Friday 21 December 2012

Jack Reacher - a hero for us all!

My lovely Dad George is a devoted reader of Lee Child's novels about Jack Reacher - the 'kick ass' ex- army hero who notices everything and faces it all head on.  Each novel  is a stand alone story and they can be read in any order because  Jack doesn't carry  any baggage - he has no home address (he was born to army parents and has been in the army his whole adult life) and his friends are contacts he calls on for information as and when he needs them.  There is just something about Jack - he will not let injustice ride, he does not feel outnumbered when most tough guys would and even his romantic entanglements are not very 'tangled' by most people's standards.





I read The Affair & Worth Dying For in quick succession - and I loved them! I was waiting for an operation myself, and then later recovering from the procedure and what a welcome distraction these books offered.  You are grabbed from the first page, suddenly you ARE Jack, noticing everything, calculating the motivations and reactions of everyone around you.  How fast can you hit them, where will you most effectively rain your blows to make sure your combatant doesn't get up and cause you any more trouble?  How many rounds are there left in your opponent's gun and will be he be able to hit you from that distance in these weather conditions? - you are thinking on your feet and weighing every consideration along with Jack.



I shall be very interested to see the film which comes out this Christmas featuring Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher - not only am I wondering how he is going to convey the sheer 'presence' and toughness that is innately Jack without being 6'5" and built like a brick outhouse, but how are we the audience going to 'see' all the complex thinking and weighing up that Jack does every moment of every conflict to be sure of the optimum outcome - will we see each possible move before it happens - similar format to Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films?  Will there be a 'CSI like' following of bullets and fists as they shatter bones and damage flesh?  I am sure Tom Cruise will own the role but I do wish they had chosen an actor with a more imposing physical demeanour.

Well - this will be my last post before Christmas, so I wish all of my blog-followers a very happy and peaceful festive season.  Be kind to each other and I toast you all - I hope this Christmas brings you health, happiness and what you need in your life to feel fulfilled.  This year my family and time spent with them mean everything to me - my big operation has really changed my perspective on what is needed for a good life.