The Zero Game

Rating:
Summary: Yet Another Intriguing Thriller from Brad Meltzer!
Review: You cannot come away from reading a Brad Meltzer book without being just a little smarter. THE FIRST COUNSEL provided an extremely interesting peek behind the curtains of the White House. THE MILLIONAIRES contained several side dissertations about finance that were not only informative but also interesting. In his latest offering, THE ZERO GAME, Meltzer provides an illuminating, and at times, quietly frightening look at the way the United States government does --- and does not --- work.

At age 19 Meltzer was an intern on Capitol Hill. Along the way he apparently acquired a bit of knowledge about appropriations committees. You've heard the term "appropriations committee." It's a term of art that usually causes one's eyes to glaze over. He apparently did a lot more than work on Capitol Hill, however; he observed and absorbed a lot as well, if THE ZERO GAME is any indication.

The initial focus of the novel is the appropriations committees of the House and Senate. Matthew Mercer and Harris Sandler are good friends who are on appropriations committees in the House and Senate, respectively. One day Sandler lets Mercer in on something called the Zero Game, which is kind of a clandestine government office betting pool. But it isn't a wager on football games --- it's a bet on such things as how many votes will be cast for or against House resolutions, or whether items will be included or excluded from bills or resolutions. The fact that the participants in the game don't know the identity of the other players, other than the pool member who invites them to participate, adds to the intrigue.

Meltzer initially takes a bit longer to set up THE ZERO GAME than he ordinarily does in his novels, and for just a page or two his regular readers might wonder if he's going to tone things down a bit for this offering. Never fear. The quiet beginning is a setup. After the first 50 pages or so Meltzer takes a completely unexpected left turn that will have you rereading a paragraph or two several times until you're sure that he actually did what you think he did. I still can't believe it, but he did do it.

From there, Meltzer doesn't even give his reader a chance to come up for air. What appears to be a harmless, even beneficial, line item in an appropriations bill --- authorizing the private acquisition of an abandoned, and apparently worthless, gold mine in South Dakota --- becomes a wager subject of the Zero Game and leads to a desperate cross-country race to determine why someone is willing to stop at nothing --- including murder --- to ensure that the transfer of the land goes through.

Meltzer is in fine form here, as his protagonists are pursued back and forth across the country with an ultimate, and perhaps symbolic, showdown in the bowels of the Capitol Building. The elements that make Meltzer's work so addictive are all present here. Meltzer has few equals in his ability to ratchet the suspense level of his narratives to new highs, all the while dropping interesting little factoids about the nooks and crannies of his well-known surroundings. I learned more about the Capitol Building in a few pages of THE ZERO GAME than I learned from a solid year of high school civics. Yet Meltzer never lets the information drag his storyline down. There are times when reading this book is like being taken on a tour of the Capitol Building by a tour guide who has a pistol stuck in your ear while you race through the corridors of government. You know where you are and you're conscious of what he's saying, but you're praying that everything turns out okay.

Meltzer also demonstrates some familiarity with caverns. I don't know if he is a spelunker in his spare time, but his descriptions of mine shafts and caverns are dead on. Maybe a little too dead-on, actually. If you're at all claustrophobic, you might want to read the last half of the book outside so you can take a breath once in a while.

With THE ZERO GAME Meltzer continues to demonstrate his ability to present a complex plot in an understandable manner while using it as a method to propel his characters, and the reader, through a reading experience that is unstoppable. Although this is only Meltzer's fifth novel, he writes like a Grandmaster of many years' experience. If you haven't reserved a bookshelf in your library for him yet, you will soon.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but Made for Hollywood?
Review: Some interesting insights into congressional happenings as far as lobby influence and "staff/page" influence. I found the characters fairly realistic; but the chases and skirmishes were totally unrealistic. Result: The action became science fiction.
As long as one likes fast paced, unbelievable action tales, one should enjoy this.

Rating:
Summary: Great characters drive an intriguing plot
Review: With "Zero Game," Brad Meltzer does a nice job of creating characters that drive the story, rather than vice-versa. If you're tired of plot-driven novels with thin, and often cliché, characters, then you're likely to dig this one.

If you're into writers like Meltzer, John Grisham, James Patterson, etc., then there's a new writer you should check out: Greg Ippolito. His new novel, "Zero Station," (the "zero" sharing is completely coincidental) is absolutely terrific, and an excerpt is available online for FREE. He's still a relative unknown (a friend turned me onto his work)...but this is a must-read. You can check him out and read the excerpt at: www.ZERO-STATION.net. Don't miss it!

Rating:
Summary: A trivial game turns deadly.
Review: Matthew Mercer and Harris Sandler work on Capitol Hill. Matthew is an assistant to a Congressman, and Harris is the youngest chief of staff ever hired by a Senator. Both young men are very bright, but they are a bit bored and looking for some laughs. They decide to play "The Zero Game," in which they place bets on their ability to push through meaningless pieces of legislation. No one gets hurt, the guys can make a few bucks, and it's all in good fun. Unfortunately for Mercer and Sandler, there's more to the "zero game" than meets the eye. The seemingly trivial pursuit proves to be extremely dangerous for its participants.

Brad Meltzer, the author of "The Zero Game," does well when he discusses the inner workings of Congress, especially the machinations of lobbyists, the horse trading that occurs during appropriations meetings, and the quid pro quos that grease the wheels of politics.

Unfortunately, it takes more than this to make a successful political thriller. The plot of "The Zero Game" is both far-fetched and repetitious. Brad Meltzer has written a book of over four hundred and fifty pages, with numerous descriptions of one chase sequence after another.

To his credit, Meltzer's good guys, Harris and Vivian Parker, a seventeen-year-old Senate page, are affable, intelligent, and engaging characters. They are tough and idealistic, and they put up a good fight. It is also refreshing that Meltzer does not include a hokey romantic subplot in this novel. However, the villains are straight out of central casting, the dialogue is stilted, and the unrealistic story goes on far too long. As a political thriller, "The Zero Game" ultimately misses the mark.

Rating:
Summary: Great premise
Review: I absolutely loved the premise of this book, but wish that the execution could have been a little different. Oh well, everyone is a critic, I suppose. Aside from that, "The Zero Game" was better than most other books I come across. I do disagree with another reviewer in that I thought the character development was good--something that frequently doesn't happen in a "thriller" such as this. Would also recommend two other books that I loved: Baldacci's SPLIT SECOND and a book called THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD. Both are excellent, but buy THE ZERO GAME first!

Rating:
Summary: Dreadful
Review: This is my first Meltzer novel, I believe. I also believe it will be my last. It begins with a mildly interesting tour of the arcana that may fill the lives of Congressional staffers.
The initial premise is the "Zero Game," a game played by a group organized into cells. You know only one person above you who invites you into the game and one person below whom you can invite to join.
The game turns deadly and serious. (I don't like to give plot details because I think it can interfere with the enjoyment of the novel.
In competent hands the premise so far could have led to a satisfying thriller. Meltzer, apparently, lacks the competence to accomplish this. He has one of the protagonists, a Senate staffer around 30 teaming with a 17 year old African-American woman . . . and from that point on, the story is just plain silly. And slow. And impossible to believe.
Some authors, particularly Clive Cussler, can present the reader with utterly unbelievable characters, plots and situations and by sheer force of words, induce the reader to suspend credulity.
Meltzer can't do this and the result is a slow, unpleasant and unsatisfying experience.

Jerry

Rating:
Summary: A Clever Political Game Turns Deadly
Review: For his fifth novel, Brad Meltzer returns to the D.C. locale of two of his earlier books, THE TENTH JUSTICE (his first) and THE FIRST COUNSEL (his third). This story follows the same format as his previous works; it is a fast paced thriller that is built around a particular branch of government, in this case Congress, especially the inner workings of the appropriations process. (The other books dealt with events inside the Supreme Court and the White House, respectively.) In keeping with Meltzer's past work, events quickly transpire which involve the main characters in situations well above their pay grades and place them in extreme danger as a result of knowledge which they possess. Then, as is common to all of the author's work and in keeping with the format of the genre, there is a race against time and a struggle against seemingly overwhelming odds to unravel the mystery before the protagonists are killed.

The first sixty pages of THE ZERO GAME are much slower moving than most of Meltzer's stories, but are very cleverly utilized to present the backdrop for the plot. We meet Matthew Mercer, a 32 year old assistant in the office of Congressman Cordell and his older college friend, Harris Sandler, who has been employed on Capitol Hill since graduation and now works for Senator Stevens. They have been recruited to participate in a clandestine game that is only known to the participants. In fact, an integral element of the game is that it is conducted as an anonymous chain where the identities of the other players involved are furnished only in code form. It appears to be a harmless diversion that involves betting on relatively inconsequential Cogressional items and which injects some excitement, risk, strategy and the possibilty of financial gain into the frequent tedium of the day-to-day legislative process. The author has created a really ingenious idea and his descriptions of both the conduct of the game itself as well as the inner workings of the Capitol (the staff, politicians, lobbyists, and the building itself) are very informative and create a completely credible aura for the story which follows.

Surprise! It suddenly seems that the game may not be as innocuous as it appears; someone regards its current subject as important enough to attempt to manipulate the outcome regardless of the cost. People start to die, and it is totally unclear who can be trusted and what comprises the real agenda of Martin Janos (a stone cold killer masquerading as an FBI agent) and his unknown associates. A sixteen year old Senate page is reluctantly enlisted to help unravel the mystery, and a breakneck and almost continuous chase develops as the Congressional aides, isolated from their friends and associates, try to develop an understanding of the goal of the high stakes game in which they are caught while simultaneously managing to stay alive. The plot is quite original, and I have chosen not to include more specific details in order to avoid spoilers.

The author states in his acknowledgements,"in every novel, the goal is to make a complete fabrication sound like absolute fact. The only way to pull it off is to arm yourself with details." And as I stated above, he does an incredibly good job of creating a credible premise because of the level of convincing detail that his research has provided for the major elements of this book. The influence of lobbyists, the Congressional appropriation process and House-Senate conference procedure are all accurately portrayed in detail, and the author even descended into a mine to make sure that the portion of the story that takes place in such a venue would ring true. (N.B. If you suffer from claustrophobia do not read this book, two lengthy segments of it take place in confined quarters underground.) Unfortunately, as in Meltzer's previous books, the action eventually gets so sensational and so far fetched that he does not achieve his goal. An occasional difficult escape is standard for this genre, but some of these are nothing short of miraculous, usually without the benefit of either the training or equipment which would lend them any credibility at all.

Two other elements deserve comment. First, there is the usual lack of character development in such stories, although enough details are provided concerning each of the main characters to keep them from appearing unidimensional. (Perhaps the most interesting involve Janos' observations in regard to his love of automobiles.) Second, as with THE FIRST COUNSEL, this story is told in the form of a first person narrative. This is very effective and serves the author's goals well, but there is a disconcerting element. Since no person is present for all the action, we witness the events through the eyes of multiple individuals. This was a little disconcerting when the transitions occurred; fortunately they were not too frequent and handled well by the author.

In summary, there are several really interesting elements to this story, and the premise is indeed very clever. If you are a Brad Meltzer fan or like action thrillers with a political flavor, you should enjoy this book. Despite its weaknesses and the fact that several of the plot twists were foreshadowed as the story proceeded, I decided that it deserved a four star rating. However, with a lot less sensationalism and a tighter plot it would easily have deserved a solid five stars. Thus, in the end I was both disappointed and tantalized by its unrealized potential.

Tucker Andersen

Rating:
Summary: Destined for the big screen? Let's hope!
Review: Every great once in a while I come across a book meant for the big screen. _The Zero Game_ has what it takes - action, suspense, compelling characters, and best of all, an exceptional plot packed with some striking, fascinating twists.

Matthew and Harris have been friends since college. The friendship is strong, even though the two are opposite in personalities: Matthew is a follower, whereas Harris, the son of a barber, is a born leader with the gift of gab. These two senior staffers have some humorous stories to share, but the most interesting Harris has saved for the right moment. Matthew is bored and dissatisfied by his job. Harris tells him about the Zero Game and talks him into joining him. Each person is allowed to invite only one other person. No one is allowed to know who is leading the bet or those joining in on the bet. It's as blind as betting can get. The subject of betting is whether or not one can get an unusual piece of Legislation passed. Matthew gets carried away with one particular bet, and changes the game into a life and death situation. Matthew and Harris are trapped in the game and eventually drag a young African-American Senate page into the danger after her name badge is found at a crime scene. This gal is one tough cookie and she steals the show.

The first four chapters set up the story and some may find them a bit slow, but trust me, once it is over, it all becomes clear. I listened to _The Zero Game_ while working. Needless to say, I gave up because the further I got into the storyline the more I automatically stopped to listen.

_The Zero Game_ has the kind of heart-stopping suspense that takes your breath away.

Kudos to the reader, Scott Brick, for a suspenseful listen.

Rating:
Summary: Layers of suspense and thriller intrigue
Review: After his taut mystery thrillers, The Millionaires and The First Counsel, Brad Meltzer again takes you by the throat for a game and a chase through the corridors of the U.S. Congress for a new and original take on how human weakness can affect the governance of our nation and allow it to become an unwilling provider for a treasonous operation. If you don't get caught up in the drama (but you will), you'll come away from this read with an insight into how congressional staffers negotiate appropriations for bills. It's our money, so it pays to have some idea.

The weakness is in being a sucker for an insider's game -- a secret game for the privileged. Matthew Mercer and Harris Sandler his mentor who helped him get on Congressman Nelson Cordell's staff and in on the game, are players. It's a secret game that gives you a sense of importance because you don't know who else is playing. the object is to get unsuspecting legislators to do or say specific things, or guess the final tally on a vote. The stakes are based on a preceding round of betting and, so far, the stakes have been little more than dinner money. On a staffer's salary, the risk has been comfortable, but, the greater accomplishment of winning is to establish yourself as a true power broker in Washington.

To win the latest Zero Game, Matthew has to insert his Congressman's land sale project into the Interior House Appropriations bill, which has to do with the transfer of land rights for a closed gold mine in South Dakota, little more than the usual pork and a simple matter for him to do. He can taste victory and wavers only when the bet rises to a couple of thousand dollars. Greed and the intoxication of a sure thing drives him to ignore the fact that a loss could put him in the poor house. He inserts the project into the bill and, shortly thereafter, is murdered.

Harris is devastated, but he also realizes that his friend's fate can't be unrelated to the game. Drawing in the unwilling help of Viv, a 16-year old, black, female page whose access around the Capitol is as unnoticed as it is unlimited, he sets out to investigate a case his superiors are suggesting was just an accident. It doesn't take long to realize that his efforts have made him and Viv targets for attack by Janos, an arch, relentless hitman who's working for the influential lobbyist pulling all the strings.

This is high adventure in high places, with layers of unpredictable developments in a dense plot of international intrigue. Highly recommended for the mystery thriller reader who will happily fall into its trap of suspense in a completely new set of circumstances and locales.

(Review will appear in NoHo>LA, a Los Angeles newspaper)

Rating:
Summary: Great premise
Review: I absolutely loved the premise of this book, but wish that the execution could have been a little different. Oh well, everyone is a critic, I suppose. Aside from that, "The Zero Game" was better than most other books I come across. I do disagree with another reviewer in that I thought the character development was good--something that frequently doesn't happen in a "thriller" such as this. Would also recommend two other books that I loved: Baldacci's SPLIT SECOND and a book called THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD. Both are excellent, but buy THE ZERO GAME first!