Rating: 
Summary: One of Grisham's better novels. A funny look at the law.
Review: "The Rainmaker" is one of Grisham's better novels ("The Firm" still remains my favorite by Grisham). It is the story of a young law student-then lawyer who is trying to make it in the legal profession; specifically, in the world of small-time civil litigation. Young Rudy Baylor lucks into a fairly big-time case, and the fun begins. Grisham gives us a cynical, funny, and mostly authentic look at the law. Oh, there are a few flaws. I doubt many judges would ever favor one side as much as the judge did in this novel, although I suppose such things happen (I've seen it once.) But overall, Grisham gives the reader a more or less accurate look at the world of civil litigation. This give the novel a gritty sense of realism that carries the reader through what is mostly an excellent read. There are some hilarious pieces to the story--I love that "paralawyer" guy. And Grisham's cynical portrayal of big firm lawyers hits the mark. This is a very funny book. One of Grisham's better ones. By the way, the novel is quite a bit better than the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: The Rainmaker
Review: I found this novel by John Grisham very entertaining. I had a hard time putting it down until I was done reading it. It kept me guessing about what was going to happen next and I would often guess wrong Also having never read a book about lawyers before I learned a lot of new things that I would have never known out otherwise. If you like stories about underdogs you will truely love this book. Rudy is a true underdog in this story. He is a just starting out lawyer whose first case is fighting a huge insurance company for 10 million dollars. Not your typical first day on the job. This book moves at a fast pace and my only complaint is that sometimes its hard to keep up. But overall go get this book and it will not dissapoint.
Rating:
Summary: Another great Grisham
Review: I love John Girsham's books and all the movies. He has great amount of experience writing about the law and it's complicated twists. His writing style is easy to pick and and enjoy for all people. One can see the words being drawn into a movie as they are reading. I like to read books before watching a movie because it is usually better and so I recommend people to do so. Their imaginations are alwayz more creative than any motion picture can display. enjoy reading!
Rating:
Summary: Humorous, engaging, and realistic
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Rainmaker. It was on the few Grisham novels that I had yet to read and after the disappointing Summons I wasn't excited about reading another Grisham novel. However, once I began I just could NOT put it down. I went everywhere with the book as I was reading it. I just couldn't get away from it for more than a few of my waking hours. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked. First of all, the most pleasantly surprising thing about the book is its humor. It's a mix of sarcasm and wit. I just loved his characterization of the Defense and their actions. In one courtroom scene all eyes turn toward one of the corporate baddies after a wrenching testimony places blame on them. Grisham paints his reaction along the lines of "Suddenly, his shoelaces became the center of his life." I couldn't stop laughing after reading that. The book is full of these quips. Secondly, the book won me over in how Rudy is portrayed. I felt really really sorry for the kid. All the things that could of gone wrong, did after Law School. However, he was a moral, bright, and hard working kid that was fortunate enough to come across the Black case. I loved his character arc. Finally, the coutroom drama was riveting. The legalese was palatable and believable and it showed Grisham's amount of research into the material. I loved the fact that he didn't make it too easy for Rudy. Drummond did have some minor wins with the jury. Overall I'd give this film a 5/5. I can't say there weren't any negatives(insufficient explanation of the fire/death, unrealistic assistance by the Judge) but they didn't take away from what is one of Grisham's top two novels.
Rating:
Summary: Best Grisham I've Read
Review: Ok, granted I haven't read a ton of Grisham. But I have read a good amount and this is by far the best I've read from him. I tore through it in about 2 days.
The basic plot was enough to keep me interested. The sub-plots only made things that much more interesting. The love story isn't overdone and fits nicely. I also love the way Grisham makes no apologies for Rudy's seemingly unrealistic good fortune. He's a likable kid who knows he isn't really worthy of being in the situation he's in. Things have fallen into place for him and he knows it. This story line could cause the reader to throw the book down screaming, "Oh come on!" But Grisham makes sure this isn't the case.
The courtroom drama itself plays out in such a way that it never becomes boring. One thing I don't like about some authors is that they often seem to think their reader is fascinated with the same technical details they are (e.g. Clancy and his endless descriptions of ships and guns and such). Grishman interjects enough technical explanations of the legal system to explain things and keep it interesting. He never once goes too far. Through the 500+ pages of this book, I never once put it down because I was growing bored of it.
As a disclaimer, I haven't seen the movie. I suspect the book is much better, but if you have seen it and already know what's coming next, it may ruin the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: No objections, Your Honor!
Review: Quite like a few of John Grisham's novels but feel this is by some way his best. Not sure quite why. Enjoy the first-person narrative, which is self-deprecating and funny. Also like the romance with the battered woman, the other characters in the legal practice, as well as the general atmosphere of Memphis. I think above all the characters are quite three-dimensional, which I don't always find with Grisham's books.
Rating:
Summary: The Rainmaker
Review: Rudy Baylor couldn't buy a job when he graduated from law school. He eventually gets a job but the guy who hired him tries to still his case that is worth millions. The night he gets fired that office gets torched and he is the one blamed. His friend then gives him a job with one of his friends. But his boss is in trouble with the law to so he and a friend of his from the office get their own firm and work on that one case.
Through the Rainmaker John Grisham keeps the story going so you can never put the book down. One other thing I like is how Grisham kind of makes you feel bad for the kid in Rudy Baylor's main case. He is diagnosed with cancer and you don't know what to think. Grisham describes the details of his cancer very well.
John Grisham makes the Rainmaker very witty, and is always gaining a new story to keep you along.
In my opinion this is one of the greatest books that he has written. I like how The Rainmaker is always gaining a new story so you want to finish that one small story to get to the biggest story.
Rating:
Summary: One of Grisham's best - High Praise
Review: Rudy Baylor has nothing. He delivered pizzas and waited tables to get through college and law school. He passed the bar, and got his licence - and one interesting case in a throwaway class in his last year at law school.
Circumstances force him into ambulance chasing with a man who never passed the bar. But Rudy's one case is legal dynamite. His clients were the victims of a bad-faith case that is textbook. He has the dirt, and has the witnesses that has the dirt. He has a favorable judge. He is even smart enough to know how to turn the defendent's high priced lawyers into unwitting shills for his case.
Maybe being a rookie with nothing to lose worked in his favor. He had no money, no professional reputation, or anything else to lose. The trial scenes are amazing. The green kid, the rookie, absolutely humilates the defendants, as well as the best legal defense money can buy. Trust me, they wre rueing the day that he was ever born.
Yeah, Grisham rigged the facts, the evidence, and everything to favor the rookie... in short a case any trial lawyer would love, combined with the favorable judge. It's still fun. I have to say though, if Grisham could rig the trial in Baylor's favor, he could rig the outcome. Maybe the point is that his client got the justice she deserved, I have to feel her lawyer should have walked away from it all with the money. Still, he got the girl - and maybe that was enough. Along with the knowledge he quit being on top.
Rating:
Summary: A sound Grisham novel
Review: Summers are hot in Memphis, and the sweat is sticking to Rudy Baylor's shirt. His creditors are biting at his heels and the future's not looking too good. Once he had ideas of breezing his way through law school and jumping on the dollar train to anywhere. Now he doesn't even have a job. He's grasping at straws, and one of them is a smoking-related insurance dispute. The family are poor and Rudy Baylor struggles to file the lawsuit. In a novel heavy with suspense and legal shinnanekins, Rudy eventually gets to court and finds himself against a heavyweight corporate defense team. That's when he discovers he's in way over his head, facing a nightmare of lies and legal maneuverings. What started as a small insurance claim explodes into a million-dollar war of nerves that could even cost the young lawyer his life. Rainmaker is not Grisham's finest book, but it's certainly not his worst. At his worst, Grisham can pick up three stars from anyone. At his best, ten stars is not enough. This novel fits easily into the five star category. On the final page, it leaves a satisfied reader and an author who has met his commitment to deliver the goods.
Rating: 
Summary: Not that intimidating
Review: The book starts off with the graduation of Rudy Baylor, the main character, from a Memphis college. Rudy gets a case of an insurance agent Great Benefits cheating a family whose son is about to die as the insurance company failed to pay up the cover for his bone-marrow transplant. The case goes to Rudy just before he takes up his bar exam to become a licensed lawyer. Once he passes the bar, he and a friend named Deck, the so-called paralawyer, decide to challange the insurance company being represented by one of the most expensive and well known firms in Memphis. Rudy's graduation, the pre-trial events were kinda droning along. The only likeable part of this novel by Grisham was the trial itself. Even the trial was practically far-fetched because judge Kipler is fully biased towards the plaintiff. This is normally not what happens in court. Grisham kinds makes a mockery of the legal system. But it is a little fun to read. Recommended if you have nothing else to read.
| 
