Jack reacher; start at beginning or doesn't it matter?

[GirlOutNumbered]

Just thought I would start on the jack reacher series, should I get the first one, if so what is it? Or doesn't it really matter? I could just start reding the new one?

[Dromedary]

Killing Floor. It's one of the better ones. It's not vital to start there, but you may as well.
I'd avoid the ones where he just goes around killing dozens of men in really nasty ways pretty much for the fun of it.

[RicStar]

Its the killing floor. It doesnt really matter i.e. each book is stand alone doesnt depend on you knowing what happened before but imo the earlier books are generally better than the more recent ones.

[GirlOutNumbered]

Are they actually worth a read. I haven't picked up a book for ages. Used to love the Tom Clancy books, but since having kids my stomach for violence isn't what it used to be. Are the reacher books really violent?

[Dromedary]

I read a few of them as I found them fairly gripping and relaxing. But after a while they were a bit samey and some of them were very violent. They all have some violence, but I don't mind just a bit of it. The idea is that it is ok for him to be very violent because he is always in the right. Sometimes he takes it rather too far though. They are basically superhero books for grown ups.
I enjoyed The Hard Way. Echo Burning was ok. Why not read one or two, that will probably do you.

[secretscwirrels]

Yes they are violent but in a comic book way unlike some modern crime writers who dwell heavily on sadistic detail (eg Stuart MacBride).
I love the Reacher books. I discovered them a few years ago and limited myself to one or two a year to spin them out.
It's not really important to start at the beginning. If I remember correctly the first one was written in the first person whereas most of the others are third person.
However I read a lot and if you haven't picked up a book in ages maybe not the way to start?
You could try one of the quick read series to get you into it. They are all short novellas by well known writers, our library has hundreds of them.

[GirlOutNumbered]

Sounds good, will grab The Killing Floor to start, thanks

[purplecitroen]

The Killing Floor is a good one to start with, I found it one of the more violent ones, but the title does suggest that!

They are gripping easy reads.

[SCCunningham]

Adore Reacher series, was very sad when heard Cruise to play him in movie... have not seen it yet, hope he manages to pull it off. Reacher is enormous mentally and physically....

I have not read the books in order, and love them all.

[cocolepew]

I've got a bit bored with him now, I couldn't finish the last one. I would start with the earlier ones.

I can highly reccomend Michael Connelly,Robert Crais, Harlan Coben and Dennis Lehane

[GirlOutNumbered]

I've started with One Shot. Am enjoying it, nice easy read, intriguing.

My mum was disappointed in the Tom Cruise choice, not big enough she said.

[Fairylea]

I'm reading killing floor.... I'm a little bored with it already about 100 pages in to be honest but I'm persevering as everyone says how good it is !

[tribpot]

There's a lot I can't read since having ds (7.5 years ago!) but Reacher has always been fine. Mainly because the violence is secondary to the mental intrigue (I understand one of the problems of the film has been having to have Cruise verbalise a lot of Reacher's thought processes) and because, as Dromedary says, he's always right.

[deleted203]

I adore Reacher. You can start with any really (though Killing Floor, the first one, is good). I read One Shot first, I think. Can't bear to go watch the film, because Tom Cruise is such an appalling choice of casting. (Cruise bought the film rights and cast himself!).

[GirlOutNumbered]

So, I read One Shot and then Killing Floor, I did prefer one shot, thought it was outstanding from the beginning. Feel like the character was more developed.
Am going to read them in order I think, so Die Trying next.