customer service? Click here

‹ See all details for Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

5 star		38%
4 star		30%
3 star		18%
2 star		7%
1 star		6%

Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

›

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

Top positive review

Top critical review

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From Australia

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26) › Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

Top positive review

Top critical review

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From Australia

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Better Off Dead: (Jack Reacher 26)

›

Customer reviews