Rating: 
Summary: Below Expectations
Review: I was very disappointed in this novel,which struck me as falling well short of the author's previous efforts. Although there are some pockets of suspense and bits of compelling narrative, the overall plot seems hackneyed, and the characters underdeveloped. We find none of the intensity, sublety or nuance we've come to expect from Turow. In short, this a potboiler that was truly an effort to read. In fact, my interest faltered, and I didn't care enough about the outcome to read it to the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Turpw stumbles
Review: There exists a necessarily narrow avenue of themes for a legal thriller. A crime must have been committed. The crime should be 'sexy,' to maintain readership interest (i.e., murder). The hero should have some conflict. Obstacles must exist, both moral and legal.The challenge, then, is not so much the mechanics of plot, as it is how to disguise the story through literary details so that it appears fresh to the reader's eye. American author and lawyer Scott Turow has proven himself adroit at manipulating well-worn themes into memorable volumes of pop culture literature. Scoring big with his first entry, PRESUMED INNOCENT, Turow has maintained a steady output of one novel every three or so years, taking the time (unlike, say, John Grisham) to hone his tales with interesting plot twists and believable characters. REVERSIBLE ERRORS, Turow's latest, uses an arguably classic legal plot-line; a possibly innocent man in prison. Presumably, Turow draws upon his own experiences as a litigator to flavour the story, as the bare bones of the yarn parallel his own legal machinations with a death row inmate in 1995. Unfortunately, despite many of the same characters and ideas as his past releases, REVERSIBLE ERRORS doesn't measure up to his best. Turow's antagonist, Arthur Raven, is a corporate lawyer reluctantly obliged to act as counsel for the last-minute appeal of Rommy Gandolph, a 'Yellow Man' sentenced for a triple homicide in 1991. Rommy's claim of innocence of the crime sounds false to Raven's ears, but Raven quickly uncovers damning evidence which points to another culprit. Turow, as always, presents the legal concepts with clarity and vigour. He effortlessly captures the underlying realities of the legal system, the cynicism of lawyers, the casual racism that pervades every comment. Understanding as well the vast chasm that exists between fiction and reality, Turow bends when he needs to, forsaking legal realities for narrative flow. (Case in point: Trials are invariably dull affairs for the spectator. Sacrificing courtroom believability for entertainment value, Raven instructs a witness to "tell the story in your own words." Any lawyer who reads that will likely groan aloud. You never let a witness just "talk.") Turow populates his novel with plausible characters, flawed and deeply vulnerable. Raven is a lumpy piece of manhood, prone to crying jags and identifying too closely with his clients (a peril many defence lawyers would sympathize with). Gillian, a disgraced judge who becomes invaluable to Raven, is a convincing portrait of the troubled person reconciling her past with the here and now. Larry Starczek, the investigating officer, shows a touching depth as the years roll by, developing a paunch to go alongside his conscience. Yet something is absent. The straightforward story sorely lacks the dark humour of Turow's earlier works. The legal antics strain credulity with surprise witnesses and red herrings (each more surprising than the last!). While, at first, Turow leaps back and forth in time, contrasting the original investigation with Raven's appeal, this is abandoned early on, losing any head of steam created. The final denouement comes is disappointingly mundane. Turow has always placed his characters above the plot they exist within. While this is a laudable endeavour, placing him well above contemporaries such as Steve Martini and John Lescroart, the sacrifice to story is profoundly damaging. The term 'reversible error' refers to a legal mistake so significant that an appellate court must set aside a trial court's judgment. Unfortunately, the novel REVERSIBLE ERRORS, despite a high degree of quality writing, should have been sent back for further rewrites.
Rating: 
Summary: Turow is Back!
Review: In his best work since "Presumed Innocence", Scott Turow weaves a masterpiece of interpersonal relationships and legal suspense in "Reversible Errors". At his best, Turow's legal prose is much more powerful and thoughtful than the more popular John Grisham, and this is an example of the master at the top of his game. The main story line is familiar enough: a condemned man about to be executed for a decade-old triple murder has one last shot at reprieve. But while the tale may be common, the characters are not: deeply developed, multi-faceted, and flawed, absent both super-heroes and arch-villains. The main characters include Arthur Raven, the socially dysfunctional court-appointed defense attorney, and Gillian Sullivan, the judge who presided over the original trial, now an ex-con and ex-junkie. They are joined by the upwardly mobile prosecuting attorney Muriel Wynn, and her once and future affair-mate, Larry Starczek, the detective who gathered the evidence in the murder case of death-row resident Rommy Gandolph, who awaits imminent execution. As the appeal winds through a series of triumphs and disappointments for both sides, the reader is drawn more deeply into the complex characters and the relationships between them. He adroitly interweaves story lines between 1991 and 2001; the non-linearity adding to the interest and intrigue. The author does not try overly hard to build the mystery, putting instead his efforts behind the convoluted relationships of the main characters. "Reversible Errors" is a classic case of the reward being in the journey, rather than the final destination. Always a master of legal details and courtroom drama, Turow introduces a new dimension to his talents. While not much of a "feel-good" book, "Reversible Errors" is definitely one of the more intelligent reads of 2002.
Rating:
Summary: A man on death row may be innocent.
Review: Scott Turow has hit one out of the park. His latest novel, "Reversible Errors," has all the elements of a Greek tragedy. Turow shows us a criminal justice system in which the legal and political stakes are high, but the moral ramifications are even higher. Not only is this book significant for its handling of important and timely themes, but it is also beautifully written and enormously entertaining. "Reversible Errors" is the story of Rommy "Squirrel" Gandolph, a small time thief with a low IQ, who has been sentenced to death for the murder of three people in 1991. The federal appellate court appoints a corporate lawyer and former prosecutor named Arthur Raven to "ensure that after ten years of litigation, no sound arguments remained to save Rommy Gandolph's life." It seems unlikely that "reversible errors" were made in this case, since Rommy confessed on videotape, and none of his lawyers has ever offered a credible alternative to Gandolph being the murderer. What is originally a perfunctory duty for Arthur turns into a crusade when he becomes convinced that his client is indeed innocent. Arthur is a compassionate and sensitive person who decides that he must save Rommy if he is to live with himself. Turow brilliantly sets up the case for the reader by going back and forth between 1991 and 2001. We meet the ambitious prosecutor, Muriel Wynn and her lover, Larry Starczek, who is also the dogged detective on Rommy's case. One of the most fascinating and unforgettable characters in the book is the beautiful and brilliant judge, Gillian Sullivan. Gillian sentenced Rommy to death, and she was subsequently imprisoned for misdeeds of her own. All of these people have a stake in what happens to Rommy, since they all contributed to putting him on death row. "Reversible Errors" works on many levels. The legal maneuverings are fascinating and instructive. The relationships between the characters are dramatic and often poignant. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. Turow demonstrates once again that justice is an elusive commodity in a world where some lawyers, judges and police officers are not only fallible, but also power-hungry, greedy and amoral. The title, "Reversible Errors," is not only a legal term. It also refers to the mistakes that we all make in our personal and professional lives. Is it ever possible to undo the past? A thoughtful plot, a superb writing style, and excellent character development make "Reversible Errors" a top-notch legal thriller.
Rating:
Summary: An American Tale of Regret
Review: Turow's latest book is a classic American tale of obsession, regret and second chances - some taken, some squandered. Reversible Errors is not merely a legal novel, but rather, a broad exploration of the essential character of America, namely, the endless striving for something better and the price we all pay for doing so. In Reversible Errors, the pursuit of worldly success is inevitably burdened - with addictions, sick relatives, criminal pasts, or awkward love. Each of Turow's characters has been confronted with bifurcated paths - one of which furthers his or her career, the other of which does not. As these choices - past, present, and future - are revealed, the reader sees how some people sacrifice their happy careers for empty distractions and how others sacrifice their happy lives for empty careers. Most poignant of these is the prosecutor/politician Muriel: "All her life she'd been so bound up in being in the world, in doing, that she was liable to lose track of herself . . . ." Muriel turns her back on a life of passion with her lover who is "only a cop", and instead opts for a loveless marriage to another man who can further her career. Though she regrets her decision, she repeats her choice ten years later. I read Reversible Errors right after having read Scott Gaille's The Law Review, in which much younger versions of Turow's characters struggle with similar decisions while they are in law school, ultimately participating in the cover-up of a gruesome murder. Both books also reminded me of Turow's autobiographical tale of his own harsh initiation into the legal profession at Harvard Law School in One L. The sort of obsession portrayed in these books is certainly a trait more commonly found in America than elsewhere in the world. It is both what has made this country so powerful and what has alienated others in the world: both the beautiful American and the ugly American. The one lesson all the books yield is that we do lose track of ourselves, and there are serious consequences to doing so, both for ourselves and others.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the ususal legal thriller
Review: If you're looking for a John Grisham style legal thriller, this is not it. However, if you like complex characters that may not always be especially likable, but are always human, then Scott Turow delivers. Yes, the plot may seem slow for the reader looking for the usual legal roller coaster, but I found the human drama more compelling than the usual courtroom confrontations.
Rating: 
Summary: More a "relationship" book than a legal thriller...
Review: The focus of this book seems to be on the relationsips between the 2 couples (Muriel and Larry, Arthur and Gillian) brought together as a result of the last-ditch death sentence appeal by the convicted killer. The book basically plods along as the 2 couples struggle with their relationships, while breaks in the case gradually unfold. I didn't find the book to be "riveting" or "suspenseful," as some other reviewers have claimed. I wouldn't call this a "bad" book, but I wouldn't recommend it, either.
Rating:
Summary: If you like Turow, you'll like this one
Review: Not his best, but certainly worth reading. Structurally, the novel suffers a tiny bit by the disparate time frame between the murders and the present, and you wonder why Rommy Gandolf isn't a bigger part of the story, since, after all, he's the client on death row. You might also figure out at least some of what really happened before the ending. With Turow, though, it doesn't really matter. His characters are the sticks that stir the drink, and their complicated relationships show such skill that you don't mind the minor disagreements with the plot. Besides, if you read closely enough, you get the sense that Turow has deeper messages embedded in the story - social commentary that is implied far more than stated, and you come away thinking that the whole is a bit more than the sum of it's very good parts.
Rating:
Summary: Complex Characters Create Kindle County Reality
Review: Scott Turow's fictional Kindle County is populated with cheating wives, substance-addicted judges, deceitful cops, bad guys who do great things, great citizens who do bad things, amoral corporate executives, flawed members of the police and lawyers with no personality. Yet out of this eclectic cast of characters, Turow weaves a compelling story of multiple multidimensional characters caught in the intersection of today's criminal justice system. His books may be classified a legal thrillers, but they are more - a throw back to the great novel of old. Where characters take on a complexity and the tales are unusual enough to be characterized as life-like. This book pictures what is at stake - personal, professional and principled - when the state proceeds to end a man's life.
Rating:
Summary: Best since "Presumed Innocent"
Review: 427 pages of burning thriller! I loved "Presumed Innocent" and "Burden of Proof;" however, I was disappointed in his later efforts. He has reached his stride again. The plot is plausible. The characters are treated in depth. Way to go, Scott!!! You're back!!!
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