In high school (early eighties), a friend gave me one of the Travis McGee novels written by John D. MacDonald titled "The Green Ripper." I really enjoyed the book and have read the whole series over a period of years. About the only places I could find them were at airport newsstands, so it took awhile...
McGee in The Green Ripper was probably the most action packed of the series. For me it set the bar very high as how an (almost) everyman would deal with a trained paramilitary foe. Thoughtful and realistic, vs. over the top superman heroics. The character hurt, he bled, his actions had emotional impact on him.
The rest of the series could be somewhat of a formula, but the worst of them were good or better than good.
I enjoy the character development and action based on thoughts and planning more than I do the high speed low drag super special forces seal team operator type books (or movies/shows) that are popular today.
His views on the envirment and race even hold up well today, especially since they were written between '64 and '86.
Anyone else enjoy the books?

Oscar Zulu

I get half.

I wasn’t a fan of the Travis McGee series, but I did like another John D. MacDonald book, “The Only Girl in the Game”. It’s a murder mystery set in Las Vegas.

I also enjoyed MacDonald’s “The House Guests”. Nominally a book about two of his cats, but lots of interesting autobiographical material. It’s the only “cat book” I know of that any self-respecting male would want to be found in his estate.

It's been a long time since I thought of Travis McGee. I think I read every book available in the late 70's. I enjoyed those books.

It's funny you brought this up. We just got a new book case and I was moving the books over and still have the whole series. Brought back great memories of a different time. Doesn't hurt that I live in Ft Lauderdale area and used to be at that marina all the time.

Both Lee Childs' Reacher and Robert B. Parker's Spenser characters owe a lot to MacDonald's Travis McGee. I especially enjoyed McGee's philosophical dialogs with his friend Meyer.

I agree with the OP that The Green Ripper remains one of the best of the series. In it, McGee's thirst for vengeance adds an interesting facet to the character we didn't see in the other novels in the series.

quote:

Originally posted by M'headSig:
Lee Childs' Reacher ... owe a lot to MacDonald's Travis McGee.

I did not care for my limited dip into the Reacher books, but that was my first impression of the character: a modern Travis McGee. I read all of the originals.

I love the Travis McGee books but have not read the Green Ripper. Just put the e-book on hold for me at the library…looking forward to it. I like the way MacDonald put colors into his titles like “The Dreadful Lemon Sky”. Great stuff!