Rating: Summary: well, the beginning was good...... Review: I'm not often inclined towards legal thrillers, and set out to read the Tenth Justice with a fair amount of skepticism. My skepticism was only half justified. Despite the implausability which most reviewers are quick to point out, most of the plot is exciting and relatively well executed. despite what many other readers have said, I grew really attached to the characters and their - I quote - "pointless banter." They all seem a likable bunch, especially the (somewhat moronic) Ober. I was appaled at the pointless despach of my favourite character two thirds of the way through the book, and at that point, I started to distinctly dislike mr Brad Meltzer. At that point, the plot took a rapid turn for the worse, and I found the ending infuriatingly unsatisfactory. It seems that our hero Ben ends up with a pretty crappy life - his friends all hate him (oh, except the one who commited suicide..) he lost his job and his credibility, he got shot in the shoulder..... sorry to wreck the plot, but these things must be told. Oh, he gets his girl though. Well break out the champagne. I left this book feeling infuriated with the ending. I wasn't asking for a happily ever after, just a small glimmer of hope. Ah well, no more legal thrillers for me.
Rating: Summary: Good start for a fantastic author Review: I actually came across this book because I was dating a guy at the time who had a friend who had an advanced copy - they knew I liked to read and sugested the book. I am now an avid Brad Meltzer fan - I go to his book signings when he is in my area and rush out to get his new releases on the day they come out. I have read all of his books and the first is still the best as far as I am concerned. Plot twists and turns around every corner. This is also a book I buy and give to everyone I know.
Rating: Summary: good thriller but not in Grisham' league Review: I think this book is a good thriller that is worth to read if you like this kind of books. It has good characters development, funny dialogs, mistery, etc. Still I wouldn't put the author next to John Grisham as many reviewers suggest. The plot doesn't always seem totally plausible. As some reviewers mentioned I couldn't figure out why the main hero needed to pursue the bad guy even after the bad guy left him alone (I hope I didn't spoil anything here). Also, I cannot say that this action and adventure packed novel (I am not saying that this is necessarily bad). But if you put such such considerations aside the book has very likable characters and easy to follow.
Rating: Summary: A GREAT READ Review: I thought this was another great book by mr. meltzer.The story takes place in washington d.c. with a group of 4 room mates who have just about been life long friends or at least since early in elementary school with the focus on ben addison a top notch graduate from yale law school who has gotten one of the most prestiges jobs of being a co-clerk for a supreme court justice. Everything seems to be going fine for ben and lisa marie,ben's co-clerk and possible love interest with the sexual tension that seems to start right away between them until ben receives a phone call from supposed former clerk of justice hollis who helps both co-clerks deal with new job problems and seems to develop a friendship until what seems like a innocent conversation and slip by ben of a supreme court decision leads to a successful financial gamble.This leads many to think that there is a leak in the supreme court.So the story goes and takes off this had many twist to it and just when you thought you had it figured out it changes follow along as ben lisa and his roommates try to get this guy and ultimately test the friendships.This another book that i think would make a good moive
Rating: Summary: Good Book - Quick & Entertaining Read Review: I enojoyed Melzter's first novel. It really is for the 20-Something generation. It's funny, a little devious, and a little informative. Unlike Grisham's novels, which are grey and brooding, Meltzer is lighter and more postive about the legal profession. A few of the scenes in the novel are reflective of some of my generation's relationships (I'm 27) and how some of us view life.
There are a couple of spots where the novel goes overboard. The death of one of the roommates seems to be an "easy" way of elevating the novel's level of drama and moving towards a resolution. I honestly hope Mr. Meltzer avoids that tool in his next novel. I also had a little difficulty understanding Nathan's character change. If Nathan is the smartest one of the bunch, he scored 100 points higher than Ben on the SAT, why doesn't Nathan voice his resolution early in the conflict instead of after all the damage has been done.
Regardless, I would still suggest this book for the summer. The glitches mentioned aren't noticeable until well after the novel is over. Purchase this Meltzer to escape, not for insights to the profession.
Rating: Summary: The verdict is in: "The Tenth Justice" is a winner! Review: Many fanatics of legal thrillers, when they think of the genre per se, often consider plots involving everything from big-time lawyers defending scumbag clients to government officials falling into deadly conspiracies. Nevertheless, plots including those are not the case for Brad Meltzer's The Tenth Justice. In Meltzer's fire-crackling debut, enter Ben Addison, a young Yale Law grad working for one of the Supreme Court's most highly respected justices. The story begins with him starting his internship at the Court. Seeing his bright future ahead of him, little then does Ben know that it's about to get in for the worse. Trouble begins when he reveals the outcome of an upcoming Court decision to Rick Fagen, a claimed-to-be former Court clerk who Ben later discovers to be really nothing but a dirty, rotten con artist. With the decision in the palm of his hands, as well as Ben's brightly golden future held hostage, Rick makes millions by simply making a large investment on it. Therefore, Ben is left sweating big time, fearing that Rick will strike again. Refusing to take any chances, fearing that he'll lose his job, Ben asks for the help of his co-clerk, Lisa, and his housemates: Nathan, who works for the State Department; Ober, who's an assistant to a leading U.S. senator; and Eric, who works as a reporter for a Washington daily newspaper. Together, they offer Ben coveted insiders' access in attempt to stop Rick dead in his tracks. But no matter how hard they try, they nevertheless realize that Rick is always one step ahead of them. The question is how. Before Ben's housemates and Lisa could even catch Rick in one scene, he bribes Ben by offering him $3 million in exchange for info on yet another Court decision. And by how Rick's watching his every move, Ben knows for a fact that someone is working for him as his assistant. Outraged, Ben stops at nothing in finding out who's working for Rick and why. In fact, he suspects that person to be either Lisa or one of his housemates. With accusations of who's Rick's assistant flying left and right, Ben, Lisa, and his housemates are in a battle of fierce deceptions that could ultimately destroy their friendships among each other. And their lives, including their careers are at stake. By the time the reader finishes The Tenth Justice, he or she will be asking them-selves a few questions: Where does loyalty end? Where does greed begin? And how much can you really trust your friends? The Tenth Justice is a spectacular story with suspenseful twists and turns that really keeps the reader guessing from scene to scene. As for his writing style, Meltzer cleverly writes this book as a fast read, with so many events occurring in just a short number of pages. He indeed, unlike Grisham, avoids the usual clichéd plots that many other legal authors write, everything from the ordinary courtroom dramas to those typical White House scandals. The book, nevertheless, has one major flaw. When the story approaches the end, plans as to how Rick was going to be caught, including the person working as Rick's as-sistant had been thrown out in the blue, therefore complicating the ending and leaving it with one hole after another. The Tenth Justice is highly recommendable as Brad Meltzer at his very best. It is now available in paperback from Time Warner Bookmarks.
Rating: Summary: Yuppie Heaven Review: I had high hopes for this book as I enjoy books about the government. I came away totally disappointed. If I could have gotten my money back I would have. This book is an exercise in how yuppies use the system to keep from having to be responsible for their actions. I liked the first 40-50 pages but as he kept calling this ex-classmate for favors and that one for favors to cover up his actions the author lost me completely. I would actually give this book zero stars if I could. I can only hope that the author improves in his following books because to me this one is a loser.
Rating: Summary: The end justifies the means... Review: Because of the title, I was expecting the 10th Justice to be Ben or another clerk who wrongly steered the Court for personal gain. The title was sooooo of the mark. This book is so far from a "legal thriller" that it's mind blowing. But it is a pretty good thriller...if you can endure the book until the end. I spend the first 3/4 of the book wondering why on earth Ben was chasing this guy. Why couldn't he just let it go?! I was screaming at him to just leave it alone!! How would anyone ever figure it out anyway? As far as "the four friends", none of them were loyal to anyone else, except Ober. They were all pretty selfish and self serving. And I must admit, the characters were too far undeveloped. And where was this Justice all the time? And when exactly did Lisa and Ben work? The last couple chapters of the book do make it all worth it in the end, though. I couldn't wait to figure out how all the pieces fit together...but a lot of it was still mirky.
Rating: Summary: I can't stop reading it. Review: I got this book at Ross University School of Medicine's student lounge. It caught my attention, because the jacket looks so fresh and modern. And frankly, the student lounge only has so few books to choose from. At first, I was not even planning to read it from the front till the end, because it looks so thick. And it looks as if it is going to take a while to finish reading. Once I started reading the front page, I just got glued to the book, I can't put it down. The plot is very interesting, and it keeps me reading and reading till the end. The first two-third was very well thought, and planned. However, I felt that the last one-third part of the book was a little rushed; there were some obvious loopholes. I never knew that Justices in the superior court has clerks. And it is intriguing to read all about the clerks' life, and what they do. This book has the feel for a movie; however, it can't be explored deep without finding some obvious faults.
Rating: Summary: a decent 1st book, but many flaws exist Review: The Tenth Justice was probably a good book for a first author, but when comparing it to First Counsel, Metzer's third book, it fails to compare. I had hoped Tenth Justice would provide as much as an inside look at the Supreme Court as First Counsel did of the White House, but it doesn't come close. The Tenth Justice revolves around Ben Addison and his fellow supreme court clerk Lisa and Ben's three friends. None of the action occurs with the supreme court and we only get to hear Ben and friends talk about it, we never get a feel for the court. That said, this book has other problems. Metzer fills his book with dialogue that I guess is supposed to be witty and provide characterization. It does neither well because all of the dialogue blends together. The plot is decent and there are a few surprises and twists, but nothing is too surprising. Metzer is a decent author, but if your looking for a legal thriller, this isn't it. The law is the setting but the story is the characters and how they get out of a jam. I definitely recommend The First Counsel over this book.
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