Books : The Broker

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Author name: John Grisham

: The Broker
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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780385340540
ISBN number: 0385340540
Label: Delta
Manufacturer: Delta
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: September 26, 2006
Publishing house: Delta
Release Date: September 26, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 18979
Studio: Delta



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Editor's Notes and Comments:

Product 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?


From the Hardcover edition.

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 acess 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 very 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






    Customer Reviews
    User popularity level: out of 5 stars

    Rated by buyers 2 out of 5 stars - Disappointment
    Most of John's books are good. I loved the Firm. This one was a huge disappointment. Slow moving. I read the whole book waiting for something exciting to happen and it never did. Totally anti climatic.

    Only good part was the experience of seeing the character adapt to Italian life.


    Rated by buyers 1 out of 5 stars - Italian Ticket Broker?
    In the waning days of an unpopular presidency, the director of the CIA makes an unusual request. He seeks a pardon for a much-hated former Washington insider who went to prison without revealing important secrets related to a mysterious spy satellite system. The pardon is not recommended because the pardonee has finally shared his knowledge, successfully worked his political network or regained use of his former millions, it's to see who ends up putting a bullet in his head. Joel Backman is the former broker and he's the bait. The mystery is not only whether he'll figure out what's going on before he gets executed, but whether his life is worth saving.

    The Broker, while supported by a decent blurb of a storyline, is probably John Grisham's least interesting novel - at least for those seeking a legal thriller. The story begins with Backman being whisked away to Italy for what he believes will be witness protection type program. Despite the promise of danger, the subsequent several hundred pages, rather than moving the plot forward, read like an amateur travelogue. Through Backman and his tutors we spend the subsequent several months learning about the culture of Italy and the beauties of Bologna. Maybe some would disagree, but I don't pick up a Grisham novel to learn about the more considerable care with which Italian men dress themselves or to read someone's Italian language practice.

    Ultimately, the plot moves forward very slowly and without much in the way of interesting twists and/or turns. Likewise, the characters are never fully fleshed out, in fact several appear to be introduced only as plot decorations. A particularly egregious example is the President's right-hand man who is introduced and dispatched in several sections which appear to have no connection whatsoever with the rest of the novel. In terms of "legal thriller action," there's really not much here to like, other than the fact that, like all of Grisham's books, this one is easy to read. Grisham, as usual, gives us some local color, but in this case fails to deliver a story.


    Rated by buyers 3 out of 5 stars - Suspense si, Tortellini no
    Joel Backman, a Washington power broker with a dangerous secret, goes to jail to stay alive. Unexpectedly pardoned by a discredited lame-duck President, he finds himself in Italy with a new identity and a new kind of prison, where he doesn't know who is watching him or why. As he uses his wits and his political skills to stay alive, his survival becomes entangled in the interagency rivalry of the FBI and the CIA, and draws the attention of Chinese, Israeli and Saudi intelligence. John Grisham still knows how to write a suspense story, complete with a high-speed chase and high-stakes international intrigue. Unfortunately, as Backman studies Italian and learns the local customs, Grisham finds it necessary to describe everything from grandfathers to toilet paper in both languages and linger over the menus in trattorie and elegant restaurants. There are even lectures on the major tourist attractions of Bologna. That the Asinelli Tower was built in the 12th century and is 97.2 metres tall has nothing to do with who is following Backman or why. If Grisham had omitted the difference between tortellini and tortelloni, this would be a better suspense story-and at least 50 pages shorter.


    Rated by buyers 4 out of 5 stars - I thought it was great!
    From the very first page I couldn't put this down! The whole realm of witness
    Protection was very intriguing!


    Rated by buyers 1 out of 5 stars - Never received
    The product was never received. After writing to the seller and receiving a response, it was my understanding that there were circumstances that prevented this transaction from being completed. This being said is why I rated the product at the lowest level.

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