Customer Reviews

The Rules of the Game: A novel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The characters in this novel are mostly drawn from Central Casting- the spunky young female reporter, the sociopathic General, even a gruff but fair managing editor named Lou. The Terrible Secret that is hinted at throughout the book will not be a surprise to readers who are cognizant of current events. Where the book shines is in its descriptions of the many legal or quasi-legal ways in which lobbyists and politicians in Washington enrich themselves. No wonder they oppose term limits.

This political thriller by former Washington Post editor Len Downie is absolutely Exhibit A if you want to show how book publishing is all about who you are and who you know, not what kind of book you can write. The book is wretched - the prose so wooden you could build bookcases from it. Cliches swim on the page like schools of fish. Every character is made of cardboard. The only similarity to real life is that the main character, an investigative reporter for the Washington Post-esque newspaper, is allowed to remain in her job despite repeated ethical lapses. I can't believe Downie is willing to show his face in public after publishing a book this bad.

Leonard Downie is certainly a Washington insider who has a point of view. He sees the danger of the Bush policies and has decided to write a novel. On the whole the story is interesting with many twists and turns. It was fun to read. The problem is that the characters are all wooden. Yes not all are what you think but everyone is a stereotype. I admit I love these types of novels and when you read this one appreciates the expertise of writers who make each character interesting.

The story is more compelling than my prior review of Old City Hall but the latter effort has so many more interesting characters..

Len Downie's RULES OF THE GAME is painful at times to read. The narrative is nothing to write home about and the plot is pure formula. But, the book has its moments because you keep on wondering if Downie is telling the truth in fictional form, the names changed but the details shockingly real. That was enough to keep the pages turning for me, but I don't know if I will pick up Downie's next novel.

The closest I came to living in Washington, DC was Quantico, Virginia and that was close enough. I finished this heroine journalist operating in a military contracting-political world novel on a round trip flight from LAX-PHL-LAX. It was fast moving, with not much depth in characters or in character development, but enough descriptions for a non political person like me to keep with the pacing. The ending was a bit disappointing as a preemptive act by POTUS takes the heroics away from our journalist ho who slept with her boss, her subject and her source, an Iraq vet-turned Congressman.

After receiving a reprimand for a tryst with a colleague, Washington Capital investigative reporter Sarah Page is assigned to the national politics desk. She currently covers the presidential contest between elderly Democrat senator from Pennsylvania Monroe Capehart, and Republican Vice President Warner Wylie.

Capehart surprisingly chooses California Senator Susan Cameron as his running mate, which excites some with the selection of a woman and disappoints others who claim she is too inexperienced to be one elderly heartbeat from the White House. However, it is after the election is decided and Cameron is the new PROTUS with the death of Capehart Sarah learns that under the guise of national security even murder at Pennsylvania Ave or that of a nosy journalist getting too close to the truth is acceptable.

THE RULES OF THE GAME has some obvious ties to the Palin connection, but Cameron is a different personality and more significant is her side wins and her running mate and boss dies. The story line is fast-paced and filled with twists as Page seeks to uncover a conspiracy that uses national security to rationalize any action even when the tie to the country's safety does not exist except as a political cover. Fans will enjoy this engaging investigative thriller with its cautionary warning that the Bush Legacy is to hide everything inside the wrapper of 9/11-like national security concerns when there is not the remotest connection.


Harriet Klausner

Great book, I could not put it down and read it in two days. Twists and turns, suspense and conspiracy, it had it all. In side Washington DC like you've never experienced before, I highly recommend it.

This book was difficult to put down the whole time; however, particularly after I got half way through. If you're from the area or have lived in Washington, DC you'll love this book. It's a wonderful insight into our town.

To be honest, I was expecting disappointment from The Rules of the Game. First, I usually limit my reading to non-fiction novels and I did not believe I would get caught up emotionally in an imaginary tale. Second, as a result of the incredibly thrilling presidential election last year, I could not imagine a political thriller could do better than President Obama's campaign combined with Sarah Palin's circus-like ride.
I could not have been more wrong and I could not have been more satisfied.

By the time I reached the third chapter, I could not put The Rules Down and I have the sun burn to prove it. I fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for and against the main characters. Every time I thought I could predict what was coming next, the twists and turns kept me guessing wrong and continued to surprise me as I attempted to exhale only to be shocked once again.
The ethical and moral issues affecting the reporters took this book from being a great read and made it a classic as well as an important piece of writing. Because of the author's leadership of the Washington Post, his hiring of Woodward and Bernstein and his intimate knowledge and work in exposing of the Watergate scandal, I starting believing that the Rules provided the real scoop on how reporters live and the issues they face not only during Watergate but many of the crisis plaguing Washington during the last quarter century. Many a page reminded me of issues that the Post covered and this book provided behind the scenes debates and details on the dirt and sometimes dirty world of reporting and politics and how each editor and reporter has to make difficult decisions where a great news story and morality are choices where advantageous many times conflicts with right.
Besides wanting to start my career over and become a reporter, this book provided a great time and an education on the lives of reporters and those who they cover in Washington. I could not give it a higher recommendation.

Haven't finished reading it, but one of the best fiction books I've read in a long time. DISCLAIMER: I rarely read fiction. Only because I have a hard time finding anything engaging enough to get me away from non-fiction.