• The Rooster Bar

  • By: John Grisham
  • Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
  • Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (16,705 ratings)

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The Rooster Bar  By  cover art

The Rooster Bar

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
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Publisher's summary

Number one New York Times best-selling author John Grisham's newest legal thriller takes you inside a law firm that's on shaky ground.

Mark, Todd, and Zola came to law school to change the world, to make it a better place. But now, as third-year students, these close friends realize they have been duped. They all borrowed heavily to attend a third-tier, for-profit law school so mediocre that its graduates rarely pass the bar exam, let alone get good jobs. And when they learn that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator who also happens to own a bank specializing in student loans, the three know they have been caught up in The Great Law School Scam.

But maybe there's a way out. Maybe there's a way to escape their crushing debt, expose the bank and the scam, and make a few bucks in the process. But to do so, they would first have to quit school. And leaving law school a few short months before graduation would be completely crazy, right? Well, yes and no...

Pull up a stool, grab a cold one, and get ready to spend some time at The Rooster Bar.

©2017 John Grisham (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"With quiet certitude, narrator Ari Fliakos captures the mounting despair of three contemporary law students... Fliakos begins the story at a sedate pace but soon picks up speed to match the plot. He hits his stride as Mark, Todd, and Zola realize the bind they're in - and who might be to blame." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Rooster Bar

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Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    8,289
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    2 out of 5 stars

Story=Terrible

This book rambles for about 9.5 hours and then very quickly ties up loose ends and quits. As someone who has been binging Grisham's books back to back, the decrease in the quality of his work over his career is stunning.

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145 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Sticking it to the Man


Grisham's skillful consistency is incredible, a writer so creative and talented that you can depend on almost anything he publishes holding you in its clutches in a cold sweat until its conclusion. Before I read this book, I would have omitted the *almost* from the previous sentence. The Rooster Bar is one of those that is interesting... enough. It didn't grab me by the throat, but it does have the Grisham touch of excellence in structure and development, if not in its plot line. The characters around whom the story revolves are difficult to like unless you are one of the thousands that are buried to your elbows in debt from law school tuition. (If so...you will LOVE this). And, even though the author explains the origin of his idea for this plot, it's hard to swallow. The escape plan seemed drafted by Rube Goldberg, each new idea creating a domino effect both impractical and improbable. It's a stretch of imagination born of desperation to even begin to relate to these law school drop outs breaking the law in order to stick it to the man. (Stuff dreams are made of.) The characters and the motivation driving this plot might be too esoteric.

I wonder if this level of civil disobedience would really get so far...and that is exactly the thought that kept interrupting Grisham's hold on me while I listened. I did, however, find the discussion about the cost of a law degree (and many other college degrees) shocking and disgusting, and had to spend time looking up the cost of all the possible professions my kids might choose. It was terrifying and has me clipping coupons and considering coming out of retirement. Grisham fans will still be fans, but for an initiation to this author, or for those only mildly entertained by previous works by this author I have to say...Cock-a-doodle-don't.

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87 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Can't believe this got great reviews

I think this book is a "bus book". In other words, it can be read on the train. When reading text, its possible to skim sections or speed read. Not so with an audio book, unless you like chipmunk voices. Got to chapter 14 of 44. Very slow and dull. Not very good writing. Very unimaginative writing. Gave up. Not a page turner in the audio form.

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69 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Think he was trying for a younger audience.

I usually love John Grisham books. This felt like a older mans opinion on how younger men think and act. Seemed forced and a little predictable. Ending wasn’t very satisfying.

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41 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Decent read / not his best

I'm not entirely sure Grisham wrote this book - after 27 books I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one but this one was a bit of a letdown. I had 2 issues with this book - first, without giving away the plot (and fully understanding this is a work of fiction) he's rewarding illegal behavior and creating reader sympathy for characters who are breaking the law. I even found myself feeling sorry for them - then remembering their behavior was illegal. Second - the first 3/4 of the book had no real story - you were just following the main characters through everyday life without any sort of mystery or plot development.

I would totally read / buy anything John Grisham writes - I've loved too many of his books to let a single one let me down. In the end it was just OK - I expected more. And again, I'm not sure he even wrote this because it's just not like him.

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30 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

boring story I saw coming every step of the way.

it's hard to connect with characters that really completely make bad decisions throughout all aspects of their lives. I honestly didn't care what happened to any of them... and it doesn't seem like anyone in the book received Justice.

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27 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Not his best

I'm a huge Grisham fan. A Time to Kill was the first book I read. I definitely enjoy the legal thrillers the most. I honestly just didn't get into this book like I usually do. Maybe because I didn't especially like the main characters.

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27 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

The Rooster Bar Never Really Takes Off

Was left waiting for the rich plot narritave, so characteristic of Grisham's work.

Never did connect as the characters developed. For instance there was no feeling of urgency or tension as the law closes in.

As an avid reader of Grisham's work, the overall experience was not what I have come to expect.

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25 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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snooze

I bought this to listen to on my cross country drive. I actually turned this book off several times, to get a. break from it. I preferred static on the radio at times and the long search of something to find on a channel.

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21 people found this helpful

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  • JC
  • 10-24-17

Another Excellent Simple Prescient Story from the Master:

The Rooster Bar is a well timed commentary on the current state of crushing student debt and the fraud perpetrated in pursuit of riches by criminal conspiracies.

Grisham effortlessly tackles current events in a simple and straightforward and entertaining way. This book will have real meaning to law students and lawyers alike. However, the general public will feel the anxiety and friction just the same.

Grisham is a master entertainer, and he does not disappoint—new subject matter sometimes turns people off as this is a departure. But, I still loved it!

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19 people found this helpful