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From Amazon
John Grisham's novels have all been so systematically successful that it is easy to forget he is just one man toiling away silently with a pen, experimenting and improving with each book. While not as gifted a prose stylist as Scott Turow, Grisham is among the best plotters in the thriller business, and he infuses his books with a moral valence and creative vision that set them apart from their peers.
The Brethren is in many respects his most daring book yet. The novel grows from two separate subplots. In the first, three imprisoned ex-judges (the "brethren" in the title), frustrated by their loss of power and influence, concoct an elaborate blackmail scheme that preys on wealthy, closeted gay men. The second story traces the rise of presidential candidate Aaron Lake, a puppet essentially created by CIA director Teddy Maynard to fulfill Maynard's plans for restoring the power of his beleaguered agency.
Grisham's tight control of the two meandering threads leaves the reader guessing through most of the opening chapters how and when these two worlds will collide. Also impressive is Grisham's careful portraiture. Justice Hatlee Beech in particular is a fascinating, tragic anti-hero: a millionaire judge with an appointment for life who was rendered divorced, bankrupt, and friendless after his conviction for a drunk-driving homicide.
The book's cynical view of presidential politics and criminal justice casts a somewhat gloomy shadow over the tale. CIA director Teddy Maynard is an all-powerful demon with absolute knowledge and control of the public will and public funds. Even his candidate, Congressman Lake, is a pawn in Maynard's egomaniacal game of ad campaigns, illicit contributions, and international intrigue. In the end, The Brethren marks a transition in Grisham's career toward a more thoughtful narrative style with less interest in the big-payoff blockbuster ending. But that's not to say that the last 50 pages won't keep your reading light turned on late. --Patrick O'Kelley --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Only a few megaselling authors of popular fiction deviate dramatically from formula--most notably Stephen King but recently Grisham, too. He's serializing a literary novel, A Painted House, in the Oxford American; his last thriller (The Testament) emphasized spirituality as intensely as suspense; and his deeply absorbing new novel dispenses with a staple not only of his own work but of most commercial fiction: the hero. The novel does feature three antiheroes of a sort, the brethren of the title, judges serving time in a federal prison in Florida for white-collar offenses. They're a hard bunch to root for, though, as their main activity behind bars is running a blackmail scheme in which they bait, hook and squeeze wealthy, closeted gay men through a magazine ad supposedly placed by "Ricky," a young incarcerated gay looking for companionship. Then there's the two-bit alcoholic attorney who's abetting them by running their mail and depositing their dirty profits in an overseas bank. Scarcely more appealing is the big fish the trio snare, Congressman Anthony Lake, who meanwhile is busy selling his lifelong integrity when the director of the CIA offers to lever him into the White House in exchange for a doubling of federal defense spending upon Lake's inauguration. The expertly orchestrated and very complex plot follows these evildoers through their illicit enterprises, devoting considerable attention to the CIA's staging of Lake's presidential campaign and even more to that agency's potentially lethal pursuit of the brethren once it learns that the three are threatening to out candidate Lake. Every personage in this novel lies, cheats, steals and/or kills, and while Grisham's fans may miss the stalwart lawyer-heroes and David vs. Goliath slant of his earlier work, all will be captivated by this clever thriller that presents as crisp a cast as he's yet devised, and as grippingly sardonic yet bitingly moral a scenario as he's ever imagined. Agent, David Gernert. 2.8 million first printing. (Feb. 1)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
FOR THE WEEKLY DOCKET the court jester wore his standard garb of well-used and deeply faded maroon pajamas and lavender terry-cloth shower shoes with no socks. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
FOR THE WEEKLY DOCKET the court jester wore his standard garb of well-used and deeply faded maroon pajamas and lavender terry-cloth shower shoes with no socks. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Grisham Packs a Punch,
By Cheryl Tardif "bestselling suspense author" (Edmonton, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: The Brethren (Mass Market Paperback)
Political scandals, judicial controversies and an extortion plan that will make three disgraced former judges very rich and powerful men make up this fast-paced thriller.The Brethren have waited for just the right time--the right moment. And that moment has come. While the country is distracted by a presidential election with its own ulterior motives, the three judges have targeted their next victim. I found this novel to be very entertaining and pure Grisham at his best. His characters are multi-dimensional, human and evil, and exploit the adage of "how far are you willing to go to get what you want?' Still, my favorites remain The Client and The Pelican Brief. Overall, John Grisham packs a punch and hits his target every time. Kudos! ~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Author of Whale Song (978-1-897339-02-2) January 2007 Kunati Books www.kunati.com or www.cherylktardif.com
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dull Playout of the Book's Brilliant Opening Scene,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: The Brethren (Mass Market Paperback)
If John Grisham had stopped this book after the opening scene, in essence writing just a short story, he would have done his best work. It's breathtaking.Unfortunately for Grisham, he decided to make a novel to follow that brilliance. The novel falls far short of the promise of that beginning. I won't tell you about the beginning because that would spoil your pleasure, but do consider stopping there. These are the plot premises in the book: 1. Two judges and a justice of the peace are incarcerated in a minimum security Federal prison. What would life be like for these former "law upholders?" 2. Felons need money when they get out. How can they earn some while in prison? 3. Felons and wardens need non-violent ways to resolve disputes in prison. How might this be done? 4. How can a presidential election be manipulated to determine the country's foreign policy? 5. How could a bunch of crooks threaten a presidential candidacy? A lot of the answers depend on the presumption that the world is full of stupid older men with lots of money who want to have hot, young boy friends. This book will appeal most to those who enjoy conspiracy theories about government action and inaction. As a crime story, I've read a lot better. But do enjoy that opening scene.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty good book,
By
This review is from: Brethren (Hardcover)
I got stuck on a couple of Grisham's books and was unable to finish them (the rainmaker and one other i can't remember the name of), but this one was good. not really like the other recent books, i liked how many people were tied into the plot who seemingly had nothing to do with one another. there was no love interest, but that was okay.
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