Bad Luck and Trouble is one of a series of
thrillers starring the heroic loner, Reacher. I have never read anything by Lee
Child before and only came across this as it was part of a compilation of 4
novels in a free book I received via a book club as part of the introductory
offer. Sometimes, such gifts prove more serendipitous than expected. This was
one such occasion.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it
difficult to put down. I’ve never lived in the USA, have no experience of the
US military, don’t gamble in casinos, and I live a happily married life with a
wonderful wife and daughter. So, on the face of it, I have no points of contact
with the protagonist. But Child has a way of making his hero into a
well-rounded human, almost in spite of his rough tough exterior. This isn’t the
formulaic easiness of the soft-centred giant. Reacher is considerably more
complex. He’s a man with principles and, although he can act with necessary
brutality and kill in ways that seem almost casual, beneath this toughness lies
a moral mind and heart that takes a no-nonsense approach to the realities of
life. He is an honest hero, honest even with himself most of the time, an
unusual human trait.
I won’t attempt to give a synopsis of the novel,
though the plot could be outlined in a page. The whole point of a thriller is
the way the plot takes the reader through the various barriers to success, or
failure, and pits the hero against odds most would find impossible. It’s a
piece of fun escapism. But, in common with many of the better written
thrillers, this one has an underlying theme of morality, a concern with right
and wrong. Child avoids those excesses so prevalent in the genre; the easy
solutions to complex problems, the ready subjugation of moral considerations in
the name of expediency or plot development. He eschews such lazy routes to
denouement and instead employs real dilemmas and proper human concerns in
resolving the issues raised by the story.
His characters, the protagonists, are well drawn
and we know enough about them to understand their motives and actions. The
villains could be seen as a little stereotypical, a little lacking in depth of
development. But, hell, we’re reading this to root for the good guys, aren’t
we? So bad villains are acceptable. I don’t read thrillers for detailed
explanation of character; like most readers, I pick up a thriller to be
entertained, to be taken on a wild ride of escapism. And Child delivers.
Would I recommend the book? Without doubt. And I’ll
be reading more of this author’s work, once I’ve read the 180 titles in my ‘to
read’ list!
No comments:
Post a Comment