Review: A most unexpected childhood, with unexpected talents
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 22, 2012
A short story prequel in the Jack Reacher suspense series that I think is worth the money. This story takes place when Jack is 13 in 1974 and the family has just been posted to Okinawa.My TakeThis sets us up for Jack's math and deductive abilities...even as a kid, that boy was bright!I do like how Child describes the difference between Joe and Reacher. Joe has no trigger, he's all brains and into theory; he's likely to end up in military intelligence. Reacher, well, Reacher is "permanently jammed wide open on full auto", an unstoppable force of nature with his "get-the-job-done" mentality.The wrong note in this is that a major and two Warrant Officers are willing to take this kid's word about the missing test answers and the code book. And they're willing to bargain with him!Still, it was sweet! It makes me want to read more about Jack Reacher!The StoryIt's not "Jack". Not really. Everyone simply calls him "Reacher". His parents. His brother. It's Stan and Josephine. Joe and Reacher.A new posting. A new batch of kids to impress. And now their new school expects Joe and Reacher to take placement tests?! Ehh, Reacher doesn't care. He'll do the minimum to get by. It's Joe who's worried about how well he'll do. It's that fear that gets played.Captain Reacher has his own worries when he gets handed a top secret mission...and loses the code book.It's Reacher who puts all the clues together--and makes us wonder how we missed `em. Just a part of taking care of his family.The CharactersU.S. Marine Captain Stan and Josephine neé Moutier Reacher are Joe and Jack`s parents. Laurent Moutier is the kids' French grandfather. A carpenter. After World War II, he was ordered to make wooden legs for the combat vets. Using furniture legs.Helen is the daughter of one of the NCOs. The fat, smelly kid leaves all sorts of clues...who knew?The TitleWell, the title is certainly to the point. Jack Reacher is the Second Son.