Rating: 
Summary: A Taut and Gripping Debut
Review: First things first-I've read the book twice, read multiple drafts of the movie script (written by Benioff himself), and spent an hour interviewing David Benioff for Creative Screenwriting magazine, and I assure you, the film will measure up to the book. And the book is outstanding. Slapped with the mystery/crime designation by the publisher's marketing department, the book contains very little mystery or suspense. Rather, it is a trim and haunting account of what goes on in the head of a man who realizes all too well that he's thrown his life away and that nothing will ever be the same. The story is about the last day of freedom for Montgomery "Monty" Brogan, a pretty-boy Irish-Catholic New Yorker in his late 20s who is about to spend seven years in a federal penitentiary for dealing drugs. In his last 24 hours of freedom Monty must say goodbye to his two oldest friends, Wall Street whiz kid Frank Slattery, and high school English teacher Jakob Elinsky, as well as his longtime live-in girlfriend Naturelle, his bar owner father, his loyal pit bull Doyle, and the post-Soviet mobsters he worked for. This last day is effectively a deathbed for Monty, as he makes his peace with all the people he'll leave behind, knowing that he'll be a totally different person after seven years of hard time. But it's also about those left behind, and their own struggle to come to terms with the fact that someone close to them is gone, and that to a certain extent they are complicit in his downfall. These are fully realized characters, as Slattery struggles to control himself in a high-stakes, high-pressure job, Jakob struggles to avoid the allure of his student Mary, Naturelle must start planning on moving back to her mother's home, and Monty's widowed father must say goodbye to his only child. Despite the lack of suspense, the book builds steadily, ending with a powerful and uncompromising punch. A great debut and it's a shame Benioff has turned his attention almost entirely to film. For those who want more, there are at least three short stories of his available online for free.
Rating: 
Summary: A Cliche Plagued First Novel
Review: The concept of an upper middle class white kid facing hard time had such potential for good, subtle tension and conflict. Unfortunately, in the hands of Mr. Benioff the story drags, hindered by cliche characters and jumbled prose. Uncle Blue, the drug supplying boss of the title characer, is a ridiculous caricature of a tough, flamboyant criminal. More of a cartoon than a real character, UNcle Blue's dialogue is painful to read. For modern noir realism and decent hardboiled writing stick to writers such as Peter Dexter and Johnathan Lethem.
Rating: 
Summary: A requiem for a pretty boy drug dealer
Review: This story takes place in the span of one day. It's a modern tragedy. Consider that we live in a time that being a normal or an "everyday type" is a guarantee slip to falling into obscurity in this life. Not so for Monty Brogan! He is a slick guy,handsome, charismatic with a good heart and a personal sense of honor. The tragedy of this story is that he could have been anything. Even a fireman, something he wished since he was a child. He wanted to be something of a hero, someone who saves others. However, he becomes a drug dealer, not for money, or for power, but for "sway." Sway (juice, jale, influence, etc.) is the aura akin to celebrity status; the need never to wait in line, never having to wait for a table at a fancy restauraunt, always having the v.i.p. room, and so on. This ability of having "sway" makes him feel important and in the character's mind a sort of anti-hero because he is able to provide for those around him. He can buy his girlfriend, Naturalle, gifts and elevates her status to more than just a lower east side Puerto Rican. Both characters Slattery (bond trader) and Elinsky (teacher) always engange in envy that borders on hero worship. For Elinsky, he serves as a remote hero/ big brother character he could never be, he may wish to be, but he is not born with Monty's unassuming panache. Monty has rumors and stories spread about him the way personalities such as Bugsy Siegel, Billy the Kid, James Dean, and so on had; their is definately an element of "coolness" in the book. However, this element of "coolness" is uncontrived, the book ultimately remains a meditation on the value of freedom and a janus faced look on life (looking to the future and the past at the same time), exploring unfulfilled dreams and having the depth of character to explore them fully through a personal- hard won perspective on life. Reminds me of something Hemingway or Faulkner in that right. Benioff has a good ear for street talk, not as good as Mamet, but he could hold his own. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorite books
Review: I had wanted to read this since I had saw the previews of the movie of the same name. I was blown away by Benioff's style and how he brings you inside the hearts and the minds of the characters. My favorite character had to be the frustrated English teacher, he was so realistic. Monty was the ultimate bad guy that we want to root for. This was a powerful novel and another must read for everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: Perhaps I'm not sufficiently nostalgic about New York city, where the events take place. Or should I say 'lack of events'. The first 190 pages follow 5 characters going through the paces of their lives the day before one of them starts a 7-year prison sentence. Their lives are largely uneventful, although they were portrayed realistically. Then, in the last 4 pages, some activity occurs and the book ends. There was no real tension, no suspense. The ending was neither shocking nor surprising. I'm glad I only spent 3 days getting through it.
Rating:
Summary: Reviewers Pack Mentality is Worrying
Review: I've seen this happen before with books like 'Prague,' and 'Wonder Boys.' The book doesn't, cannot, support the hype. This book by David Benioff is a cute book. It's not going to be a classic, and will undoubtedly be forgotten in less than 12 months after the release of the movie. Why are the reviewers talking about "ringing the cash registers?" Is that a valid critical standard for the judging of new fiction? What's wrong with this country's critics -- are they afraid to stand out, to part with the crowd like the little boy who saw the king was wearing no clothes? It's worrying. The book is being hyped. It's not that good.
Rating:
Summary: Great read, but ending not so good.
Review: It took me a while to get into this book, until one day I decided to read the whole thing. I really fell in love with the characters, and they all seemed to be as vivid as I have ever seen in a novel before. Most of all I thought that the relationships were real, and thats what made the book. At the end, I was dissapointed; I was hoping instead of those last three chapters of torture, they just would have ended it with the last two pages. Also, from what information was given about the characters, they would not have acted the way that they ended up acting at the end. This was sad for me, because right after the whole kiss part, I really thought this was going to become my favorite book, oh well. I have read several reviews of this book, but I disagree with most. The greatness of this book is simply the originality of the story combined with a vividness seldom seen in modern american literature.
Rating: 
Summary: decent book fast read
Review: I agree with some of the other reviews in that this book had potential to be a excellent book but did not measure up when it came to the ending. The book starts out with monty last day before he is going to prison on a seven for getting popped for drugs.It follows his desire to be a fireman,and deals with his and girlfriends relationship and his buddy doyle a dog he rescues from certain death.
It follows the big going away party with all his friends and the end results.But the ending was disappointing
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!...
Review: I picked this book up because I saw the previews for the movie, and thought the movie looked good. Being a big reader, I have learned that most books are better than the movie. So I went and picked up a copy. WOW. Thats all I can really say. It is a very short read. I finished it in one afternoon, but mainly because I couldnt put it down. I loved it. The author really goes into the lives of the characters and you really feel for them. Also, me being 21 years old, I can relate to them very much. I thought that the characters were very believible and I felt like I was a part of their group of friends. I would recommend this book to anyone that is just looking to pass a rainy afternoon by. Also, this is a book I plan to read many more times in the future. Awesome.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, quick read
Review: This is an excellent novel. Rich, spot-on characterizations, perfect pacing, interesting subject matter, and in possession of quite possibly my favorite last line of a book ever. That this is Benioff's first novel gives me hope. Young writers this assured are always a good sign! Can't wait to see what he does next. How Spike Lee could take material this alive and turn it so boring -- and from Benioff's screenplay, no less! -- is beyond me. Skip the film, cherish the novel.
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