Die Trying

Jack Reacher, Book 2

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Johnathan McClain

Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

When a woman is kidnapped off a Chicago street in broad daylight, Jack Reacher's in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's kidnapped with her. Chained together and racing across America toward an unknown destination, they're at the mercy of a group of men demanding an impossible ransom. Because Reacher's female companion is worth more than he imagines. Now he has to save them both - from the inside out - or die trying....

©2005 Lee Child (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Furiously suspenseful.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Opens with a bang.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Lee Child’s knowledge of the modern military and its combat tactics amazed me. A chilling and all-too realistic story, and a damn good book.” (Steve Thayer)

Good entertainment -engaging

Very good book and good narration. Jack Reacher is the consummate hero, but I also appreciate that these novels feature strong women!

A Helping Hand Then Taken Off The Street

Book 2 is just as action packed and full of twists and turns as Book 1. Reading this in 2019 brings back the memories of the 90's when this was set, but not much has changed and I could see this happening today. Highly recommended.

Great Presentation / Great Series

Having completed the Harry Bosch series I have turned to the Jack Reacher books and haven't been disappointed.

Loved this book

This is the first book I have experienced by Lee Child. I loved the way he unfolded the story and how he takes us through the way the characters put things together. I also enjoyed the narration of Jonathan McClain very much. Unfortunately for me, I am having a rough time listening to the other Reacher novels that are not read by McClain. I think his voice is Jack Reacher for me! Guess I have some reading to do!

Great series after Tom Clancy

Great action stories. Excellent follow on to the Tom Clancy series. Loved the book. Not the best narrator, but tolerable.

Good read

If you could sum up Die Trying in three words, what would they be?

Edge of seat

Who was your favorite character and why?

Reacher, he is smart and does not care what anybody thinks

What about Jonathan McClain’s performance did you like?

Very good, glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews

Much better narrator than Dick Hill

I can't express how much better Jonathan McClain is as a narrator for the Jack Reacher stories. For one huge reason. No matter how strong Lee Child writes them, Dick Hill makes all the female characters sound weak, pathetic, tremulous and usually on the verge of tears or hysteria. These thrillers need a more versatile voice than Hill's.

good catchup information

I have recently discovered Lee child so I have been reading from new to old.
It has been fun getting more background information on Jack Reacher. Die Trying was a good source for his personality and motivation. I will keep reading the original books in the series.

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

What did you love best about Die Trying?

I liked the way Reacher and the woman were transported without knowing how or why.

What did you like best about this story?

The action. Lots of it.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan McClain – was your favorite?

Jack Reacher, of course.

...Reacher wearing a wrist watch?

Audiobook Review - “Die Trying” is the second novel in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series and it is just as good as “The Killing Floor,” Child’s first Jack Reacher novel. In Die Trying, Reacher is kidnapped by an Idaho militia along with a female FBI agent whose dad is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and whose godfather is the US president. Everyone except General Leon Garber, Reacher's old Army commander, believes Reacher is part of the kidnap plot. General Garber and especially his lawyer daughter become major characters in later Reacher novels in the series. Despite my ‘negative’ reviews on some of the recent Jack Reacher books, I am a big fan of Jack Reacher - even the movies, regardless of the short little guy playing a 6'5" 250 pound bulk of a man! This earlier Reacher novel ‘is’ early - Reacher wearing a wrist watch? Go figure…but the story is good, actually it’s very good! After having read the more recent books, it's been kind of fun to go back and see where Reacher started and how. The Die Trying story, as many of the others, has a great plot, interesting characters and the usual twists and turns - and the turns keep coming and coming and coming! You learn a bit more about Jack Reacher, the people in his life, and why he is like he is. The plot was fast paced and balanced as it moved between the various sub-plots. There's a scene where someone has evil ugly intent for someone and Reacher ends up making them pay for it! I loved it! This was the Jack Reacher I came to admire and revere. Whenever Reacher is upset, he is so cool, calculating and excited by violence. Those qualities are embedded into him very well. So when he breaks or shows humanity, I personally can relate to his emotions. Die Trying has lots of action and intense suspense and was one of my early favorites of the series. Some parts are a little dated now (fax machines and videotape) but the heart of the story holds up great. Kept me guessing about the "bad guy" until the end. Die Trying is definitely a Jack Reacher series must listen! I really liked this audiobook…