Post #12: The Chamber

I'm back (after a month and new year)! New year, so a new book, The Chamber, by John Grisham (Who else? I mean, he's my favorite author by far). John Grisham is my favorite because the stories he tells, they're just so, compelling, they're all great legal thrillers, which, as you might guess, is my favorite genre of book. I chose this book knowing that I needed a new book (The Appeal was pretty good), and this was the only title I could think of. So I went to the store and bought it.

Now on to book itself. I'm only one chapter in, but this one chapter was all I needed to set up the rest of the book. Taking place during the 60's and the civil rights movement, Marvin Kramer has worked for civil rights for all. In Mississippi. In one of the places, at this time, that wasn't totally excited about civil rights. Marvin Kramer isn't our protagonist, however. Instead, it is Sam Cayhall, a former Klansman. As he is against civil rights, he decides to bomb the Kramer offices with two associates, Jeremiah Dogen and Rollie Wedge. They're roles in the bombing are actually outlined in the first paragraph, as Grisham states, The decision to bomb the office of a radical Jew lawyer was reached with relative ease. Only three people were involved in the process. The first was the man with the money (Dogen). The second was a local operative who knew the territory (Cayhall). And the third was a young patriot and zealot with a talent for explosives and an astonishing knack for disappearing without a trail (Wedge) (Grisham 1).

See how this book starts? They set the entire case up the reason for the rest of the story in a paragraph! Not to mention, but the first paragraph. This is what I love about Grisham's writing. His way of hooking you into the book is so powerful, it makes you want to continue reading, always. As for why Cayhall is the protagonist, rather than Kramer, Dogen, or Wedge, is because Dogen and Wedge escape. The bomb that was set didn't exactly go off. Cayhill was walking back to the building when it did go off. When it did go off, Kramer was with his five year-old twins inside. Sadly, Kramer was the only one to survive of the three. Cayhall, meanwhile, was injured in the explosion but was quickly leaving the site in his green Pontiac, bloody face and all. When the cops were on their way to the bombing, he refused to move over and blocked them. When they saw his bloody face, they realized that he was the bomber, as he was getting away from the scene. And that's where the chapter ends.

I already know that this is going to be a great book (and not just because it's written by Grisham). He sets up the story-line well, has an compelling plot, interesting set of characters, Etc.

Thanks to those who continue to read my posts, it means a lot. Have a happy new year, and more successful posts.