The Brethren

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing!
Review: I probably would have been content with the same ol' same ol' - but this is so much worse than usual - with a gaggle of homosexual men - an evil CIA plot (when have we seen that before!) and most disappointing of all: Not a single positive female character in the entire book! . Come on Mr. Grisham - you can surely do better than this mish-mash!

Rating:
Summary: A great read with an average ending
Review: As a reader that had grown a bit tired of the Grisham-type legal novel, I have to say I am glad I read this one. The story line was great -- an easy read without a lot of technical stuff -- and it moved quickly. Though I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, I would still recommend this one over "Rainmaker" or "The Chamber" anyday. There isn't really a "good guy" to pull for, but at least the story is interesting enough to keep you curious.

Rating:
Summary: THE BRETHREN
Review: I have read all of John Grisham's books. I love them all. I must admit to being a little intriged by his locals, due to the fact I have lived in New Orleans and Memphis for 20 years and have traveled the Gulf South extensively. (the location of most of his novels). I am now living in Wisconsin, my home state. Grisham always has a way of making me laugh at least once out loud making fun of either lawyers, judges, the fibbies (FBI) or some such judicial power structure. The similarity to the sitting president (Clinton) in this book is obvious and right on the mark. Perhaps not the page turner of some previous works it was a delightful entertaing read. Todd K. Reich

Rating:
Summary: Recipe For A Terrific and Unique Read!
Review: Here's a Recipe for a terrific and unique read:Take three former judges who call themselves "The Brethren", put them in Trumble a minimum security prison where they are serving time for white collar crimes. Add a scam they devise preying on wealthy,closeted gay men. Add the wrong victim, a politically powerful and influential man. Mix them all together and you've got a most enjoyable, suspenseful and very exciting read!Warning: Is digested very quickly and you'll be wanting more!My Compliments & Hats Off to the Chef: John Grisham.

Rating:
Summary: HE'S BACK!
Review: Okay I was a little afraid to pick up this book. The last two (The Testament;Street Lawyer) were so bad I couldn't finish them.The reviewers here seemed to like this one and it sounded good, but then so did the other two. What the heck, I'll give it a try but this was Grisham's last chance with me. I've been reading him since a Time to Kill first came out,that was-what?-a year maybe two before The Firm came out and no one heard of him, my former roommate was in Harvard Law and they had him read that novel, and he past it on to me. When I started reading this one I found it very difficult to get into, but once you get past the first three chapters the story moves really quickly. The whole story line of Lake and how he beats the vice president and how he beats a Senator, is nothing more than filler, and you can pretty must skim that and pick up the general idea. The main thing is how Lake ties in with what is happening. There are about 66 pages of the whole election thing and how corupt it is that could have been edited out, but I think the publisher wanted a 366 page story instead of a 300 page one. But it's not bad. I gave it 4 stars. I would have given it more if the whole election stuff was left out. But still it is a fun read. THE ENDING, I THOUGHT WAS JUST GREAT, I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!

Rating:
Summary: A Grisham filler?
Review: Mr. Grisham certainly has his up's and downs. This book is clearly a weak effort. Although, to be fair, it is entertaining to a degree. But this is not why I look forward to Grisham's next book and, I suspect, not why millions of his fans tune in. I expect excellence from his work (Firm, Partner)and must admit that this seems to be a real "satisfy the contract filler." Sorry, John. I know you can do much better.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Plot - No punch!
Review: I have read them all. I enjoyed this one and found the plot idea intriguing. However, I thought the "happily ever after" ending was a let down. I don't think it will make an exciting movie. Sorry, John! And what's with Buster? I guess he was introduced just so they could get the letter out! Stupid!

Rating:
Summary: Sadly Disappointed
Review: I loved Grisham's other books, so I didn't hesitate to pick this one up. I'm sure The Brethren will find its own audience, but that doesn't include me, unfortunately. I guess it's impossible to keep up the pace of nail-biting intrigue!

Rating:
Summary: Another solid Grisham book
Review: Firstly, this book is written by John Grisham, which means that you get the usual well-written book, so that once you start it, you don't put it down till you finish. (At least, that's what happened to me. I read it in a weekend.) What makes this one different is that there aren't really any good guys. It's the story of how some crooked judges are able to run a scam from inside a jail, paralleled with how a completely evil general tries to buy an election and start a war. The scam itself is really the hero of the story. I often caught myself thinking "Isn't that clever?". Also, Grisham shows his usual cynicism of lawyers with a funny character called Trevor. (Here's betting Steve Buscemi will play him in the movie!) Other reviewers have commented that the plot could have done with some more twists. But I didn't mind the way the plot developed. I found it more believable than The Firm, (whose main character seemed a bit too superhuman), but not quite as intriguing as The Runaway Jury (which is my favourite). All in all, it's a good solid Grisham book that will be well worth the price when it comes out in paperback.

Rating:
Summary: NOT ONE OF HIS BEST
Review: When reading this book, I kept thinking of a "Three Stooges" episode. Although the book was somewhat humerous, it lacked the type of depth and meaning found in some of his other novels such as "A Time To Kill" and "The Testament". I thought the ending fell very, very flat and it appeared that the author was in a hurry to complete the novel.