The Brethren

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: This was a very disappointing book. I expect more out of John Grisham. The main plot got lost in the jumble of subplots which made reading the book a chore. Mr. Grisham, please revisit some of your earlier works, like A Time To Kill, and the Pelican Brief. The Brethen has lost the gripping suspense of your earlier work.

Rating:
Summary: NOT HIS BEST, BUT A GOOD READ!
Review: "The Brethren" is not John Grisham's best book, not by far. That being said it is still a good, quick easy read. From time to time Grisham can produce a book of real merit and insight & soul like he did with "Testament." Other times he just churns out another bestseller. "The Brethren" is one of those books. And another problem with this book is how predictable it is. You can guess the plot twist that will occur on page 128 while reading the second chapter! But even with it's fault the book is worth a read. And let's all hope that next time the author puts a little more effort into his work!

Rating:
Summary: Subversive genius
Review: After a string of bestsellers,written to a tried(and tired) formula,Grisham brings us the anti bestseller. And it`s brilliant. There`s no hero.There`s no love interest.There`s no redemption at the end.There`s no big twist in the tail(except to confirm that some people are beyond redemption).Everyone is utterly,irredeemingly corrupt.Everyone has a price.There are no characters you can ever remotely warm to.No happy families. What you`re left with is a story which is compulsively readable-and that`s what seems to have been forgotten.This is a GREAT story.And for once,you DON`T know what`s going to happen next. The fact that so many people seem to hate this book is a huge recommendation.It`s not what you`d expect. A powerful,anarchic thriller from John Grisham.The best thing he`s ever written.Fact.

Rating:
Summary: John Grisham and Frank Muller - WHAT A TEAM!
Review: Have listened to all the Grishams's but this one mesmorized me. Frank Muller brings the story to life. Had trouble turning off the tape when I arrived at my destination. The Unabridged edition is the only way to read it......With the upcoming election the book could not be more timely. DON'T MISS IT!

Rating:
Summary: Please let there be a sequel!
Review: I enjoyed the book much more than The Street Lawyer but was disappointed by the ending. I just pray John Grisham is planning a sequel to let us continue with these characters!

Rating:
Summary: John must be tired -
Review: Having read all of John's books and finding that the last couple were not as good as the earlier ones, I was hoping that The Brethren would be in the spirit of the earlier books. This was not the case for me. In fact, I found this bood to be most disappointing. The suspense was not there. There was a 'dangling' sub story that went nowhere (did John forget to show its significance?)The 'joining up' of the two stories was not very believable even for a novel. The ending was 'cute' but left me feeling cheated. I was hoping for a Grisham ending that would let me say WOW! Instead it left me saying that I wasted my time reading the book. Sorry John, but you need to get energized before you write your next book.

Rating:
Summary: predictable and flakey
Review: I have read all of Grisham's books and this one is definately one of the worst ones. It was inadequatly developed and just plain trash. I'd usually put Grisham above Michael Crichton, but not this time. It was a fast read, but not stimulating in the least. If you're just looking to waste a few hours, pick up this book. If you're looking for something more stimulating, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Just cranking them out? ....
Review: John Grisham's lastest novel has great potential...a good story line, an interesting mix of characters, and even the right policital timing - but what happened? Although the book starts out well, as the two stories begin to intertwine, the novel just slips and fades away. Attempts at humor appear sarcastic and cynical. There's no true charater development, no exciting climax, and often the story draggs- not going anywhere. I stuck it out, hoping for some of John's typical twists or surprises or excitment, but no such luck. The whole book had a "manufactored" feel to it....just cranking out the next one so he could pick up the check. It could have been a great novel.

Rating:
Summary: Depressing
Review: This book about lawyers and politics is definitely not worthy of the title "bestseller". It was written out of pure greed for an easy buck off of the author's name. Unfortunately, all things written about can happen in today's world. There is nothing new.

Rating:
Summary: Heavy Sigh!
Review: This is the first time it ever took me more than a day...two at most to read a Grisham book. What the heck? Did he have a deadline to meet? I pre-ordered the book and checked my account daily when the release date arrived, ran down to my company mail room and clock-watched until quitting time. From the first chapter, I was not impressed. One month and two "in-between" books later, I finally made it through. I'm so bummed! Next time, I'll wait for the paperback or borrow it! Heavy sadness!