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Summary: A Fascinating Education
Review: Richard North Patterson dares to write a book that is essentially a long extended discussion of political ideas and the inner-workings of the courts and Congress. What a great read it is! Patterson remembers that politics is personal and consistently shows the human side of people's beliefs. During an extended trial, various people testify regarding third-trimester abortion. Patterson insures that all who testify have very strong, very personal reasons for their opinions and they frequently bring up many troubling issues. Patterson's greatest achievement with this book is that he is able to make you think about issues that you already thought you had long decided on. It is also a pleasure to spend more time with characters from his previous books. He cares deeply about what he is writing and the subjects that he brings up and you will finding yourself caring just as much from the first pages. Only Gore Vidal is able to capture in fiction the feel of politics with the same feeling of truth and quiet passion.
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Summary: Perfect Timing in an era of "Search and Destroy Politics"
Review: As always, I found Patterson's writing compelling, compassionate and brutally realistic. He is an author ahead of his time but not so far ahead that his futuristics thoughts are on the brink of stark reality. "Search and destroy" politics are present in our society, at any cost. Patterson creates a scenario in which he demonstrates that "search and destroy" politics cannot become something which defines the character of our nation. "Protect and Defend" is a tremendous novel in which the paradox each character is presented with transcends the individual and reminds us that we are human and are often forced to make painfully personal and human decisions. He reminds the reader that none of us walk through life without error. "Search and destroy" politics, in my view, are disgusting and serve only personal ambition. It can never serve the good of a nation. I feel this book is perfect timing and points out the posissble human tradgedies that can only result from "search and destroy" politics.
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Summary: protect and defend
Review: Richard North Patterson has outdone himself this time. This is a fantastic page turner! His characters are so believable and the dialogue is wonderful. He brings back his wonderful character Caroline Clark Masters and continues on with her story. This book is hard to put down, as are all his books, but this one was appealing in that it plays to politics today. A great read!
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Summary: caro's views
Review: Protect and Defend is so timely that it frightens. I is a necessary inquiry into moral delimmas far more compelling than a mystery novel. Patterson applies ideologies to specific situations. He is persisent and his probing is painful. A reader may feel empathetically injured regardless of belief. This is not an "easy read"--it is a "high read"--just like life. Everyone should read this book.
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Summary: A super read!
Review: This is a very compelling read especially after our much heated election. The Politics almost read out of todays headlines. I would hope our Suprerme Court would end up as well as the Caroline Masters court but we know better. A must read to keep the Pro-Choice ideals alive. Sometimes I feel we older women are the only ones who understand how it was and can become again. Patterson does a superb job of making his characters real. A very talented author. Can't wait for his next book.
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Summary: Another Winner From Patterson
Review: Richard North Patterson has written another amazing book. He has managed to take a subject that is controversal and complex and turn it into an amazingly compelling novel. I disagree with those reviewers that have stated that Patterson sides only with those characters that support abortion. Patterson does a great job of presenting both sides of the debate while walking a tight rope between facts and preaching. He never crosses over that line and he manages to engage the reader with yet another well constructed legal/political thriller. The characters are well drawn and the many sub-plots as always ultimately come together to a very satisfying conclusion. This book is the very definition of a must read. Don't miss it.
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Summary: Protect and Defend - Our World Today
Review: As someone who is appalled at the control the Religious Right has over the Republican party, as well as the Supreme Court, this book only intensified my uneasiness as to what this new administration will mean to the balance of 'our' Supreme Court. From the personal attacks to the court battles, I found this book to be realistic and compelling. Definitely a wake up call to anyone who believes that Roe v. Wade will never be overturned. In reference to a previous review, Mr. Patterson was indeed an attorney. Anyone who read the entire book would know that, and that he was also at one time a state attorney general.
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Summary: Totally engrossing
Review: I heard about this book in an NPR radio interview with its author, Richard North Patterson. I was impressed that Patterson did not seem to be trying to convert anyone to his way of thinking, but that he thoroughly researched the material and tried his best to represent all opinions. After reading the book, I think Patterson pulled it off. He convincingly describes the emotions and politics on both sides of the abortion debate in a book that is a fascinating read. Unfortunately, the book tends to portray extreme right conservatives as "bad guys" and is not likely to generate too many fans from that group. Too bad, because I think this book has a lot to offer everyone.
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Summary: Potboiler
Review: This book sees virtue only on the side of the abortionists and sees demons only on the side of those who oppose abortion. The plot is fine; too bad Richard North Patterson can't write! His characters are cardboard cutouts who speak to each other not as normal people do, but like they were all reading out of encyclopedias. Patterson never lets an ordinary word serve when a six bit word can be used in its place. Instead of showing you, he tells you. Appalling writing! And it's obvious he is not a lawyer (or never practiced law, if he is) because his courtroom scenes are laughably bad: Each character who is a lawyer gets to give long speeches phrased as questions. The witnesses get to give long speeches phrased as answers. Not the way any courtroom I've tried a case in works! Save your money for a good author's books, like Alan Furst's.
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Summary: Simply mesmerizing
Review: A fifteen-year-old girl is pregnant carrying a brain-damaged fetus. She wants to abort her child, but the recently enacted federal law requires parental permission for a minor to obtain a late stage abortion. Her devout pro-life parents will never agree to the abortion. If the child comes to term, a c-section is required that might leave the teen sterile. Lawyer Sara Dash accepts Mary Ann's case in an attempt to prove the law is unconstitutional and the court should repeal the congressional law. Kerry Kilcannon has just been sworn into office as president. One of his first decisions is to nominate the Honorable Caroline Clark Masters as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Sarah was once Caroline's law clerk and each hold the other in high regard. If Sarah takes the case on appeal, Caroline will sit on the bench, jeopardizing her chance to become Chief Justice because she will vote for the abortion. Conservatives will then have the ammunition to defeat her nomination. The newly elected President faces his first test in office because he is determined that Caroline will be the next Chief Justice. In a land where law and politics go hand in hand, there is a heroic president, a fine Chief Justice nominee, and an idealistic lawyer battling to see justice occurs. The cast on both sides of the complex abortion issue seems very believable because their motives appear genuine and honorable. This is what makes Richard North Patterson's novel an exciting, impossible to put down political thriller. Harriet Klausner
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