Lee Child retires, brother takes over the Jack Reacher series

[Paperbackstash]

In a twist that most authors would be proud of Jack Reacher has a new father. Or perhaps uncle.

The novelist Lee Child has declared that he is retiring from writing his renowned Reacher thrillers.

However, in what is thought to be a literary first, he is allowing his younger brother Andrew Grant authorial rights over the multimillion grossing series. As long as he changes his surname to Child first. So, Lee Child retires and a new Child is born.

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I still haven't gotten around to this series, but know it's popular.

[Luffy]

For some reason I didn't read this series. I was too busy reading Baldacci.

[MSWallack]

I haven't read any of Andrew Grant's books, but my father, who turned me onto Reacher in the first place, has read Grant books and said that they were not good.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Luffy

For some reason I didn't read this series. I was too busy reading Baldacci.

I read the first one, but it just didn't appeal all that much to me.

[DiapDealer]

Like most open-ended and long-running book series, the premise and the main character tend to wear me out after four or five installments. Jack Reacher was no different for me. Child's retirement and named successor won't affect me. Plus I generally dislike authors "taking over" the writing of another author's series for just about any reason.

[ottdmk]

By a funny coincidence, my hold on Lee Child's "One Shot" just became available today. I enjoy the Reacher novels, but I've been spacing them out (a lot) because I'm pretty sure I'd burn out on them quickly.

As a result, it's going to be a long time before I end up reading any non-Lee Reacher books.

This one should be interesting. It was the basis for the first Tom Cruise Reacher film, which I actually enjoyed.

[leebase]

I love the Reacher series. In an unrelated note, I’ve been binging on Mitch Rapp and just hit the first “post author” book. Once I realized this...I went back to reading something else for awhile.

Sometimes these things work out. I’ve liked the Bourne series, Dune and Jack Ryan books after the original authors died.

I hope for good things for Jack Reacher going forward. I have about 5 more Reacher books to go before I run out.

[John F]

I'll give Grant's Reacher a try. Interesting that Lee is making Grant change his name. Does Grant actually change his name, or will it be Grant's pen name?

I can't access the full article, any date on the book release?

[mitford13]

Originally Posted by John F

I'll give Grant's Reacher a try. Interesting that Lee is making Grant change his name. Does Grant actually change his name, or will it be Grant's pen name?

I can't access the full article, any date on the book release?

The Bookseller says the first four will be in collaboration, with Grant taking over after that. First one out October 27 (UK).

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/l...h6qgHez_ct5Pnw

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by John F

I'll give Grant's Reacher a try. Interesting that Lee is making Grant change his name. Does Grant actually change his name, or will it be Grant's pen name?

I can't access the full article, any date on the book release?

Lee Child is James Grant's pen name.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by leebase

I love the Reacher series. In an unrelated note, I’ve been binging on Mitch Rapp and just hit the first “post author” book. Once I realized this...I went back to reading something else for awhile.

Sometimes these things work out. I’ve liked the Bourne series, Dune and Jack Ryan books after the original authors died.

I hope for good things for Jack Reacher going forward. I have about 5 more Reacher books to go before I run out.

I hadn't noticed that they were still churning out Mitch Rapp books since Vince Flynn died. I actually hadn't noticed the series until right about the time Flynn died. I bought the collector's edition eBooks, which makes it more or less easier to read in storyline order, American Assassin is the only one that's out of order.

[mitford13]

Originally Posted by John F

I'll give Grant's Reacher a try. Interesting that Lee is making Grant change his name. Does Grant actually change his name, or will it be Grant's pen name...?

None of the articles I’ve seen cover that level of granularity, i.e., legal name change vs pen name. Does it matter? Is it any of our business?

From the Guardian:

“According to the Times’ report, the cover of the next Reacher novel – in a series which is published by an imprint of Random Penguin House – will read: “Lee Child with Andrew Child”, in what has been interpreted as a possible sign of the publishing company’s nerves.”

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by mitford13

None of the articles I’ve seen cover that level of granularity, i.e., legal name change vs pen name. Does it matter? Is it any of our business?

From the Guardian:

“According to the Times’ report, the cover of the next Reacher novel – in a series which is published by an imprint of Random Penguin House – will read: “Lee Child with Andrew Child”, in what has been interpreted as a possible sign of the publishing company’s nerves.”

Given that it's a pen name, they have other options: bill it as "LEE CHILD'S JACK REACHER" or simply say nothing and pass it off as somebody else taking over the pen name, like Walter Gibson.

They're actually being reasonable and transparent.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I hadn't noticed that they were still churning out Mitch Rapp books since Vince Flynn died. I actually hadn't noticed the series until right about the time Flynn died. I bought the collector's edition eBooks, which makes it more or less easier to read in storyline order, American Assassin is the only one that's out of order.

The Mitch Rapp books were the ones to finally see that I couldn't appreciate thriller books.