1 comments about The Summons.

1. The first 100 pgs got my attention and my curiosity booming. The next 241 pgs did nothing to alleviate that. The book's main question went unanswered. Definitely one of Grisham's weaker books. This warrants a 5 out of 10.

5 comments about The Firm (John Grisham).

1. This is, no question, hands down, Grisham's best book. He creates a plot that is truly exciting. It creates suspense and cleverly throws unexpected twists into Mitch McDeere's way as he tries to expose The Firm for what it really is.
   
   If you are going to start reading John Grisham books, read this one first. It sure got me hooked.



2. Plum lawyer job not so good after all.
   
   
   When a hotshot young lawyer is enticed to work for a famous firm he discovers after a while that they really aren't very nice, and not something he wants to be a part of.
   
   Then you get a mystery/thriller with chases, etc., but rather than spy or cop or military hero, you have a legal one.
   
   That wasn't particularly interesting to me, so I never bothered with another Grisham.



3. This is one of the few books that had me waking up in the middle of the night to read another chapter. I found it fascinating...



4. This thrilling and exhilarating Grisham novel starts out and explains the normal occurrences of a lawyer fresh out of law school. The long nights and hard work seem to have brought Mitch McDeere exactly what he wanted, a warm climate, a BMW, and a mortgage to a house for himself and his wife. He soon realized after two deaths his first day on the job that the firm was not a safe place to be. After being approached by the FBI I was always curious as to whether he would follow the same path as the former associates who were recently killed or take the greedy path and stick with the money. The ability of Grisham to tell the story from many points of view and keep the most important details hidden till the very end was key to keeping interest in the novel. The escape of Mitch from the firm was somewhat suspicious and his ability to get access to all of the files is somewhat hard to believe but still made for a good read. From the start of the novel I could not put it down and was always enticed by the next twist or turn that would come.



5. The Firm
   
   Story: 4 out of 5 stars
   Abridged: No
   Quality of narration: 4 stars
   Reader's range of character voices: 2 stars
   
   Pros: I have read the book and listened to the audiobook, both versions are unputdownable. As for the audiobook narration, Scott Brick's voice is warm and listenable. His delivery is clearly enunciated and pitched so you don't have to keep changing volume to hear what's being said.
   
   Cons: Brick does an excellent job on New York and Long Island accents (check out his reading of Nelson DeMille's John Corey series), but "The Firm" takes place in the Deep South and his southern accents are weak to non-existent. Also, he doesn't do much with female voices other than soften his voice slightly.

5 comments about The Broker.

1. Not everything John Grisham writes is a winner. Remember 'The Brethren' about some highly unlikely judges in jail? And 'The Testament' was also a clunker. But basically Grisham is a safe bet, with a good tale, well told and the usual young and struggling Mississippi lawyer hero who appears under different names but always gets justice in the end. Well, forget all that. Here, our hero lives in Italy and he's not really a hero at all. But he's a hell of a lot nicer than the guys who are after him.
   
   The Broker is a lot of fun. It's a just a great read - pick it up and whizz through it. It's not great literature, but it is Grisham doing what he does best - producing an intriguing plot, credible characters and a setting spiced with real detail that comes from knowing the location well. I liked it and I think you will.



2. Joel Backman is "the Broker"--a Washington power broker-lobbyist. Then his empire collapses when a deal collapses involving a hacked spy satellite that nobody acknowledges, and Backman ends up in jail, broke.
   
   Six years later, he's pardoned by a lame duck President, and whisked away to Italy by the CIA. Everyone's after him, including the CIA, though they're more interesting in finding out who kills him than in either killing him themselves or keeping him safe.
   
   So Backman is completely out of his element, under constant surveillance, and kept deliberately short of money and paperwork so he can't run far, even if he tries. But he didn't get to be "the Broker" by being stupid, either.
   
   This was a fairly low-key suspense book, but I enjoyed the transformation from wealthy cold-hearted power broker to someone who's dependent on others for everything, and who's learning to reevaluate his priorities. It was also quite lovely to revisit Italy.



3. This is the only John Grisham book I have read, and I was very disappointed.
   Basically, the plot takes the standard ingredients of a spy novel (foreign countries, powerful Washington players with hidden motives, secrecy, scary technology, etc.) and throws them in a bowl, expecting a great thriller to automatically come out. The plot keeps hinting at intrigues, keeps building up to a big climax, but never reaches it.
   For instance (spoiler alert, but it shouldn't matter because I don't recommend the book to anyone), it introduces the character of this great Chinese assassin, builds him up to be the deadliest, most effective assassin in the world, shows him closing in on the target, and then -- nothing. He's completely dropped with no explanation!
   I actually liked the whole sub-plot of the protagonist having to learn Italian in a hurry. But it was all for nothing, because he never had to use it in the end. Use that in another book, it would be great!
   This book was a waste of time! I'll give Grisham another try, with something more well-liked by his fans, but for anyone considering this book, I wouldn't recommend it at all.



4. I'm not an avid reader of Grisham's - I might have read a couple of his early books in high school - so I can't really measure this against previous work. As a suspense/thriller type book, it's fine as far as it goes. The plot isn't terribly complicated and it is difficult to get very involved...at the end of the book, I was left with a feeling of, well, not much. Still, it is a fun read and has inspired me to visit Bologna!



5. I was pretty disappointed with all the fictional elements of this book. There was an unbelievable plot, terrible dialogue, and characters that never develop or interest the reader. It would have been less stars but I lived in Bologna for a year and I have weakness for anything of the kind.

No comments about The Pelican Brief.

5 comments about The Runaway Jury (John Grisham).

1. What an entertaining book. Who cares if it's not 'believable' as someone said in their review, it's a story not a documentary. This novel is engrossing, the characters are FUNNY and the pictures created for your mind as you read, are priceless. I found the information about how jurors are chosen and the ultimate [or should I say potential] corruption involved in huge trials, to be amazing. I can only IMAGINE the shenanigans involved in say, an OJ Simpson-type trial. I've only recently discovered Grisham books so I have lots of discovery and enjoyment to look forward to. What a great writer, who can shape characters and make them so amusing!



2. i wanted this sent to somewhere other than my home address and it was easy to do and got there perfectly without problems. great job!



3. With all the new interest in non-Star Wars material, I decided to give John Grisham a chance. My mom recommended this particular book for me to start off with.
   
   Plot:
   The setting is Biloxi, Mississippi. The cast: twelve men and women. Their purpose? To determine if the widow of a man that smoked three packs of cigarettes per day should be compensated for her loss. The problem? There are people who will do and pay anything to see that the lawsuit turns out to their benefit.
   
   Good:
   The story is good. I enjoyed reading about the smoking trial, the evidence that each side provided supporting or discrediting smoking, and the antics of the trial. And I was impressed and amazed at the careful planning and strategy that Marlee and Nicholas Easter had to go through in order for their ploy to succeed.
   Further, Grisham imbues this novel with subtle humor--nothing gut-wrenching, but just enough to ease back on the tension that grows with each page. Very well done and crafted.
   The characters were pretty good on the whole. They are well-described, unique people thrown together against their will. They may be good, corrupt, indifferent, selfish, young, old but they are real. I was especially fond of Fitch, the villain, probably because it seems oxymoronic that a man who was addicted to alcohol would support smoking. The other character I enjoyed was Herman Grimes, partially because he seemed to be the only incorruptible one in the jury.
   
   Bad:
   The story may be good...but it takes a long time to get there. My book had 550 pages. While a lot happens in those pages and Grisham paces it well enough so you don't get bored, you still reach a point where you ask yourself, "Is this going anywhere?" "Where's the end?" and "Why is this important?"
   Also, the protagonists (primary, at least), Nicholas Easter and Marlee were rather cold and unemotional. I tried to sympathize with them and like them, but they just weren't a likeable team. I was impressed with their ploy, but I had no feelings for them--not like many of the other characters (Hoppy, Derrick, etc.). Further, the explanation for why Nicholas and Marlee go through the hoopla of the trial makes little sense in light of the crazy events revealed in the conclusion.
   Lastly, the story is rather far-fetched. It seems hard to believe that Easter would have been able to "hack in" to the jury system so quickly and easily, especially considering that Marlee and Easter are working independently on her own money. Also, Judge Harkin sure makes a lot of allowances for his rebellious jury that seems too placating. These and a million other convenient coincidences make it more difficult for a realistically minded person to enjoy this.
   
   Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
   Curse words consist mostly of da**, he**, sh**, bi***, and so on. Very mild compared to other books of its kind.
   I was impressed with how Grisham was able to detail a sexual situation without going into graphic detail. However, there are still several scenes to note. When in sequestration, the jurors are allotted "Conjugal Rights". Sexual situations are described in a round-about manner on several occasions. Jerry and Poodle have a liaison (and Jerry is going through a divorce).
   Violence is minimal to none. A man is threatened to force his wife to vote a particular way. Fitch has a bad temper.
   
   Overall:
   A very long book. That is my first thought after finishing this one. And one in which it is hard to root for the "good" guys, who have no feelings to sympathize with. And with a very confusing ending. However, I enjoyed the trial on such a controversial subject, learning how each side was duplicitous, and seeing the individual jurors. 3.5 rounded generously to 4 (for good writing, good humor, and suspense).



4. After my husband finsished this book on our vacation in 1996, I took a look at it and couldn't put it down!!! This was the first Grisham novel I ever read. Boy, was I hooked.
   
   (I saw the Pelican Brief at the theatre when it came out; I went with my sister who read the book and said that she was so happy that the movie followed the book so closely. Of course there were subtle differences to benefit the needs of Hollywood.)
   
   So, I waited and waited.... for the Runaway Jury movie to come out... it was so nice to be able to read a book before the movie came out and to be so excited to see how the wonderful book you read is adapted to the big screen! I was not disappointed!
   
   If you haven't read this book and you like suspense, you've got to read it! You won't want to put it down.
   
   If you haven't seen the movie, read the book FIRST!
   
   Enjoy!!!



5. The book kept me interested, for the most part, but I never accepted the basic premise: that conspiracies, involving large numbers of people, can be maintained for the long haul. There is always the chance, the fear that just one of those inside the plot will "get religion" or sell their story to the tabloids, in which case there is pluperfect hell to pay. Not even the mob is leak proof all the time.
   
   Conspiracies seem to abound with this jury, and the reader is never quite sure who is doing what and to whom. Piles and piles of money are at stake when a tobacco company is sued for selling the cigarettes that allegedly killed a man. If the suit is successful, more suits will surely follow, and more piles and piles of money will be at stake.
   
   This being the case, it is logical to believe that tobacco companies might want to tamper just a tad with the juries. Ditto on Wall Street. But the people who run tobacco companies are not lamebrains, even though they may not be entirely forthcoming with the truth about their product. They know that if they get caught fixing the jury, the jig is up for them. Subtlety and deniability are paramount. But in this book, those two elements seem to be missing, and that's where the plot falls of its own weight.
   
   The characters are nicely drawn. The courtroom feels real enough. The dialogue is right. Not being a lawyer, I can't comment on the legalities, but they sound OK. All I know is that I didn't accept the basic premise, and that is absolutely essential for the enjoyment of a book.

No comments about A Painted House [Unabridged].

No comments about The Partner, By John Grisham, Unabridged 12 Audio Cassettes, Read By Frank Muller.

No comments about The Testament (Unabridged).

5 comments about The Street Lawyer (John Grisham).

1. This was the first book I read by this author. I loved it. IT was so emotional! I could empathize for him. I felt like I was there in the room during the hostage part! When the guy's brain were on his face, I was disgusted along with him!!!! I could imagine it all happening! It was because this first book that I read was so good that I read (am reading) all his other books. HE HAS SO MANY!!! I won't go into what I felt along with the rest of the book because that would be a spoiler and that's not fair, and cause I don't remember exactly what happened at the very ending. I remeber up until about thirty pages before the ending, then it's all blank. If someone would tell me wht happened I would really appreciate it!!!!



2. This is an arresting novel about a corporate lawyer who is taken hostage by a desperate homeless mannamed Devon Hardy. He survives physically, but is forever changed internally. Michael Brock develops a heart for the homeless, while also discovering that it was his firm that wrongfully evicted this man along with 16 others.
   
   Michael deceitfully steals a file containing the evidence for this wrongful eviction. Soon enough, his former employee becomes his enemy.
   
   John Grisham is certainly out to prick the conscience of his readers, and he does a good job of doing so. No doubt, some will find the book a bit preachy, but you will develop an appreciation of the plight of the homeless, and hopefully, you will want to help out any way you can.



3. Booooooooorrrring!!! Too much of a snoozer to finish reading it. I can see why they didn't make a feature film out of this Grisham book



4. Many people that I know live from paycheck to paycheck. Housing prices are out of sight. Gasoline prices for commuting have gone past $4 a gallon. Grain prices are high and food prices are up. This is an era of downsizing and outsourcing. Job security may be tenuous. Everyone except the president seems to know that the country is in a recession and that things will get worse before they get better. Someone, observing the homeless, said that he was only a short step away from joining them. This novel provides a chilling picture of life on the streets. You too could end up living in your car.
   
   Michael Brock came from an established family with enough money to pay for the best universities. He is a hard working associate of a major Washington, D.C., law firm, with hopes of becoming a highly paid partner, so hard working that he and his wife hardly see each other. Like many workaholics, his marriage is going on the rocks. The practive of law is an unforgiving mistress. Then a homeless man with a grievance enters the law office and takes hostages. Events bring about a radical change in Michael's life.
   
   There is a big difference between working for a legal clinic, doing pro bono work for the poor, and working a major law firm handling antitrust cases. There is no billing of clients by the hour - in fact an hours time may involve several clients with problems. There is more to life than money.
   
   Michael finds himself wrapped up in a case involving his former law firm. But he also finds a new life involving new people, and perhaps he finds a new confidence in himself.
   
   Much of the novel is in narrative form, as told by Michael. Some readers, as reflected in the reviews, think the author is preaching a personal social agenda (with some criticism of politicans, idle rich, and such), but so have many other writers (John Steinbeck and Victor Hugo to name a couple). It does make you pause to consider the people who are less fortunate.



5. Michael Brock had grand ideals of serving humanity when he entered law school. When he graduated and joined a leadinng Washington, D.C., law firm, the realities set in. Success was measured by billable hours, and the competition to be one of the few who advanced to partner was intense. Practicing trust law meant few contacts with actual people except other attorneys. The practice of law was an jealous mistress. There was little time for anything else, and the divorce rate was high.
   
   Invasion of the law offices by a homeless man with a gun, and the taking of hostages, redirects Brock's life. He discovers a law clinic for the impoverished, and gets a first had view of street people, shelters, and soup kitchens. Someone he tries to befriend meets a tragic death.
   
   The novel is well researched and well written, and gives a good picture of the downside of modern society. There are people at the top who live well, and people at the bottom who are starving. They don't have bread? Let them eat cake. For some people, the lower classes are invisible, but they do have legal rights.

5 comments about The Partner (John Grisham).

1. I have always enjoyed this book immensely. The way Patrick orchestrates his crime is phenomenal and you find yourself rooting for him to somehow pull it off - even if you have moral qualms about whether you really want him to or not. Grisham constantly keeps us on the fence about whether Patrick is the good guy. He has moments of humantiy and compassion, especially in his ultimate treatment of the child who isn't his own, as well as his friendship with Clovis. But we're then confronted with his smugness, his "f- you" attitude for the establishment, and the moral ambiguity of stealing "dirty" money.
   
   **Spoilers to the end** It almost seems that Grisham is testing the reader's morality - should Patrick really live happily ever after or not? And the way he tests us is through the ending that people hate so much. If we believe that Patrick was justified in all he did, then we're angry that he couldn't ride off into the sunset with the girl. But if we find ourselves a little uncomfortable with the way Patrick played everybody, then we'll accept the ending because it's what he deserved. The only problem I have with the ending is that it does come out of nowhere. We never see any foreshadowing or motivation for her to run off with the money. The only explanation is that she was planning it the whole time - she never loved him, she never intended to run away with him, but she needed him to be in the clear so no one would come looking for her (they found him, so they'd find her). So ultimately the player got played. What goes around comes around.
   
   Personally I feel like the ending completely justifies the book's existence - otherwise it's just a flashy story about a guy who steals a ton of money, gets away with it, and lives happily ever after. Kind of pointless and a little troubling. But Grisham had more to say than that. He probably could have said it better, but it was fitting that Patrick ultimately paid a price for his deeds.



2. It was my first John Grisham Novel and now he is my favorite author...I think that says it all about this novel! The only thing I didn't like about this story was the ending. I felt it just didn't reflect the character he portrayed all through the story. But I would still give it a 5 Star because it deserves it! Grisham I just wish you keep coming up with your appealing novels!



3. A great lawyer is meticulous, calculating, aggressive, relentless, and prepared for anything. John Grisham lovingly shares an intricate plot to provide you with an unforgettable portrait of those qualities in action. In the process, you'll also see a man whose soul is offended by his profession.
   
   Ultimately, this book is about a dream . . . a dream that may be more dangerous than an addictive drug. What will you do to capture your dream? That's what you'll be asking yourself after you read The Partner.
   
   The beginning of the book seems like an international espionage thriller. A group of private detectives track down a fugitive to a little town in Brazil near the border with Paraguay. They pounce, and the fugitive is in for his worst nightmare . . . remorseless torture aimed at getting him to tell something he doesn't know.
   
   Soon, an unlikely intervention creates a whole new vector for the story. The fugitive has to face the music from a lot of angry lawyers . . . including his former partners.
   
   Like many legal thrillers, you'll be getting no more information than you need to know to follow the action. Pay attention to the questions that occur to you: Thinking about what might have happened is half the fun of this book.
   
   If you aren't interested in the ins and outs of how lawyers think about criminal issues, you won't like this book as much as I did. I was impressed at how well the legal issues were displayed without being too technical. Remember that lawyers usually spend a lot of time thinking through how the opposing attorney will respond to various probes.
   
   Watch out for the unexpected!



4. A totally unbelievable book pumped up with a lot of fluff. Grisham tries to make a hero out of a shallow lawyer with out a moral bone in his body. The only way he could of made this book good is if his hero had gotten raped in jail instead of coddled by judges and doctors who think its all right to rob and kill. Without the fluff the entire story line would last about thirty boring pages.



5. I finished this book a while ago. The story is interesting but its just streched out too long. How did this guy make all this time to spend so much time with this old person and then to work day and night to set everything up etc?. He must have had 48 hr. days.
   I did like the ending because i sorta did expected it but on the other side I didnt think this would seriously end like this. So it's okay to read but its not one of my favorite books.