Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: It truly was an excellent book. It shows how people can completely ruin the jury system. Couldn't put it down!
Rating: 
Summary: Wrong choice for a second Grisham read
Review: After finally reading Grisham's "A Time To Kill" which I thoroughly enjoyed and couldn't put down, I chose this, "The Runaway Jury" as my second Grisham novel. While it is a decent book, it is a tad on the boring side. Some of the characters' names are weird and awkward to pronounce ("Durr" Cable and Nicholas Easter). This adds a certain degree of difficulty to getting through the book in less than 7 or 8 days and the characters are about as dull as their names. The story of the "biggest" tobacco trial in history lacks the drama that would be implied, is a bit far-fetched and is sort of anti-climactic. I didn't find myself really caring one way or the other about which side would come out victorious. Luckily, this book is still good enough that it hasn't turned me off of continuing my self-introduction to Grisham. Perhaps "A Time To Kill" was a bit easier and more enjoyable having been familiar with the movie. I give "Runaway Jury" 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Trial against Big Tobacco
Review: Successful conspiracy to be on a jury and communicating with someone else to let it be known to the defense (Big Tobacco) that you can and will determine the outcome, favorable to the defense, in exchange for a hugh bribe. Includes a doublecross after accepting the bribe. Although, interesting and well written, I find it required too many implasable events in series to be logical. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed the book.
Rating:
Summary: My First Grisham's
Review: My first experience with a courtroom thriller by Grisham was unexpectedly great. This happened barely one year ago and now I already read more than half of John Grisham's novels.
This novel is somehow relavant to read during this time as the State's juries are willing to give enormous amount of money to ordinary citizen in order to give 'lesson' to the multinational companies. I doubt that the juries did read this book and get the wonderful idea of 'donating' money and how horror it is to those who get the nasty consequence of others ill-doings.
This book is highly recommended to all lovers of Grisham's unique way of story telling.
Rating:
Summary: A Balanced View of the Tobacco Wars
Review: Grisham is a trial lawyer, yet he is not afraid to reveal through tightly-wound fiction, the seeminess of the legal culture. Runaway Jury is another Grisham classic. In this book, he manages to educate the common man to yet another side of the law--corporate malfeasance--without boring the reader to tears. In fact, his witty and humorous characters make the Runaway Jury a delightful read. Grisham weaves complex plots. A powerful jury fixer, Rankin Fitch, is brought low by a cunning law student and his girlfriend, who manipulate the process to reach what they believe is a justice. Tobacco companies who have a motive. Lawyers who prop up a widow, waiting at the trough for their big payday. Most poignant and inspiring in this book is the power of common citizens, avidly pursued by powerful interests who are frustrated in the end by the humanness of the jurors. Their independence leads to a common sense of justice. You're led to believe that the jurors can be swayed, but in the final hour, they think the matters through and come to a conclusion. Unwilling to be pawns, they become players and make history. Grisham has once again produced a masterpiece. Add this to the collection of his works already decorating your nightstand.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommend!!
Review: My only prior exposure to John Grisham was his movies. The Rainmaker is one of my favorite movies along with The Client. After reading a description of The Runaway Jury, it sounded interesting and so I gave it a shot. I finished the book cover-to-cover in 5 days (and I work full time!!). The book mainly revolves around a large trial in the south involving the four largest tobacco manufacturers versus the widow of a man who died of lung cancer due to 30 years of smoking. Concerning the entire topic of smoking, Grisham does get rather preachy at certain points, blatantly pointing out his views about the subject, but I managed easily to look beyond that. In this jury trial, something has gone wrong. The jury is being manipulated from the inside and neither the defense nor the prosecution can figure out how it's being done and who is doing it. This book is a page turner and very suspensful. It also plays on the "normal average joe winning the lottery" type situation (albeit after manipulating the lottery) that most people dream about. It's a great book that most people can relate to with characters that you really get to know. That is one of Grisham's greatest successes with this book. The ability to have his readers get to know his characters personally to the point where you really care what they are going through. I highly recommend this book to Grisham fans, as well as those who have never read his books. It's a great way to jump in to the genre of legal thrillers.
Rating:
Summary: The best Grisham book.
Review: I just finished reading a review of The Runaway Jury. I couldn't believe what I read. Of all the Grisham books I've read, I liked The Runaway Jury best. I read it two days after it came out and still remember the vivid descriptions of the characters, settings and plot. I particularily liked how clearly he stated the opposing positions. He presented each position without bias. One could believe that he had gotten into the heads and hearts of the people who live and work for tobacco companies and those victimized by them to state their positions. The characters were able to do what so many of us would like to do to the tobacco companies. Unlike the reviewer I read, I felt that the suspense was effective. I couldn't read fast enough to find out if and how they would get away with their plan. At no time was I pulling for the "bad guys." Keep in mind I've read all of Grisham's books. I usually have them read a few days after they come out. When my daughter came across a news release that The Runaway Jury is being made into a movie, she e-mailed me right away. I'll be at the theater on opening night. The fact that Dustin Hoffman is one of the actors only increases my desire to see the movie. Frankly, I can't imagine re-reading any of his other books but I plan to find it and re-read The Runaway Jury tonight.
Rating: 
Summary: Least interesting of all Grisham's books
Review: Grisham often has heroes who have so carefully crafted their battles against their enemies that the pleasure comes not from seeing who will win, but in watching the hero's scheme unwind. We marvel at their cleverness (THE PARTNER) or snicker at the way they take on and destroy richer, smarter, larger law firms (THE RAINMAKER). However, in RUNAWAY JURY, this device truly saps almost all the drama from the story. We never doubt the outcome for one second, nor are the machinations particularly compelling or believable. All Grisham's books require heavy suspension of disbelief, but this book does not achieve that goal. I finished the book, but only in the hopes of a twist or something at the end. No such luck. Put this one at the bottom of your Grisham reading list...and if you've never tried Grisham, stay away from this one...you won't want to read any more, and then you'll deprive yourself of entertaining reads such as THE PARTNER, THE CHAMBER, etc.
Rating:
Summary: What a Blast!
Review: This book had me hooked! John Grisham did a wonderful job of research into the tobacco industry on this one, cleverly balancing both sides of the issue. In the beginning of the book I thought I would never get to know the 25 or so characters in this novel, but the author reveals personal details and descriptions about each of them so cleverly, that you get to know and recognize them quite easily. The plot moves along briskly and keeps the suspense going, and the end is really satisfying! What interesting lessons in jury trials, large corporation businesses, and even the stock market! I just finished reading it this morning at 6 AM--thanks, John!
Rating:
Summary: Best Grisham novel
Review: I am a big fan of Grisham novels. If you are even the least bit interested in how things behind the law work, I would suggest picking up one of his books. They are fast past and have pretty good character development. The stories have twists and turns and the reader never knows what to expect.
This is my favorite Grisham novel. The level of deseption the tobacco companies go to amazes me and Grisham does a great job of showing it while keeping the novel moving and the plot interesting. The subject especially hits close to my heart because I am a big adversary of the tobacco companies and a huge anti-smoking advocate. I admit the tobacco facts get a little thick towards the middle of the novel but it is worth it. Every fact is true and the plot incorporates them terrifically. I would reccommend this book for anyone.
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