Rating: 
Summary: You'll be disappointed.
Review: I loved every minute of this book except the ending. The main body is filled with wit and excitement as we follow Rudy in his attempts to find a job and try his first case. At this point Grisham presents the reader with a half baked , totally unbelievable mini drama, the outcome of which made me dislike a previously likeable character. Rudy, who detests the unethical practices of those around him, lets the reader down. The final chapters give the impression that the author wants to finish up quickly, but instead of saying "and they all lived happily ever after", he writes " and they all commited some serious crimes, flew to the moon and lived there happily ever after". You'll be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read, funny, yet an underwhelming ending.
Review: I enjoyed this book thoroughly; plowed through it in a week which is good for me. I thought the book was very funny at times, in fact at one point I started bursting out in laughter while taking the train home from downtown Chicago; I think a few people were looking at me, but I didn't care.I thought the judges bias against Great Benefit and Leo Drummond was a bit out of hand. It seemed as though old Leo couldn't say a word without Judge Kipley having some king of reprimand for him. I was not on the insurance company's side (Who could be?), but I thought this was a bit unrealistic. Also, after the trial was over there were about 20 pages left and I knew that this was going to be some kind of interesting ending with Kelly. Sure enough, Rudy kills her hubby in self defense and Kelly ends up taking the rap. The ending, however, is disappointing. I was expecting some kind of surprise at the end; not there. Rudy simply plots and strategizes and presto, Kelly is out of jail and they ride off into the sunset, literally drove off west. Overall, I loved the book and highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Grisham cookie cutter book
Review: Typical Grisham. His protagonist is an inexperienced lawyer/law student who gets overwhelmed trying to do the right thing. It even has the typical Grisham happy ending. With the exception of 'A Time to Kill' and 'The Firm', if you have read one Grisham, you have read them all. I am sure there are many Grisham faithful that will crucify me for that statement, but, in my opinion, Grisham is often a lot of hype.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Versus Evil
Review: In the book, The Rainmaker, the author, John Grisham, skillfully presents a case of good versus evil. The main character, Rudy Baylor, is a struggling law student trying to make it in life. With no job and no place to live, he stumbles onto a case that will either bring him fame or ultimate failure. In this case, Baylor is up against professional, smart, and crafty lawyers. The lawyers and the rest of the society are both impressed when the inexperienced Baylor crushes them in the courtroom. Hollywood has created the typical story line for a story. The hero always ends up winning. Well Grisham diverts and steers to and from the typical. Readers are kept interested because they do not always know what is going to happen next. There is even a murder drama placed in the already exciting world. Baylor and his girlfriend, Kelly, go to her old apartment to get some of her clothes. "I place the car, and take a deep breath. 'Are you scared?' she asks. 'Yes.' I reach under the seat and get the gun" (Grisham 412). To make matters worse, they meet up with Kelly's abusive ex-husband. There is a struggle and in the end, only Baylor and Kelly stand. Towards the conclusion of the book, there are two great endings. In the courtroom, there is an overwhelming victory. "We the jury, find for the plaintiff and award actual damages in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars... And we the jury find for the plaintiff and award punitive damages in the amount of fifty million dollars" (Grisham 402). The second happy ending in the book comes at the end. Baylor and Kelly, leave together. "We smile and giggle as the land flattens and the traffic lightens. Memphis is twenty miles behind us. I vow never to return" (Grisham 434). With the thrilling scenes and interesting details, Grisham's book comes to life as everything unfolds perfectly in time. Many people have praised The Rainmaker. One critic has written, "The case against the insurance company is a classic David vs. Goliath scenario. Mr. Grisham expertly weaves all these plot lines together and keeps the pages turning with bright, vivid and entertaining writing" (Thomas Magnum). This critic is correct. Readers learn throughout the book that perseverance always wins. Baylor, the inexperienced lawyer, gives inspiration to the little people in the world trying to make it in life. In classic Good vs. Evil cases, the outcome usually leans towards the good. Although this is known, Grisham exemplifies his great ability of writing and guides readers on a journey that leads to reality.
Rating:
Summary: MASTERPIECE
Review: I must say I enjoyed reading John Grisham's novel, The Rainmaker. Of all the Grisham novels I have had the pleasure of reading, it is my favorite. He does an excellent job of portraying the lowly everyday working man who never loses sight of his dream despite obstacles. The protagonist, Rudy Baylor, is a poor rookie lawyer who seems to always get shafted. Grisham presents many subplots to keep his reader guessing as to which direction the novel will go. The beginning reminds me of a soap opera, in that it bounces from scene to scene leaving loose ends full of suspense. While participating in a class project, Rudy happens upon a woman whose child was diagnosed with leukemia. Their insurance company refuses to cover the cost of a bone marrow transplant that would save the boy's life. As a law student, Rudy is instructed to develop their case. Additionally, Grisham has Rudy involved in a case dealing with a widow, Ms. Birdie, who presumes that her estate is worth millions. Acting on that presumption, she has Rudy disinherit her children in her will due to their lack of interst and care for her. Once Grisham reveals that Ms. Birdie does not have the money that she claims, it becomes obvious that the case against Great Benefit Insurance Company will be the focus of the novel. Much like other Grisham novels, the story begins to get predictable. The pace and excitement slows to a near halt. At this point, the novel changes direction from suspense to drama, though it continues to be equally enjoyable. After Rudy overcomes many obstacles throughout the novel, Grisham develops a character who triumphs over a corporate giant through a string of lucky breaks. Grisham succeeds in having the reader become a part of this masterpiece. I felt as though I was experiencing, first-hand, what Rudy was going through. It is truly a work of art that I recommend for reading.
Rating:
Summary: Good, But Disappointing Ending
Review: The Rainmaker tells the story of Rudy Baylor, a poor law student, who is optimistic about his life. Then his possibility of getting a job disappears, he is forced to declare bankruptcy, and his girlfriend leaves him for a wealthy student. Grisham's sixth novel is much different than the first five. He tries out telling the story in the first person, a difficult thing to do, and pulls it off pretty well. The character of Rudy is a good accomplishment, but the ambulance-chasing Deck left a powerful impression, as did the dying Donny Ray. This is fine reading, but there are a couple of problems as I see it. First, there is absolutely no doubt that the jury will find for Rudy. The courtroom scenes, while humorous, were not quite as compelling as I had hoped. Second, Grisham breaks Mark Twain's rule about writing, "Don't say the fat lady screamed. Bring her out and let her scream." This has always been a factor in his writing, but it seems more blatant here because it happens in courtroom scenes. I didn't like this. I also thought the ending was a bit of a disappointment. Overall, though, it was a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: Guilt or Innocence
Review: The rainmaker is a great legal thriller. The main character is Rudy Baylor, a young attorney just out of law school. While in a class he picks up a client whose son has leukemia. But, the insurance company wont pay for the bone marrow transplants. Then one day at the hospital Rudy meets young wife of a man who beats her. The two become instant friends. Once the lawsuit is filled against the insurance company, Great Benefit, Rudy learns that Great Benefit has a superb legal team. At the trial Rudy grills and questions the CEO of Great Benefit about missing files. The jury believes that Great Benefit was wrong. Will Rudy win a big case and get the girl? Read The Rainmaker by John Grisham.
Rating:
Summary: The Rainmaker Scores
Review: After The Firm, John Grisham stumbled through low quality efforts The Pelican Brief, The Client & The Chamber. He got away from crisp writing and strong character studies of his first two books and threatened to lapse into hackdom. On The Rainmaker, he gets back to those original traits. Rudy Baylor is a young lawyer who looses his job with a promising firm and has no other prospects. He worked at a bar where shady characters frequented and the owner who likes him hooks him up with a small law firm. It is a less than scrupulous firm, with an ambulance chasing attitude. Rudy is schooled in the art of hanging around hospitals from Deck, a squirrelly little guy. In the meantime he moves into an apartment over the garage of a lonely old widow, Miss Birdie. He tends to her yard and starts working with her on her will. He also gets a case for a young man whose dying and his health insurance company refuses to pay for his medical treatments. While hanging around the hospital, he meets Kelly, who turns out to be a victim of spousal abuse. He gets involved with her while working on his cases. The case against the insurance company is a classic David vs. Goliath scenario. Mr. Grisham expertly weaves all these plot lines together and keeps the pages turning with bright, vivid and entertaining writing. The Rainmaker is the best book of his career.
Rating:
Summary: MY FAVORITE GRISHAM BOOK THUS FAR
Review: I always enjoy John Grisham's books, but this one had a much "lighter" tone to it while still dealing with an incredibly sad situation. I liked the dry humor and, of course, Rudy Baylor was just a really personable fellow. Some of John Grisham's books deal with one major subject and others, like this one, have numerous subplots going on as well. I just found this to be an excellent book on all levels.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham His Best
Review: This is the first book by John Grisham I have read. This book has well deveolped characters who are so easy to love and hate that it seems as if Grisham is writing from his own experience.You grow attached to them as if you they were close childhood friends. This novel also has a well formed plot. The setting in Memphis, Tennessee is so vividly described that I could feel the mid- July sun beating down on my neck. After finishing this book I ran out and bought "The Street Lawyer" which also promises to be another work of art by Grisham. Over all this book is really worth the time spent reading it. I strongly recommend you buy this one it makes a great addition to any bookshelf.
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