Echo Burning: Jack Reacher, Book 5

Lee Child can weave an interesting tale about Jack Reacher but may drive readers who are familiar with proper sentence structure and use of punctuation to the brink. I know that’s the case for me. I purchased the entire Jack Reacher series of books after seeing the first season of the series. I never would have read so many of his books if I hadn’t already paid for them. I have often wondered why, with all the money that Lee Child must have brought in from his writing, he can’t seem to afford a staff who will proofread and correct the many mistakes throughout his books. Same goes for his publisher. I held onto hope with each successive book that he might learn something about writing and make his books easier to read. I hoped, with the addition of his brother on the last couple, that the books would improve but seemed to get only worse. Sometimes, 2 whole pages of back-and-forth banter are written with nothing to occasionally let you know who is speaking, so multiple readings may be needed at times to sort it out. I think almost all, if not all, of the pages have sentences with commas where none are needed, periods where commas are needed, clauses used as sentences, and a new paragraph starting from a clause that belongs in the previous sentence of the preceding paragraph. As I said, hard to read if you understand basic sentence structure. There are often times where I wish Lee had done one iota of research to get facts right. I refer to passages in the stories where it was apparent that Lee Child had no experience or knowledge; I guess, more or less, the writing is off the top of his head. Some problems are: 1: He thinks the flashing emergency lights of vehicles in the western states are the same as in much of the New England states (blue on fire trucks and red on police). 2: He didn’t know what the average shoe size in America is actually 10 ½ (stating it as 9) 3: He thinks a large man like Jack Reacher would have what Lee evidently thinks of as a large foot size of 11, instead of something closer to 14 or 15 (I am 6’1” and wear a 13.) I assume Lee has a small foot. 4: Lee has never been near a fast-moving train, thinking there is violent ground movement when the train is even over a mile away and hurricane force winds near one traveling 60 mph. 5: He seems to think that all gas stations and quick marts sell khaki pants and various shirts, packs of socks, and underwear. 6: Jack Reacher can knock anyone unconscious and very often dead with one punch. I can remember only a couple times when it took two. 7: He thinks face bones will “shatter” from a Jack Reacher punch and can knock out a gorilla or even an elephant. Jack also never has injuries to his hand or elbow from such amazing blows. 8: Jack Reacher’s hands are said to be as large as a dinner plate and his fists as large as Thanksgiving turkeys…really? Yes, his books are hard to read for these and other reasons caused by lack of oversight by his publisher and lack of staff. Please, I hope never to find out he has a staff that lets this stuff through. Good storyteller, other than the lack of research on details and no idea as to sentence/paragraph structure.. Rating would be five for the story.Won't buy future books

Great story, had me guessing the whole time. Highly recommend you read it. Can't wait for the next book in series.

I have to say that I enjoy reading the books in the Reacher series, at least what I've read. I started with the Reacher number one novel and have reached number five. The stories are pretty good, although they aren't likely to win any literary prizes. However, the back story that the author devised for Reacher just doesn't make sense. It would have better if the author to spend a little more time thinking about how he got Reacher to be a nomad rather than the one he concocted.Through out the five books the author has Reacher comparing a present situation to his Army days. He has Reacher going to boot camp, crawling through the mud in basic training, toting a duffel bag around, and frequently sleeping in a dormitory. He indicates that Reacher knew that when you brought your duffel bag in to the dormitory, you just selected a bed and put the bag on it proclaiming that it was his. The problem with all of that is the Reacher was a ring knocker. No West Point graduate ever did any of the things. They entered the army as officers and officers don't sleep in barracks, go to boot camp or move your gear in a duffel bag. Every base has Officers Quarters for transients, that is a long way from being a barracks. If the single officer is assigned to a base he lives in officer country at the BOQ where he has a private room as a minimum. The author would have been better to have Reacher be an enlisted man, who did do all the things he talks about. Of course a married officer would have a house, usually on the base, which the army pays for. They can live off base and the army gives them a living allowance, an option many married officers take.The reason for Reacher leaving the Army is also far fetched, to say the least. The Army did some downsizing after the Vietnam war, but no officer with a good record who wore the ring was ever let go. In fact the Army wanted to hold on those people badly. Reacher was supposed to be a very good officer, reaching the rank of Major early, so he would not, in any way, be pressured out of the Army.The author has Reacher's father, who was some king of officer, moving himself and his family around frequently. It was indicated that they moved every few months, and with no warning. I don't know what kind of army Reacher's father was in, but it wasn't the US Army. To start with, it is typical for a tour of duty on any base to be for a period of about 4 years. If their job required going to a forward base, or installation for short period of times, like a month of so, they didn't take their family with them. The family stayed at the home base. The army would not pay for the movement of an officer and his entire household from base to base every few months. It just wouldn't make sense. The army officer corp, especially the West Point guys are like a big family. They look out for each other.Now let's talk about Reacher as a person. In the first novel, the author describes him as 6 ft 5 in and weighing 220 pounds. He also indicates that he is not only tall, but he is big. Just a darn minute. Someone with those measurements would be described more accurately as Tall and Slim, if not down right skinny. In the each book the author puts weight on Reacher. By novel number 5 he weighs in at 250 pounds. That is more like it. But, even then he would not be described as Tall and Heavy. Look at some of the athletes that are that tall and their weight. Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots is 6 ft 6 in tall and weighs 265 pounds. Antonio Gates of the Chargers is 6 ft 4 in and weighs 255 pounds. I don't think you would call either one heavy. Reachers height and weight is consistent with a forward in professional basketball or a tight end in football. He would not be large in the sense of being described as Heavy.The choice of a career with the military police for a West Point graduate is kind of strange. That certainly is not the way to put stars on your shoulders. I would bet, I didn't do any research, that you would not find a single ring knocker in the military police, unless it's on temporary assignment. It would be viewed as a dead end job for West Point graduate.

Too much lobby to get to the point, but worth it, and not easy to put it down. I'm ready for the 6th.

Despite my own completely fortunate and legal life full of good friends, family, education, and career until my decent retirement, I have seen enough in my lifetime of horrible people doing horrible things - that I need to read a bit of reacher, from time to time, to help me imagine a .day when justice will set things right…kind of like an Agatha Christie mystery.

I like how lee child always has a different storyline and each one of them are action packed!I would recommend this book to anyone that loves thrillers!The reason I gave this book 4 stars is because echo burning kept me on the edge of my seat and kept surprising me with the plot twists.Echo burning is about a ex military man who is a drifter and gets picked up by a woman who's looking for someone to help kill her husband due to him beating her but it ends up being about more than just her stuation.

As with most good tales, it starts as one thing, becomes another, then twists a little more. At times, the mystery is Reacher himself, a character who is supposed to be simple, straightforward, and so on, but seems, at times, quite complicated. Side characters are pretty well drawn. The star is the tactics used by both sides, and one of the characters that I will not name, lest I ruin the tale!

Reacher can never be wrong. Rule One. No matter if he has to drive the story on it's ear. He'll make it fit. You're assuming the other way. I felt like slapping Reacher upside the head. But he holds all the cards! That's the one thing I don't like. That makes him unreal. Nobody is always right. Let him be wrong, for once.

Number five in the Reacher series written by Lee Child. I have read the previous four in order after being recommended the books by a colleague. Number five, 'Echo Burning' I think is the best so far.Don't get me wrong each one of the earlier four is a good escape reality read. They are all written in a flowing easy to read prose style. They all twist and turn into ultimate success for our hero. They all engage the reader in a nice involving story that never gets boring, although it has to be said the stories do require some flights of imagination to jump across the holes. But the holes are all excusable and if approached with an open mind can be strangely entertaining.Book five tightens the story line up considerably, it makes more sense. I noticed this with book four 'The Visitor' and book four in my opinion saw the author come of age somewhat with his grip on the complete novel much more noticeable than the first three.Book five 'Echo Burning' improves again. I feel it really does come closer to the perfect thriller.I have book six on order and have become a Jack Reacher fan. There are quite some books to go in the series with the author still writing as well. If they all deliver like those I have read so far it will provide me with hours of pleasure.Could it be that we all need a Jack Reacher in our lives?I give four stars because it is a good book. Five stars is perfection and if book six improves again on book five I do believe I may be giving the five stars out.

I have been on a Jack Reacher binge over the last few weeks, I have been at sea and they are great books to read when you come of shift. Great literature they are not, but they are fun and page turning. The endless detailed descriptions of locations are sometimes a bit irritating and do little to add to moving the plot forward, and sometimes feel that they have been added as filler so the book makes the requisite number of pages. That being said, if one skims the the unnecessary bits the books are still fantastic escapism.

I've read all of Lee Child's books and some like this one for a second time..This one has a bit more depth in the story. There are three strands. Firstly there the young Hispanic woman who gives Reacher a lift.she has a story of abuse from her husband currently in prison but shortly to be released and she wants Reacher to protect her or kill her husband. Then there is a team of killers there to fulfill a contract. Finally there is the 25 year old crime involving the random killing of Mexicans crossing the Border. Allegedly killed by Border patrol. Good story telling and character drawing and a really good read.

I love all the Jack Reacher books and am gradually working my way through them. I'm always kept on the edge of my seat with these stories and I love them! Trouble is that once I start reading a new book, I can't put it down and household things end up not being done! Brilliant!

It's a book about Jack Reacher; what else there to say?The story line is typical for a Jack Reacher novel. There are good guys, bad guys, a petite bit of fluff that is in danger, dodgy local law enforcement and one or two violent scenes. Perfect read before one retires to bed and dreaming you are 6ft 5in and have a chest size the same a barrel of stout!If you like Jack Reacher, buy the book and keep Lee Child in the life he has been accustomed to...