The Laws of Our Fathers

Rating:
Summary: Kept the house warm
Review: This is the worst of Turow's writings. I bought this book in hopes of another masterful legal thriller and all I got was a tale of boring characters muddled with 60's. Finally, half-way through Seth's 60's tale, the book had the misfortune of ending up in my fireplace. I wanted to return it for a refund but was so angered I needed to destroy it.

Rating:
Summary: Sheer Drudgery
Review: I'd never read Turow before, but I selected this book because it was on the best sellers' list. What a mistake! The plot, so long to develop, is incredibly resolved in an instant to tie up loose ends. Turow's use of language reminded me of a high school English student who uses "big" words to impress and nothing else. It is unlikely I'll read another of his books. It took all my effort and patience to finish this novel, but I did it! I survived!

Rating:
Summary: three stars, but I still really liked it!
Review: Meaning that five stars would be something that was among my favorite books of all time, which this certainly wasn't, but it was still a great read. The thing I really took away from it is how strong a writer Turow really is. He can easily write circles around Grisham, though this thought never came to while reading the book, only after reading other reader's reviews. There is really no comparison between the two. The writer whom Turow reminded me most of while reading this was Ed McBain, who also uses a fictional city, and who also has an encyclopedic knowledge of law and legal procedure, but, like Turow, does not make it seem encyclopedic. I was drawn into this book, and found it enjoyable throughout. I'll go so far as to say that Turow is better writer than Ed McBain. Just not as prolific

Rating:
Summary: Worst thing Turow has ever written
Review: Totally impossible to get into. Have attempted 3 times and each time just can't muddle through it. The 60's stuff is just plain boring and, mostly stupid. Sorry Scott but, I'll be really reluctant to buy another one of your books for a while. I have really enjoyed others written in the past, but, this one is only good for my insomnia.

Rating:
Summary: amazing legal suspense and character development
Review: turow blew me away with this one - so much better than the plot droven work of grisham, martini, etc. (which i shamelessly love)... i became so attached to the characters and enjoyed the dual plot development as he skipped back and forth between the 60s and 90s (stephen king did this in IT 10 years earlier)... an AMAZING book, lots of lessons taught about a lot more than law.

Rating:
Summary: It's not Grisham, and that's a compliment
Review: Turow is ambitious here in his blend of courtroom thriller with literary fiction. The reader takes away the best of both worlds. I was occasionally moved to tears, often dazzled, always engrossed.

Rating:
Summary: Complex and complete
Review: This is a book not for the timid-hearted nor the shallow Grisham-lover. Despite overromanticizing the sixties (especially when the seventies generation deserves the credit anyway), Turow weaves of masterful tale of personal and criminal intrique. He traverses through racial, gender, and generational barriers with great skill and leaves any reader over 30 wondering about life, relationships, ethics, and weakness. Not a modern classic, but give Turow credit, it is a step in the right direction.

Rating:
Summary: Weakest of the Turow Novels
Review: Before encountering The Law of Our Fathers, I had enjoyed reading everything written by Scott Turow, beginning with L1, his memoir of his first year of law school at Harvard. But, alas, this book just didn't hold together. The characters were interesting, and the writing decent, but the story failed to hold my interest. Every good writer to takes some risks and Turow is entitled to one less than stellar work. I look forward to reading his next!

Rating:
Summary: His worst work by so far he can't even see it.
Review: I have read all of his books and enjoyed them. This book, however, is so boring I can't believe anyone would compare him to Grisham. He has continually gone downhill since Presumed Innocence, although the others were at least entertaining. This was so bad I don't believe I can ever read another book by him.

Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: Boring, poorly written, too much offensive language. I'm not interested in ever ready Scott Turow again after this experience.