Rating: 
Summary: A new direction -- well done.
Review: Martini was beginning to stretch his courtroom characters a little too thin in The Judge; I'm glad he went off in a new direction in this book. It's as full of unexpected turns as all his previous whodunits, but this time with domestic and international terrorists. Its basic plot is believable (even if there are a few too many miraculous escapes) and it'd make a great movie. Don't start this book at bedtime because you won't put it down. Martini is to be commended for having a strong woman as protagonist; I only regret she never got her "constitutional rights". In the end Martini kills off the wrong character, the character I had really bonded to and wanted to see in future books. (Or, did he really die? In this book you're never sure!) A great trash read for a beach day, an airplane flight, or a lazy Saturday.
Rating: 
Summary: TERRIBLE!DONT WASTE YOUR TIME READING IT.
Review: A hell of a dissappointment. A waste of a rental.Dont blow up your money or your time reading this.It is not like his other books.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh, no! Martini has become "Vonnegut-ized!"
Review: With the publication of "Critical Mass," Steve Martini joins the ranks of other authors, who have built up a solid following and then has dissapointed all or most of them by publishing a type of novel that he does not have nearly enough expertize in to have it turn out to be a good read. Kurt Vonnegut was the first to do this, followed by Stephen King, Grisham and most recently (and sadly) Dean Koontz. Just because they can have anything (even their grocery list) published on the strength of their name on the front cover, these authors have abandonned the type of writing that brought them fame, and decided to publish "the kind of story they always wanted to do (but cannot do well)." Critical Mass lacks the keen insight Martini has into the legal process, and though one of the protagonists *is* a lawyer, we only get to see her doing battle with the legal system for a few pages. Then she becomes another Clancy-esqe character. Please don't try to be Tom Clancy, Steve; just be Steve Martini. You do that wonderfully.
Rating:
Summary: A Giant Misstep
Review: Even the best of writers has an occassional misstep. A book that never would have been published if the author was not already famous. Steve Martini has written some wonderful courtroom dramas and the delicously off-beat THE LIST. Here he stumbles badly in a story featuring cardboard characters and a ludicrous plot. It was impossible for me to suspend my belief long enough to buy into his story and the actions of his protagonist make little sense. He even has the stereotypical Federal Attorney whose behavior would only make sense if he didn't want to find out the truth. Out of loyalty I finished the book hoping that it would improve, but sadly it continued to get worse. I'm sure that Steve Martini will recover from this bomb. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and read one of his wonderful earlier books and wait until his next book comes out. It could only be an improvement over this time-waster.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not "very" good
Review: This is the first that I read from this author. What I liked most was that it was full of Seattle and surrounding scenes. I live in the Puget Sound area and enjoued his treatment of the area most appealing. I have enyoyed dining at some of the places he mentions.
Rating:
Summary: Boooorrrrrriiiinnnnng!
Review: What a disappointment is this latest book from Steve Martini. I've enjoyed several of his other books and was looking forward to reading this one. Martini writes a great courtroom thriller. That's what he should stick with and stay out of the spy novel biz. I would have given this book ZERO stars if the software that amazon.com uses had permitted it.
Rating:
Summary: Not His Best
Review: I did finish it, but it did not give the in-depth feeling for the characters that his other novels have had. I really didn't "care" about the characters like I usually do with his books. I hope he goes back to the lawyer scene next time that he does so well.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific thriller
Review: Joss Cole is happy to have left the rat race as a Los Angeles public defender for the serene Puget Sound area. Her cases are no brainers until a group of local fishermen come down with a strange illness that Joss feels is industrial related.However, Joss' new found tranquillity is abruptly disrupted when Dean Belden provides her a ton of cash to help him incorporate an electronics business. The next time Joss sees Dean he arrives at her office holding a federal subpoena. Before Joss can learn what happened to her client, he dies in an explosion. Within a few hours of Dean's death, unknown assailants try to kill Joss. Later on, a nuclear expert comes to the island searching for two missing nuclear devices, which Joss concludes is what led to the ailment of the fishermen. Now all she has to do is find the devices before they are used against America. CRITICAL MASS is Steve Martini at his most exciting best. The novel is a taut chiller that should please anyone who enjoys a non-stop, action-packed thriller. Readers of this novel will have the impetus of perusing Mr. Martini's previous tales (see THE LIST and UNDUE INFLUENCE, etc.) because all of this writer's novels will be judged as compelling evidence on how great of an author Mr. Martini truly is. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Unconvincing thriller that lacks surprise.
Review: The book started out interesting but lack depth that his other books contained. Compelling Evidence, The Judge, and The List were well thought out and well written. This book reminded me of a Clancey and Hagberg wanta be. Stick with legal adverture and crime. It seems to fit his Grisham style.
Rating:
Summary: A Martini that shakens and stirs.
Review: Put the name Steve Martini or Nelson Demille or Dick Francis on a book and I'll read it. They all grab you on page one and don't let go until the end. Martini's THE JUDGE got me started on his books and he's never disappointed yet. In CRITICAL MASS Martini not only tells a stirring tale but also leaves the reader shaken by the possibility of what could come to pass in a nuclear world run amuck. One criticism, however. As one who reads every word, I was struck by the half dozen or so grammatical errors that pull you up short and that you would not expect from a carefully edited Putnam book. Just one will illustrate: "We'll can tell him later." That aside I plan to recommend CRITICAL MASS to my friends as a must read just like THE JUDGE.
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