The Gunslinger (Dark Tower series, #1)- Stephen King

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1982 (2003- revised & expanded edition)
Pages:  300
ISBN:  9780451210845
Genre:  Series, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Start Date:  July 10, 2011
Finished Date:  Aug. 4, 2011 (26 days)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  On my TBR list; I also devour anything by Stephen King

Read For:  Stephen King challenge (4/6), 1st in a Series challenge (6/6)

Summary:  In the dystopian world of Gilead, a wandering rebel, Roland, seeks the mysterious Man in Black in the vast desert terrain reflects on his prior and present encounters that alter their memories and fates.

Review:

I don't believe it.  I never thought I would meet a Stephen King book that didn't quite meet my expectations.  As exciting as it is for a favourite author to dip a toe into a different kind of genre, the western-dystopian subgenre was just too uneven a match for the master of horror fiction for this fan. 

While I commend King's attempt (the dystopian angle of the story was actually intriguing and the prose, as usual, was interesting and cutting edge), but the western is better suited for the helmsman he cites as inspiration in the introduction--Sergio Leone.  Or maybe Louis L'Amour (though I've never read his work, but he is the only novelist in the western genre I can think of at the moment).  The genre is difficult to write and keep reader interest alive.  There is much lingering tension, self-reflection, and travails both on the mind from one's past and on the horizon in one's future.  It won't leap off the page and keep them turning without a masterful hand.

As much as I've heard that King's later books in the Dark Tower series are better than the earlier installments, this one failed to keep my attention, and plodded along to the end, leaving me perfectly willing to forego continuing on with the series to find out Roland's fate.  I honestly did not find him all that interesting a character.  Oh well...you win some, you lose some.  I'm still a huge Stephen King fan nonetheless and will continue to read anything else he writes.  Just not this.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Film Flam- Larry McMurtry

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published: 1987
Pages: 224
ISBN: 0743216245
Genre: Nonfiction, Film

Start Date: June 17, 2011
Finished Date: June 20, 2011 (4 days)

Where Found: Book Depot
Why Read: On my TBR list

Summary: A series of essays about the vacuous yet insatiable draw of Hollywood.

Review:

Larry McMurtry has an ironic presence in Hollywood. Like Nicolas Cage's Charlie Kaufman in Adaptation., McMurtry is on the outskirts of the chaotic, egomaniacal machinery of the fimmaking mecca of America, second biggest in the world to Bollywood. Many of McMurtry's essays in the cheeky Film Flam are as dry as a good martini and often bitter as a citrus fruit. It's no guess that McMurtry thinks himself too good a writer to work for the movies (and except for his partnership with directors like Peter Bogdanovich and James L. Brooks, he's correct) writing in a sad sack genre like screenwriting where description is sparse and unwarranted.

The quality of essays in Film Flam is stark, unsentimental but not quite transparent enough to bring out the veins of writing. Sometimes it comes to fruition in enjoyable works such as "The Telephone Booth Screenwriter," which accounts for his predilection to communicating with a film director over the phone after mailing the script to him. He offers interesting commentary on the sharpness of TV writing (an obvious nod to Brooks) over most screenwriting work and is downright charming with his final essay on taking a walk in California with Diane Keaton and her grandmother that speaks directly to Keaton's quirky personality that makes Annie Hall come across like a documentary.

Where McMurtry lost me is in the oddball essay that awkwardly compares All the President's Men (Woodward & Bernstein's uncovering of Watergate) to Seven Beauties (a Holocaust survival story). Maybe I was just sore that he skewered APM (one of my favourite movies) but a lack of connection between the films made his argument for Seven Beauties being the superior film slippery at best. Another odd entry in this anthology was about the "graceless" comedy of Woody Allen (definitely true) and his distaste for the appeal of Keith Carradine and Lily Tomlin in Robert Altman's Nashville. Again, the connection was dead.

Unless you are a fan of McMurtry's or a movie afficienado, I wouldn't bother with this book as only a small handful of the essays are worth reading and none are particularly memorable.  Maybe you can pursue the best ones online and read them separately.  Still, I wouldn't write off McMurtry as a writer altogether. Nonfiction can come across much differently from a writer than fiction. I haven't yet read any of his novels but I fully intend to. His style seems more fitting to a narrative. Can anyone recommend any good McMurtry books? I have Terms of Endearment and The Evening Star on my shelf, and I've heard that Lonesome Dove is remarkable.

Rank:  (C)- Okay, Maybe Read It

Rabbit, Run- John Updike

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1960
Pages:  264
ISBN:  9780449911655
Genre:  Literary Fiction, Series (book #1)

Start Date:  Feb. 4, 2011
Finished Date:  Feb. 12, 2011

Where Found:  Xmas 2010 gift from my dad (on my wish list)
Why Read:  I've always been interested in John Updike, given his consideration in the literary world as one of the greatest American writers ever.

Read For:  1st in a Series challenge

Summary:  A former high school basketball phenom still clinging to his days of glory contemplates leaving his pregnant wife and young son when he falls in love with his saucy mistress while a local priest tries to repair the damage.

Review:

John Updike is often listed as one of America's greatest writers, and one that I've wanted to read at least one book by, even if it was just to say I did, and, if I'm really lucky, to say that I did and I loved it or even that it's a newfound favourite.  Well...like the Meat Loaf song goes, "two out of three ain't bad."

Once I finished the book and allowed it to settle with me, I didn't mind it but was far from tops.  I had an on-and-off reaction to it, stopping & starting like a stalled motor.  The characters can be rather nervy and self-centred without a smidge of empathy or restraint but the irresistible prose paints quite a symbolic picture of bleak 1960s suburban life.  The character of Harry Angstrom is like an adult Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye stuck in the symbolic setting of The Great Gatsby, and contemplating an escape reminiscent of On the Road, all works written during or as an allusion to the Beat Generation, but with more dire consequences.  Apparently, Updike's purpose was to show how one person's actions for their own self-benefit or self-desire affects those invested in the person, such as family, friends, and colleagues.

The bottom line is I wasn't too impressed by it but I'm glad I read it.  At the moment, I'm not interested in continuing the series, though I may give it a try if I get stuck for reading suggestions...though that's not likely to happen with the size of my TBR list :D  The 3rd and 4th books won Pulitizers, so perhaps it would have been better to try one of those rather than reading the intial book of the series.  It must be the type-A side of me coming through :D  I will try The Witches of Eastwick some time as I hear that it's very different in style from the Rabbit series.

Rank:  (C)- Okay, Maybe Try It

Cloris: My Autobiography- Cloris Leachman

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2009
Length:  288 pages
ISBN:  9780758229649
Genre:  Autobiography

Start Date:  Jan. 23, 2011
Finished Date:  Jan. 24, 2011 (>1 day)

Where Found:  Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  I love Cloris's characters in the Mel Brooks movies Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety, and also her Oscar-winning part in The Last Picture Show.  I thought her memoir would be a fun story.

Summary:  Actress Cloris Leachman recounts her early life in Des Moines, Iowa, her marriage to writer/producer George Englund, and her roles, most famously on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis, The Last Picture Show, and Young Frankenstein.

Review:

"I wanted to like it more than I actually did."  This is paraphrased from a Goodreads review, and matches my sentiments exactly.  Cloris Leachman is a wonderful actor:  funny, charming, and full of exuberance on the screen.  Her book unfortunately doesn't reflect this presence enough.  She writes fleetingly, often nonchalantly, and has an (admittedly) disorganized frame of reflection.  Oftentimes, I became annoyed by her diversions ("I want to talk about ___, but first..."), which are often disjointed from her original point, and could have simply been avoided by reorganizing the material into a different chapter.  In Bill Clinton's My Life, for example, when a point of diversion comes up (which is still related to his initial point), he creates a small separate paragraph to make that point than immediately returns to the original topic.  That's what a good editor does.

Of course, the book isn't without positives: she is a good storyteller, providing anecdotes about costars & celebrity friends, such as Marlon Brando, the cast of MTM (but, surprisingly, Betty White isn't mentioned), Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, and Corky Ballas from Dancing With the Stars without being too dishy (though a small chapter on romantic flings made me arch an eyebrow and the suggestion that a costar on TLPS smoked too much pot was a bit unnecessary, delving into Kathleen Turner-Nicolas Cage spat territory).  She has fond memories of her on-off marriage to George Englund, her children, and continually growing family, with a sad memorial to her son, Bryan.  One of the funniest stories was about getting costumed & made up for Mel Brooks's hilarious Hitchcock spoof High Anxiety.

I was a bit reluctant in ranking this book a C as I did enjoy it, but it wasn't quite what I thought it would be, and doesn't align with the B-rated books I've read, such as Carol Burnett's This Time Together.  What made me feel better about giving it a C is the Goodreads scale (2/5), which describes the 2-star ranking as "It was okay."  That pretty much sums it up for me.  I encourage you to read it if you are a fan, but for the average reader, it's a take it or leave it kind of book.

Rank:  (C)- Okay, Maybe Try It

A Summer Quartet of Memoirs

Two summers ago, I was on a memoir/autobiography kick.  On a visit to my public library, I came away with 5 memoirs.  Here are the reviews:

Review from Friday Fuhgettaboutit.

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1997
Length:  384 pages
ISBN:  9780553763348
Genre:  Autobiography

Start Date:  Summer 2009
Finished Date:  Summer 2009

Where Found:  Public library
Why Read:  I was on a memoir kick that summer and was interested in reading about the making of Rosemary’s Baby and her tangled relationship with Woody Allen. Her recent work (post-memoir) with UNICEF in Darfur is inspiring and I wanted to see the inspiration that came prior to her advocacy work.

Summary:  A gently but firmly written memoir by actress Mia Farrow about the influence of her famous parents, her marriages to Andre Previn, Frank Sinatra, and Woody Allen, her work on Rosemary’s Baby, 13 movies with Allen, her large adopted family, and the controversy surrounding Allen’s relationship with her adopted daughter.

Review:

Mia Farrow writes as she acts—she is like a willow wisp with a gentle, breezy voice that gives her license to play sweet, unassuming, sometimes shallow characters. I was not sure how I would find this memoir, but it surprised me.

What Falls Away reads naturally, smoothly, like a candid conversation with a new friend, without coming off as showy or whiny. She has fond memories while being unafraid of exploring her darkest moments with just as much candor, demonstrating fascinating hindsight on her childhood as the daughter of director John Farrow and actress Maureen O’Sullivan, experiences filming her most recognized movies, and a trilogy of polar opposite relationships with composer Andre Previn, legendary singer Frank Sinatra, and nebbish actor/director Woody Allen.

I try to measure how much impact a memoir can have for a reader who is not familiar with the author. In other words, is the memoir worth reading if you have no background knowledge of its subject? In this case, I would recommend reading the book even if you are unfamiliar with Mia Farrow; however, the book is likely more relatable to readers who are fans or have some idea of her public image.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommended (especially for fans)

 

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

 
Published:  2005
Length:  624 pages
ISBN:  9780375507106
Genre:  Autobiography

Start Date:  Summer 2009
Finished Date:  Summer 2009

Where Found:  Public library
Why Read:  Though I haven’t been a big follower of her movies, I heard she wrote her memoir with grace & humility, so on a memoir-reading kick, I picked this one up.

Summary:  Actress Jane Fonda’s look back at her childhood in Connecticut, her tumultuous relationship with her father, training at the Actors Studio, “Hanoi Jane” controversy, stellar film career, and advocacy.

Review:

Outspoken politically, socially, and cinematically, Jane Fonda is a figure of strength and feminism in Hollywood, a task that did not begin with her, but was all the better because of her.  She writes thoroughly, steadfastly, without apology, of her life chronologically, beginning with her charmed childhood as the daughter of actor Henry Fonda and tragic socialite Frances Brokaw whose suicide was kept secret from Jane and her brother Peter (also an actor) until it was discovered in a magazine.  An unfortunate struggle with self image fuelled by battles with bulimia and lack of emotional support from her father gave way to acting on stage and soon film.

Nearly every film she made from 1960-1989 is referenced, her most memorable given deserved attention, incuding the comic western Cat Ballou, bizarre Barbarella, noirish mystery Klute, homefront Vietnam War romantic protest Coming Home, brilliant Three Mile Island foreseer The China Syndrome, cutesy working woman comedy 9 to 5, and the Fonda family swan song On Golden Pond.  Enjoyable anecdotes are interwoven with personal journies and grievances, the most controversial being her infamous "Hanoi Jane" photos that led to accusations of unpatriotic treason.

A good autobiography represents the whole picture, warts and all.  Fonda does just that, absent from the sleazy tell-alls and empty-headed moneymakers that seem to crowd the biography shelves of bookstores.  One catch I did notice with My Life So Far is Fonda's unwillingness to take responsibility or blame for incidents in which it would have been simpler and perhaps more conclusive to do so instead of twisting the situation around to place it on others' shoulders.  But no bother--My Life So Far is one of the most insightful, thorough, and strongly written autobiographies I've read.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent, Recommend




Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

 Published:  1998
Length:  512 pages
ISBN:  9780786884377
Genre:  Autobiography

Start Date: Summer 2009
Finished Date:  Summer 2009

Where Found:  Public library
Why Read:  As a companion to My Life So Far by Jane Fonda; I was on a memoir kick that summer!

Summary:  Actor and countercultural icon Peter Fonda’s startlingly frank memoir about a near fatal childhood accident, an unfulfilled relationship with father Henry Fonda, the making of Easy Rider, and a number of eye-opening, LSD experiences that build awareness of addiction and detrimental effects of drug use.

Review:

Peter Fonda's autobiography is somewhat forgettable and not as well-written as sister Jane’s memoir, nor as plentiful in experiences to share, especially if you compare their careers.  He needed a more diligent editor—too many stories of drug-induced hallucinations and way too many longwinded pages about his boat.  These two subjects represent a large majority of the book.  He makes an underscored mention of Ulee’s Gold and unfortunately the book was published before the underrated brilliance of The Limey.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

 
Published:  2005
Length:  272 pages
ISBN:  9780312337070
Genre:  Memoir
 
Start Date:  Summer 2009
Finished Date:  Summer 2009
 
Where Found:  Public library
Why Read:  I was mesmerized with Willy Wonka as a child and found Gene Wilder to be a hilarious talent in Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, but also somewhat of a mysterious person.
 
Summary:  A dry-witted, often hilarious, and deeply touching memoir by actor Gene Wilder that accounts for his ability to entertain from the time of his mother’s illness, his early stage work, collaborations with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor, the iconic role of Willy Wonka, and his tender relationship with Gilda Radner.
 
Review:
 
I have never read a memoir as funny, tender, or beautifully written as Gene Wilder’s Kiss Me Like a Stranger.  He writes as mysteriously as he acts with self-depracating humour and a great appreciation for friendships acquired during his 30+ year career.  His beautiful relationship with Gilda Radner is portrayed with humility and humour.  A picture of them together towards the end of her life in the book was the sweetest, most touching display of love I've ever seen.  Simply put, you must read this book, even if you haven't a clue who Gene Wilder is.
 
Rank:  (A+)- Highly recommended for fans & for everyone

John Grisham Book Reviews

I got some great responses to my James Patterson book reviews post that I decided to go ahead with my plan to do a similar post on John Grisham. In high school, I read The Firm and The Pelican Brief for a senior English project, and became hooked on his popular legal fiction.

Do you remember a time in your adolescence when you made a transition to adult reading material? This was mine. I felt proud to have finished the adult level books & actually understand them! Now, like with James Patterson's novels, I’ve mostly exhausted reading Grisham's books as his quality of writing has since peaked (in my opinion).

Without further ado, here are the John Grisham novels I have read with short reviews & rankings.

Genre:  Legal Fiction
Start Date:  From 2003-2008
Finished Date:  From 2003-2008

Where Found:  Used bookstore & Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  Mostly for interest in popular adult fiction

My 3 Favourite John Grisham Novels

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1991

Length:  501 pages

ISBN:  044021145X

Summary:  A top-ranking, recently graduated law student is initially charmed by a small Memphis law firm that pays in spades until he discovers their corrupt Mafia dealings.

Review:
 
An intricate, increasingly complex plot makes for a constant thrill ride.  You never know who to trust and what direction the impressionable Mitch McDeere will take to uncover the truth without losing his law license or his life.  This is the very best of John Grisham, and if you are not much for his brand of fiction or don't care to read any of it, this is the one exception I beg you to take!  The movie version is good in its own right, but has a different ending & makes considerable cuts to the book's plot.  I would say read the book, then see the movie, as you should do most of the time :o)
 
Rank:  (A+)- One of my all-time favourites!
 

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1989
Length:  515 pages
ISBN:  0440211727

Summary:  A young, justice-seeking attorney in KKK-ridden Mississippi defends a black client who killed the two white men who raped & left his young daughter for dead.

Review:

Grisham's first book is one of his greatest and most powerful in its criticism of the U.S. South and its racially provoked legal system, the ethics of taking the law into your own hands, the means of acquiring justice with political & criminal repercussions that spill over into the personal lives of the defense.  Once you get past the legal jargon that Grisham eventually simplifies with his more current novels, A Time To Kill is a morality tale that still rings true and is still being contemplated today.  The movie version is all right, though doesn't quite stand up to the novel.

Rank:  (A+)- Excellent, A Must-Read

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1992
Length:  436 pages
ISBN:  0440214041

Summary:  An ambitious law student works with a resourceful journalist to uncover a government conspiracy that unravels after the killing of two Supreme Court justices.

Review:

Most of Grisham's novels involve male lawyers fighting injustices, making The Pelican Brief unique in the sense that a young woman with as much brains & sass as any male lawyer can have takes the reins in this sparkplug of a mystery with the assistance of a prominent newspaper reporter with the senses of Woodward & Bernstein.  Many risks are taken to protect a burdensome secret and expose a dangerous truth all for the sake of legal justice & journalistic integrity.  The movie version is also worthy, staying true to the novel & has just as much pop in its storyline.
 
Rank:  (A+)- Excellent

Other John Grisham Novels Read

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1993

Length:  496 pages

ISBN:  9780385339087

Summary:  After a young boy witnesses the suicide of a lawyer who confesses that his Mafioso client murdered a Senator and reveals where the body is buried, he hires a lawyer to protect him & his family from being found out.

Review:

Grisham creates compelling characters in young Mark and his relationship with his lawyer, Reggie Love, who puts up a hard shell that eventually breaks to reveal a soft centre at her core with a tumultuous past.  It is an engaging, worthwhile read, yet not quite a favourite of mine.  There is something about the previous three books that were more fulfilling than The Client.  The movie version is about equal to the book, not any better or any worse, and is worth a viewing if it happens to come on TV or a rental.

Rank:  (A)- Very Good



Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1994
Length:  640 pages
ISBN:  9780385339667

Summary:  A former KKK member is on death row facing the gas chamber unless his estranged lawyer grandson, who has since been sheltered from his family's dark history, can set aside personal differences and defend what may be an innocent man.

Review:

I did not finish this book, only getting about 1/4 of the way through as I found the buildup to be dull and uninteresting.  I wasn't that taken with the characters and have read better Grisham novels.  This is one of his duds.  A movie version with Gene Hackman and Chris O'Donnell didn't fare much better as Grisham himself called it "a dreadful movie."

Rank:  (DNF)- Did Not Finish.  Don't Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1995
Length:  576 pages
ISBN:  9780385339605

Summary:  A young, down-on-his-luck law school graduate works alongside a sleazy "ambulance chaser" lawyer to defend a poor family seeking a wrongful death suit against an insurance company who failed to cover treatment for their cancer-ridden son.

Review:

A solid read with a strong ethical case that brings back themes of A Time to Kill with classcism in place of racism.  I enjoyed it thoroughly, even moreso than the often overpraised The Client, with its sense of humour sprinkled throughout, offering comic relief to the dark subject matter of preventable death due to corporate greed.  The movie version is also a good companion to the book, quite true to the plot and worth a look.

Rank:  (A)- Very Good, Really Liked It

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1996
Length:  550 pages
ISBN:  9780440221470

Summary:  During the trial of a wrongful death suit in which a widow is suing four major tobacco companies for her husband's death from lung cancer, a corrupt jury consultant and a mysterious undercover jury member are manipulating the verdict in two distinctly different ways.

Review:

Fascinating read with lots of conflicting viewpoints on the responsibility of rich companies peddling dangerous products, the influence of those companies on the general public, the selection of juries, their hidden agendas & those of the lawyers on both sides of the case, the biases of all involved, and the reworking of the justice system from inside sources.  A compelling story throughout if you ignore the complete absurdity of some aspects and the huge security breaches most of the novel entails.  The movie version was even sharper and insightful, despite changing the focus during early pre-production from the tobacco industry to the gun industry due to the acute coverage of the former's subject matter in the 1999 film The Insider.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1997
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780385339100

Summary:  After a lawyer gets wind of a fraud scheme being run by his firm without him, he fakes his own death and flees to Brazil with a large chunk of the firm's money and as much evidence as he can collect.

Review:

I vaguely remember reading this but it was forgettable and a tad predictable as the plot wasn't as exciting or complex as previous Grisham novels have been.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1998
Length:  384 pages
ISBN:  978-0385339094

Summary:  After police kill a homeless man who took hostages at a law firm, one lawyer discovers shocking evidence against his former employer in an eviction of a homeless family that leads him to advocate for their rights.

Review:

Interesting subject matter, but like The Partner, blended too far into the background and is also forgettable.  A 2003 TV pilot was filmed but never came to fruition.
Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1999
Length:  480 pages
ISBN:  9780385339582

Summary:  A lawyer serves to protect the wishes of a billonnaire who commits suicide shortly after changing his will to leave everything to an illegitimate daughter over his contesting children, who is traced to a missionary in Brazil.

Review:

Great lead-up, building to some exciting plot twists, though the ending rings false and seems too pat for my liking.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2000
Length:  384 pages
ISBN:  9780385339674

Summary:  Three imprisoned ex-judges run a blackmailing ring that soon targets a Presidential candidate whose election is being fixed by a corrupt CIA director.

Review:

This is a return to form for Grisham.  You love to hate the villain and actually root for the anti-heroes that are arguably even more crooked!  I laughed out loud at the ending, finding it incredible how things come around perfectly in full circle.

Rank:  (A)- Excellent

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2002
Length:  304 pages
ISBN:  9780385339599

Summary:  A law professor with an estranged drug addict brother discovers a large sum of money in his father, a former judge's, house upon his death that is not part of his will and tries to keep it without being traced by its owners.

Review:

As you can tell by the summary, the plot is a bit weak from the start and involves a cat-and-mouse game that is not all that different from a routine suspense movie, but lacks the spark such a plot needs to sustain to keep from falling flat.  Don't bother.

Rank:  (D)- Didn't Like, Don't Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2003
Length:  400 pages
ISBN:  9780385339650

Summary:  A disgruntled public defender learns through his client accused of a street murder that a pharmaceutical company is testing on recovering drug addicts with side effects occuring in rare cases, leading to him ruthlessly cashing in on large settlements.

Review:

Not a bad return to legal thrillers after a brief foray into more sentimental fiction.  It's sometimes hard to relate to the main character as he is also the villain, but watching how he digs himself into a giant hole is more interesting than if the protagonist was the one chasing him down.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2004
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780385339681

Summary:  Told through the perspective of a local newspaper man, a recently paroled murderer seeks revenge on the jurors who convicted him in a racially motivated trial.

Review:

Returning to interwoven themes of racial hatred & justice in A Time to Kill, Grisham creates a different perspective on a similar story.  While it doesn't quite measure up to the power of the older book, it is good in its own right and is worth a read.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2005
Length:  384 pages
ISBN:  9780385340540

Summary:  A power broker recently released from prison is being targeted for assassination by the government and countries of interest in a deal he attempted to make for the highest bid on the world's most intricate surveillance system.

Review:

A different take on Grisham's typical legal fiction that steps on the gas with more action sequences and plenty of page-turning fun.  Worth a read.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend


I have not read these books by John Grisham (not including nonfiction or children's books):
A Painted House (2001)
Skipping Christmas (2001)
Bleachers (2003)
The Appeal (2008)
The Associate (2009)
The Confession (to be released in 2010)

James Patterson Book Reviews

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Start Date:  Between 2003-9
Finished Date:  Between 2003-9

Where Found:  Used bookstore and Chapters-Indigo
Why Read:  Patterson is highly popular, so I decided to try his first novel and soon became hooked!

The following are all the Patterson books I've read with short reviews.  I started with Along Came a Spider, after reading all the John Grisham books and needing a new author to try out.  I was hooked for the next 5-6 years!  I am not likely to read any more of James Patterson's books as I've exhausted his best work and he has since peaked & ebbed in writing quality for me.
 
 

Alex Cross series

 
Titles are borrowed from childhood nursery rhymes.  A Washington D.C.-based forensic psychologist and homicide detective (and briefly turned FBI agent) tracks down serial killers, rapists, and abductors often by reading into their deranged psyche.
 
 

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1993
Length:  435 pages
ISBN:  0316693642

Summary:  A homicide detective and forensic psychologist based in Washington D.C. investigates interwoven cases of a serial killer targeting women and the kidnapping of two privileged children at a private school.

Review:

Spine-tingling and electrifying! How Patterson enters the warped mind of demented murderers in his novels is as spooky as a good scary movie.

While I think Morgan Freeman is cleverly cast as Alex Cross in the movie adaptations, Along Came a Spider was a weak adaptation that zapped much of the novel’s excitement.

Rank:  (A)- Highly recommended, one of Patterson’s best

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1995
Length:  464 pages
ISBN:  0316693707

Summary:  Mimicking a serial kidnapper-murderer Casanova, the Gentleman Caller strikes in North Carolina where Alex Cross’ niece goes missing and a strong-willed victim escapes to work with the FBI in catching him.

Review:

A great, well-composed follow-up to Along Came a Spider.

The 1997 movie with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd was decent and worth a watch for Patterson fans.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1996
Length:  480 pages
ISBN:  0446604801

Summary:  A young child and a Senator are killed, beginning a search for a male & female killing team targeting famous names.

Review:

A decent entry in the Alex Cross series.  Doesn't quite have the spark of Along Came a Spider but worth a read.  Typical of Patterson, just not his best.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1997
Length:  432 pages
ISBN:  0446606189

Summary:  A serial kidnapper-murderer from Along Came a Spider returns on the rampage in Washington D.C. as Cross also tracks a serial killer in Europe named Mr. Smith.

Review:

The return of Gary Soneji.  Again, not his best but typical of Patterson fare.

Rank:  (B)- Good

Purchased:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1999
Length:  480 pages
ISBN:  0375408541

Summary:  A high-profile killing with the suspect being a British diplomat (complete with immunity) intersects with the serial Jane Doe killer.

Review:

Creepy new villain makes for a good yarn.  Not his best but pretty good.

Rank:  (B)- Good

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2000
Length:  400 pages
ISBN:  0446605484

Summary:  A serial bank robber, the Mastermind, responsible for numerous killings soon hits close to home for detective Alex Cross.

Review:

Good twist at the end!  A new serial killer is brought to bear, someone Cross thought he knew well...
Rank:  (B)- Very Good, addictive read

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2001
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780446611213

Summary:  Picking up where Roses Are Red left off, Alex Cross aims to track down the Mastermind who killed his FBI agent girlfriend.

Review:

Lukewarm read, since the killer’s identity is known from the end of Roses Are Red.  You can predict the rest easily.

Rank:  (C)- Only read if you need finality from Roses Are Red.

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2002
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780446613262

Summary:  About to retire, Alex Cross agrees to support a friend of Sampson's on death row who is being framed by three cohorts and former Army vets who all served together in the Vietnam War.

Review:

Less than original.  Many lulls in the writing.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2003
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  0755300211

Summary:  Alex Cross’ first assignment as a newly appointed FBI agent is a Russian mobster named The Wolf who abducts people for human trade.

Review:

An eerie read with the coldest villain Patterson has ever written.  Despite the mixed reviews, I think this is worth a read.  One caveat:  this could be the peak of Patterson's writing, making it all downhill from here.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2004
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780446613354

Summary:  In a sequel to The Big Bad Wolf, the Russian mobster threatens terrorism in 3 major European cities and may possibly be associated with a former serial killer, the Weasel.

Review:

Forgettable, one of Patterson’s worst.  This actually turned me off reading more Patterson for a while.

Rank:  (D)- Don't bother

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2005
Length:  448 pages
ISBN:  031615976X

Summary: The murder of a Hollywood actress leads to an investigation into a serial killer nicknamed Mary Smith.

Review:

Improves from the last Cross novel.  The potential for a female serial killer is rare and intriguing.

Rank:  (B)- Good

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2006
Length:  400 pages
ISBN:  9788466642965

Summary:  Alex Cross finally has the chance to nab his wife’s killer but first he investigates a series of rape-murders as the Butcher seeks vengeance on a young Italian mob boss.

Review:

Returns to form with a highly personal case that readers have spent the entire series wondering about.

Rank:  (B)- Very Good

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2008
Length:  400 pages
ISBN:  9780739492185

Summary:  An African killer, the Tiger, murders an author and former flame of Alex Cross, leading him to the Sudan, in a chronologically separate Cross novel.

Review:

Very weakly written and overly gruesome, even by Patteron’s standards.

Rank:  (D)- Don't waste your time


The series continues, but I have not read the following titles:

Double Cross (2007)--comes between Cross and Cross Country--I may have read this but not sure
Alex Cross’s Trial (2009)
I, Alex Cross (2009)
Cross Fire (to be released in Nov. 2010)

Women's Murder Club series

A group of friends in San Francisco, including a homicide detective, a medical examiner, an attorney, and a newspaper reporter, pool their resources and bright minds to solve murders.

Adapted into a single-season TV series.

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2001
Length:  462 pages
ISBN:  978044661003

Summary:  The Women’s Murder Club investigates a serial killer responsible for stalking and murdering newlyweds in what is called the Honeymoon Murders.

Review:

A crackling start to another series!  Adapted into a TV movie.

Rank:  (A)- A real page-turner!

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2003
Length:  432 pages
ISBN:  0446612790

Summary:  The murders of a young girl and an elderly woman lead to a prison gang Chimera, involving an ex-cop and his son.

Review:

Satisfactory follow-up to the initial book in the series.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2004
Length:  368 pages
ISBN:  9780446614832

Summary:  A bombed house leads to an investigation of the August Spies who pledge to commit a murder every 3 days, leading to the death of a WMC member.

Review:

A return to form. Highly engaging!

Rank:  (A)- Very Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2005
Length:  400 pages
ISBN:  9780446179669

Summary:  On leave during an investigation following a wrongful death lawsuit, Lindsay privately looks into a series of murders by a vigilante group.

Review:

A decent read and the first Patterson book with a co-author, whose contributions are apparent in some parts of the novel, which bogs it down some.

Rank:  (B)- Good, Recommend

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2006
Length:  464 pages
ISBN:  9780446618199

Summary:  The WMC, accompanied by a new member, investigate a series of odd deaths in which recuperating hospital patients about to be released suddenly die of asphyxiation.

Review:

Interesting concept & great lead-up, but falls flat & ends predictably.

Rank:  (C)- Just Okay

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  2007
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  9780446198950

Summary:  As a member of the WTC recovers from an attack, Lindsay and her new partner investigate a serial kidnapper abducting children & their nannies.

Review:

The worst of the series. A clunker.

Rank:  (D)- Disappointing

 
The series continues, but I have not read the following titles:

7th Heaven (2008)- I may have read this but can’t remember enough of it to review
8th Confession (2009)
9th Judgment (2010)
10th Anniversary (to be released in 2011)

Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published:  1998
Length:  416 pages
ISBN:  0316693324
Genre:  Suspense/Sci-Fi

Summary:  A veterinarian living in the Colorado mountains is pursued by an FBI agent investigating a murder similar to the one that killed her husband and discovers a winged young girl who leads them to an inhumane experimental lab.

Review:

For a break from Patterson's typical suspense thrillers, delve into fascinating sci-fi territory about human experimentation that inspired his Maximum Ride series.  A film adaptation has been announced for release in 2012.
Rank:  (A)- Highly recommend



Purchase:  Amazon | Chapters

Published: 2003
Length:  376 pages
ISBN:  0316603287

Summary:  In a sequel to When the Wind Blows, the “bird children,” frazzled by their normalized life replete with public attention, fight a ruthless doctor killing people to harvest organs for the rich and famous

Review:

Good, though not as effective as its predecessor.  Not to be confused with the Sandra Bullock-Keanu Reeves movie…which I have seen, BTW :o)

Rank:  (B)- Good