Killing Floor

Jack Reacher, Book 1

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

The first novel in Lee Child's number one New York Times best-selling Jack Reacher series - soon to be an original series on Prime Video!

“From its jolting opening scene to its fiery final confrontation, Killing Floor is irresistible.” (People)

Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He’s just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he’s arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Reacher knows is that he didn’t kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn’t stand a chance of convincing anyone. Not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell.

©2015 Lee Child (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

A People Magazine “Page-Turner”

A Barry Award winner

An Anthony Award winner

“All [Jack Reacher novels] are ripping yarns, but...Killing Floor wins awards for Best Corrupt Southern Town in a Summer Novel and Best Exploding Warehouse.” (Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly) 

“Combines high suspense with almost nonstop action. Reacher is a wonderfully epic hero: tough, taciturn, yet vulnerable.” (People) 

“Great style and careful plotting. The violence is brutal...depicted with the kind of detail that builds dread and suspense.” (The New York Times) 

Even if you have it GET THIS ONE!!

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

Dick Hill is Jack Reacher. This is my favorite series and I only wish the three on Audible that are narrated by someone else (Tripwire, Die Trying and Running Blind) would be rereleased with Dick Hill narrating.

Any additional comments?

I already have the first release of this book and was on the fence about getting this one but so very glad I did. Over two hours longer then the first but the narration is so much better. Both done by Dick Hill and both good but he changed some accents and speech patterns (Findley now sounds like he's from Boston) and left some other annoying dialog out and this version surpasses the last. My review is really for people who already own the first release of this book. For anyone who hasn't read:listened to this book all I can say is GET IT, you won't be sorry. This is one of my favorite Reacher books. Great story that sets the tone for all the books that follow. If you find this review helpful please indicate so. Thank You.

Good, but a bit slow

It was a good story, but the sleepy tone of the narrator made the book feel like a slow read. His voice was nice, but it made it feel like the book took forever to get to the point. He made it have a film noir feel to it, though, which was a bit amusing.

I never knew these were so good!

Nearly 20 years and this is my first time reading a Jack Reacher book. Boy, oh boy, what I have been missing!

This is a complicated story with twists and turns that aren't forced or improbable. We find out Reacher's back story and personality and skills. The writing is mature and professional, not insipid or riddled with one type of error or another. Reacher is a good person, not a warped killer or vengeful vigilante. He doesn't want trouble, but it always finds him.

Dick Hill is not my favorite narrator--he sounds like he's at least 80 with a shaky voice, and he wheezes out every last wisp of breath. But he does do some voices very well, and he provides great intonation and characterization. His best accents are Hispanic (Harv, Nathan McBride's sidekick), but he is better than just endurable.

If you like this kind of do-gooder story, then get started on this series, and don't wait 20 years to find it like I did!

pretty good

What did you like best about Killing Floor? What did you like least?

I like the Jack Reacher character and the book in general but the narrator has a VERY annoying voice. Jack Reacher is supposed to be a fit man in his mid-30's but this guy sounds 75 years old!! His accents are good, but he over uses some accents like the word "person" He pronounces it like POY-SON... the only person who actually speaks like this is Curly from the 3 Stooges!!

How did this book get so many points?

The story line was good... the elevator version. But Lee Child repeated himself over and over ad over and over and over again, belabored every description until we were making jokes about it. Also, the gratuitous violence was not be believed -- the bad guys making a man eat this testicles, holdng knives at a little girl's vagina, on much much more? I like good suspencse and can handle violence but this as just over the top.
Then there is the unavailability of the story. Jack Reacher would have been arrested many times over for what he did -- I lost count of the people he killed, but not in self defense btw...
Ba book. Bad writing.

Narrator

Narration was off he made the character sound like a 90 year old man and the female voices were awful

written for 3 year olds

"I said. He said. I said. He said. I said. He said." I've never come across a book that so annoyingly uses those words so often

I really want to like it but...

Would you listen to Killing Floor again? Why?

No, the story was entertaining but the narration kinda killed it for me. I felt like my grandpa was reading to me. Isnt Jack supposed to be in his early 30's? Or maybe early 40's? Seriously I felt like I should be listening to someone talk about arthritis and gout. Dont get me wrong, hes very good at what he does its just not the right fit for this character.

What three words best describe Dick Hill’s performance?

Like I said before, if he would have started a commercial for depends or disposable catheters I would not have been surprised. In my mind I have someone like Tom Cruise who was in the movie.. in my ear I have Wilford brimley

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no I listened over a few days

Any additional comments?

great book bad choice of narration.

play @ 1.25 speed

narrator speaking far to slow but play at 1.25 speed makes it much better.

Story very enjoyable and I will be purchasing the rest of the series.

Really?

It's simple. the story is told in the first person. The main character is in his 30's, is a big strong athletic butt- kicking guy, and it is read by a guy who sounds like he can't be a day under 85. It was nothing short of painful. I finished it because my brother, who read the paperback, said I should. It was a challenge and I am SO glad it is over. I can't even read the actual books because Reacher is ruined for me. My advice ... get the Kindle version.