A review by weaselweader
The Broker, by John Grisham
4.0
The unique (and successful) combination of thriller with a European travelogue!
With technology stolen from two US defense contractors, a cutting edge satellite surveillance system dubbed Neptune was secretly built and launched under the very nose of the CIA and the rest of the world's elite spy communities - Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, England and China. Nobody even knew of the system's top secret existence (let alone who was operating it) until two brilliant Pakistani computer wizards unwittingly hacked into the system and parlayed that illicit entry into an astonishing piece of software capable of hijacking, manipulating and neutralizing the system.
When greed and human nature drive these naive programmers into the arms of Washington power broker, Joel Backman, to ask for his help in shopping the knowledge of the clandestine satellite system and their superlative software package to the highest bidder, the best laid plans of mice and men and crafty programmers and Washington lawyers are smashed into a million tiny pieces. The hapless young hackers are assassinated and never seen from again and Joel Backman is indicted and hidden away in prison on some nebulous but entirely bogus conspiracy and treason charges. The reputation of his multi-million dollar legal firm is shattered, his partner commits suicide (maybe?) and his son's reputation is left in tatters.
The story really begins in earnest when a cynical, conniving director of the CIA and an unscrupulous outgoing president hatch an idea to solve the continuing puzzle of who owns Neptune. Grant Backman a pardon, create a false identity for him in another country, be a little less than 100% efficient in guarding this identity and location and, finally, sit back to see who comes gunning for him!
Joel Backman's character as a man, a failed father, a wealthy lawyer and power broker, a broken prisoner, a driven student of culture and language and a newly minted caring lover is exceptionally well-developed. Francesca Ferro, his language tutor, is equally well crafted and a wonderfully detailed study of an enigmatic and sophisticated but very human European woman.
While its fundamental premise is a tad over the top and registers a little low on the credibility meter, THE BROKER is an enjoyable spy vs spy suspense thriller with the legal overtones for which Grisham is so well known. It's a cautionary tale that warns of the dangers of power without checks, balances and accountability. It's a dark and sinister story that should terrify readers about the extent to which an unscrupulous government spy agency will go, ostensibly in the interests of national security.
Finally, and perhaps this will be quite difficult to believe, it is also a charming low-key romance and a wonderfully informative travelogue on Italian life in the city of Bologna. By the bye, THE BROKER also relates an exceptionally interesting narrative of the difficulties of cultural assimilation and learning a foreign language. As surprising as the juxtaposition of these story components may be, Grisham has pulled it all off quite effortlessly. It's not a combination that will work and be of interest to every reader but I found it thoroughly enjoyable and charming at the same time as it was exciting.
THE BROKER is a fine addition to Grisham's already excellent and well-stocked body of work. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
With technology stolen from two US defense contractors, a cutting edge satellite surveillance system dubbed Neptune was secretly built and launched under the very nose of the CIA and the rest of the world's elite spy communities - Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, England and China. Nobody even knew of the system's top secret existence (let alone who was operating it) until two brilliant Pakistani computer wizards unwittingly hacked into the system and parlayed that illicit entry into an astonishing piece of software capable of hijacking, manipulating and neutralizing the system.
When greed and human nature drive these naive programmers into the arms of Washington power broker, Joel Backman, to ask for his help in shopping the knowledge of the clandestine satellite system and their superlative software package to the highest bidder, the best laid plans of mice and men and crafty programmers and Washington lawyers are smashed into a million tiny pieces. The hapless young hackers are assassinated and never seen from again and Joel Backman is indicted and hidden away in prison on some nebulous but entirely bogus conspiracy and treason charges. The reputation of his multi-million dollar legal firm is shattered, his partner commits suicide (maybe?) and his son's reputation is left in tatters.
The story really begins in earnest when a cynical, conniving director of the CIA and an unscrupulous outgoing president hatch an idea to solve the continuing puzzle of who owns Neptune. Grant Backman a pardon, create a false identity for him in another country, be a little less than 100% efficient in guarding this identity and location and, finally, sit back to see who comes gunning for him!
Joel Backman's character as a man, a failed father, a wealthy lawyer and power broker, a broken prisoner, a driven student of culture and language and a newly minted caring lover is exceptionally well-developed. Francesca Ferro, his language tutor, is equally well crafted and a wonderfully detailed study of an enigmatic and sophisticated but very human European woman.
While its fundamental premise is a tad over the top and registers a little low on the credibility meter, THE BROKER is an enjoyable spy vs spy suspense thriller with the legal overtones for which Grisham is so well known. It's a cautionary tale that warns of the dangers of power without checks, balances and accountability. It's a dark and sinister story that should terrify readers about the extent to which an unscrupulous government spy agency will go, ostensibly in the interests of national security.
Finally, and perhaps this will be quite difficult to believe, it is also a charming low-key romance and a wonderfully informative travelogue on Italian life in the city of Bologna. By the bye, THE BROKER also relates an exceptionally interesting narrative of the difficulties of cultural assimilation and learning a foreign language. As surprising as the juxtaposition of these story components may be, Grisham has pulled it all off quite effortlessly. It's not a combination that will work and be of interest to every reader but I found it thoroughly enjoyable and charming at the same time as it was exciting.
THE BROKER is a fine addition to Grisham's already excellent and well-stocked body of work. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss