Exit Strategy: Lee Child & Andrew Child
“Exit Strategy” is an appropriate title for the latest Reacher novel, if the reports are true.
Lee Child created the character Jack Reacher about 30 years ago, introducing the giant vagabond in the novel “Killing Floor.” Lee Child independently penned about 25 Reacher novels. The past six Reacher novels, including “Exit Strategy,” have been designated as being by Lee Child and his younger brother, Andrew Child. Rumor has it that a couple of those books have been solely penned by Andrew Child.
“Exit Strategy” will reportedly mark the last Reacher book with Lee Child’s involvement. He will reportedly no longer be involved with writing the novels or with the “Reacher” television show on Prime.
Lee Child’s departure marks a shift but not as dramatic a shift as if he was suddenly leaving the Reacher book series. Long-time readers have noticed changes since Andrew Child joined the writing team a half-dozen books ago.
The books are shorter. The stories contain less narrative about Reacher’s interior thoughts or reflections on his personal actions – arguably, after 30 books, readers should know how Reacher looks at things but the newer novels feel shallow without the looks into Reacher’s quirks and habits.
Supporting characters once had complex back stories and personalities, but are now more often simple cutouts set up as either people in Reacher’s way or people Reacher is helping. Reacher has far fewer intimate relationships than in past novels.
In recent books, there is almost no mention of how long ago Reacher served in the military and how long he’s been crisscrossing the nation by hitchhiking, walking or bus. Based on the earlier novels, he left the military in the late 1990s and has been a vagabond for about 30 years. The past few novels have been distancing Reacher from that specific time period. Based on his original stories, Jack Reacher would now be a man in his early 60s.
All that said, Reacher is still unstoppable, his moral code remains intact, he is a man of few words. Andrew Child packs these stories with plenty of action. He trades a closer look at his bad guys’ interior motives for a big reveal late in the stories.
“End Game” follows a traditional Reacher pattern. Reacher is minding his own business, stopped in a town – in this case, Baltimore – for a day or two, sitting in a diner drinking several cups of strong coffee. He sees someone being scammed; Reacher gets involved. A case of mistaken identity has him helping a retired military intelligence officer who’s been extorted into participating in a covert military operation that’s nothing more than a scam designed to enrich its organizers.
The plot is kind of all over the place but the action is fast and plentiful. These books seem designed to capitalize on fans introduced to Reacher through the television series. New readers may enjoy them. For fans who have followed Reacher through all of his novels, these later books feel more like Reacher-Lite.
Absolute Universe
In the Absolute Universe, Bruce Wayne is a blue-collar engineer and Batman is a brutal force in the underbelly of Gotham. He is stripped of his wealth.
In the Absolute Universe, Superman was raised on Krypton before coming to Earth. He is stripped of his farmland upbringing by the Kents.
In the Absolute Universe, Wonder Woman was raised in the Underworld. She is stripped of her Amazon heritage.
Comics creator Scott Snyder oversees this off-shoot alternative to the DC Universe. He has said in interviews that the regular DC Universe is powered by a positive “Superman energy” where superheroes are viewed as champions while the Absolute Universe is powered by the energy of the villain Darkseid where superheroes are the underdogs.
The “Absolute” retellings of these familiar superheroes have been popular. “Absolute Superman,” “Absolute Batman” and “Absolute Wonder Woman” are monthly titles, possibly anticipated more than each character’s traditional monthly titles. Other DC characters have also been given the “Absolute” treatment.
“Absolute Batman” has been particularly popular.
Bruce Wayne is poor. Alfred is a paramilitary agent assigned to Gotham, with orders to eradicate Batman if he gets in the way of his mission, but Pennyworth has a growing respect for the young Batman. Bruce’s childhood friends are a familiar crew – the people we best know as Batman’s enemies: Penguin, Killer Croc, Riddler, Two-Face, etc.
The Batman cape has long claws. Absolute Batman is more violent; he still doesn’t kill but he’s willing to maim.
Absolute Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman are in their second years of publication. “Absolute Batman” even had an annual edition that was recently released. Seems the Absolute Universe will absolutely be here for a while to come.
