* Jack Reacher (Lee Child) - Echo Burning.
Today I listened to an interview on RNZ with the two 'Child' brothers - James Grant and Andrew Grant who write under the pseudonyms Lee Child and Andrew Child. LEE AND ANDREW CHILD
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Andrew Grant and Lee Child .... sorry .... Andrew Child and James Grant .... bugger .... Andrew Grant and James Grant .... damn .... Andrew Child and Lee Child. Bingo! |
It was surprisingly OK as they talked about the Jack Reacher character and the writing handover from Lee to Andrew. Both writers are well spoken and seem to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve. It's just a pity that the younger brother Andrew is such a crap writer. Look, I'm a modest fellow, a failed scholar and have no track record in publication but ... I know I could write a Jack Reacher book better than he could. Why didn't Lee (James) give me a call? Hasn't he read my Reacher-inspired posts? Sheesh!
I sent a text in to RNZ - they usually call for listeners to text in with questions or comments - but neither it, nor anyone else's comments were aired. I think that Jesse Mulligan, who sounded sycophantic in the interview was overawed by his hero Lee Child. Here is what I texted in:
"The practice of passing on novel themes and characters has been used to varying degrees of success by others (think Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series and Ian Fleming’s James Bond). Lee Child passing over Jack Reacher hasn’t been successful though. The brother Andrew Grant is simply not a good enough writer to carry it off and, bizarrely, doesn’t appear to have made the effort to copy his older brother’s style, humour and quirkiness. Add to this the cynicism of taking on a pseudonym (Andrew Child) to match his brother’s pseudonym - Lee Child (James Grant) it is an affront to the many millions of readers who have supported the series of novels for decades. The previous 3 books co-written have been awful - or at least the bits that obviously Andrew wrote. I don’t hold out much hope for this 4th collaboration. "
I mean - I was being nice (for me). What was wrong with that observation?
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Reacher said nothing |
4 comments:
Interesting observation. I've never been an avid fan (who asked me?). The character reminded me too much of a real ex british army police officer that I worked for in Wainui and the plots were always formula and the same.
"The character reminded me too much of a real ex british army police officer that I worked for in Wainui"
Did he say things like:
"Wainuiomata – you go over the hill, and you know you're there.”
"You can take the boy out of Wainuiomata but you can't take Wainuiomata out of the man"
"Wainuiomata? Why not!"
"You're sad mista!"
I think I'll leave you two to have this out.
Richard Child (of RBB)
"Hope for the breast but plan for the wurst".
- Old saying from a continental delicatessen owner.
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