The Kingmaker

I am continuing to read Brian Haig's Sean Drummond series in reverse order, having been very much taken with his most recent effort. In this story Drummond, a JAG officer has been assigned to represent an army officer charged with treason. Not just any old run of the mill treason, mind you, but one that sets a new standard for betraying one's country. Not just any old run of the mill officer either, but one that had attained the rank of Brigadier General. Not just any old run of the mill Brigadier General either, but one who thirteen years earlier married the love of Sean Drummond's life. Drummond is none too happy taking on this case, but his ex-lover has asked him to defend her husband and Drummond has never figured out how to say "no" to her...about anything. The defense appears to be a hopeless undertaking as the prosecutor, an old nemisis, keeps laying out his case for the public in various press releases and meetings and the evidence appears to be overwhelming. But, appearances can be deceiving as we all know. Drummond hires a Russian speaking associate who is easy on the eyes and who also has a sharp and agile mind. As they start to look into the case they learn things about their client that disturb them as to his character and eventually as to whether or not he is guilty of the charges. Haig creates a web of intrigue that is best left to the reader to discover. Suffice it to say that he does it in a very page turning type of way and you will not want to put the book down once things really start to come together. Haig has a special way with a story such as this and we should all be thankful that he does.

Brian Haig keeps getting better and better. Haig is one of the few authors for whom I will not wait for the paperback, but rather read the hot-off-the-presses hardcover edition. Sean Drummond is no less irreverant or less with the "wise-guy" wise cracks in THE KINGMAKER than his earlier appearances. In addition to being a great thriller, Haig's fiction has a lot more belly-laugh humor than the other typical legal thrillers. I just want to know who if going to portray MAJ Sean Drummond in the film version. I really regret that I had to wait until the paper-back edition came out to post this review, but I spent the last 18 months or so in Afghanistan and Iraq, and where I was stationed the hard-cover wasn't available.

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

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.

Sean Drummond has had tough cases, but none like that of General William Morrison who stands accused of naming names and exposing the inner workings of the US foreign policy to the Russians. Morrison swears he is being framed and the further Drummond investigates he realizes things are not as they seem and he will need more than the confidence of those counting on him. What he gets is Katrina Mazorski-a Russian speaking, pierced, skin-tight clothes wearing co-council. As the investigation heats up, Drummond and Katrina discover shocking secrets and cover-ups that stretch from Washington to Moscow, and what started as a case of treason now has two counts of murder, while behind-the-scenes is someone with a master plan, pulling the strings and not willing to stop until Morrison is destroyed.`The Kingmaker' is an electrifying thriller that starts fast and gains speed with each turn of the page. Combining political, military and legal thrills with fleshed-out characters `The Kingmaker' moves full force with loads of plot twists and secrets to make this stand out among other novels in the genre.Brian Haig burst on the scene a couple of years ago, and with only three novels under his belt he has become one of my MUST READ authors. His writing is style smooth, his pacing brisk, and his plots are gripping...if you have not discovered Haig yet, do yourself a favor and read him, he is that good. `The Kingmaker' is top-notch entertainment for fans of well-written, fast-paced thrillers that should land on all the best-seller lists.Nick Gonnella