Rating: 
Summary: great elements but uneven execution
Review: The parts are greater than the sum in this interesting but disappointing novel. There are many rich strands -- characters, plot, narrative regarding law practice, law firms, lawyers and judges, and background regarding neurochemistry. But too many characters appear as central then disappear and the tone meanders too unevenly between hilarious satire and moderately engaging thriller for this to be an outstanding work. I found the underlying murder plot to be the weakest segment of the book --- I did enjoy this, though, and am looking forward to reading other books by this author.
Rating: 
Summary: Eat, sleep, Dooling...
Review: This book can be described as a wholely satisfying experience. It is racey and fun, but always intellectually stimulating. It is not meant to be a treatise on the path of current legal trends, but does address the subject, prompting the reader to do a little thinking on his/her own. It not only deals with interesting legal issues, but also with the primal instincts inherent to every male. This, however, does not in any way restrict this book's audience. It is a running commentary on how men tend to operate and is hilarious from either gender's perspective. BUY THIS BOOK.
Rating: 
Summary: Just awful!
Review: This book is silly in the extreme. None of its characters is likable; the plot requires a tortured suspension of disbelief; Dooling misleads the reader with his descriptions of courts and his analysis of legal issues; and, worst of all, is sophomoric in its treatment of sex and sexual issues. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw's review of a symphony he attended, the best chapter in this book is the last -- by then the reader knows the ordeal will soon be over.
Rating: 
Summary: A Big Disappointment
Review: This book, if played straight, could have been a thought-provoking look at the consequences of current trends in law and science. If played for laughs, it could have been a screwball farce. Dooling can't pick one and goes for both. Ultimately, both he and his minions are merely confused. Unsure whether they are meant to be slapstick or serious, awkward scenes ensue. None of the characters are particularly likeable until Stang and Myrna appear in the middle of the novel, after wading through 200 pages of wimpy lawyer, Amazonian neuroscientist, bitchy wife and close-minded authorities. I could not care about a single one of them, and even though I ended up liking a couple of the gutsier oddballs in the end, I couldn't figure out why they liked the hero so much. Because of his confused Catholicism? His inability to interface with the world except through computer metaphors? If it weren't for the constant use of the n-word, this book would be in theaters tomorrow, with pumped-up sex scenes and toned down biolegal talk. I guess I enjoyed parts of this book, but I would not recommend it. You can do better.
Rating:
Summary: Good idea poorly executed
Review: This could have been a terrific book. The plot is exciting, the characters intriguing. It's a shame it is so poorly written. The author has a difficult time with dialogue. All characters speak in the same wise-crack mode as the protagonist. He also has an unpleasant habit of including long discursive passages, the main purpose of which is to expound on his theories of human behavior rather than to advance the plot or develop the characters. And, ouch!, those sex scenes. Clearly not his long suit. Perhaps his editor suggested that he spice things up, and so he pasted these scenes in at the last minute. Perhaps he needs a new editor.
Rating:
Summary: stormy weather, no (b)rain
Review: This is a book of ideas more than plot or character--or at least, I get the distinct impression that Richard Dooling is much more interested in ideas than the usual novelistic ideals. The protagonist is a computer savy young lawyer whose life takes a turn when he gets assigned to a hate crime trial. Dooling clearly knows law and presents a lot of clever legal and social thinking diguised as witty dialog. It's interesting that he sets his court scene in the appellate court--this puts his case in a very different light from a jury trial. There's a truely memorable kinky sex scene early on and enough red herrings to feed a seal, but the book didn't gell for me. And in a real way, the politics of the book are offensive. None of its characters were particularly sympathetic and many were downright repugnant. There's a tendency for some authors to use the N word as a device for setting a gritty, real-world tone. Dooling definitly over-uses this two-edged sword. Moreover, he sets up all this racist sensibility, but never really provides any counter argument. It's like he's saying, "Look at all these racist pigs. Ain't they kooky, but you know, they might just have a point." Whoa! Ya gotta do better than that, Dick. Despite all my misgivings, I found myself enjoying the pace of the book, the original humor, and some of the turns of plot. Read it with a grain of salt. When it rains, it pours.
Rating:
Summary: Best Novel So Far This Year
Review: This is the type of book that should win a year end book award - not overrated, unreadable doorstops like "Mason & Dixon." If you are tired of reading hackneyed, Grisham legal thrillers, try this one. The story takes place in the near future and concerns a big firm associate (he endlessly researches arcane legal issues) who is suddenly assigned to defend a hate crime murderer by an irascible judge. Having worked as an associate in a big firm I can attest to the accuracy of Dooling's satire of the legal profession. He also displays a prescient knowledge of ridiculous hate crime laws and what they may look like in the not so distant future. I particularly enjoyed Dooling's stuff on Westlaw computer legal searches. Very funny. My only criticism is that he sometimes writes too much like a computer geek, showing off his knowledge on the subject. However, Dooling is a great writer and a brilliant satirist. Be prepared. You might want to wear your Depend undergarments. Reading this book may cause sudden laughter related bowel release.
Rating:
Summary: John Grisham is toast. Richard Dooling is the man.
Review: Two years ago I stopped reading John Grisham. The plots had lost their cohesiveness, the characters felt flat, and most important, the books just didn't grab me. Scott Turow's legal novels are great, but a little highbrow, it takes a little work to move through them. Now Richard Dooling has hit his mark perfectly with Brainstorm. A plot that's both simple and rich. Great characters I can identify with. The judge and Myrna and Rachel and Arthur are all perfectly crafted people of substance and passion. Dooling is the man!
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Bad
Review: When I read awful books like this one, I am amazed at how they ever got published in the first place. It is poorly written on too many levels. Do not waste your time with this one!
Rating:
Summary: so-so near future lawyer novel never quite makes it
Review: While some reviews have found Brain Storm to be a witty twist to the standard lawyer novel, I found the humor to be forced. The author seems to be unsure if he is a novelist or humorist. The constant techno-speak, pushed to the max, while cute at first, became tiresome. The charactor to the Federal Judge was a delight.
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