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errors in Lee Child book

C

chiangmaifalcon

New Member
I know these things do not bother most people but I always get aggravated with writers who make big errors in technical stuff. I am currently reading 61 Hours by lee Child. As usual with his books, they are very well written in my opinion in terms of the plots and the mysteries and characters, but although he appears to be an expert is firearms and military tactics, he is not. The latest book involves a maximum security prison, and the prison staff has some deal with local police where when riot siren sounds, local police evacuate the town and man the guard towers and perimeter. This is ridiculous. I was a prison guard and investigator for many years and worked in 5 different prisons in my career and was watch commander at maximum security prison for 15 years. No correction department in the world, or police department either for that matter, would employ such a ridiculous policy. Prison administrators would not hand over control of guard towers and perimeter roads to local police in a riot situation or any other time. And police would not abandon the town to guard the prison. I love Lee Childs' books and will continue to read them despite these flaws, but I think it would be good if he did more research into his subjects.
 
He is British and I guess he needs to do more research than your average US Thriller writer writing US thrillers. A bit like Elizabeth George in reverse.
 
Yes that is good point. Hwever most of his errors are about military and police tactics, weaponry, etc. For instance, in 61 Hours, Reacher says he was demoted for bashing in a general's head and putting the guy in a coma. I have been in the army and believe me, even if the general was a crook like this one was, if you bust his head you will do a lot worse than get demoted. Then he says that when prison inmates escape, they usually hide out inside the prison until search is done, and then they escape. This never ever happens in reality. When there is an escape one of the first things we did was to conduct a complete search of the entire prison and the place is locked down so tight even employees are not allowed to leave. I know these kinds of details do not bother average readers, but it is just that the author here writes as if he is an authority on these subjects and in reality is clueless. This is my only complaint about his books though. They are very suspenseful and Jack reacher is probably my favorite fictional character.
 
'Gone Tomorrow' is the first Reacher book I read, or should I say half read. I gave up after about 200 pages.

Reacher does not seem to be a credible character. He can spot a terrorist on a train because of his previous training but he could not turn a mobile phone off with out randomly pressing all the buttons.

I see Child as seeing Reacher as this 'cool' anti hero and in Child's eyes a cool character would not know how a mobile phone works. :cool:

With Bond we read him 'tongue in cheek' because he is larger than life but I got the feeling that Child wants us to take Reacher as a serious character and that’s way it does not work for me. Unless 'Gone Tomorrow' was not one of his best books.
 
Yes I have not thought of it before but I understand what you mean. He does not wear a watch but knows exactly what time it is at all times. I did not read Gone Tomorrow because friends of mine who did and who love reacher books usually say that somehow in this book he turns into like a wimp and anti-American which makes no sense if you read the other books. What I like about the books is that the good guys always win in the end.
Except 61 Hours which is a 2 part book so have to wait for second one to come out. I did enjoy it despite the flaws. Most ridiculous of all is the abandoned building. I will not give away the secret but it is one of the stupidest ideas I ever read about.
 
He is a very successful author and lots of readers love his books so he must be doing something right. May be the story rather than the details are what count for his loyal readers.

I remember reading a book where the main character took an underground train to get across London and readers complained that in order to get to his destination he would have had to change trains. So I guess to some details matter.
 
Thanks for the tip. I've always been curious about Lee Child. I kinda want it to be realistic for me to like the book. Do you guys know anything about Harlan Coben or Daniel Silva?
 
I have read Harlan Coben's Tell No One a while ago but I have forgotten much of the story, although I do remember it being a page turner. But it did not make me want to rush out and buy another one of his books. I remember thinking that it would have been better as a film script than a book.

.......... I found out after I had read it that it had been made into a film.
 
Just finished Lee Childs latest book - " Worth Dying For " , normally I find these rivetting and the sort of book you can't put down . This ids the first time I've wanted to finish a Lee Child book to start something else ..... its ok- good - but not a classic IMO . I was a bit disappointed as he usually writes to a very high standard , but I found this one a bit run of the mill .
 
JonPunk said:
Just finished Lee Childs latest book - " Worth Dying For " , normally I find these rivetting and the sort of book you can't put down . This ids the first time I've wanted to finish a Lee Child book to start something else ..... its ok- good - but not a classic IMO . I was a bit disappointed as he usually writes to a very high standard , but I found this one a bit run of the mill .
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I do agree with you. I like Reacher a lot, but Worth Dying for disappointed me too. Reacher does not seem to be himself, the book is slow. I usually do not care if there is something unbelievable (ok, Reacher knows exactly what time is it, so what?) but in this book he really seems to act randomly, without a reason, just to bother other people. I read that the next book takes place in the army, let's hope Reacher really comes back!
 
Tai_Mai_Shu said:
Thanks for the tip. I've always been curious about Lee Child. I kinda want it to be realistic for me to like the book. Do you guys know anything about Harlan Coben or Daniel Silva?
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Hi, I have read each and every book by Coben, I think he is great! the plot are always twisting and keeps surprising (though he is quite obsessed with past hunting the present), he is often funny (ever read the Myron Bolitar series?) and his characters are real: no hero, no totally evil vs. totally good. the only book I did not love was Long lost, but if I remember right it is a very "young" book, and one on twenty is an excellent rate!
I think I read one book by Silva but I don't even remember the title, I don't think I like it :lol:
 
chiangmaifalcon said:
I know these things do not bother most people but I always get aggravated with writers who make big errors in technical stuff. I am currently reading 61 Hours by lee Child. As usual with his books, they are very well written in my opinion in terms of the plots and the mysteries and characters, but although he appears to be an expert is firearms and military tactics, he is not. The latest book involves a maximum security prison, and the prison staff has some deal with local police where when riot siren sounds, local police evacuate the town and man the guard towers and perimeter. This is ridiculous. I was a prison guard and investigator for many years and worked in 5 different prisons in my career and was watch commander at maximum security prison for 15 years. No correction department in the world, or police department either for that matter, would employ such a ridiculous policy. Prison administrators would not hand over control of guard towers and perimeter roads to local police in a riot situation or any other time. And police would not abandon the town to guard the prison. I love Lee Childs' books and will continue to read them despite these flaws, but I think it would be good if he did more research into his subjects.
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You remarked that Lee Child made big errors in describing the prison scene, did you read the copyright page in the front of the book?

If you don't have the book anymore here's a URL at the bottom you can refer to.

It says, "61 Hours is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales in entirely coincidental."

Unless the writer writes a true story, all writers use this writer's prerogatory to make their stories exciting.:whistling: Think about it...



Amazon.com: 61 Hours: A Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher) (9780440243694): Lee Child: Books
 
Tai_Mai_Shu said:
Thanks for the tip. I've always been curious about Lee Child. I kinda want it to be realistic for me to like the book. Do you guys know anything about Harlan Coben or Daniel Silva?
Click to expand...
I'm not "one of the guys" but if you read fiction writers like Harlan Corben, or Daniel Silva, expect the same thing as Lee Child's books. They have the same thing written on the copyright page.

That's what is meant by "fiction writers". Maybe you should read True Stories.;) Then you would have just cause to pick them apart.
 
I think Stephen Hunter, in the "acknowledgments" at the end of The 47th samurai explains this perfectly and funnily when he writes: no reader should impute to me any deep knowledge of the way of the sword. I'm a writer, not a samurai; I tell stories, I don't cut enemies down..... Send angry e-mails to hunterdoesn't care@aol.com :)))
 
I enjoy the Reacher books by Lee Child. I think the character is awesome. But my favorite is David Wiltse' Becker. Wow! This guy is... there are no words! There are only 5 books, but he's coming out with a 6th after nothing for like 16 years!! Next of my faves would be Coben's Myron & Win. I love these guys. I see a movie with Ben Affleck being Myron & Jude Laws being Win. Eva Mendez as Esparanza. But I DO NOT LIKE Tom Cruise as Reacher! Nor do I care for who they'd used to be Alex Cross, And Angelina Jolie as Scarpetta, please!
 
Reachers drawers

Couldn't find a Lee Child author discussion thread, so I figured I'd post this here. I have been reading a few of the Reacher books lately, and had a question....
What does Jack Reacher do for underwear? I mean, he only ever takes a toothbrush with him anywhere he goes. No change of clothes, no deoderant, no nothing. Just a toothbrush. I presume he wears the same clothes over and over again and maybe the same underwear. or maybe he doesn't wear any? Still, even though he must smell like a BO factory, most women he encounters find him attractive. Die hard Reacher experts please help me out.
 
He uses the toothbrush to scrub his one pair of underwear clean every night.
The women, the BO is glandular roofies.
 
In several of the books he buys clothes as he goes along and when they get dirty, destroyed or gamy he throws them away and buys more. This information may been in the early books. It made me think he had plenty of money but later it revealed he worked and put money away when he wasn't stalking and killing people.
 
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