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Summary: The First Counsel
Review: The author starts with some interesting ideas, but executes them very poorly. The book was disappointing. The protagonist is a very frustrating character because of his naivete and constant panic. He is not believable as a lawyer at the level of the white house staff. This story needed a great deal more wise editing.
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Summary: Another great story ruined by lapses of logic
Review: There is nothing more aggravating than whipping through an amusing and even compelling thriller and getting to the point, about 200 pages into it, when you want to wring the narrators' neck for boneheaded decisions, misplaced trust, or naivete. Then you realize that it is not the narrator, but the author who has written themselves into the proverbial corner -- that someone has to do something naive or stupid to make the plot come together. All sorts of poor judgement was necessary to construct this story. Nevertheless, if you can suspend that aggravation,it is a fun one, with relatively well drawn characters. The president's daughter is a rather incredible nutcase with a schizy-but-charming sort of pathos, and the narrators dad is by far the best character in the book. The bumbling idiocy that creates the story, though does not do honor to a character that is supposed to be smart and accomplished. If this is the best and the brightest, hide the codes for the missile silos! Loathe to give away the "whodunnit," I will simply say that the red herrings are incredibly obvious, and the ending rather far-fetched. Nevertheless, this book was a decent diversion on a cross country plane ride, and I would recommend it once it is in paperback and not quite the investment. As for the marketers who compare this to West Wing -- forget it, Amazon. I know West Wing, and this book is NO WEST WING.
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Summary: Good Details; No Common Sense
Review: I've read both this author's previous books. This is the same basic story in that the 'star' makes dumb decisions and, thus, mistakes. Smart enough to become a White House counsel, he proves brains don't come with common sense. Details about the inner workings of the White House were a nice touch, especially for fans of the TV hit "The West Wing." Book seems a tad longer than it needed to be. Still, I enjoyed. But, first Supreme Court thriller was better and tighter.
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Summary: A MUST READ
Review: I couldnt put this one down. Thanks Mr. Meltzer for an almost all nighter the minute I picked it up. Great plot great characters. Kept me guessing till the end.
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Summary: Political intrigue that's fun!
Review: This story involving the totally out of control sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll daughter of a sitting president is completely over the top, and yet it works in a big way. Michael Garrick, a young White House lawyer, has begun dating Nora Hartson, the president's daughter, as the novel begins. Because of a wild and seemingly spontaneous action on Nora's part as they are out one night, Michael and Nora witness something they should never have seen, something inexplicable, something which embroils them both in a dangerous situation from which there may be no escape. Michael's chief concern at the outset is protecting Nora and her reputation, while Nora's motives and concerns remain both ambiguous and enigmatic. When Michael finds a White House co-worker dead in her office, it soon becomes apparent that he has inadvertently stumbled upon a scheme involving blackmail and murder. As evidence is skillfully manipulated to implicate Michael in both the blackmail plot and murders, Nora is reluctant to alibi him even as she continues to play with his emotions and promises that she won't let him go down. But can she be trusted? The pace is positively breakneck as the evidence against Michael continues to pile up and he realizes that he can trust no one because someone -- perhaps his lover, perhaps his boss, or perhaps his best friend -- has set him up from the beginning. By the last quarter of the book, Michael is on the run from the FBI and the Secret Service, frantically searching for any shred of evidence which will clear him. The ending is an absolute shocker and, unlikely premise notwithstanding, I enjoyed this thriller immensely from beginning to end.
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Summary: Am I the only one who thought this book was lame?
Review: I had a couple of problems with this book. First of all, after the stage was set with the Edgar Simon/murder situation, I thought the book dragged a great deal before it tightened up in the end. Nora Harston's character was so whacked out, I thought it was a stretch that Michael wanted to have anything to do with her. Also, the witty repartee got a bit old. I lost track of how many times I read ..........he/she "shoots back."
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Summary: A good mystery
Review: See storyline above.Well I couldn't get as enthusiastic as some of these reviewers about this book, but it was a good mystery. It moves at a fairly good pace and keeps you guessing until the end. There are deceptions and coverups and a whole lot of insight into the White House. The character of Michael Garrick was hard to like because he seemed so pliable. Why keep putting up with Nora? A great book for mystery lovers, with just enough thrills to keep you hooked until the exciting conclusion. Recommended.
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Summary: Interesting and fun.
Review: I really enjoyed First Counsel mostly because the plot is good and it was neat to read about the inner-workings of the White House. Granted, the book is fiction but Meltzer has a few thank you's to WH insiders so I assume there is a bit of truth about security and what-not. As always the hip dialogue of 20-somethings arguing and joking is a lot of fun. Good stuff.
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Summary: A SUSPENSE LACED READING
Review: Audiobook aficionados may well remember the sterling readings by Scott Brick of "The Lion's Game" and "The Ice Limit." He's every bit as effective with his rendering of this mesmerizing tale of D.C. intrigue. Michael Garrick, a promising young White House lawyer, is more than attracted to the President's daughter, Nora. While the path to true love has never run smooth, this path for Michael soon proves to be land mined with insurmountable obstacles. There's a sinister plan afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue masterminded by a White House insider. When Michael and Nora accidentally witness something better not seen, the attorney finds himself locked in a struggle for his very life. Scott Brick's suspense laced reading adds luster to this timely thriller.
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Summary: Meltzer's best yet!
Review: In my opinion this is Meltzer's best work yet. While his prior offerings (The Tenth Justice and Dead Evan) clearly display his ability to tell a riveting story, The First Counsel is smoother around the edges. This book offers the roller-coaster ride Meltzer's fans will expect but also shows clear signs of a more mature writer (and, perhaps, the benefits of a new editor). Once you get swept up by this story, don't expect to be able to put it down. If you like the genre, this is a must read; if you don't, this may be the exception to your rule.
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