Books : The Broker (John Grisham)

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Books : The Broker (John Grisham)

The Broker (John Grisham)

by: John Grisham




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Your Price: $49.95
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Average Buyer Rating:  out of 5 stars
Sales Rank: 73879





Binding: Audio Cassette
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780739316467
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN: 073931646X
Label: Random House Audio
Product Manufacturer: Random House Audio
Number Of Items: 7
Publication Date: January 11, 2005
Publisher: Random House Audio
Release Date: January 11, 2005
Ranking: 73879
Studio: Random House Audio









Editorial Product Review:

Item Description:
In his final hours in the Oval Office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.

Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo plane, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive—there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, who will kill him?

Amazon.com Review:
Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as 'the broker,' Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could 'open any door in Washington.' That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.

The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into 'protective custody' and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham



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  • Grisham: The Books





    • A Time to Kill, 1989
    • The Firm, 1991
    • The Pelican Brief, 1992
    • The Client, 1993
    • The Chamber, 1994
    • The Rainmaker, 1995
    • The Runaway Jury, 1996
    • The Partner, 1997
    • The Street Lawyer, 1998
    • The Testament, 1999
    • The Brethren, 2000
    • A Painted House, 2001
    • Skipping Christmas, 2001
    • The Summons, 2002
    • The King of Torts, 2003
    • Bleachers, 2003
    • The Last Juror, 2004
    • The Broker, 2005


    Essential Grisham
    Amazon Editor Favorites














    A Time to Kill

    The Firm

    A Painted House

    The Client

    The Rainmaker

    The Pelican Brief








    Bestselling Grisham
    Amazon Customer Favorites














    The Last Juror

    Skipping Christmas

    Bleachers

    The Testament

    The Partner

    The King of Torts






    If You Like Grisham, You'll Love...







    • John Lescroart
    • Richard North Patterson
    • David Baldacci
    • Lisa Scottoline
    • Robert Crais
    • Michael Crichton
    • Harlan Coben
    • Dennis Lehane
    • Ken Follett






    Best Grisham Books on DVD
















    A Time to Kill

    The Pelican Brief

    The Client

    The Firm

    The Rainmaker

    The Chamber












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    Buyer Reviews
    Average Buyer Rating:  out of 5 stars

    Customer Rating: 1 out of 5 stars - Bad...very bad
    Predictable, boring, tedious...but hey, I'm sure Grisham got a truckload of cash for this, so I guess someone got to enjoy this book.



    Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - The slice of Italian life saves this moderately suspenseful novel
    With the usual vices of greedily gotten money, expensive adult toys, exotic world travel and the usual cat-and-mouse game of the all-powerful organization hunting the harried middle-aged protagonist all on full display, John Grisham's worldly novels have a way of making the average person feel somewhat mundane -- as if you're missing out on the bounty of corporate and political sleaziness that's out there. In "The Broker," Grisham forgoes his usual narrative about the lawyer who works a hundred grueling hours a week and instead focuses on Joel Backman, a former money-grabbing lobbyist in Washington, D.C., who served six years in prison and is pardoned by the outgoing President of the United States. As is the case with many of Grisham's main characters, Backman was at one time rock-star rich, had an unbelievably busy job and lifestyle, ignored his family and went through multiple wives and women on the side. All in a day's work for the usual Grisham protagonist.

    In typical Grisham fashion, "The Broker" is grabbing from the outset. What's been less common within some of his recent books, however, is vibrant characters, interesting dialogue and engaging plots that don't feel rehashed many times over. Fortunately, "The Broker" is well done and should hold the attention of most Grisham fans. What sets the book apart from Grisham's usual mode of storytelling is a genuinely thorough description of the setting in Italy, where most of the book takes place. From beautiful cathedrals to endless coffee shops to Italian cuisine, language and culture, Grisham's knowledge and love of Italy is evident. At times, as poor Backman slaves to learn the Italian language with his tutors, you almost want to learn it with him. Character development and descriptive settings are not always strong suits of Grisham's writing, but in "The Broker" they're not half bad.

    No major twists occur in "The Broker," but then, few usually do in a Grisham novel. Ironically, given that his bread and butter has always been suspenseful legal thrillers, many of Grisham's books actually come across as languidly paced, just like real life, and more like puzzles than all-out action dramas. Additionally, amid the cloak-and-dagger events that take place, there's usually a few lessons to be learned, which seem to be just as important for Grisham to convey. The author loathes corporate greed and dishonesty; often the humbled former millionaire main character has to learn this the hard way. But in the end, things usually work out just fine for the reformed protagonist, while the crooks who pursued him are quickly tossed aside. "The Broker" won't change your life, but it will entertain for several hours.



    Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Getting Better....
    After slogging my way through half of "The Appeal" before putting it down I thought that I would not read another new John Grisham novel ever again. However, I was pleasantly surprised by "The Broker". I enjoyed the story and the reader on the CD was very good. It wasn't quite the return to his glory days of The Firm and The Testament but nevertheless is was a good read. Maybe there's hope for him yet.



    Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - The Broker
    This book reached its destination in a reasonbile time limit. The book was in excellent shape and I got it at a very reasonable price. I will continue using Amazon because I have no trouble with orders from this company.



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