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HomeNews UpdateStephen King’s book, which exists in the same universe as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, explains

Stephen King’s book, which exists in the same universe as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, explains

July 7, 2024
Stephen King’s book, which exists in the same universe as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, explains

Summary

  • There is a subtle connection between Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels and Stephen King’s The Arena.
  • The reference to Jack Reacher in “The Arena” confirms Reacher’s existence in the same universe.
  • The connection is probably a passing remark, not intended to have any significant impact on either story.



Lee Childs Jack Reacher Novels and a Stephen King The story surprisingly takes place in the same universe, so it is hard to wonder why this connection exists. Stephen King, rightly known as the “King of Horror,” has written over 60 books since 1974. He is not only one of the most prolific horror writers of all time, but also one of the most versatile, as his work spans several other genres. Lee Child, on the other hand, has been equally prolific, but has focused primarily on the crime genre, with his Jack Reacher book series.

While all Lee Child Jack Reacher Books are set in the same universe, with each book being a new crime-solving adventure for the title character. Stephen King has created several distinct worlds and standalone narratives in his books. Although some of King’s books have subtle overlaps and others even have proper sequels, the author has many individual stories under his belt. Interestingly, one of these seemingly individual Stephen King stories takes place in the same universe as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.


Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher with a book background

Related

All Jack Reacher books in the correct order (Where should I start)

The Amazon Prime Video television series Reacher is based on the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child – read on to find out all the novels in the long series.


Stephen King’s “Die Under the Dome” contains a subtle allusion to Jack Reacher

Jack Reacher does not appear in person in Under the Dome

Two people navigate through the dome from both sides in “Under the Dome”.

Stephen King’s Under the dome has one of the most fascinating and unique settings in modern horror, which explains why there is a TV adaptation at all. Strangely, Stephen King’s science fiction novel contains a direct reference to Lee Child’s Jack Reacherwhich confirms that Reacher is a real character in his universe. The book contains a short excerpt that reveals how A character named Wettington was personally recommended by a man named Jack Reacher“the toughest damn army cop that ever served.“Here is the complete excerpt from the book:


“Wettington received an award for his assistance in breaking up an illegal drug ring operating out of the 67th Combat Support Hospital in Würzburg, Germany, and was personally recommended by a man named Jack Reacher, who is, in my humble opinion, the toughest cop to ever serve.”

Although Jack Reacher is a unique name, one might assume that he appears by chance in Stephen King’s novel. However, the fact that he is described in the description as the toughest military policeman of all time proves that the Reacher in question is the one from Lee Child’s book series. This connection between Under the dome and that Jack Reacher The selection of novels is interesting because you would probably least expect a character like Jack Reacher in a science fiction book by Stephen King.


The Reacher reference in “Under the Dome” is funny, but makes little sense

The world of Under the Dome seems too fantastic to have Jack Reacher in it

For context: Under the dome is set in Chester’s Mill, Maine, which is suddenly sealed off by an invisible dome that prevents the town’s citizens from leaving and those outside from entering. Panic ensues as the people trapped inside find themselves cut off from the rest of the world and are faced with resource shortages, rising tensions, and senseless power struggles among the upper classes. While political corruption is also a common theme in the Jack Reacher novels, all are based on realism and contain no elements of the supernatural or science fiction..

… as
Under the dome
The reference to Jack Reacher suggests that even Stephen King only wanted to include him in his book as a passing remark.


Jack Reacher’s physical strength can sometimes be a bit exaggerated. However, Lee Child’s novels never resort to fantastical plot elements. For this reason, it makes no narrative sense that Under the dome unfolds in the same universe as all Jack Reacher Books. But how Under the domeThe Jack Reacher reference suggests that even Stephen King only intended it to be a passing remark in his book. He never wanted anyone to take it too seriously and expected readers to take it as just a subtle nod to Lee Child’s iconic character.


Why Stephen King made a connection between “Under the Dome” and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels

Stephen King and Lee Child admire each other’s work

Stephen King sits in front of a grey background and rests his chin on his fist

Both Stephen King and Lee Child have openly expressed their admiration for each other’s works. At a meeting (via GBH Forum Network), Lee Child even recalled how surprised he was when he found Jack Reacher Reference in Stephen King‘S Under the dome and how he took it as a compliment because it proved that his character was also entering other areas of pop culture. This mutual respect between the two renowned authors and their ability to somehow connect their works despite different themes underscores the versatility and incredible range of their imaginations as storytellers.


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