Eclipse | 
| Author: Richard North Patterson
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
List Price: $26.00
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Rating:  35 reviews
Sales Rank: 744
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 384
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0805087729
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780805087727
ASIN: 0805087729
Publication Date: January 6, 2009 (New: This Week)
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Product Description
The spellbinding story of an American lawyer who takes on a nearly impossible case—the defense of an African freedom fighter against his corrupt government’s charge of murder Damon Pierce’s life has just reached a defining moment: a gifted California lawyer, he’s being divorced by his wife and his work often seems soulless. Then he receives a frantic e-mail from Marissa Brand Okari—a woman he loved years ago—and decides to risk everything to respond to her plea for help. Marissa’s husband, Bobby Okari, is the charismatic leader of a freedom movement in the volatile west African nation of Luandia, which is being torn apart by the world’s craving for its vast supply of oil. Bobby’s outspoken opposition to the exploitation of his homeland by PetroGlobal—a giant American oil company with close ties to Luandia’s brutal government—has enraged General Savior Karama, the country’s autocratic ruler. After Bobby leads a protest rally during a full eclipse of the sun, everyone in his home village is massacred by government troops. And now Bobby has been arrested and charged with the murder of three PetroGlobal workers. Still drawn to Marissa, Pierce agrees to defend Bobby, hoping to save both Bobby and Marissa from almost certain death. But the lethal politics of Luandia may cost Pierce his life instead. Culminating in a dramatic show trial and a desperate race against time, Eclipse combines a thrilling narrative with a vivid look at the human cost of the global lust for oil. Here is Richard North Patterson at his compelling best, confirming his place as our most provocative author of popular fiction.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 30 more reviews...
 Another forgettable effort December 7, 2008
mrliteral
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Richard North Patterson is a one-time great writer who has fallen on lean times in his last few books. Eclipse, his latest book, is a slight improvement over recent works, but is still just passable at best.
The hero of Eclipse is Damon Pierce, a San Francisco lawyer with a successful career but not much else. His marriage has fallen apart, he's getting little satisfaction out of his work and he's at the cusp of middle age. An old semi-girlfriend Marissa (the attraction was more on his side than hers) sends him a request to help get her husband out of jail. He agrees.
The problem is that her husband, Bobby Okari, is a revolutionary in the fictional West African country Luandia (which has more than a passing resemblance to Nigeria). The brutal dictator who runs the country, Savior Karama, is interested only in a kangaroo court proceeding followed by a swift execution. In other words, the trial will be rigged so Pierce can't win, leading him to take roundabout methods to free Okari: either diplomatic means or by pressuring Petro Global, the oil company that provides most of the revenue for the revenue to persuade Karama to be merciful.
As with all of Patterson's recent books, he seems more interested in discussing political issues than in telling a good story. In Eclipse, it is more of the same, but at least there's a bit more actual story this time. Nonetheless, the chief purpose of the book is to be critical of the influence of oil in global politics; though it's obvious to everyone that Okari is being railroaded, few want to do anything. In particular, the U.S. government is willing to look the other way if it means the free flow of oil to America.
Patterson writes well, which is to say he keeps things moving reasonably well, but there are still problems with the story, starting with the characters themselves. The basic plot structure has a strong resemblance to his recent novel Exile--in which the protagonist is also a lawyer who comes to the aid of a lover from his college days who left him to be with a fanatic--and in both books, it's hard to understand how the hero could be so dedicated to a woman he spent so little time with. Eclipse isn't a bad book, and it's at least a little better than recent books, but it's not a good book either.
2 1/2 Stars -- Preachy and Too Drawn-Out! December 23, 2008
bobbewig (New Jersey, USA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Whatever happened to the "old" Richard North Patterson who used to write such page-turners as Degree Of Guilt, Eyes Of A Child, The Final Judgment and Silent Witness? Does he exist anymore? The more modern day Patterson hasn't been able to write a book for several years now that can match these earlier efforts in which the plots were rich and suspenseful and the characters were multdimensional and highly relatable. And his latest work, Eclipse, is no exception. I had hopes that Eclipse was going to an "old" style Patterson book spellbinder, as the plot involves an American lawyer who takes on a nearly impossible case -- the defense of an African freedom-fighter against his government's charge of murder. However, typical of Patterson's more recent books, the author uses Eclipse as a vehicle to preach on his (often very liberal) political viewpoints -- in this case, the human cost of the global lust for oil -- rather to provide a well-developed story. In fairness to Patterson, Eclipse is well-written and he presents his viewpoints well; however, these viewpoints overshadow much of the plot -- which is too drawn out -- and the development of his main characters. It's not until the courtroom chapters that the book really comes alive and provides some thrills and suspense. However, for me, this comes about too late to elevate my opinion throughout the first three-quarters of Eclipse, which was just fair. All in all, Eclipse was just good enough to finish but not good enough to recommend.
Very Short But To The Point November 29, 2008
Samantha L. Sayre (WV United States)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I love Richard North Patterson's books. This one isn't one of his best though. It's just average. It reminded me a lot of Exile. Eclipse is about an African that is speaking out against his country's human rights issues and the oil that drives it. He is married to an American woman that had went to law school with Damon Pierce, an international affairs lawyer. She calls Damon when her husband is arrested for murder. The book just goes from there. It's a quick read and is only a little over 330 pages. It has some twists in it but they aren't fastastic. They are actually pretty predictable. If I didn't know better, I would wonder if Richard North Patterson actually wrote this book. It's not as detailed as his other books are and the characters aren't richly woven. The characters are very shallow and the reader doesn't get a true feel for who or what they are. I wouldn't recommend this to Patterson fans. I think they will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for a very quick and interesting read then pick it up on the bargain table or in paperback...you might like it.
Eclipse, not what I was hoping for December 10, 2008
TheLastCoyote (WA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Eclipse is well written but not as a legal thriller. It comes across more as a book with a message. Not what I was looking for in a read.
I have read many of Patterson's earlier books and enjoyed them for the most part. I wish I could say great things about Eclipse but unfortunately I have to say that I barely finished reading it. I never developed an affinity for any of the characters, which to me is the downfall of a book. The plot was dramatic but unfortunately tiresomely predictable. If you are looking for a serious fiction book about corruption and/or human rights then you will probably enjoy this. If you are looking for a book with some plot twists then you probably won't.
On the Edge December 17, 2008
Gladdy Me (Santa Clarita, CA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Richard North Patterson is an expert in providing courtroom drama that teaches the reader about the justice system, the corporate world, and the human heart.
In his new novel, "Eclipse," Patterson places his protagonist Damon Pierce in the midst of a power struggle between environmentalists, tribal groups in Luandia, and the conglomerate of petro-dollars and corruption symbolized by Luandia's corrupt, sadistic leadership.
Into this toxic political mix, Patterson throws Damon Pierce's abiding friendship and love for Marissa, a beautiful American he met at the University where Marissa's activist husband was speaking.
Years pass; Marissa continues to correspond with Pierce. Husband Bobby is in mortal danger from his activism. Only Pierce can rescue them.
The environmental disaster in Luandia matches up with the melt-down of Pierce's control over both his emotions and his own safety as he travels to Africa to defend Bobby Okari.
A compelling, if sometimes preachy, look at the Luandian people in the hands of greedy leaders and corporations where nothing matters more than money in the pockets of those who have the power to bring about change.
Advice to reader: do not let the first 50 pages impel you to toss this book. It gets better and better to the final explosive chapters.
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