First Counsel the / Unabridge

Rating:
Summary: Poor Characterization, Boneheaded Thriller
Review: The Tenth Justice wasn't a bad book, so I was excited to get The First Counsel. Here Meltzer gives us a female character who is repugnant and creepy, yet he insists that she is "complex" (about 5 times) and extremely appealing. And our main character is supposed to be brilliant, but he's fairly imbecilic sometimes. Metzler doesn't understand that the characters have to act smart or appealing, not merely be described as such. Meltzer does know enough to keep his novel fast paced, but lordy! it's cluttered with dead ends and false leads. He does not create and maintain suspense; instead he throws in as many ingredients as he can find. It's a mess. He attempts to cook everything together in the last dozen pages, but all we end up with is a mess in the kitchen and no edibles.

Rating:
Summary: Falls Short
Review: I love a political thriller, but this book was just plain unbelievable. The "first daughter" was just too flawed and the protagonist is beyond naive. I have read and enjoyed Brad Meltzer before, but this book isn't worth the effort. Stupidity reigns supreme would be my tag line for the characters.

Rating:
Summary: Good.......But
Review: This the third book I have read from this author and the formula hasn't changed. The main character is smart in his/her profession than just plain stupid in every other part of their lives. All of Meltzer's books have been page turner --- thank goodness. But nothing comes close to his first novel, The Tenth Justice!!!

Rating:
Summary: A page-turner that never slows down
Review: Having never read any of Brad Meltzers books prior to this fine novel, I was intrigued when I found him popping up now and then on nationwide television to discuss the White House and the subject of the children of our Presidents (The First Daughters). It certainly piqued my interest in this book, and once I started it, I was unable to put it down. It was a pager turner of a book that never really slowed down. While so many authors have a difficult sustaining the suspense and drama for a book this size (480 pages), I found that Meltzter kept things moving even through the middle part of the book. While some of the characters could have been developed better, I found that for a 3rd novel by a young author he has done a great job of getting down the plot and even getting the reader to believe in the characters backgrounds and faults. From the main character,Michael Garrick, to Edgar Simon (the true first counsel) to all the junior White House attorneys and aids, every character played an integral part in this book. I had heard the author mention that he had spoken to every First Daughter from the LBJ presidency to the Clintons, and it certainly has paid off, as he has provided a great insight into what the life of a First Daughter or First Son must be like. Obviously not every child of a President will not be subject to the intrigue and problems of Nora, the fact of the matter is that Meltzer has brought the plight of so many children whose parents are the President and First Lady. One of the most underrated parts of the book was the First Ladies Birthday party, arranged as part a national interview, and the First Ladies reaction to her childrens present. I have a distinct feeling that he will have hit a nerve with this incident. All in all this certainly was a very fine introduction to a new author, and if his future ventures continue to build on this foundation it will not be hard to compare him to Grisham, Baldacci and Steve Martini. Hopefully Meltzer will be a name that will be added to the evergrowing list of new legal fiction authors. By the way, don't feel poorly if you missed his first two books, I am sure they will show up in print again just like Grisham's A Time To Kill eventually resurfaced much to the delight of his fans.

Rating:
Summary: first daughter's fishbowl
Review: the stakes couldn't be higher: the president's re-election hangs in the balance. a bestseller from theme to type size.unfortunately, the climactic note is sustained too long and becomes shrill. the breakneck pacing in the protagonist's dilemma becomes the frantic lunging of a chicken with its head cut off.

Rating:
Summary: First Counsel
Review: Brad Meltzer's latest hit rings with truth. His descriptions of the White House and the White House counsel's office come across as sincere and totally believable; I felt like I knew what it would be like to work there. In addition, the book has a lightening pace, and keeps your attention from the first page to the last. As someone who absolutely loved Meltzer's first book (The Tenth Justice) but was somewhat lukewarm on his second (Dead Even), I was worried that this book might fall flat, but it far exceeded my expecations. The characters are sympathetic and believable, the plot is well-grounded, and the conclusion exciting. I highly recommend this book if you like legal thrillers.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it could have been...
Review: I fell in love with Meltzer's writing style in The Tenth Justice but was then disappointed with Dead Even and now with The First Counsel. While the plot was interesting, it was bogged down with poor characterizations and less than interesting conversations. I'll keep reading Meltzer's books, but I hope he finds his initial style again or I might be waiting for the paperback versions...

Rating:
Summary: Not His Best
Review: This book does not even come close to the suspense delivered in Mr. Meltzer's first two books. A big disaapointment!

Rating:
Summary: Great Promise, but Character Development was Weak
Review: The action and drama of this book were fantastic. It had great potential. I just couldn't find myself involved enough with the characters to be sympathetic to them. Nora is a flirt with a few good one liners, but I just never got a sense of connection between her and the main character, Michael. I just kept thinking that Michael was a fool, and that I wished that the first Lady, the President, and other characters gave me something to care about. I needed a more compelling argument for Michael's connection to Nora to really care about his sense of purpose. It's good for fast paced page turning, but it is forgettable.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding political mystery
Review: This is the third Brad Meltzer book I have read and enjoyed. He keeps your attention from beginning to the end in all his books. In this book, he takes you into the White House and the personal lives of the first family and members of the staff. His main character in this book, who works in the White House becomes involved in a web of lies and deception with the daughter of the President. He doesn't know who to talk to or who to trust in the White House and out. The ending is not what I expected which made the book even more interesting. I would highly recommend this book and his first two.