Rating: 
Summary: Good reading but not quite the "real McCoy"
Review: Good, interesting story and well-written. In fact, Ben Mezrich is an excellent writer. While I have no doubts that the basic premise is "authentic", as a long-time professional gambler (card-counter, poker player, and sports bettor), I suspect that the author has used quite a bit of poetic license. As a related and interesting sidenote, a great companion book, also offered by Amazon[.com], is Kevin Blackwood's "The Counter". It is a fascinating fictional account of a professional blackjack player, and is highly authentic!
Rating: 
Summary: Reads like a spy novel
Review: This book is about an MIT graduate's adventures in a blackjack team where he learns how to count cards and win big bucks against the casinos. The first 70 or so pages cover Kevin's introduction to blackjack and the team concept, and his training. After that the book really takes off and describes highlights of his experiences over the next 4 years. It covers the good times and bad, the play, the parties, the barrings, the team discord, and the danger. Alot of the book strongly reminded me of Ken Uston's adventures back in the late 70's and early 80's. This book implies the team concept was new to them, but it's all been done before. If you have bought other blackjack books and are interested in blackjack, you will definitely enjoy Kevin's adventures. Be warned, this book does not cover anything about how to count cards and does not introduce any systems.
Rating: 
Summary: i started reading it last night/ finished it @ work today!
Review: very well written story about intelligent characters with an intelligent plan of attack. the raw excitement of the story is like an adrenaline injection.
i am recommending this to everyone i know - it is a great read! (but also get another book because you will read this nonstop!)
Rating:
Summary: If you like gambling stories, this book is fantastic!
Review: Like other reviewers, it only took me a several hours to read. I like gambling stories (I'm a poker player) and I've read both of Michael Konik's books, which are also great. I would consider this a one of the top gamblers' story out there, not quite up-there as Alvarez' "The Biggest Game in Town" or Konik's "More Gambling Stories", but close. I thought his writing was very smooth and really put you in the "action". I entirely believe the details of Kevin Lewis' life as a counter as I worked for a software company based in Lincoln, MA and was told many times that the co-founders - all of Asian decent and MIT grads! - were part of the MIT blackjack team. (I don't know which one but their stories are similar to what Lewis tells.) So, I just had to read this book since I knew some of the MIT team personally. As I read the stories, it was not hard to imagine that they could've been on the very team he was on! So, if you like gambling stories, add this book to your collection . . . .
Rating:
Summary: DOUBLE DOWN ON THIS BOOK!
Review: Be prepared to lose some sleep after you open this book. It's the engrossing story of how a small band of MIT students managed to work as a team playing Blackjack and win $3 million plus from Casino's in Vegas. While the students did nothing illegal it becomes very obvious that the Casinos were less than amused with the student's success. The stories of what the Casinos did to try and stop the students ring true and may discourage a reader from learning how to count cards. Congrats to the students for using their smarts in an innovative way. Would have given the book five stars but the authors need to ingratiate himself into the story was annoying.
Rating:
Summary: I Wish I Could Do That
Review: I am always fascinated by stories involving gambling and especially true stories. This is apparently fact that reads like fiction and will catch up the reader in the story of how some kids from MIT learned card counting and how to hit a big time casino as a team, each with their own roles and walk out with millions, over time. Black Jack is the only gambling game played in casinos where it is possible to gain an edge on the house. The explanation of card counting gets a little thick for me, but then I didn't go to MIT. Of course, it is not all roses for as the team gets more successful the casinos fight back. This is a well written, fascinating account.
Rating:
Summary: Should make a great movie.
Review: I also read the whole thing in about one sitting. One of the best stories I have ever read, amazing.
Rating:
Summary: A poorly written story of questionable veracity...
Review: but a quick, entertaining read nonetheless. As others have said, it could have been much better. I think the author must have written this book just to make money, rather than to explore what would be an interesting story without the distracting, obvious exagerations. I suspect some of the problem may have been the "source" the author had to work with. The guy comes off as a bit of a loser despite the attempt at a flattering portrayal. My 76 year old mother picked up this book after I left it at her house and even she noticed obvious contradictions and inconsistencies. But she also felt the book was entertaining despite its very pronounced shortcomings. I would like to point out that the book isn't *that* entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Wow What A Story !
Review: Good Book, Nicely Written. Soon To Be Movie Done By Kevin Spacey.
Rating:
Summary: if you liked the movie "butch cassidy and the sundance kid"
Review: then you'll love this book...m.i.t. college students are recruited for their mathematical genius to count cards in blackjack by a former m.i.t professor...the kids form teams to pull it off and work their way winning hundreds of thousands of dollars...all of it legally, however the casinos don't take kindly to that....just like "butch cassidy" they move from casino to casino in vegas, then from city to city winning....but finally the casinos "make" the students....the students now have to keep one step ahead of the casino and their mythical henchmen or they could end up getting "backroomed"...they play a dangerous game especially when they decide to leave the "safe" usa to play on an island....then there is the fallout between team members that leads to an eerie and mysterious ending...
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