Rating: 
Summary: Another typically awful Grisham ending
Review: Why do I keep reading his books? Grisham keeps writing stories that start off being extremely intriguing, as this one does. He really needs to figure out how to finish these stories, or get someone else to write his endings for him! This book had the potential for a really great wrap-up, but I had chilling memories of the horrible ending to The Firm when the Bretherens' lawyer has dreams of taking his money and sailing the Caribean. Great idea, lots of potential, then horrible finish.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as bad as I thought it would be
Review: This is the first book I ever read where i sat out to prove to myself that it couldn't be as bad as all of the reviewers said it would be. After all, the premise of the book sounded very intriguing. First, I wanted to see if the ending was as bad as everyone said it was, and second, I wanted to see if the characterization way below Grisham standards. For the people who said Grisham cut this book off twenty pages short, they are wrong. Sure, the ending may have not been what they wanted, but Grisham ties up all lose ends. Your questions are answered and no sequel is necessary (although one might be interesting). I happened to like the ending, even though there were no bombshell surprises or twists. About the characters, this is one of Grisham's worst. Even in the terrible Street Lawyer, I at least knew and cared about the characters. In this book, I could never separate in my mind the judge from California and Texas. To me, they were interchangeable and therefore Grisham failed in making me care about them. You may enjoy the book better if you just think of the three Brethren as one character. The other characters weren't that bad, although we maybe could have known more about Aaron Lake since he was a key to the plot. This book wasn't bad, but I don't like the fact that Grishams books are so short. Take an extra few months and add another 100 pages. That would make it worth the money instead of a trip to the library.
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting book with a terrible ending
Review: I really enjoyed picking up this novel at bedtime and finding out what was to happen to the presidential candidate and, of course, to the Brethren. The ending, however, was just awful.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham knows how to write...
Review: I have a friend, who as a law student clerked for the Boston prosecutor. He told me a about a scam where the mob would hang out at the blue movie theatres and follow the men who came out, and who were wearing wedding rings. The mobsters would take the license plate number and have their buddies at DMV run the plates. Then the blackmail would begin. So, Grisham did not invent the scam but he certainly perfects it in this book. The judges at the Club Fed are all interesting. The political thread of the story is less so. How the two intertwine is for you, dear reader, to find out. This is not Grisham's best book. However, he did perfect this genre and comparing his books is, to me, like comparing different caviars. Grisham's books are all delicious. They are beautifully written. I felt this story was a tad weak; however, it still was a terrific read. Sometimes you get beluga and sometimes you get sturgeon. The bottom line is that they are all good. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Not up to expectations
Review: When you read a John Grisham book, this is what usually happens: When you've reached pages 10 to 20, you become hooked, pages turn themselves, and you're done in a day or so. Not this time. I noted it took past page 100 or so for the "Grisham Effect" to take place. This is not a bad novel, but the high expectations never happen. You wait for a character with some redeeming quality (the 'hero') to appear, but it never happens. You wait for the plot twists, but it merely bends. And finally, you wait for the surprise ending that is not there. A good, but dissapointing, read.
Rating:
Summary: The Brethern
Review: I borrowed this book from our local library, and was very greatful I hadn't invested any money to read it. Thin plot. Little suspense. And a confusing tangle of "who cares" characters. Frankly, I couldn't have cared less how it turned out. In short, I felt duped into thinking that because I've enjoyed John Grisham's books in the past, this would be entertaining too. Boy, was I wrong!
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes Grisham is great; this one's not even good
Review: How do you tell which John Grisham is going to show up? Are you going to get the incredibly clever and funny author of The Client? Or are you going to get the somber and plodding author of The Chamber?I don't know, but The Brethren is neither funny nor somber. The two plot lines (prison mail fraud and a rigged presidential election) are so far-fetched that you're dying for signs that you should take it all tongue-in-cheek, but by the time you get to the end it's more like head-up-rear. None of it makes any sense in the real world and, frankly, the prose is half-hearted at best and the characters are un-characterized and the deadpan and entirely unsurprising nature of the whole book bores you to death from start to finish. "Stephen Bury" (a.k.a. Neal Stephenson et al) wrote a nice little book called Interface, which is a much better bet if you're looking for a goofy fiction on things presidential. Or if you're into the far-out conspiracy angle, there's Robert Anton Wilson. Heck, I can't even begin to enumerate the better efforts. What the heck went wrong here? Oh, well. I'll just have to hope for a return to form in Grisham's next book.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This is the sort of dissappointing stuff you get when an author gets too popular. Hope he does better next time!
Rating:
Summary: This book was fun to read!
Review: This author is getting a bad rap here, but I must say (as someone who has read each of Grisham's books), this was the best! In our day and in our society, to say that you couldn't relate to any of the characters, you must be living in a different world. The presidential politics was entertaining and kept the pages turning. I must admit that the more recent books have been lacking, but this book was a much appreciated revival. A great read!
Rating:
Summary: The Brethren
Review: What makes John Grisham good? His character development, his plot and his action plan. What makes Joh Grisham less than that of which he is capable? An impoverished end to an otherwise good book. Grisham weaves his web of intrigue and then, just as we get to the end of the book, it dies. We are held in suspense as he defines his characters and develops his plot. Then just when we expect the big bang the book ends with a whimper. Here we have a run for the Presidency of the United States intertwined with three low risk felons who decide to extort money from gay men. The problem arises when one of the gay men turns out to be the contender for the highest office in the land. Whether the contender is gay is quite speculative however, he has dug himself a hole with an ad in a gay magazine. Meanwhile, in the bowels of the CIA is a gentleman pulling strings to see that he is elected. These strings are quite volatile and result in bloodshed. Grisham's book is fine for a read, particularly if getting there is more important than arriving.
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