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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A TENSE THRILLER THAT KEEPS LISTENERS ENTHRALLED., January 20, 2003
This review is from: The Kingmaker (Audio Cassette)
A veteran of over 100 television film and series episodes voice performer John Rubinstein gives an appropriately suspenseful reading to this tale of intrigue in our country's highest offices. Popular protagonist Major Sean Drummond returns in Haig's latest epic. This time out he's charged with the defense of Brigadier General William T. Morrison. It's a case of treason and Drummond really doesn't want to face the Army's toughest prosecutor. However, Morrison wants him, and so does his CIA wife, Mary, who was once close, quite close to Drummond. But wait a minute, he thought he was fighting a charge of treason, maybe perjury, but it turns out to be murder. As if that weren't enough of a surprise his co-counsel is Katrina Mazorski, she of the skin tight black leather pants and jewelry bedecked navel. Warning: no one should be fooled by her appearance. Between the two of them they unearth enough secrets to jar both Washington and Moscow. Someone is manipulating them - who and why? Haig has created a tense thriller that'll keep listeners enthralled. - Gail Cooke
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Meet Sean Drummond: The James Bond of the Legal Profession, May 13, 2003
This is the first novel by Brian Haig that I have read; it works very well as a standalone story although definitely made me want to read his two earlier novels with Major Sean Drummond as the chief protagonist. While this is a story within a legal framework, it is much more an action-adventure, espionage, political intrigue, romantic thriller with frequent comic relief to offset the tension. It is an incredibly fast paced, easy read which I enjoyed tremendously. The storyline is simplicity itself, Brigadier General William Morrison is in Fort Leavenworth, accused of the most damaging acts of treason in the history of the country. Despite their personal animosity, he chooses Major Sean Drummond of the JAG Corps to not only save him from the death penalty but prove his innocence. Not only does Drummond dislike Morrrison intensely, but the General's wife Mary, a high level CIA employee who had been stationed in Moscow with Morrison, had an affair with Drummond before she dumped him to marry up in class. Just to raise the stakes, the prosecuting attorney, Major Eddie Golden, has twice been the recipient of the Hangman Award (the JAG equivalent of Top Gun status). Further stumbling blocks are that most of the evidence is classified top security and knowledge of Russian appears to be a mandatory skill. Sean locates a civilian associate, Katrina Mazorski, who is both fluent in Russian and has top secret clearance but whose experience since her recent graduation from law school has primarily consisted of cases from the local police blotter. With her pierced navel and non-traditional dress, she is the perfect foil for Drummond. Many of their interchanges are wonderful. The case seems hopeless and Morrison appears guilty, but when Drummond is forced to protect himself and Katrina on multiple occasions from attempted ambushes (including during a visit to Moscow), they conclude that there is a massive coverup being attempted and perhaps their client really is innocent of the most serious charges, although still guilty of being an overbearing, ambitious and egotistical jerk. This is a story whose plot very cleverly includes a conspiratorial explanation for the dissolution of the Soviet Empire and the eventual rise to power of Putin. It even includes characters who appear to be loosely based on President Clinton and Strobe Talbott. It is an alternate history, where you just accept the background as you are swept along in the story. The characters are so sharply drawn that they are almost all charicatures of themselves, but tremendously enjoyable ones. In many instances, Drummond's wisecracks and his repartee with Katrina strike just the right note in keeping him true to the story. (Just the same sort of embellishment to the role that has made James Bond's character so universal and so durable despite the stories having an element of unbelievability.) For those who want a fast paced tale, this is the legal equivalent of James Bond without the futuristic aspects that have increasingly become the trademark of that franchise. While I doubt Sean Drummond will be as durable a character and as good a franchise as Bond (and the genre of legal action adventure thrillers is a lot narrower), I enjoyed this book as much and felt it was as true to the period in which it is set as the early Ian Fleming books which I read voraciously approximately thirty years ago.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding mix of Humor and Tension, February 28, 2003
By far, this is the best book that Brian Haig has written. His ability to start a book with humor had me laughing out loud. The ability of mixing humor and tension later in the book was wonderful. The book begins by telling you that Sean Drummond has again been given another legal case. From there to the time that he picks his assistant will keep any reader from putting this book down. He has already held the reader in his grips when he describes his assistant Katrina. I expect to see Nicholas Cage playing the part of Sean Drummond. If he does, I can just imagine the previous books also being made into movies. Recommendation: Read the book before the movie comes out. Reading time: four days, as this is a very quickly moving book. Thanks. cb.
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