Customer Reviews

Killing Floor: Jack Reacher 1 (Unabridged)

I discovered Lee Child's work when I was given a novel for a present. I finished it in 2 days. 'THE KILLING FLOOR' is a dynamic, intricate thriller which literally keeps you turning the pages. The character of Jack Reacher is very strong; deceptively simply written and wholly engaging. He is quickly becoming one of my favourite fiction charcters. 'THE KILLING FLOOR' takes us through the perfect small-town America deep into the heart of Georgia. Here, Reacher becomes embroilled in a series of horrific killings - and recieves some news which makes the situation intensely personal. The relationships that the charcters develop balance the horror against which they are fighting, and up the stakes to breaking point. The story that unfolds is pacey; detailed and convoluted and manages to deliver a surprise with every turn of the page. Lee Child is one of the most talented writers to come out of England for many years. I hope the books continue with the same vitality that the predecessors have had. The films will be hardpressed to reproduce Reacher's dynamic charcter - good luck to them. If you intend to read one last book in your lifetime - read this one. Then read the rest.

I'd already read "Die Trying" and "Tripwire" when I got this book and I was afraid that it wouldn't be as good as those two, since it was Mr Child's first novel. How wrong I was!!! It's absolutely brilliant and really difficult to put down. I started reading it when I went away on holiday and as I could not put it down while walking through the airport I only narrowly escaped an embarassing accident.
As with the other two Jack Reacher books that I've read, I think the plot is really clever and exciting, the characters are well developed and the scenery is very easy to visualise. And contrary to a lot of other series with the same main character I'm amazed at how different Mr Child has managed to make these books. I'm ready to read number 4!

Lee Child has a smooth, minimal, easy to read style - not a word or a sentence is wasted. This means that the plot moves along rapidly and plenty happens as the story flows at a good pace.

The main character is Jack Reacher who must be the ultimate hero - ultra-tough, resourceful and of course very attractive to the main female lead. So the main attraction of the story is seeing Jack blast through the action. Don't worry too much about the plot details - just enjoy Jack's progress as he uncovers the evil scheme, copes with the unexpected twsts and ultimately gets the bad guys (of course).

Great opener to a series and kept me entertained, but "entertained" is definitely the right word as I was not kept guessing or intrigued by complex characters or subtle plot.

The clichés about Small Town America were many and, being a UK citizen writing about people and places of the USA, Child's made a little too much effort to sound American. Count how many times he uses the phrase ". . . as he nosed the car out of the parking lot . . . as he nosed the car into traffic. . . " - I actually started to laugh out loud. One of the characters is described in a way that made me envisage him as Colonel Sanders complete with white suit, string neck tie and rootin', tootin' manner about the way he patronises town folk!

That said, you may get the impression from the above that I am extremely critical, yet strangely, I thoroughly enjoyed the pace of the book and the amount of 'stuff' that happens on almost every page. It was sufficiently satisfying that I have begun reading the second book and, no doubt, I will find myself hooked on the series.

I suppose, in many ways, it's a bit like first discovering John Grisham: You can't deny the 'readability' of his books, but they won't exactly challenge your intellect.

Great solid read, don't pass over due to some poor reviews here.

This is currently my favourite novel of all time.

It might not be very 'deep', but for pure literary enjoyment I've yet to read anything as gripping. The structure of the story is inch perfect, the pace spot on, the revelations brilliantly placed. I can't really offer up any criticisms. It's just an absorbing read from start to end.

Reacher is a fantastic lead character. It's no surprise to me he ended up spearheading countless other novels by the same author. This particular Reacher book is also blessed with an excellent female lead and a very disturbing bad guy. Even the locations are interesting (I'll doubt you'll read too many other thrillers set in Georgia and its surrounding areas). All in all, faultless.

I can't work out what the title has to do with the story but it doesn't matter. Bad guys exist. Reacher sorts them out.

Have I just given the game away? Oops. Sorry.

Lee Child books are addictive and get better (kind of) as they go along the series. They are very easy to read, blowing through it in no time and it's chocka-block full of action and machismo. The book is very much akin to a 90's action movie but there's nothing wrong with that. Loved the character of Jack Reacher, a man so tough he can wipe his chuddies on Superman's cape and fear no reprisals. I enjoyed this book but a few things bugged shish out of me!. Who was the editor??????? Sheesh, sack the guy!.

At the end of nearly EVERY, and i mean EVERY dialogue sentece is the word 'Right?' or 'OK'. Now that sounds petty and pedantic right? like it could get on your nerves right? you'd be put off slightly right? constantly repeating a word but cant quite figure out what it may be... right? OK OK OK, i'll stop ribbing it OK, because after all i did enjoy it... right?. Going through a 500+ book with this all the way through, you should get a personal letter from Lee Child for finishing it. But.. as you go allong your sucked in and your instantly addicted. The opening was one of the best i've read in a long time. 'Killing floor' is Child's first so there's going to be some down's as much as the up's but this was pretty good. But a tiny teensy weensy bit bloody annoying!

This is an excellent read and truly sensational for saying that it is a debut for the talented Lee Child. From the moment Jack Reacher gets off the bus, he becomes embroiled in a non-stop roller-coaster ride of conspiracy and crime with the potential to rock the US. Jack struggles against time to stop the crime in hand. Childs development of the Character- in this novel and his others (DIE TRYING, TRIPWIRE, & THE VISITOR)is truly sensational- why hasnt this guy cleaned up on awards??? I cant wait or his next release.

This was the first of this author's books I had read as I wanted to see the Reacher film, with Tom Cruise. Very boring, masses of undramatical detail of no use to the bloody dramas. I saw the film before finishing the book and will certainly never read another Reacher book again

I genuinely don't want to write a bad review of anyones work, but this book simply didn't work for me. I managed to make it to the end, but i can't see me picking up another Jack Reacher story as this one became a chore rather than a pleasure.
I kind of knew what i was getting into, at the outset and did want to enjoy the novel, but the only saving grace was the plot, and when this just span off into absurdity i gave up any hope of a satisfactory conclusion.
I can deal with a larger than life hero, but Jack is so infallible, so in control, and always one step ahead of the game it completely strains credulity and removes any sense of tension the author may be trying to create.
Add to this mix paper thin characters, poorly drawn villains, and stilted dialogue, and I'm not going to labour the point any more, but I actually think 2 stars is generous.