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Summary: For a First Novel, This is Excellent!!!
Review: This was a very well written book (I was surpised to learn it's his first novel). I look forward to reading his future works.
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Summary: Fast-paced and rings of more truth than fiction
Review: The Pledge is a novel that speaks to current day events on college campuses. While it is fiction, it rings of more truth than the casual reader would imagine. There is nothing really unbelievable about this other than that in real life the ruthlessness would be far greater and more clandestine. The book reads like a fast-paced Grisham novel and smacks of understanding and intellectualism approaching Donna Tarrt's Secret Society. With hazing again on the rise and more and more injuries and deaths attributed to it, this book appears in a time when students, parents and university administrators need to take a careful look at what is really happening. This book speaks volumes of truths for those who will listen. For those who simply ignore this book as a work of fiction are extremely naive to the machinations of some Greek organizations, Alumni influence, and university indifference and greed. This book is a must reading for the college freshman interested in a Greek organization. Anyone who is familiar with Greekdom and academia will secretly confess that this book could really be more truth than fiction.
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Summary: He gets small colleges right; plots and writing wrong
Review: Wait for the mass market paperback.Though I read this in one sitting it was more to study what not to do when writing, and for the record this is one of the rare times I agree with Kirkus' scathing review. A terrible freshman effort starts this two book deal with Warner; lets hope the second novel is actually edited.
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Summary: formulaic in the dullest possible way
Review: The collegiate greek system setting promises intrigue, but what a disappointment: movie-of-the-week level plotting, female characters a notch above caricature, cliche after painful cliche. Waste of cash and time.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fantastic book!
Review: This book was a great mystery. I picked it up and didn't put it down until it was done. Kids need to know that sometimes these things happen. Parents also need to know that this is a fictious book. Although the hazing and partying is true, the awful things that were done are not.
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Summary: Just Try And Put This Book Down!!!!
Review: This phenomenal first novel by Rob Kean kept me from my work for two days straight. Everytime I stopped reading I was left wondering what would happen next...and immediately pick it back up. Expect the unexpected as the pages turn rapidly and leave you wondering how long do I have to wait for Rob Kean's next nove
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Summary: A helluva good reason to deglamorize fraternities
Review: As the mother of a college freshman, I was horrified to read The Pledge. Although this gifted novelist fictionalizes life inside the Greek system, I'm afraid some of the hazing and partying is right on the nose. The Pledge is a fast read, the writing superb. I was surprised to enjoy it so much and look forward to Kean's next book.
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Summary: Finally, A Page Turner without an ex-cop or medical examiner
Review: Being an alumnus of a fraternity(and one with Sigma as one of the letters), one would think I would be outraged at the treatment Greek life gets in The Pledge. However, being a Greek alumnus who also enjoys a well-written, break-neck paced thriller, I loved this book. I think maybe because I know my fraternity was nothing like the Sigmas in this book, or maybe I can separate fiction from reality, either way this book is an excellent read and I would highly recommend it for anyone searching for a good page-turning thriller that is not set in the usual places, with the usual characters. Some were written very stereotypically, yes, but overall, everything worked for me. And for those parents reading this...most fraternities are not like this.
Rating:
Summary: One Hell of a Read!!!!
Review: You gotta love picking up a novel by a first time author and not being able to put it down. I was totally absorbed from the first chapter to the last. Rob Kean packs a punch and plenty of surprizes, along with some truely interesting main characters that you love to hate. I have heard of "hazing" that goes on at some universities, and read some pretty ghastly stuff surrounding some deaths due to hazing and perhaps the highly disturbing motives behind these deaths, reading this work of fine work of fiction was an eye-opener!! Kudo's to Mr Kean - looking forward to your next novel!!
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Summary: have yet to read a worse book
Review: This book is probably one of the worst and unrealistic things I have ever read. The characters (especially Shawn) are unrealistic, as is the portrayal of a fraternity full of murderers, rapists, and thieves. Sometimes I wish someone would write the truth about what fraternal organizations do...this kind of trashy libel is getting old.
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