Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment . . .
Review: I eagerly looked forward to reading this next installment of Grisham's. What a disappointment. This book was lightweight compared to his previous blockbusters. There were too many characters intertwined who had no real purpose in the story. The underlying sub-plot of the "brethren" was also a turnoff. I miss the courtroom drama of his previous books and the intensity that always lies within. This book is not a true representation of Grisham's talent. Novels like "A Time to Kill" and "The Testament" and "The Partner" more accurately depict the true genius Grisham is. This particular book shows that he, too, can write a bad novel.
Rating: 
Summary: No Major Flaw
Review: I have read all of John Grisham's books. Although I would not rate this as my favorite, I still enjoyed it because it kept me turning the pages. The one thing that did bother me was the fact that there was no "Good Guy". In the end I found myself rooting for no one. That is why I didn't rate this book as high as others. However, if you are a Grisham fan, I'm sure that you will still be able to find some enjoyment in reading this book. And, if you are not a Grisham fan, then maybe start at the beginning and work your way to The Brethren. I still believe that Grisham is a talented writer and can not wait for his next book. Finally, I don't believe that Grisham had a major flaw in his writing. James Lambert wrote that the CIA was checking ALL of the mail going into Trumble. I guess he forgot that the letter from Lake was sent from St. Louis when his plane went down. When Trevor picked up the mail, he went straight to Trumble... therefore, it was the one time the CIA was not able to intercept it and copy it. I guess if Mr. Lambert wasn't so busy complaining about the book, he would have caught that.
Rating: 
Summary: Good premise, poor execution
Review: I bough "The Brethren" driven solely on Grisham's credentials, not bothering to read the reviews. Big mistake! I can't believe Grisham dropped so low after writing so many engaging stories. I am saddened his been bitten by the same bug that damaged a few of today's best writers. The writing was repetitive. Characters were flat; none were likable. The ending was disastrous. It appeared Grisham wrote this one half-heartedly, as if only to meet a deadline, to meet a commitment to produce a book, any book, not literature. I've read The Rainmaker, The Partner, The Testament, The Runaway Jury, and The Street Lawyer. None among his best, all better by far than this flop.
Rating:
Summary: Major Flaw in Plot
Review: I love Grisham's books, usually, but this one I just couldn't get into and really enjoy it. It has a weak plot to begin with but then the plot is continued by several huge "coincidences" and a major flaw. The major flaw is that Lake is exposed to the Brethren by a letter that includes another letter to a campaign supporter. What Grisham forgot though is that the CIA was checking ALL the mail going into the prison and that letter would have NEVER got to the Brethren. This huge flaw and the weak plot make this book something to pass up. Not the usual Grisham masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Oh God!
Review: I love JG ever since i read one of his books. In Malaysia, i could only found the brethren on nov 2000 (paperback). I've already been reading its review early last year in the internet and was very much excited to read it. So all the suspense and excitements of waiting for the book to be released was such a waste. I've never read his books before for more than a week. But this one.....i think it's forever. I only finished it today after purchasing it on 6/nov./2000...So you can imagine how bored, frustrating and anti-climax it was. Come on JG, you can do better!
Rating:
Summary: Not his best
Review: I look forward to Grisham novels, too, but this was not one of his better books. He usually has at least one character that you can empathize with and care about. Not in this book. They're all scum. I didn't care what happened to any of them. Is he tired of writing about lawyers and judges? In any case, it's well written and an easy read.
Rating: 
Summary: It Holds Its Own
Review: It seems as if there are some pretty shallow reviewers out there. The people who hate it all merely say its boring and it puts me to sleep. The ones who like it merely comment that its a page turner. I'll try to do better. Whereas the book introduces two somewhat unrelated subjects at the beginning(the three jailhouse judges and a presidential election), eventually the two worlds do collide and after a little bit of meandering dialogue but not alot. Its itneresting how all the politics in the world seem to straighten things out for our eventual presidential candidate and these three crooked judges. What is especially nice about this Grisham effort is that there are plenty of unusual twists and turns and the ending proves that old habits do not die easy. Also the fact that this effort does not center around Memphis or the Mid South region exclusively is very good. Mr. Grisham is getting in touch with other regions in our country. In general, this book is on or at least cloase to the level of his earlier works and it is truly worthwhile reading.
Rating:
Summary: Not the usual Grisham
Review: The book never reached the usual Grisham writing. The plot was predictable after the 2nd chapter and contained to much transition between ideas. It is as though Grisham wrote the book without preparation. My first thought after reading it was that he only did it to fulfill a timeline on a contract with his publisher. Overall - Thumbs down.
Rating:
Summary: Readable But Disappointing
Review: As a long time Grisham fan I was pleased to finally have the chance to pick up THE BRETHREN. I had heard quite a few negative remarks about the book, but none of his past work had failed to deliver so I was optimistic that this would do the same. Unfortunatly, here Grisham's streak of success has come to an end. THE BRETHREN has a fascinating idea at its core. The scam that the Brethren execute, its implications, as well as the presidential sub-plot, are all good seed for a solid page-turner. But THE BRETHREN has a fatal flaw in its soil: the lack of a true hero. There is no single person in the story whom the reader is able to sympathize with, care about, latch onto, or root for. As a result, half way through the book I found myself continuing to read not because I cared about anyone but only to see how Grisham would resolve the conflict. And that brings us to the book's second flaw: the resolution is utterly disappointing. When I finished the story I actually set it down and said to myself "that's it?" In the end, THE BRETHREN is readable. Grisham's writing moves along at a good pace and he does throw in some solid hooks every now and then. But its flaws are much too grave and eventually suck away any momentum that Grisham is able to build. THE BRETHREN replaces THE RUNAWAY JURY as my least favorite of Mr. Grisham's books, and does so by a wide margin. If you're a fan of his you'll probably want to complete your collection with this purchase, but otherwise do yourself a favor and buy THE TESTAMENT or THE PARTNER. Two and a half stars.
Rating:
Summary: The Ending dropped this from a 5 to a 4
Review: This was my first Grisham Novel...not bad and definitely a page turner. I finished this book in record time and was thoroughly involved throughout. I would have like to have seen more twists in the end. There were a few characters that I thought could have been developed more and gave the reader a "gotcha" in the end.
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