A Time to Kill

Amazon.com

This addictive tale of a young lawyer defending a black Vietnam war hero who kills the white druggies who raped his child in tiny Clanton, Mississippi, is John Grisham's first novel, and his favorite of his first six. He polished it for three years and every detail shines like pebbles at the bottom of a swift, sunlit stream. Grisham is a born legal storyteller and his dialogue is pitch perfect.

The plot turns with jeweled precision. Carl Lee Hailey gets an M-16 from the Chicago hoodlum he'd saved at Da Nang, wastes the rapists on the courthouse steps, then turns to attorney Jake Brigance, who needs a conspicuous win to boost his career. Folks want to give Carl Lee a second medal, but how can they ignore premeditated execution? The town is split, revealing its social structure. Blacks note that a white man shooting a black rapist would be acquitted; the KKK starts a new Clanton chapter; the NAACP, the ambitious local reverend, a snobby, Harvard-infested big local firm, and others try to outmaneuver Jake and his brilliant, disbarred drunk of an ex-law partner. Jake hits the books and the bottle himself. Crosses burn, people die, crowds chant "Free Carl Lee!" and "Fry Carl Lee!" in the antiphony of America's classical tragedy. Because he's lived in Oxford, Mississippi, Grisham gets compared to Faulkner, but he's really got the lean style and fierce folk moralism of John Steinbeck. --Tim Appelo

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

With a chillingly calm, even delivery, Michael Beck, a regular Grisham reader (The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury), turns the narrative of this disturbing tale of racism, ignorance, and brutality into an almost visceral experience. "Cobb strung a length of quarter inch ski rope over a limb ... he grabbed her and put the noose around her head." The story is frighteningly believable and expertly crafted around a horrible crime and the tragic consequences that follow. At times, Beck's character voices can be distracting, but his efforts are generally applied to good effect, adding another level of tension to this already suspenseful look at a small Mississippi town's struggle for justice. (Running time: 17 hours, 12 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

In this searing courtroom drama, best-selling  author John Grisham probes the savage depths of  racial violence... as he delivers a compelling tale  of uncertain justice in a small southern  town...

Clanton, Mississippi. The life of a  ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and  remorseless young man. The mostly white town reacts  with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until  her black father acquires an assault rifle -- and  takes justice into his own outraged hands.

For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of  sniper fire spread through the streets of  Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense  attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his  client's life... and then his own...

Customer Reviews:

Still One Of My Favorite Grisham Books.......2007-10-05

I am pretty sure I read this after I read The Firm and this one was more enojyable. Perhaps I was too cuaght up in the hype surrounding The Firm. This book somehow seemed more "real" and some of the plot turns in The Firm stuck me as too much of a strain, though it was a fun read.

I have all of John Grisham's books, and they are fun, but if I had to narrow the list down of which books of his I would recommend it would be this one and the list would also include The Client

Good Debut.......2007-09-16

I'm a John Grisham fan, and have read most of his novels. I think A TIME TO KILL is one of his best books, and a great courtroom drama.

The plot of A TIME TO KILL is straightforward. Jake Brigance is a young Mississippi lawyer who has been handed a case of a lifetime: defending a black man who has murdered the two rapists of his young daughter. Grisham covers the events leading up to the trial in depth, and provides an interesting look into the daily life of a small town in the deep South.

I can't say this is a perfect book, since the plot is a bit too unrealistic and melodramatic in spots. I also didn't find the main character entirely likable, since he seemed more interested in advancing his own career above everything else. I further found the character of Ellen, who magically shows up in the second half of the book to assist Brigance, to be silly and completely unnecessary to the story.

Still, the novel is highly entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat. I read A TIME TO KILL in a few sittings, and enjoyed the experience a great deal. Along with THE FIRM, I would say this is the best book by Grisham.

A definite 10 out of 10 !!!!.......2007-09-07

John Grisham is one of my all-time favorite authors. I can't believe how good his first novel actually was. I've seen the movie a dozen times, but I'm just now getting to the book, which was way better, if that's possible. The plot is so controversial, it's a wonder no one's written this kind of story before. Great job.
--from the author of The Shadow God and Spiritual Sorrow.

A Thrilling legal Mystery that is a Real Page turner.......2007-07-30

This was my fourth novel by James Grisham that I have read and I certainly wasn't disappointed in this story. From the opening paragraph I was on the edge of my seat. The suspense was so thrilling that I couldn't bear to put it down. The author's fluid writing style makes for a comfortable read, and it is admittedly a page-turner. When he takes his subject matter seriously, he shines. The story is more gripping, and the characters have more depth. The reader can feel Tonya's pain and sympathize with Carl Lee's justifiable wrath. The trials that Jake Brigance undergoes to defend Carl Lee are dramatic and easy to understand. The different reactions of the citizens of Clanton; those that are for Carl Lee and those that are against him are described like only Mr. Grisham can. In summary, there are few authors that grab my attention and are able to create a wonderful spellbinding story and John Grisham is right up there are the top. It's a great story don't miss it.

Another legal mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end is The Monopoly Factor by Robert L. Saunders. Mr. Saunders seems to realize that a real mystery built around real life experiences must end with a realistic ending with no loose strings. I am enthralled with Saunders smooth story telling writing style. This is a masterpiece mystery with a bit of romance that is worth of your attention. You won't be disappointed. So Long.

What a (Mediocre) Book!.......2007-07-28

Very few times in my life have I seen a movie and thought it better than the book it was based on. "A Time to Kill" is one of that select group.

I saw the movie a few months ago and was blown away. It was spectacular with courtroom drama, tension, and personal peril. It was the intersection of two very personal stories with the larger, national issue of race relations.

The book covered the same territory, but not nearly as well as the film. The writing was more wooden, the dialogue often forced, and the prose herky-jerky. But the story was really good. For a first effort, it's not bad, but I don't think it deserves the high consensus rating on Amazon.

We are introduced to the town of Clanton, Mississippi, which is to be the setting of many more Grisham novels. I like the town, and I like the people of Clanton, especially Teddy Rex Vonner, the scumbag divorce lawyer who is connected to every piece of gossip in the county. We also meet the straight-laced Jake Brigance who is a very likable and capable attorney charged with defending the man who murdered his daughter's rapists right in the courthouse in front of dozens of witnesses. The rest of the characters complement the story and help flesh it out fairly nicely. Overall, it's a pretty good book. In the hands of a better writer, it could have been a masterpiece.

'If They Move... Kill 'Em!": The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah

Average customer rating:

A Response
peck himself would have shot the man
Tragic examination of the Sam Peckinpah myth
Even the worst of us. . .Sometimes the worst most of all.
"Let's Go!"

'If They Move... Kill 'Em!": The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah
David Weddle
Manufacturer: Grove Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0802115462

Book Description

The only major biography of Sam Peckinpah in print, David Weddle's If They Move...Kill 'Em! tells the wild story of Peckinpah's life with novelistic verve and does justice to one of the most important bodies of work in American cinema. Born into a clan of lumberjacks, ranchers, and frontier lawyers, David Samuel Peckinpah served in the Marines and then made his way to Hollywood, where he worked on a string of low-budget features before being hired as a writer for Gunsmoke in 1955. Quickly becoming the hottest writer in television, Peckinpah went on to direct a phenomenal series of features, including Ride the High Country, Straw Dogs, The Getaway, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and The Wild Bunch. The life he led -- glamorous, wild, and beset by personal demons -- is as vivid as his films. A hopeless romantic and a grim nihilist, inspiration to such luminaries as DePalma, Scorsese, and Tarantino, Sam Peckinpah was an audacious American original. If They Move...Kill 'Em! is his wild and woolly story.

Customer Reviews:

A Response.......2005-06-16

If you are interested in a detailed look at Sam Peckinpah's life and work, this book is a great starting point. I was particularly struck by Weddle's descriptions of Sam's creative process. Near the end of the book, the recurring theme of "he was drunk (and/or) high again," gets somewhat stale. But Weddle was only reporting fact. For any Peckinpah fan or even those just finding out about the director, this book is well-worth your time.

Last thing...Sorry, but I have to respond to a previous reviewer J. Austin. You lose all credibility as a reviewer when you criticize a biographer for not knowing enough about his subject when you--yourself--fail to spell the subject's name correctly. Secondly, the author's name is Weddle, not Waddle. Thirdly, Weddle hardly claims that Cross of Iron is embarassing. You quoted one word, "embarassing," and removed the entire context around it. Weddle stated that some scenes in Cross of Iron were embarassing (a result of Peckinpah's erratic behavior and inability to focus for a full day's work), but overall Weddle was complimentary of the film. It was Convoy that Weddle dismissed altogether--something I think all Peckinpah fans would agree with. And finally, Weddle apparently did meet Peckinpah on the set of The Osterman Weekend, as he points out in the introduction to Paul Seydor's The Western Films.

peck himself would have shot the man.......2005-04-18

sorry, but i have to differ w/ the other posted 'reviews'.

this book is a sorry mass of sensationalism & subjective criticism.

any 'fimmaker' who thinks this books paints an accurate picture of the man does not truly understand him or his work.

most of the text regarding THE WILD BUNCH is ripped from other sources. extant descriptions read like a bad screenplay (or bill o'reilly's novel)

what really irks me is that waddle dismisses CROSS OF IRON as embarrassing--how many times did he actually WATCH THE FILM?
clearly, the fact that Welles commented on it means it is worth intensive viewing. waddle would rather talk about peckingpah's drinking and obvious malformations . . .

so beware, true peckingpah fan . . . nothing new from this compendium (and it is thick)

a pity the author never met the man he was paid to write about.

jra

Tragic examination of the Sam Peckinpah myth.......2003-05-11

David Weddle's fine biography of director Sam Peckinpah "If They Move...Kill'em!" is a harrowing book, detailing an extraordinary professional life wrought with alcoholism, drug addiction, rage and eventually paranoia. This book doesn't attempt to brush Peckinpah off the mountain he will forever possess, but it does detail his inspirations, influences and life-long battle with the demons within. Peckinpah was indeed tortured, an Ernest Hemingway or even Jack Kerouac of his time. He was also one heck of an SOB.

As a fan of Peckinpah's extaordinary films, including "The Wild Bunch," "Cross of Iron," "Straw Dogs" and "The Getaway," I was always perplexed by the erratic quality of the films later in his career and his eventual disappearance from the filmmaking scene. I suppose Weddle's work provides an uneasy answer to these questions, and I think his arguments about Peckinpah living the life of the characters he created in his films is valid.

Peckinpah's legend has always overshadowed Peckinpah's work, which is why such underrated jewels as "Noon Wine," "Junior Bonner" and "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" have been overlooked. I appreciate Weddle's attempts at exposing this myth, and revealing the troubled inspirations and obsessions of Peckinpah. I have problems with the way Weddle skims the surface of many of his films, rarely providing much critical insight or interpretation. But to do so would be treading on the groundbreaking territory of Garner Simmons' ultimate work "Peckinpah, A Portrait in Montage." Weddle should be applauded for avoiding areas that perhaps have already been covered.

To support his argument, Weddle ignores films from Peckinpah's resume, and makes several generalizations which are not entirely accurate. As the years go by, curious viewers will eventually realize that "Cross of Iron" was one of his great films, just as they will also begin to appreciate the gritty greatness of "The Getaway." These films will never serve as examples of the eroding talent of Peckinpah. Though I do agree with Weddle that "Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia, "The Osterman Weekend" and "Convoy" are hollow shells of a once-great talent.

"If They Move...Kill'Em!" is eye-opening and disturbing. It needed to be written. Many artists who rose to prominence during the 1960s and 1970s suffered a similar Peckinpah fate - cocaine addiction, alcoholism, a life of excess. That he was still able to make his films was a stunning achievement. That he took 10 years and 5 films off of his life (at the very least), is an American tragedy. Weddle has done a good job at revealing a man who not only was his own worst enemy, but who lived the ignoble life of the tortured artist to the extreme. To know Peckinpah the man, is to eventually understand his utterly unique films.

Even the worst of us. . .Sometimes the worst most of all........2003-03-04

As I peddled my latest play, "Rust To Dust", I thought I was being pretty cute by describing it as "The Glass Menagerie meets The Wild Bunch". Working under the false pretense that my work uniquely combined the "hot ice and wonderous strange snow" of Williams' delicate and tender memory play with Peckinpah's bloody machismo driven Darwinistic fables, I thought I had something rare. Wrong.

According to Weddle, Sam Peckinpah himself had already beaten me to the punch.

In reading David Weddle's expansively researched and annotated biography of one of film's great colorful and tragic characters, I rediscovered the suprisingly sentimental and softly poetic side of Peckinpah.

Influenced tremendously by the symbollic stage poetry of Tennesse Williams (Sam was one of his champions!)along with the he-man adventures of John Ford, Howard Hawks and John Huston, Peckinpah brilliantly (admittedly only consistent in three films)managed to combine both seemingly polarized worlds.

Weddle really brings to light the complex character of Sam Peckinpah. Weddle pulls no punches and portrays the director as abusive, selfish, self destructive, malignant and paranoid. He also illuminates the softer, romantic side that created some legitimate and heartbreakingly penetrating works of art. Sam felt moved by poetry and the longing we all have to find the innocent and pure sides of our selves. He searched for salvation. Even in the hearts of deeply flawed and violent men. Knowing that he, like his famous protagnists, would only find it in honorable death.

Weddle does a fine and admirable job painstakingly finding the autobiographical currents running through all of Peckinpah's work.Weddle really shines as a film critic as he deconstructs all of Sam's work. He deftly balances negativity with effusiveness like a fine concert pianist. Like Williams' masterpieces, Peckinpah used his art to exorcise his demons.

It is so refreshing to learn that Peckinpah did not just educate himself on a diet of films, as so many young directors choose to limit themselves. He was a voracious reader of philosophy, history and literature. He loved the stage.

Many of Peckinpah's fans will already know much of the incidents present in the book, which will cause one to skim. But when Weddle works to humanize a deeply misunderstood artist, this book really shines.

"Let's Go!".......2001-07-05

If there has ever been a man for whom the phrase "consumed by his inner demons" was apt, that man was director Sam Peckinpah. And as David Weddle makes clear in this massive and massively detailed biography, Peckinpah's films bring many of these demons out to strut or cower on the silver screen. As Weddle remarks, almost everyone who loves film can remember the first time he saw THE WILD BUNCH, and yet, like almost all of Peckinpah's "serious" films other than RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, it was severely mutilated by studio meddling.

Not since Orson Welles has there been a famous director who had so much trouble with studio interference. And yet there were clearly times when some intelligent interference was more than justified... MAJOR DUNDEE falls completely to pieces in its "third half," to echo Tom and Ray of CAR TALK. THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE is a giant void at its center... where there should be a love story, there's absolute vacuum, despite the talents of the performers. STRAW DOGS is repellant and unmemoriable despite the efforts of Dustin Hoffman. Sam turned every film in which he had much control into a psychodrama in which his characters wrestled with Sam's own problems. In this, he was a true auteur.

Weddle's research is overwhelming and his information about Peckinpah's childhood, college days and TV career is very enlightening... but he makes a major mistake in trying to relate these early experiences of Peckinpah in the most mechanical and naive way to Peckinpah's massive later psychological problems. We even listen in to some of Peckinpah's innermost thoughts, which is pretty preposterous in a supposed work of nonfiction.

And as another reviewer has noted, the list of influences on Peckinpah has a gigantic lapse--- other directors! Apart from a few random mentions of John Ford, there's hardly a hint that Peckinpah ever went to movies, or ever studied the works of other directors. Yet his early films burst onto the scene precisely when there was a directorial ferment almost without precedent in US and international film-making.

Peckinpah's film career is a sad and disturbing litany of maniacal career- and self-destruction. After alcohol withered his talents to a minimum, he discovered cocaine, and spent the rest of his short life in a moronic haze penetrated randomly by spurts of insane violence and agression... until his heart stopped abruptly. Ironically, in his decline he did a couple of by-the-numbers potboiler action films, and these were the only ones of his films that made real money for the studios. His best known, and best, films, like the WILD BUNCH, were box-office failures and not available for viewing even today in their uncut, unmutilated forms.

Book Description

Three thrilling titles from one of America's most popular bestselling authors, together in a special value collection.

A Time to Kill - For ten days, with burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spreading through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client's life...and then his own...

The Firm - When Mitch McDeere, an ambitious law student from Harvard chooses the Memphis tax firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, he finds himself caught between the FBI, who wants an informant inside the firm, and the firm itself, which will make him a very rich man-or a very dead one.

The Client - This is the story of eleven-year-old Mark Sway, who witnessed the bizarre suicide of a New Orleans attorney. Just before he dies, the lawyer tells Mark a deadly secret concerning the recent murder of a Louisiana senator whose accused killer, Mafia thug Barry Muldanno, is about to go to trial.

Customer Reviews:

Good listening, shoddy packaging.......2007-04-24

I always enjoy Grisham's way with words & a story, even if they're dated, & the three readers plus the fade out music are enthralling, however, RandomHouse Audio made a booboo with the packaging I received. The Firm discs (4-6) are correctly labeled & slotted, while A Time to Kill (discs 1-3) & The Client (discs 7-11) are mislabeled & mis-slotted. Bummer, especially if you're driving while listening.

GREAT VALUE COLLECTION FROM GRISHAM.......2005-09-06

I HAD SEEN ALL OF THESE IN MOVIE FORM AND WANTED TO SEE HOW CLOSE THE MOVIE SCRIPT WAS TO EACH GRISHAM NOVEL IN THIS COLLECTION. THEY WERE REALLY CLOSE TO THE REAL GRISHAM! BUT AGAIN HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE ON GRISHAM'S WORK? I ENJOYED ALL THREE
AND ESPECIALLY THE READERS WITH THEIR INFLECTIONS! THEY SOUNDED
ALMOST LIKE THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THE MOVIES. ANYTHING GRISHAM
HAS IN AUDIO I WILL CERTAINLY OBTAIN. THANKS TO AMAZON FOR YOUR WONDERFUL WEB SITE TO PURCHASE SUCH GREAT PRODUCTS.

Great airplane/road trip listen!.......2005-08-03

I had seen all these movies, so I thought I'd give this set a chance. The price is a steal! All 3 narrators do an excellent job, and the stories will certainly keep your attention. I would recommend this especially for trips. I plan to buy more John Grisham audio books in the future!

GRRREEAAATTTTT!!!!!!!!!.......2004-05-12

The book's setting is in a small town in Mississippi. Tonya, one day, went for a walk to the town market to fetch some things for her mother. On her way home, two men pick her up. They take her to the woods and rape her. When they're done the leave her on a bridge, beat up and ready to die. She is later returned to her family by a group of black fishermen. Tonya's father, Carl Lee, decides he needs to get revenge for his daughter. So when they are in court about this whole thing, Carl Lee catches the men in a stairwell ant the courthouse and blows them away with an M-16. The fight now is if Carl Lee is guilty or not. He has to face an all white court (whom are prejudice) and plead not guilty. We'll see what happens

A TIME TO KILL.......2000-10-05

NICK FRANCISCO PERIOD 2

"A Time to Kill" is John Grisham's first novel. His fluid, detailed storytelling is unlike the choppy first attempts of many modern authors.In a small town in the Deep South, two redneck hooligans rape and maim a ten-year-old black girl. Enraged, the girl's father, Carl Lee Hailey, takes justice into his own hands, killing the two rapists in a courthouse shooting. He seeks the help of defense lawyer Jake Brigance to save him from the gas chamber.

Brigance, a young but sharp lawyer, has to find a way to win an impossible case: a black man is on trial for killing two white men, and his case is being heard by an all-white jury. Adding to the mix are violence between the Ku Klux Klan and the black community, and the fact that, during the shooting, Carl Lee had injured a sheriff's deputy.

Book Description

On the cusp of their epic battle with Shinzon, many of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's long time crew were heading for new assignments and new challenges. Among the changes were William Riker's promotion to captain and his new command, Riker's marriage to Counselor Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher's new career at Starfleet Medical. But the story of what set them on a path away from the Starship Enterprise™ has never been told.

UNTIL NOW.

At the height of the Dominion War and unknown to all save those in the highest levels of command, the Federation secretly armed the neutral planet Tezwa with devastating weapons -- part of a contingency plan against the Dominion if the front lines collapsed. But Tezwa also lies near the border of the Klingon Empire...making the Federation's covert strategy in direct violation of their fragile peace treaties,and creating the potential threat of scandal and all-out war.

Now Tezwa's power-hungry prime minister is all too eager to flex his newfound military muscle, menacing a nearby Klingon border world. Sent on an urgent diplomatic mission, Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew are caught in the crossfire as the crisis quickly escalates. With time running out and billions of lives at stake, only one man can avert the looming disaster -- Ambassador Worf, who must choose between his oath to the Federation and his loyalty to Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire....

Customer Reviews:

Book One of David Mack's triumphant Dulogy.......2006-08-04

"A Time to Kill", the seventh installment in the current "A Time to..." series of Next Generation novels, weaves together for the reader a complex storyline, enthralling characterizations, deep convictions, and heartfelt emotions.

Focusing around a rising problem on the neutral world of Tezwa, the United Federation of Planets is rushing to prevent a disaster that could spread into a quadrant-wide conflict. In an effort to cover-up for possible treaty breaches in the past, the Federation now finds itself stuck between the Klingons, Starfleet, and the people of Tezwa, each of whom could uncover the secrets that might plunge the Alpha Quadrant into a new and sustained conflict that would cost countless lives.

David Mack is a relative newcomer to Star Trek fiction, having previously penned the "Starfleet Survival Guide" and a reference to the "New Frontier" book series. His previous fictional works have both been in the "Starfleet Corps of Engineers" series. "A Time to Kill" and its follow-up "A Time to Heal" represent his first full-length paperback novels, and Mack comes to the table with a tour-de-force read that I simply couldn't put down.

At the risk of sounding like a crazed internet gusher, I was utterly stunned at the magnificent accuracy with which Mack was able to write the beloved crew of the Enterprise-E, as well as Worf and Martok. As each character appeared in the novel, I could literally see, hear, and experience this novel like it was a movie or television show.

Mack's story is deeply complex, and to truly delve into the complexity needs to be avoided for this review, for to truly reveal the nature of the complexity would be to spoil the sheer joy of reading this novel. Mack goes to great lengths to make this story a fast-paced thriller, and succeeds with short chapters that make it easy to follow the many plots that meet within the covers of this book.

Seeing the struggles of power in the Tezwan capital, the political machinations behind the scenes in their planetary council, and seeing the sacrifices of good Starfleet officers has never been so palpable or enjoyable in my experience of reading Star Trek novels. This novel has a soul all it's own, one that will draw the reader in and that simply won't let go.

David Mack makes a worthy addition to the roster of novel-length Star Trek fiction writers, and has earned a nearly flawless review from me.

This is a Star Trek novel for the ages, and one can only hope that "A Time to Heal", Mack's follow-up (due within the month) will bring the story to the boiling head it needs to enter into October's finale for the "A Time to..." series, "A Time for War, A Time for Peace", penned by Keith R. A. DeCandido.

An Exercise in DoubleThink.......2005-08-18

A Time to Kill is most definitely head and shoulders above the previous six "A Time To" novels. The book is dense, but also moves at a lightening quick pace.

In many ways, A Time to Kill is more how I have always envisioned Trek: decisions made at the very top and bottom of the chain of command have repercussions upon each other and create a more epic feelings. The leaders of other galactic empires have been important characters in Trek. Why hasn't the Federation president? Here we finally get to see how the Federation works from the top executive down to the lowest noncoms onboard the Enterprise.

The story itself is just far more large-scale and important than I've considered the stories at the center of the previous "A Time To" books. Those felt like they were spinning their wheels. A Time to Kill hits the ground running. The interstellar incident created on Tezwa was endlessly fascinating and each side's reaction and behavior was what we would expect. The book culminates in a heavy dose of covert ops and Mack (and editors) effortless cross-cuts between them to keep a steady pace.

Continuity bits were sprinkled about to create just the right amount of effect to remind us when the books are specifically taking place. Character work is across the board pretty good. I especially like Data's conundrum of trying to remember emotion as if from a dream. The plot seamlessly works in Will Riker's growth from throughout the "A Time To" series and doesn't call attention to itself. Like when it becomes readily apparent that Will just may be feed up with away missions and is all the more incentive to move over to the Titan. However, Christine Vale (and now Jim Peart) still draw a complete blank in my mental picture beyond their dedication to the job.

There's very little to nitpick in the book. One scene that sort of stood out for me was how the Enterprise seemed to effortlessly enter the Tezwan atmosphere and fly right over the city. Never got the impression before that the Sovereign's could fly so low to a planet surface. Secondly, "scanning for bio-signs" of particular species has become standard procedure anymore, so I'm curious as to why they couldn't just scan for Riker when he didn't check in and beam him up.

Probably best of all about A Time to Kill is that it's probably the first "A Time To" book that also felt pretty self-contained and could be read on its own. The other books have not felt that way.

Now all that said...there is the discouraging trend in Trek literature lately to make the Trek universe as grungy and depressing as real life that seems so overt and self-conscious as to border on exploitation. There's a heavy dose of cynicism in the latter "A Time To" books where the tiresome cliche of government corruption makes the Federation just as villainous as the Romulans or whomever. The corrupt admiralty was already a worn out cliche in the Trek universe, so I guess the writers and editors have decided to move on up the chain of command. So while I can really enjoy the book on its own, I really don't like the pattern that A Time to Kill started that progressed in the sequel.

A Time to Kill Review.......2005-04-04

This book is one of the better Star Trek books I have read and would recommend it. The book starts in Commander Rikers quarters as he is thinking over the events that have shamed the Enterprise and its captain. When Picard is given an assignment to reesablish honor, obstacles form.

Weapons, weapons, where are the weapons?.......2005-03-12

David Mack's entry into the A Time to... series of books opens up a lot of political intrigue that could shake the Federation to its core. A Time to Kill is another outstanding entry into this series. Marred only by a mildly "everything works out for the best" atmosphere that doesn't quite fit the difficulty of the Enterprise's mission, Mack still gives us a stellar book. The style fits the situation perfectly, making the reader read "just one more chapter" until the end of the book is reached.

Federation president Min Zife has a problem. During the Dominion War, the Federation sold advanced weaponry to the ruler of Tezwa to establish a fallback option in case the war went badly. Unfortunately, the ruler of Tezwa, Kinchawn, is a power-mad zealot who is willing to go to war with the Klingons to satisfy his own material needs. This would be very bad for Zife, as any war between the Klingons and Tezwa would reveal the weapons on the Klingon doorstep, sparking a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Unfortunately, Kinchawn uses the weapons to wipe out a fleet of Klingon ships and almost takes out the Enterprise as well during a diplomatic mission to calm hostilities. The Klingons want blood, and the Enterprise is sent to try and resolve the crisis before the Klingons can discover what's there. Captain Picard must find a way to neutralize the weapons as well as neutralizing the Klingon fleet that's been sent to conquer Tezwa, all at the same time. How will he do this? It will take coordinated attacks to prevent the guns from firing on Tezwa, as well as a little help from Ambassador Worf on the Klingon homeworld to stop the Klingons. If one thing goes wrong, the Federation will be plunged into a war that will weaken both parties, leaving everything open for the Romulans.

A Time to Kill is quite intricate, almost too much so. Enterprise personnel must disable all six guns at the same moment, and Worf must come through at the same time. If even one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong. Yes, the assault teams have their problems and setbacks, causing what tension there is in the novel, but everything ends up being a little too convenient. One thing that doesn't quite work out leaves a plot point for the next novel, but otherwise it feels a little unrealistic. I felt this would be the case when the situation was set up, so by the time it actually happened, I had grown used to it and went along for the ride. Thus, it's not a major problem. It's just something that's mildly annoying at the time.

Otherwise, A Time to Kill is a non-stop thrill ride, full of tension. The book has very short chapters, adding to the intense feeling. The chapters jump from one assault team to another, back to the Enterprise, to the President's office, as well as to another secret organization that's watching all this from elsewhere. There is a lot at stake, which just adds to the tension. It's almost like a music video, never giving the reader time to relax. The only parts that seem to drag a bit are the ones on Qo'nos, but that's only in relation to the rest of the book. I found Worf's attempts to do what Picard needs him to do to be duller than the events on Tezwa.

The book is very plot-driven, but Mack does do a good job with the characters as well. Dr. Crusher is still considering the offer to assume the position of Head of Starfleet Medical, and she's hurt that Picard hasn't come to her about it. Picard, meanwhile, is hurt that Crusher hasn't come to him to talk to him about it. This does seem a little bit "high school," but it doesn't come out that way in the book (well, not very much). Instead, the book examines their relationship as it has gone throughout the years of the television series and the movies. It's actually quite effective.

Even better is the characterization of the assault teams. We get to see a lot of new characters in action, and we're given some meaty looks at them. Most impressive (though a bit clichéd), is Razka, a reptilian non-commissioned security guard who acts like most sergeants do in war films. He's experienced, he's gruff, and he gets the job done. He is stereotypical, but I still found myself drawn to him. Maybe it was the scales. The other security officers are also given a lot to do. One thing this series has been wonderful with has been the security officers. They are not just nameless redshirts, and they aren't treated that way, either. We are starting to really get to know some of them, and while some of them die, some of them don't. Since the characterization of them is so good, it actually hurts when one of them does die.

One annoying aspect of characterization, however, was Zeitsev, one member of the mysterious organization that is following all of these events. His superior officer, a Vulcan, is evidently very attractive and he has a crush on her, despite her being a lot older than he is. This crush does nothing in this book except detract from the character. I hope it becomes a plot point somewhere in the next two books, as otherwise it just stands out as a grating character trait with no purpose.

This entire series has been a slow starter, but the last three books have been wonderful. They keep the reader coming back for more, wondering what's going to happen next. The end of A Time to Kill leaves a nice cliffhanger as well as a possible opportunity to comment on current events. We'll see what A Time to Heal gives us. I know I'm reading them as fast as I can.

David Roy

very well written.......2005-01-07

this book delves in with a lot of action. the enterprise is visiting a planet that has a military coup with several of the crew being held hostage. add to that the new government has control over some new weapons that nearly annilate a klingon fleet. the klingons are bent on revenge and it is up to the enterprise to put back the government in the hands of the old government, stop the new weapon at all cost and prevent the klingons from anniliating everyone on the planet.

this book is well written and probaly the best of the 8 in the series. it will keep you in suspense the whole time.

Sprawl Kills: How Blandburbs Steal Your Time, Health And Money

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Entertaining but the author's got cajones
Figuring out why not living in suburban sprawl makes sense

Sprawl Kills: How Blandburbs Steal Your Time, Health And Money
Joel S. Hirschhorn
Manufacturer: Sterling & Ross Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0976637200

Book Description

Sprawl Kills reveals what land developers and home builders don't want you to hear, and corrupt politicians don't want you to know. It debunks the `American Dream' where `success' means piloting gas-guzzling SUVs to oozing honeycombs in blandburbs developed by greedy developers under the guise of a better life- meaning a large house in which to pacify yourself that a thirty-minute drive to the grocery store is a sane trade off. Sprawl is more than subdivisions - it is a culture of super-size homes for super-size people - it is automobile apartheid - it is the mindset of social isolation. Worst of all, sprawl is causing a phenomena known as Sedentary Death Syndrome that is killing 400,000 Americans yearly.

Sprawl Kills is a hard-hitting book with a new market approach for replacing sprawl with Healthy Places- mixed-use communities that promote active living. It explains why America is balanced precariously on the edge of a cliff, teetering as it looks at two distinct futures. One where citizens are empowered as consumers and voters to get real housing, community and transportation choices for leading healthier, physically active lives, while the other is fraught with obesity, exclusion, worsening traffic, and disappearing greenspace.

You can certainly choose to ignore sprawl, but it will not ignore you. In Sprawl Kills you will learn how to fight corrupt sprawl politics, identify sprawl shills, and kill sprawl, before it kills you.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining but the author's got cajones.......2005-05-29

This guy names names and details how these "sprawl shills" influence small town zoning boards and other manipulated gov't agencies. Besides the warning horn that Dr Hirschorn sounds for all of us to kill sprawl before it kills us, I would be a little concerned about reprisals if there's that much money at stake. A good read though. Entertaining and surprisingly useful. If we don't do something soon we'll be out of land in 25 years-- unless you want to live in Montana.

Figuring out why not living in suburban sprawl makes sense.......2005-05-28

The other books on suburban sprawl never seem to have been written for real people facing tough decisions on where to live. For once, this is a book that tells the truth about why nearly all Americans have little choice other than suburban sprawl for affordable housing. But once you understand the many personal costs of living in "blandburbs" - which is the best word yet for describing suburbia - and have the clear guidance on what Healthy Place alternatives to look for and how to evaluate them, then you have gotten your money's worth. Sprawl Kills is so much more than a description of suburban sprawl; it is all about understanding the corrupt forces limiting our housing and transporation choices, and all about what the commonsense solution is for Americans. I really liked the material on the sprawl industry and sprawl politics, and all the facts about the negative physical and mental health effects of a sprawl lifestyle. This book will help me escape sprawl - finally!

A Time to Kill, a Bantam Audio Cassette, Set of 2 Tapes

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A Time to Kill, a Bantam Audio Cassette, Set of 2 Tapes

Manufacturer: John Grisham, Bantam Audio Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000FJM5UY

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A Time to Kill / The King of Torts
John Grisham
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739342797
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Book Description

A Time to Kill
The life of a ten-year-old black girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until her father acquires an assault rifle–and takes justice into his own outraged hands.
For ten days, with burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spreading through the streets of Clanton, Mississippi, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jack Brigance struggles to save his client’s life… and then his own.

The King of Torts
When Clay Carter of the public defender’s office reluctantly takes the case of a young man charged with a random street killing, he assumes it is just another of the many senseless murders that hit D.C. every week. But as he digs into the background of his client, Clay stumbles on a conspiracy too horrible to believe. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a complex case against one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, looking at the kind of enormous settlement that would totally change his life–that would make him, almost overnight, the legal profession’s newest king of torts . . .

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Action Packed
HIGH TIME TO KILL (BREATH-TAKING 007 JAMES BOND THRILLER)
When do we see Bond again?
A good Bond fan read!
High expectations dashed by plot holes, incompetence

High Time to Kill (007)
Raymond Benson
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515128333
Release Date: 2000-06-05

Book Description

James Bond fights for his life on the icy slopes of the Himalayas as he faces a terrifying new criminal society in a race to retrieve missing military secrets.

Bond is back and bigger than ever. Raymond Benson's novels have reached new heights both in sales and critical acclaim. Kirkus Reviews called The Facts of Death "a postmodern treat." Benson "imbues his Bond with enough honor, sexual prowess and action-hero skills to please the purist and enthrall the novice," says Publishers Weekly.

It's at a dinner party with his old friend the former Governor of the Bahamas that James Bond first encounters the deadly new criminal organization known simply as "The Union." An international group, they specialize in military espionage, theft, intimidation, and murder. When information vital to Britain's national security is stolen, M and 007 suspect that the Union is behind it. Bond's pursuit of the crucial microdot takes him from one of England's most exclusive golf clubs to the frozen heights of one of the world's tallest mountains. His every step is dogged by Union assassins. Their presence alone confirms Bond's worst fear--there is a traitor in Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Customer Reviews:

Action Packed.......2007-02-21

"James Bond:High time to kill"like most james bond movies,is action packed story with a great plot and conflict.The british have created a chemical that would allow planes to go incredible speed.A group of terrorist called a union has stolen the microdot that contains the formula. The plane carrying the unions microdot crashes on kangchenjunga,a mountain in the himalayas. The british organized a team of climbers to go with 007 and retreive the microdot on the mountain the mission is both a race to retrieve the microdot, as well as a survival mission. What makes this book very enjoyable is the plot and setting is actually believable, compare to some other bond stories. This book takes place in the mountains and involves a team of climbers(along with james bond) climbing up the mountain to retreive a microdot. Once you really get into the book,you dont want to stop reading. You always want to find out what will happen next to bond and what new obstacles he will face.
" James Bond: High Time to Kill" is anexcellent book filled with action, suspense, and adventure. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action/adventure books or anyone who wants to read an enjoyable book.

Z.N.
period 5

HIGH TIME TO KILL (BREATH-TAKING 007 JAMES BOND THRILLER).......2006-02-09

Wow! "High Time to Kill" is a 5 star plus thriller!

Indeed as exciting and breath-taking as a 007 James Bond movie!! I could hardly set this book down for even a minute---captivates you completely throughout the entire book----intense; powerful, exciting, exhilerating----You feel like you are right there seeing all the action---A MUST read for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic 007 adventure!!

To me a sign of a truly great writer is one that keeps your interest through the entire book and Raymond Benson does this extremely well!!
I will look forward to reading more of Raymond Benson books!

When do we see Bond again?.......2005-09-13

What is the problem with whoever owns the James Bond franchise? How come we can not get high quality novels like this one every couple of months? Can you say hire a team of good writers to keep the Bond universe alive.

There have been so many Bond type stories out lately, you would think the goverment was paying the salaries (and cut them out in a budget slash) of the writers.

For all of the money we Bond fans have put up for the movies and books, why can't this universe get a life of its own and grow!

Please write us MORE Bond books - Soon!

A good Bond fan read!.......2005-06-26

I didn't know what to think about Raymond Benson, but I found him to be a good writer. High Time To Kill kept me reading to the last page. As a James Bond fan, it was probably not as good as Fleming's books, but was still action-packed, and had an interesting story-line. If you are trying to find this book at a store than your out of luck because it is out of print, and so are all the other Benson Bond novels. I got mine from the liberary. Pretty much anything James Bond is hard to find these days.

High expectations dashed by plot holes, incompetence.......2005-05-03

How much I desperately wanted to like this novel and how hopeful I was to give it five stars. Unfortunately however there are some inescapable problems with this, Benson's third Bond novel.
As a fan of the movie (and book) of the Clint Eastwood spy movie "The Eiger Sanction" that also covers a spy having to mount an expedition up a notorious mountain, I liked what I had heard about this work. But, whereas the earlier work had a legitimate reason for the spy to make the trip (identify an enemy agent), this effort (by respected 007 fan Benson) is immediately fraught with plot holes, that are not helped by Benson's wooden prose.
I hold the utmost respect for Benson. He knows more about the character of James Bond than I could ever hope to. His reference book "The Bedside Companion" is rated by fans as one of the best, if not the best, piece of non-fiction on the character created by Ian Fleming in 1952's "Casino Royale." A character that became a seminal part of the worlds pop culture a decade later when DOCTOR NO exploded onto cinema screens starring a little-known actor named Sean Connery.
The plot involves the theft of a chemical named Skin 17 that has been developed by the British as a means that would allow planes to travel at Mach 7 without falling apart. An interesting MacGuffin surely, a mysterious terrorist group known as the Union (Benson's version of SPECTRE) has stolen the formula and has hidden a microdot with the critical information in the pacemaker of a Chinese national.
All seems to be going to plan until said national crashes into the side of a Nepalese mountain we are informed is the third highest peak in the world. The race is on.
Here lies the major problem. The plane that crashes is a twin propeller plane. We are told that it landed on a fairly level section of the mountain not far from the peak. However instead of sending men up by helicopter (many helicopters out there have flight ceilings higher than the twin-prop used), and wearing pressurized suits to recover the microdot immediately, the British decide to spend a month putting together a team to scale the mountain - why? There is no reason explained.
Aside from this principal problem with the very crux of the story, Benson (who in his defense was not a professional writer before being offered the gig by Fleming's estate) commits the cardinal sin by debunking a key piece of Bond lore laid out by Fleming himself.
In the novel "You Only Live Twice" Bond is believed dead and his boss M even writes his obituary. In it Fleming tells us that Bond was kicked out of Eton after two halves (or 2/3rds of the way through a year). However Benson has Bond musing about his two years at Eton in one of the earliest chapters.
Another continuity error is obvious to even the most casual reader. During the car chase outside Brussels, Bond deploys a remote controlled hovering weapon from the undercarriage of his Bentley called a "scout." Half way through the battle Bond returns it to its position under the car, yet a couple of pages later we are told that it is still hovering 30 feet above the Bentley. It is continuity errors like this, and Benson's troublesome prose and apparent lack of understanding of grammar that has me seriously questioning the ability of his book editor.
A book for which I had high expectations that left me shaking my head at its show of incompetence (on the part of the editor).
Sorry Raymond :(
(Note to reader - update to come on this title. Factors have come to light thanks to author Raymond Benson which cast this title in a more favorable light)

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time to kill

Time to Kill
Brian Freemantle
Manufacturer: Severn House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0727864467

Book Description

A tense revenge thriller - Jack Mason, once Russia's most successful CIA embedded traitor, has spent the last fifteen years in a penitentiary planning his vengeance on the defector who exposed him. Former KGB Colonel Dimitri Sobell has made a life for himself in America. Until he gets an official letter advising him of the man's impending release, he'd virtually forgotten Jack Mason. But Mason hasn't forgotten, and when these two men are pitted against each other, only one outcome is possible the death of whoever makes the one fatal mistake.

Customer Reviews:

time to kill.......2007-06-27

Very poorly written by a topshelf author. Wasn't vetted and too idiosyncratic for the US reader.

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