The Faculty Club

Combine Harlan Coben, Stephen King, and John Grisham and you get an entertaining new read, The Faculty Club. The narrative draws you in from the first page. The prose style is breezy and engaging. The book should appeal to age groups from young adult on. However, unlike some thrillers, The Faculty Club makes sure that it takes the time to establish the setting and characters fully before the adventures begin to appear at a breakneck pace. The characters themselves are fully drawn and not cardboard cutouts. The heroes at times disappoint us, and rest assured that the villains have fully deliberated the philosophical underpinnings of their villainy. For those of us unfamiliar with the rarified air of the Ivy League, the novel serves as a fascinating glimpse into this world for the rest of us as viewed through the eyes of a public-schooled, middle American protagonist. I enjoyed seeing this world for myself as described by the narrator. Readers be warned that this novel contains elements of legal, conspiracy, and supernatural thrillers. This may take some readers by surprise. However, all of these genres are executed with skill, so those who normally read only one variety of thriller will get a capable introduction to forms that they might not ordinarily undertake. Although this is a great summer beach read, the book also probes and questions. Without giving away too much, the book explores issues of the limits of government and the governed as well as the limits of what individuals are capable of in order to achieve their goals. The author instructs and provokes us at the same time that he thoroughly entertains us. The Faculty Club is an enjoyable effort that engages as it entertains - a thinking person's thriller. When I got to the end of one chapter, I found myself compelled to proceed on to the next. Once you start, you will have trouble putting it down.

A great read! Just be prepared to devote all your time to it once you begin. The Faculty Club tells the story of Jeremy Davis, a first-year law student at "the greatest law school in the world", who gets involved with a mysterious club whose secrets threaten his life and the lives of those he loves. The novel combines thrills, humor, the supernatural, mind games, and philosophy into a book I could not put down until I had finished the last page. The author writes vividly and his characters are well-drawn and three dimensional--all people I felt like I knew well by the end of the book. I especially enjoyed the relationship and interactions between Jeremy and Sarah, a medical student he encounters at the Ivy League university he attends. The plot twists will keep you guessing, the puzzles will make you think, and the moral dilemmas will keep you pondering as to what choices you would make. The book crosses genres between a contemporary mystery and a supernatural thriller, so suspend belief and just go where it takes you--it will be a fun ride! I thought it was a really good read, and I highly recommend it.

I read this book in a night. It's thrilling and never stops moving. What I was most impressed by was the character development, which was in no way shortchanged by the pace of the book. The characters are eminently believable, and very easy to sympathize with. By the end, you can't bear the thought of anything happening to them--which is right where the author wants you. An impressive book, by an impressive new author.

I loved this book as it kept me entertained the entire way. I did not want to put it down at all and finished it in three days in my limited time. This book had great mystery and suspense and will teach you many interesting ancient facts along the way. Definitely a must read!

I loved this book! It is a fun, fast, easy read, perfect for lazing on the beach or by the pool. It drew me in right away with descriptions of a prestigious ivy league "top law school" and all the lore that goes with it. And then, it propelled me down a crazy supernatural path as the main character gets in way over his head vying for a spot in a dangerous secret society. The plot morphs from believable to fantastical, a la Harry Potter and Twilight. The characters have enough depth to make them interesting, and they're far from perfect, which makes them much more human and sympathetic. I found myself wanting to find out what happened next and finished the book in just a few sittings. An intelligent, fun read!