Rating: 
Summary: Can;t wait for the film
Review: After reading three average books by John Grisham on holiday, I visited the hotel gift shop more in hope than expectation that I might find something a little more interesting.The Analyst appeared to have a plot that was a bit cheesy and I was nearly put off by the summary on the back of the book. Still I bought it, and spent a fantastic day on the beach reading page after page of wonderful storytelling, gripping drama, the titillating uncovering of the mercurial Virgil and the gradual unravelling of a genuine mystery. It was well into the small hours when I put the book down, finally finished. I am not an avid reader and generally only find time to read when all other distractions have been removed but this book was fantastic. The good doctor was initially believably pathetic but with a hidden backbone that he clearly didn't know that he had. Virgil was mysterious, beautiful and was able to gain more sympathy from me as her troubled life was unmasked. I couldn't really identify with Merlin. His appearances were all too brief and little of him was discussed. The tale is beautifully timed, has enough twists and turns in it to keep you guessing but does not get confusing and although I found the climax to be a little predictable, it was nonetheless extremely entertaining. The biggest compliment I can pay to this story is that I have never had cause to write a review before and am unlikely to do so in the future. This book stays with you for a long time through its rock solid storyline and interesting perspective on the meaning of life and evaluation of the worth of your own life. Enjoy
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, nicely paced.
Review: "The Analyst" is, first and foremost, a good read. It's not brilliant, but I found myself having trouble putting it down. One of the earlier reviewers complained that Katzenbach waffled on a little in terms of the state of mind of the protagonist, but I think that is perhaps being a little pedantic. Over all, this book is what it sets out to be - engaging, interesting and a good read. Other books I couldn't put down and would certainly reccomend include "The Poet" by Michael Connelly, "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco, "The Source" by James A. Mitchener and "QB VII" by Leon Uris.
Rating: 
Summary: A page-turner to the end
Review: This book was wonderful! The plot was amazingly intricate and beautifully thought out. Congrats John! I would list this book as a must read for anyone who enjoys an unpredictable thriller!
Rating:
Summary: I devoured this book...
Review: To anyone looking for something thrilling and suspsensful, this is the book for you. It's not often I pick something up and my life literally comes to a halt until I finish it... I loved this book, I loved the main character, who was incredibly three dimensional and believable. It's a wonderful, frightening ride through a series of events that perhaps ruin a man's life, but also in part, show him he wasn't really living. I recommend this book highly, and I hope you come back here and give it a glowing review as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast Paced Thriller...But, Story Could've Been Improved...
Review: ....in my opinion, the way the story unfolded, we were not given many strong reasons to sympathise with the protagonist, Ricky Stark, other than the fact that the reader wants to find out just how he intends on keeping from getting killed by the psychotic Rumplestilskin, why is he being picked on by this dude, and who Mr. R is. That's one of the things that kept me reading on--I wanted to find out who Rumplestilskin turned out to be...and when I found out it was 'not' a total shock to me. Surely, no one wants to be threatened in the way Ricky was in the story, nor does anyone want friends and family to be harmed, but Ricky could have been made more human and more interesting if he had, for instance, became buddy, buddy with the police woman in the running shoes for example, or had a bit of a sense of humor in face of personal disaster...or there was more of a body count from Mr. R, like his letter suggested. I do give credit for some good Hitchcockian suspense when the lawyer leaves the duffle bag next to Ricky on the train. Is there a human head in it or not? Katenbach's writing and the overall premise helps the reader to keep reading the novel, but to me, it did not at all come to as satisfying a conclusion as I had hoped.
Rating: 
Summary: wordy and inaccurate
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. I was enjoying the storyline, and like other reviewers, didn't much care about Ricky's travails because he was an uninteresting and self absorbed character. Also did a bit of skimming.
What annoyed me was the misinformation about Durham NH. The author did no homework regarding the town where Ricky lived after leaving NY. I think a fictional town would be fine, but if you are going to write about an actual place, then take the time to travel there, or at least read up about it. (Durham actually has a webpage!). Durham has no 'outskirts', no motels on these 'outskirts', no strip malls, no interstate highway visible from the nonexistent motel in the nonexistent outskirts, no public transportation (other than a university bus) no stores selling guns, no shabby run down shopping plazas, etc. I haven't finished the book but I am going to try even though Ricky (what a weird name for a grown man/paunchy/dull analyst) is becoming increasingly unpalatable.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent thriller
Review: With so much garbage being published today it's great to read a book that is intelligently written and very different plot-wise. Katzenbach has done a great job with this novel and I hope he continues in his current style. WARNING- to all readers with low I.Q.'s go read something else.
Rating:
Summary: Boring - at Best.
Review: Dr. Stark is not a very endearing character, and it is difficult to feel any sort of sympathy for this dreary man and his even more dreary existence. Therefore, when misfortune befalls him, I am cheered by it. He seems most deserving. Sorry, but this pathetic creature turned Braveheart at story's end is more than my fertile imagination can accept.
Rating:
Summary: Clever premise overcomes predictability
Review: I liked the idea of this book: solve the riddle and save everyone you know. The premise is unique, and a protaganist who is a psychotherapist of all things. Like other reviewers here, I can't say much without revealing any of the surprises, so I will assume you know what this book is about while I tell you my response.
Ricky Starks is the central character, an analyst who apparently sometime in his past must have let someone down. Ricky is a pretty boring guy, who lives an extremely predictable, rather unexciting life. I think Katzenbach makes him only somewhat likeable purposely, you want to laugh at how weak he seems. As the story progresses, his circumstances strengthen him. In the beginning, when he is abruptly thrust out of his self imposed comfort zone, it shouldn't be surprising how overwhelmed and confused he becomes. The plot makes you think "what would I do?" and more to the point "would I be willing to die to save another?" Sure, it's easy to say you would die for your child, or your spouse, or perhaps even a sibling. But how about someone you've never met? Gives you something to chew on for awhile, doesn't it?
The characters in this story are interesting, if a bit underdeveloped. You get the sense some of them are hired guns for "Mr. R", but wouldn't a personal stake in the conclusion motivate them more? Ricky, as the central character, is someone you get to know fairly well. He is a bit dull, weak, and not too quick on the uptake at first. But as this story develops, he learns to think exponentially, becomes a bit more interesting, and you find yourself hoping he wins the game. Virgil and Merlin remain largely undefined, and while we all understand Mr. R is loaded with hatred, we don't really get him either.
As much as I enjoyed the premise, I found myself being quite disappointed that I was able to guess all the surprises ahead of time. Including the big one at the end. I should have been delighted that I was so smart, but it spoke more of the writing than my own brilliance.
In any case, this is an entertaining read and kept me interested until the end. Can't say that about everything I read. Get this book for a nice escape from reality that won't keep you up nights.
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: The main problem with this novel is that there are no sympathetic characters. You should be rooting for the protagonist, but he's portrayed from the start as weak and indecisive. I did not like him, so watching his life unravel was of no particular import. Since that was a key factor to the plot, that's a serious flaw. The book is at least 100 pages too long. Any suspense that might have been built was dispersed by unnecessary scenes and descriptions. Katzenbach should invest in a thesarus so he can find synonyms for "wondrous."
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