Grisham Takes On Torts In
His Last Big Lawyer Novel (For Now)
King of Torts by John Grisham
If you have been exposed to an insider's view of a class action lawsuit, you will quickly realize that John Grisham's King of Torts has not exaggerated much. The novel of seamy ambulance chasing at the multi-million dollar level in a private jet has the ring of authenticity typically found in exposes.
That is not to say that Grisham's lawyer tale is anything more than his suspense-laden, dialogue-driven light reading, but having seen first-hand how certain lawyers can circle a company in trouble, I have a little more respect for Grisham's settings.
The period of legal thrillers that vaulted John Grisham on to the best seller lists and into the movies was perhaps capped by The King of Torts. The novel certainly isn't his best and not even be his best in this particular genre. Marked by his ear for dialogue, a decent but too fast paced plot, a well constructed Washington, D.C. setting and the machinations of a big firm's effort to capture business, The King of Torts is still an interest read. Without major tort form the plot may even strike fear into the heart of most businesspeople who pick up the paperback while looking for a light diversion.
The Plot In Exactly 100 Words
Clay is a good guy. You know that because he is a public defender, looking out for the little guy. Then he is approached to front a settlement offer. Not realizing and eventually not caring that he is simply the decoy, Clay trades his Ramen noodles for a shot at the big time. After settling the case, he is given another opportunity to force a company into large settlements to avoid litigation. While surrounded by the trappings of the newly rich who don't know how to spend appropriately, Clay must choose how he wants his life and career to continue.
What Works Well
John Grisham's moralizing usually takes place in a black and white world of corruption. In The King of Torts, shades of gray abound. Clay and his cronies are not doing anything wrong for the most part. Theirs is an ethical issue that Grisham firmly squashes with contempt. The reader can give him credit for taking the high road although Grisham seems quite capable of pointing out when he does the right thing.
Perhaps most in this story, Grisham writes choppy plot segments like James Patterson. The story careens through events until the reader has suspended disbelief for so long that the nugget of truth in the plot swells to encompass the entire story. Brand name authors constantly pull that off, and their faithful readers keep buying the familiar stories because they are a known commodity. One wonders if Grisham were already casting which actor should play Clay in the movie adaptation as he wrote. Ordinarily that would be a drawback, but this period in Grisham's history is marked by constantly returning to the tried and true, and he does so well here.
What Doesn't Work As Well
The plot quickly reaches a point where a perfect storm analogy is appropriate. Things come far too easily for Clay, even if he is initially just a pawn. While I don't mind accepting instant riches or celebrity, a dose of reality is welcome as well. Simply using a device to allow more time to pass before Clay became a "king" would have been more welcome.
The other issue I had with the story is a poorly written romance. Calling the sub-plot a failed love story would be kind. Luckily, Grisham escaped this level of formula and moved on to novels like A Painted House.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
The legal portion of the plot makes pretty good popcorn reading. Had Grisham stayed in that plot and slowed the pace a bit, the popcorn might have been even more tasty.
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. This appears to be the culmination of Grisham's "Young Lawyer Succeeds Against The System" novels.
2. The setting is well done, and the backdrop of class action lawsuits is spot-on.
3. The romance sub-plot is awful.
4. Don't be surprised as the always fast paced Grisham starts to channel James Patterson and write in lightning fast chapters and choppy narrative.
5. Like all Grisham novels, this one was a best seller as well. Reading John Grisham is like listening to Michael Jackson -- a guilty pleasure, but someone buys those millions of units.
