Customer Reviews

9 Scorpions

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is one of those rare books that enlightens while it entertains. The view of the inner sanctum of the U.S. Supreme Court reveals details not known by most Americans. The story is suspenseful and exciting; the characters are extremely well-drawn.

I found 9 Scorpions too contrived. I read in an interview that Paul Levine wanted to write for a woman from a woman's point of view. Of course that woman is model-beautiful, a former stripper and a brilliant lawyer-to-be, living in a luxury apartment with a closet-full of expensive clothes, all paid for by a sugar daddy. And of course the man she's working for/falling in love with is charming, handsome and powerful (and in a bad marriage, natch). Yeah, real life going on here. It was ludicrous and stupid. Paul, stick to Jake.

9 Scorpions is a different Paul Levine novel. There's no sign of Jake Lassiter, but no shortage of unique characters. The dialogue is especially clever. Through the plot, the inner workings of airlines, trial courts, and the United States Supreme Court are shown. There's enough detail to move the plot, but not so much that you get bogged down on it. The action takes off quickly and then accelerates. You feel like you're one of the characters in one of the many times the protagonists (one a stripper turned Supreme Court clerk and the other an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court) are in personal jeapardy, which is often. The bad guys are very bad, with the primary bad guy one of the last people you'd ever want to meet. 9 Scorpions is a fast read and a great ride. I think it's the breakout novel for Paul Levine.

One of the reasons I love mysteries is their ability to show aspects of life and society while telling a good story. I bought this book because I thought a mystery set in the Supreme Court would be very interesting. The bits and pieces about the court are there, but the writing is so contrived, and the main characters so unbelievable, that I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Supposedly the writer was writing from a woman's point of view, but this is a woman as only a man could imagine her, with little depth and everything caught up in sexuality. He repeatedly describes her physical appearance, what she's wearing, and how she's thinking about sex with the various men she's involved with. Her central conflict, whether to honor the law or her prior commitments, is phoney, and in any case is drowned out by the constant attention to when she's going to sleep with whom and why. The idea that she would scheme to get a clerkship just to affect the decision on one case coming before the court is beyond unbelievable. The plot itself is one note, with almost no changes in direction, only new episodes of (supposedly) scary violence to move it along.

I wish I would have checked this book out of the library instead of buying it. I have read much better legal suspense thrillers....I considered putting this book on the shelf without finishing it. Shank was such an awful character, too bad he didn't get poisoned by eating the fish, but he did get what he deserved in the end. This book didn't become a "page turner" soon enough.

And I mean that in a good way. We think of the Supreme Court as sacrosanct. Honorable Justices in their black robes. We even call them, "the Honorable Mr. Justice Etc." But what goes on in chambers? And what about those ambitious, brainy law clerks, the power behind the throne. Levine gets at all of that in a book that raises the question: How would you steal a case at the Supreme Court? His answer is seduction and extortion of the newest and youngest Justice. Sam Truitt hires a sexy, smart law clerk named Lisa Fremont, who's working undercover (hah!) for the key executive of an airline with a massive case before the Court. You see where this is going, or you think you do. Yep, there's sex, violence...and a raw sense of justice. The pace is a hundred miles an hour. It's a great, wild, suspenseful ride. (I think I've read most, if not all, of Levine's Jake Lassiter series, and I'm glad to see that "To Speak for the Dead" and "Night Vision" are FINALLY on Kindle).

If you want a book that's just a fun read, this book is great. the plot is somewhat complicated, but not really. lots of sex and violence. lots of cliches as well.

however, i have never read a book with more one-dimensional characters in my life. the main characters are a judge who is a totally unbelievable cross of davy crockett and oliver wendell holmes, a stipper-turned-lawyer with an IQ off the charts who spends the whole book pondering her sex life(past,present, and future), and a sociopathic thug that just wants to kill everybody. reading this book, its easy to predict exactly what will come next.

like i said, for a fun read, pick it up. just dont expect it to tax your brain too much

I listened to this abridged audiobook through an afternoon of housecleaning (hey, don't knock it 'till you try it). This was fairly decent. I'm not a huge fan of legal thrillers - I've only read one or two Grishams, and never before read Levine, but the storyline was a bit interesting and, to me at least, fresh in the choices of characters. A former stripper/bad girl, Lisa was rescued by Max, who supported her through law school and has just called Lisa in on a very big favour.

He's placing her with a Supreme Court Justice, and he wants her to sway his vote on an airline case in regards to a terrorist-related crash. But as Lisa learns more of just who Max is - and what he's done - and the case seems more and more of a conspiracy to hide the Airline's lies, she feels herself swaying in her loyalty, not to mention falling for the Justice in the first place.

This romantic angle between Lisa and the Supreme Court Justice that seemed a little forced on the abridged audio version - they fall into bed and love at about the same time, which is somewhat abrupt, and I was somewhat surprised at the time. Still, for thrills, this delivered - there's chases, gunfights, and everything one expects from a rough and tumble legal thriller with edge. Especially in audiobook format (and read well by Bamman), this was enjoyable.

'Nathan

I first read Paul Levine's "Flesh & Bones," which was a murder mystery set in the modeling world. As a model, I thought it was realistic and sexy and thoroughly enjoyed it. "Flesh & Bones" is really different, but it's a thrilling read. Very sexy, very smart. A Supreme Court judge gets involved with his young female law clerk, a woman who knows how to manipulate men and get their "votes." Levine knows women, and it shows. He also knows the Supreme Court. I loved it.

Sex inside the Supreme Court, who'd have thought it? Justice Sam Truitt sure doesn't look like William Rehnquist, and his law clerk, Lisa Fremont, is as beautiful as she is smart. This is a fresh kind of legal thriller. Behind the red velvet drapes of our highest court lurks corruption, seduction, and betrayal. I loved it and hope there's a sequel!