The best (John Grisham in general)

Member Name: tommy7

Product:	John Grisham in general
Date:	20/03/01 (505 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Author

Disadvantages: Sometimes doesn't make full advantage of a gripping start to a novel

I should point out before I write this opinion that John Grisham is my favourite author. I am not one of these people who claim to be his number one fan, as I like to think that I am still objective about all of his work. All too often you get people that claim all of a particular person's work is superb and whilst there is the odd exception I tend to try and remain as objective as possible.

So what is it about Grisham's work that makes him stand out from the rest? I think the most important thing from my point of view is the legal thrillers that he produces. I (and a lot of other people) have always found this an intriguing topic, especially when there has been a fresh approach to what has become a tired genre.

A quick rundown of how he got started
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Born on 8 February 1955 in Arkansas USA to a construction worker father and a housewife mother a young John Grisham had only one passion - to be a baseball player (explains a lot of a Painted House?). When he realised he would not make it as a professional sportsman he studied law. When he was in a courthouse he heard the story of a young girl being raped. He tried to put himself in the shoes of the young girls father and wondered what he would do in this man's shoes. This is always one of these situations where you like to think what you would do, rather than possibly what you would do.

This trial stayed with Grisham and he began to write "A Time To Kill" although the title wasn't finalised until well down the line. With his demanding hours as a lawyer Grisham could only write about a page a day and relied on his wife, Renee, to proof read and comment on his work. This was a slow process and it took over 3 years to complete the book. The early signs were there that Grisham would struggle with titles. The working title was the awful "Deathknell" but I think the chosen title is quite a good one. r>
As many an aspiring author will be aware Grisham met the usual rejection before Wynwood Press decided to print 5,000 copies of "A Time to Kill" mainly for local circulation.

I imagine this was the spur that he needed to continue to write, as it must be a very special feeling to see your work in print. He immediately started on the book that would prove to be his breakthrough "The Firm". The main breakthrough was when the film rights were sold to Paramount Pictures. I know that this was when I first heard of Grisham and the film was the reason I started to buy his books. From the release of "The Firm" his success snowballed and he is now regarded as one of the best authors in the world.

The Books
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"A Time to Kill" as I mentioned above was his debut novel. I regard it as one of his best. There is a lot of genuine emotion in his writing and the story certainly gets your back up. I gave a loan of this book to a woman I work beside and she couldn't read on after the first few chapters. The story is put across that strongly. Also in its favour is it produced in my opinion the best film adaptation so far. 10/10.

"The Firm" followed. It is a good story that does not involve too much thought. It is ideal for a film adaptation and the Tom Cruise factor certainly helped. Looking back it was this book and the subsequent film deal that really bought Grisham to the fore and in this respect it was his most important book but by no means his best. 8.5/10.

"The Pelican Brief" was the next book and I must admit it is not a huge favourite of mine. The plot is a little over complex and a little far-fetched. It is not an unenjoyable read it is just not up to his usual high standards. This is yet another book which spawned a film adaptation. I enjoyed the film but a lot of people I have spoken to found it difficult to follow without having read
the book first. 7/10

"The Client" was an enjoyable read but again was very far fetched. A young boy and a female lawyer getting the better of the Mob and the authorities is very unlikely to happen in real life but every now and again it is good to get a story which you know could not happen but it provides a good escape from reality. The film version of this book was also top quality. 8/10

"The Chamber" was a return to the more serious side of Grisham's work. This is an excellently written book and you never know whether to feel sorry for, or abhor the villain in this book. It is well worth a read and the film version doesn't really do the book justice. 8.5/10

"The Rainmaker" is another excellent story, this time about a young lawyer trying to make a start in the business. It really is case of all of the odds being stacked against him and the challenges that he faces, a very solid book with a decent film adaptation. 8/10

"The Runaway Jury" is another excellent story, which takes an improbable occurrence (an insider being in the jury and selling the decision to the two parties). With the trail being the tobacco industry trying to defend their actions it is quite a topical book and a hugely enjoyable read. This is perhaps Grisham's best book for developing different characters and it works in the same way "12 Angry Men" did. An excellent book. 9.5/10

"The Partner" is my favourite book of all time. It is a story that develops slowly and keeps you guessing but the guesses are usually well wide of the mark. It is so cleverly thought out that I cannot do it justice. If you only read one Grisham book make it this one. 10/10

"The Street Lawyer" was a big let down. I had hoped to have a book similar in standard to "The Partner" but always felt that its successor would be a let down. However this book ranks with Gri
sham's poorest work and is not one I would recommend to the casual reader. For Grisham fans only. 5/10

"The Testament" was marginally better than "The Street Lawyer" but didn't really make you want to get to the finish the way his other novels do. It was a step away from the courtroom and one that didn’t really work. Unfortunately another only suitable for Grisham fans. 6/10

"The Brethren" was a step towards getting back on track. A better story line with a good plot and a lot that could be made form it. Unfortunately the abrupt ending reduces this from a potential Grisham classic to just another Grisham novel. 7.5/10

"A Painted House" was a massive change for Grisham. It tells the story of a 7 year old growing up on a cotton farm. I imagine there is a lot of Grisham's own childhood in here and it is a good story which is a refreshing change from the legal fare. 8/10.

Well that’s all the books to date here is the order I would put them in from best to worst

The Partner
A Time To Kill
The Runaway Jury
A Painted House
The Chamber
The Rainmaker
The Client
The Brethren
The Pelican Brief
The Testament
The Street Lawyer

I would say that the main strength of Grisham's work is he knows the subject he is writing about. His skill is taking a good idea and presenting it in a way that makes enthralling reading. However, my biggest criticism would be that he often hooks a reader with an incredible opening to a book (even his poorest ones) and then fails to build on it.

In summary a truly great author who will hopefully continue to write for a long time.