lanica's review against another edition
4.0
I have not read any other books in this series. I don't know the background of Cole, Pike or their relationship, but that didn't make this book any less enjoyable. I loved the characters and the plot and if I hadn't been told it was a series I wouldn't have known.
Pike is a rough ex-military man who seems shut off and aloof. He's a cold, silent killer who doesn't need many words to get things done. I love this sort of characters, in books, because you get to see the person from inside. You feel what he feels, even though those around him just see the mercenary. When he learns of his friends death he has emotions, he just doesn't show them. You can't get that across in a movie. When the plot progresses and people question the morals of his friends, he had doubts, but he doesn't allow anyone to see them. By the end of the book I was completely buying his feelings, his emotions, even though no one else (except perhaps Cole) knew what was happening behind the sunglasses.
The plot had twists, betrayals, surprises and an eminently satisfying ending. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride and at only one point did I arrive at the twist before the story laid it out for me. I find that I've read so much that I often see where the plot is heading before the end of the book. That was not the case here. I was surprised by the ending, then the twist, then the final ending...it was very satisfying!
I would give it a 4.5 stars if given the choice, based on overall literary value, but rounded up because it was so gripping and I was hooked the whole way through.
Pike is a rough ex-military man who seems shut off and aloof. He's a cold, silent killer who doesn't need many words to get things done. I love this sort of characters, in books, because you get to see the person from inside. You feel what he feels, even though those around him just see the mercenary. When he learns of his friends death he has emotions, he just doesn't show them. You can't get that across in a movie. When the plot progresses and people question the morals of his friends, he had doubts, but he doesn't allow anyone to see them. By the end of the book I was completely buying his feelings, his emotions, even though no one else (except perhaps Cole) knew what was happening behind the sunglasses.
The plot had twists, betrayals, surprises and an eminently satisfying ending. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride and at only one point did I arrive at the twist before the story laid it out for me. I find that I've read so much that I often see where the plot is heading before the end of the book. That was not the case here. I was surprised by the ending, then the twist, then the final ending...it was very satisfying!
I would give it a 4.5 stars if given the choice, based on overall literary value, but rounded up because it was so gripping and I was hooked the whole way through.
sirbijan's review against another edition
3.0
Typical of Pike series, liked it, but the ending was too cliché.
coliver2's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid volume in the fantastic Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series.
bookhawk's review against another edition
4.0
The First Rule is the second book with Joe Pike as the main character. Crais always writes action scenes well and develops a plot well. This was a big improvement from the first Joe Pike main protagonist book as it brought out Joe's background more and made him seem a little more human even if not a conversationalist.
baya_111's review against another edition
4.0
I just love this series and it's so easy to read. This one really felt like you got the answers at the very end but I enjoyed it anyways
lwalker77's review against another edition
4.0
Overall I enjoyed this book. I give it a solid 4 stars. I am intrigued by the Joe Pike character and want to read some more of the Pike books. I also want to check out the Elvis Cole books by Robert Crais.
2nd Read
Really enjoyed this book the second time around. I’ve read all the prior books in the series and this was very good for the development of the Joe Pike character. Great book in a great series!
2nd Read
Really enjoyed this book the second time around. I’ve read all the prior books in the series and this was very good for the development of the Joe Pike character. Great book in a great series!
gmvader's review against another edition
4.0
The First Rule, on the surface, appears to be another Jack Reacher novel with a different name. I don’t know if Jack Reacher was even the first super tough guy takes down bad guys left and right and cleans up America while he’s at it type of novel (I suspect not) but it was the first one I encountered so I judge other books by their relation to it. Robert Crais is writing about a former mercenary turned PI, Joe Pike. Unlike Reacher Pike actually has to exercise, eat healthy and stay in shape to be the scariest guy in town. However when a member of his former unit gets killed by a local gang he’s willing to tear down the entire city to bring in the killers.
The difference here is that Crais has populated this story with real people who are actually dangerous. Pike has friends, that he trusts and the police he cooperates with are competent enough to do their job without him taking over the entire department and teaching them how to handle this new situation that they’ve never encountered before. In other words it begins to feel real.
The First Rule is short, just over three hundred pages, but Crais packs enough story into that space that it feels compact, rather than abrupt. Pike does the legwork necessary to learn the answers to his questions, they don’t come too easily and the action scenes are interspersed with slower moments of calm.
I find there are three levels of prose. The first is writing that is so beautiful that it draws attention to itself and is noticeable, the second is what I call invisible prose. I read the entire book and if you asked me how well it was written I could not tell you because the words were busy working and communicating and I didn’t even notice them. The third is writing so bad that I can’t read the story because I’m too busy wincing at the word choices. One and two can be good or bad, depending on what kind of story it is. Three is never good.
Some examples of number one are Daniel Abraham, Ursula K. LeGuin, and J. R. R. Tolkien. These are the good examples, the ones who can also tell a good story at the same time. There are other authors who are so caught up in the crafting of poetic combinations of words and text that they forget that there is a purpose behind those words — I have as hard a time reading those as I do the number three.
Examples of number two are too numerous to name — the vast majority of what I read is like this and usually that’s just fine. I’m reading for the story, not the art.
Crais is firmly in the second one — which is not a bad thing.
I’ll be looking for more by Robert Crais in the future.
The difference here is that Crais has populated this story with real people who are actually dangerous. Pike has friends, that he trusts and the police he cooperates with are competent enough to do their job without him taking over the entire department and teaching them how to handle this new situation that they’ve never encountered before. In other words it begins to feel real.
The First Rule is short, just over three hundred pages, but Crais packs enough story into that space that it feels compact, rather than abrupt. Pike does the legwork necessary to learn the answers to his questions, they don’t come too easily and the action scenes are interspersed with slower moments of calm.
I find there are three levels of prose. The first is writing that is so beautiful that it draws attention to itself and is noticeable, the second is what I call invisible prose. I read the entire book and if you asked me how well it was written I could not tell you because the words were busy working and communicating and I didn’t even notice them. The third is writing so bad that I can’t read the story because I’m too busy wincing at the word choices. One and two can be good or bad, depending on what kind of story it is. Three is never good.
Some examples of number one are Daniel Abraham, Ursula K. LeGuin, and J. R. R. Tolkien. These are the good examples, the ones who can also tell a good story at the same time. There are other authors who are so caught up in the crafting of poetic combinations of words and text that they forget that there is a purpose behind those words — I have as hard a time reading those as I do the number three.
Examples of number two are too numerous to name — the vast majority of what I read is like this and usually that’s just fine. I’m reading for the story, not the art.
Crais is firmly in the second one — which is not a bad thing.
I’ll be looking for more by Robert Crais in the future.
beecheralyson's review against another edition
5.0
I love Robert Crais' books and this is no exception. I have really enjoyed the slight change he has made in doing books from Joe Pike's perspective rather than just Elvis Cole's POV. This was a great follow up to the Watchman and I would say definitely a better read than Chasing Darkness.
appalonia's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really good entry in Pike's series. Back in the day Pike led a team of professional mercenaries, a few of which we meet in this book. Frank Meyer fell in love and with Pike's encouragement left that life behind, having two children and a home in the burbs. He was happy and content -- until the day gunmen invaded his home and murdered the entire family, including the nanny. When police question Pike he finds out that Frank's isn't the first in the neighborhood to be hit, and the others were all criminals. Pike sets out to avenge his friend and clear Frank's name in the process.
I found everything Pike did in this book fit within the framework of the character I already know (and love). If you've read all Crais' books, you know Elvis and Pike operate by different "codes". There are no unpleasant surprises in this book where one acts out of character. I'm not always happy about Pike's choices, but they are believable and understandable. Crais knows his characters well and the storyline was tightly plotted and compelling. Four and a half stars.
I found everything Pike did in this book fit within the framework of the character I already know (and love). If you've read all Crais' books, you know Elvis and Pike operate by different "codes". There are no unpleasant surprises in this book where one acts out of character. I'm not always happy about Pike's choices, but they are believable and understandable. Crais knows his characters well and the storyline was tightly plotted and compelling. Four and a half stars.