Rating: 
Summary: What a Tangled Web We Weave!
Review: I didn't know what to expect - a graduate student assigned to read a page-turner crime novel for a graduate seminar. All in all, I tend not to like Dershowitz, but I will hand it to him on this one; all things considered, he has written a good and somewhat haunting book. I'm sure the questions it raises will be with me for a long time. The scene is this: Max Menuchen is a holocaust survivor living in Cambridge, MA who discovers that the Nazi who murdered his family (by a fluke, he alone survived) is living not too far away. The pain and anguish of knowing this (and of even worse information uncovered in private research) is unbearable. Max decides to torture his killer and drive him to suicide. Is it murder? If it is murder, is it justified? Is it just revenge? The theme is explored decently and though the dialogue is stiff and the plot (particularly in the details) feels somewhat contrived, Dershowitz knows how to exploit this challenging and dark theme for all it is worth. As some reviewers have noted the characters are a bit stale, but I suppose if one is readin a Dershowitz crime novel for character depth, then one needs to evaluate their lease on life (though I grant that Dershowitz's habit of making every character, including side-characters, a lawyer, is a bit frustrating). On a sidenote, some of the less favorable reviews accuse Dershowitz of 'justifying' the main character's actions of revenge and torture. First, I must have read the wrong book as Dershowitz's ending is far from clear on that point (the last section is even entitled 'Justice?' with a question mark). Second, I thought Dershowitz did a decent job portraying many sides and opinions (as Dershowitz does in real life). Simply because he writes what some may feel are convincing argument supporting the main character doesn't mean that he is offering carte blache justification. Third, Dershowitz's goal in this book, I feel, is to make us think and one great way to do that is to get us fired up. Those that accuse Dershowitz of 'taking the wrong side' are fired up and, thus, thinking. So as not to ramble on that point, I give the book 3 stars because while I thought the theme and idea development was pretty good, there are many areas where the book felt a bit too contrived and/or superficial.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books...
Review: I've read in a long time. Dershowitz writes a book that asks a compelling moral question. The characters in this book are incredibly likeable, and it is amazing the way Dershowitz makes the reader feel compassion for a man who committed horrible and unforgiveable acts years ago. This story portrays two sides of an unthinkable, yet very real, historical tragedy. Does a person have the right to seak revenge on a person who years ago, during the Nazi era, committed unthinkable acts of malice? Read this book and you will be intrigued.
Rating:
Summary: It may be fiction but-----
Review: Alan Dershowitz has written a story of questioning theory.He is a thinking interlectual with a clear mind toward the pro and con of our countrys laws. This story is in the back of many of our minds. what if your family was wiped out by someone and you were left what would you do, or feel, or want? I would recommend this book highly to anyone that ever observed a criminal situation and said "if he would have done that to my family I would have_____!!! The book is a thinking mans read enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Is revenge ever justified, legally and/or morally?
Review: Alan Dershowitz, the famous attorney and law professor, attempts in his novel, "Just Revenge," to explore the moral and legal ramifications of revenge. Is it legal or ethical for a Holocaust survivor to punish an elderly man for the actions that he committed as a Nazi collaborator during World War Two? Professor Max Menuchen is the sole survivor of a Lithuanian family that was brutally wiped out by a Nazi collaborator named Marcellus Prandus in 1942. Prandus is now an elderly man who will soon be dead of cancer. However, it is likely that he will die a contented man, since he is surrounded by his beloved children and grandchildren who admire and respect him. Max wants Prandus to experience the despair that he felt when he watched Prandus brutally exterminate his family so many years ago. Therefore, Max, with the help of a friend, concocts an elaborate scheme that results in Prandus's death. When he is arrested and goes to trial, Max is defended by attorney Abe Ringel, who argues that Max acted out of personal anguish and that his behavior was simply a desire for "just revenge". Although Dershowitz's intentions are good in writing this philosophical and psychological novel, he has not created a satisfying work of fiction. The characters are not believable and the story is little more than an excuse for a philosophical discussion about what is or is not excusable in the name of revenge. Also problematical is the ending, in which a surprise witness miraculously shows up in order to influence the outcome of the trial. I agree that the themes of revenge and forgiveness are worth exploring (as Simon Wiesenthal did in his brilliant book, "The Sunflower"). However, Alan Dershowitz's novel is too artificial to be an effective vehicle for analyzing this important subject.
Rating:
Summary: Is Revenge Justice?
Review: Alan Dershowitz is a gifted thinker and writer, although based upon his public appearances, an insufferable person. In Just Revenge he has produced a fast paced, well written novel, which accomplishes what a good novel should. It raises, but does not answer, important issues, in a provocative manner
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: We had to read this book my criminal law class. The actual story line was fairly realistic, but the way Dershowitz writes is too predictable. Each chapter seems to represent a single distinct thought, which takes away from the overall story. The ending was so cheesy its not even funny.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing universal questions
Review: Dershowitz has not written a quality literary work. The characters lack depth, dialogue is not realistic or imaginative, the plot does not exist. The genuine merit of this book lies in the questions and issues it brings to the table. If the legal system fails to punish an individual for a horrific action, does the victim or his relatives have a right to exact their brand of justice. This book presents a brilliant discussion of that issue.
Rating:
Summary: Good plot, interesting theory.
Review: I liked the plot and the story. It's not one of the best books I've ever read, but it does make you think, and the purpose is to make you think about REAL JUSTICE. Quick read...
Rating:
Summary: Superb Read
Review: I truly enjoyed this book. It is entertaining and educational.
I could not put it down...
Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: A very enjoyable plot that makes you wonder how you would find the admitted murderer...innocent or guilty? Justified or unjustified? I truly liked this book because it left me with thinking to do once I finished it.
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