Rating: 
Summary: Heard It Before -- Didn't Believe It
Review: A career White House staffer experienced in political intrigue allows a spunky 17 year old high school student to lead him around by the nose. Though both of their lives are at stake, he constantly defers to her sensibilities. During climactic moments, life or death chase scenes, the 17 year old stops running, ignoring her protector's strident commands -- instead demanding he not raise his voice to her. Yeah, sure. Heard it before, didn't believe it then.Equally perplexing: The abject poverty concept wherein the plucky young lady is embarassed to wear a plain white shirt with frayed cuffs, in contrast to the pristine white shirts worn by ALL other White House volunteers. The explanation: She is the only Page of African-American descent. Though both of her parents are gainfully employed and well respected in the community they are unable to afford a department store blouse sans frayed cuffs for their cherished daughter. Yeah, sure. Heard it before, didn't believe it then.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good
Review: Fun to read, a good thriller and all that -- but a few weeks after reading it I kind of think it was a stupid book. The intern who saves the day is just an awful character. And -- as someone else pointed out, the back cover is completely off. I had a readers copy and I thought it would be changed by the time the book came out -- but, I guess not. Strange.
Rating: 
Summary: Good have been a good plot, but so long-winded!
Review: What was Brad thinking? The plot starts out great, just like all his other books, but then seems to drag on and on for over 300 pages of boring "Action scene"- I felt as if I was READING an old Jackie Chan flick!!! It's hard to review without giving anything away, but put it this way: the jacket of the book is COMPLETELY WRONG in describing the book- it makes you think that they may have puposely lied in the jacket just to pique your interest, because it's simply NOT TRUE!!! Buy it if you must, but don't expect much.
Rating: 
Summary: No Zero Here
Review: It's tough to review a Brad Meltzer book. Any discussion of the plot is going to give too much away. Over drinks, I was attempting to tell a friend about THE ZERO GAME. She hadn't started reading it yet, and I was midway through. "Oh, you're going to love it," I said. "The premise alone is enough to hook you." "Don't tell me," she said. "No, no, seriously," I pushed. "I won't ruin it. You see, these guys who work in congress as aides and stuff, they have this game. It's super secret, and they bet on legislation, guessing the outcome of votes and stuff." "That's too much, stop." "Well, you can imagine from that all the different ways Meltzer can take it." "Seriously. I don't want to know anymore." "No," I said. "You don't get it. That's information you get just on the first ten pages. I didn't spoil anything. The book is packed with twists and turns, probably more than any of Brad's other books. By page fifty, you're going to be so sucked in; you're never going to want to put it down." And it's true. In the first fifty pages of a 460-page thriller, there is already one turn of events so shocking that you start the next chapter fully expecting to discover Meltzer is messing with you. "No," you say, "he CAN'T do that." But he does! And at that point, THE ZERO GAME is just getting revved up. The rest of the novel is a mad, breathless dash to find the answer to the sort of convoluted plot only people who are part of the US government could dream up! THE ZERO GAME is full of Meltzer's usual narrative tricks. Shifting points-of-view, untrustworthy characters that switch allegiances at the flip of a page, young idealists, and a hero (or two) pushed out of their comfort zone, suddenly finding themselves on a run for their lives, having to scramble to find the strength and skill to survive. It boggles my mind that there hasn't yet been a movie adaptation of one of Brad's books. THE ZERO GAME was easily more exciting than any modern film I saw last year. It's a popcorn thriller, an action-packed suspense story that doesn't need special effects or the chiseled features of a $20M paycheck to excite. Proof positive that there's nothing like a good book to get the imagination--and the adrenaline--pumping.
Rating:
Summary: FAST PACED MELTZER
Review: Brad Meltzer has a habit of grabbing his readers by the collar and pulling them through his novels at lightening speed. Having not scored on the big screen with any of his books, though some of them would make great movies, he does not have the name recognition that Baldacci and Grisham do. For that reason he is somewhat under-appreciated. ZERO GAME is faced paced. Its so fast paced, that the original first person narrator, Matthew Mercer is killed within the first 50 pages by a ruthless hitman named Janos. Then Harris Sandler picks up the ball and starts running with it and Capitol page Vivian Parker. Matthew and Harris are Capitol Hill Appropriators. The decide what goes into bills and where the money goes. The Zero Game refers to insiders like Matthew and Harris inserting various items into bills and betting to see if they get passed without question. Things get deadly when a seemingly worth abandoned mine in South Dakota is inserted as a giveaway. Harris and Viv learn that a lab to create Plutonium from worthless Neptunium, a byproduct of the nuclear process. Unfortunately, the mine-shaft is run by a terrorist nation. Thus, Janos is sent to clean things up and wipe out anyone in the know. Fast and fun, but not as many twists and turns as some of Meltzer's previous works. TENTH JUSTICE is still Meltzer's best book. The underling being taken advantage of by outside interests is utilized again here. Good entertainment, though, as others have noted, drawn out at times. Still a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Whatta Waste
Review: I agree with reviewer Estee Beck. Meltzer never once grabs
the reader's attention and it seems like the author has
veered away from his past novels and is now aiming for a
younger generation, therefore, the inane dialouge between
Harris and Viv. I never once caught on to what the game
was about, not till the very end, by which time I was
exhausted by the lengthy chase sequences. I found it highly
implausible how everything falls into place for the victims
of the chase. Is it that easy to get a private jet to
take you from D.C. to S.D., at no cost, plus have a car
waiting for you on your arrival?
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but long winded...
Review: This is a good book. The problem is simply that it's too long winded. There are passages of action that should be describable in a couple pages, but drag on across 20. This is meant, I assume, to build suspense, but the net result is that high-intensity action becomes a little boring. Overall, the book is quite good and entertaining... not so much a political thriiller as it merely uses the guise of politics as an introduction to the novel rather than for the plotline. My only other complaint is that it left me with one unanswered question -- unfortunately, that question pertains to an event that happens that starts the roller coaster ride of a story. Without an answer as to why things were done they way they were (I don't want to give away anything), I'm left not understanding why there was ever a story to begin with.
Rating:
Summary: His worst novel to date
Review: This novel was highly disappointing. For starters, the story described on the jacket is not at all the one told in the book. Had the jacket described the true story, I likely would have skipped the novel. I have read and loved every B. Meltzer novel to date. I am a huge fan who spent many months anticipating what turned out to be the bore of 2004. The plot was unrealistic and boring. The fight scenes were highly unbelievable especially since a former world class fighter kept getting his butt kicked by amateurs. It would be unfair to those who have yet to read the book for me to go into detail about my many objections. Suffice it to say it left a lot to be desired.
Rating:
Summary: Save Your Money!
Review: Picking up Meltzer's The Zero Game I was intrigued by the cover jacket description, basic political intrigue, then something goes wrong. sigh. And wrong it does-not only in the story-with-the lack of character development and the concentration of a drawn out 200 page chase sequence which after page 170 I began feel finishing this book would be more laborious because of the droning, ahem, "action sequence." If only the writer of the jacket would have either a) read the book or b) wrote the story line itself. The first few chapters held my interest. The plot starts with two guys one working in interior appropriations and another, his best friend working elsewhere in congress. There's a secret-insider-game basically betting on votes in the House and Senate. Then something goes wrong. The only other "fascinating" feature of the story line is the discovery of the secret in an old mining cave-and that's it. I disliked this book and I believe it is a waste of time. However, if you find that little character development, uncultivated multiple story lines and a 200-page chase sequence then hey, this book may be for you.
Rating:
Summary: The Game Turns Deadly
Review: If you've ever found politics boring, think how those in Washington feel. Matthew Mercer and Harris Sandler are senior staffers working on Capitol Hill but Matthew's getting restless and thinking about changing his profession. That's when Harris lets him in on a little secret known as the Zero Game. To spice things up in politics, only select people are invited to play a friendly wagering game on whether bills will pass or fail. And that's when a surefire win comes across Matthew's desk. He has the power to make the bill pass, giving him and Harris the chance of a lifetime. They bet everything they have and watch as the game unfolds. But when Matthew gets curious, Harris finds himself on the run. He draws a 17-year-old Senate page into the mix as he tries to uncover the truth. What went wrong with the game? Harris discovers there's more to the Zero Game than just some minor bets on bills passing or failing. Somebody wants him dead to keep the secret quiet...an international secret that could change life as we know it. Brad Meltzer has written one of the most clever novels ever created. The Zero Game weaves such a detailed web, you'll see a side of Washington that you have to wonder if it's really fiction or not. The world he's created is very real but not so technical that only a Congressman could enjoy it.
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