The Capitol Game

by Brian Haig

New York Times bestselling author Brian Haig returns with a riveting thriller about a man caught between the politics of big government and the corruption of big business.

The Capitol Game

It was the deal of the decade, if not the century. A small, insignificant company on the edge of bankruptcy had discovered an alchemist's dream; a miraculous polymer, that when coated on any vehicle, was the equivalent of 30 inches of steel. With bloody conflicts surging in Iraq and Afghanistan, the polymer promises to save thousands of lives and change the course of both wars.

Jack Wiley, a successful Wall Street banker, believes he has a found a dream come true when he mysteriously learns of this miraculous polymer. His enlist the help of the Capitol Group, one of the country's largest and most powerful corporations in a quick, bloodless takeover of the small company that developed the polymer. It seems like a partnership made in heaven...until the Pentagon's investigative service begins nosing around, and the deal turns into a nightmare. Now, Jack's back is up against the wall and he and the Capitol Group find themselves embroiled in the greatest scandal the government and corporate America have ever seen...

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Action

480 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 12, 2010

About the author

Brian Haig is the son of former US Secretary of State Alexander Haig and has been born and bred in the American military.Since retiring from duty and has been a special advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and now runs a large Helicopter company.

Series:
* Sean Drummond

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ако желаете да научите повече за задкулисните машинации, инригите и корупцията, които се вихрят непрестанно в управленските и бизнес средите на Вашингтон, то тогава "Игри за милиарди" е подходящо начало. Всичко в тази книга е фикция, но вероятно подобни схеми и кражби от военния бюджет на САЩ се случват ежегодно и са направили милионери и милиардер стотици нечистоплътни политици и бизнесмени.

Хейг отново е създал вълнуващ роман, напомнящ ми слабо на ранните свързани с правото творби на Гришам. Чете се бързо и е много увлекателен. Малко куцат образите на героите, но това е простимо, все пак фокусът на книгата е основно върху събитията.

P.S. Романът е самостоятелен, не е част от серията за Шон Дръмънд.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haig moves away from his military and legal thrillers, but the novel is just as exciting and equally as intriguing. Haig has a great writing style, with character development that has the reader seeking more with every page. The book's premise is quite entertaining and intriguing at the same time, full of twists and turns. When the Capitol Group is presented with an offer they cannot refuse, they see only the moneybags and not the pitfalls. Taking any means necessary, they steal and bribe their way to the top, leaving minute breadcrumbs that most would not see. When things end up not being as they seem, it is a matter of tossing the weakest link under the bus and more attempts at corruption to cover the trail. Disaster looms if the loose ends cannot be tied up, and fast. In the end... it's a race to the top, or at least a race not to be on the last rung. Haig has surely shown how well he can expand his writing foundation.

I have always thoroughly liked Haig's writing style and attention to detail. His novels are both intricate in their detail (particularly military) and dripping in sarcasm. Perhaps a military Nelson DeMille in nature, Haig captivates the reader and lets the story lead them on a journey they will not soon forget. Balancing humour with serious issues, Haig is sure to go onto most people's favourite authors list. His long hiatus will surely sadden or anger those who love his books. I am eager to see how much of his style comes out with his soon to be launched two-book series with Vince Flynn, a great CIA writer.

Kudos, Mr. Haig. Eagerly anticipating the next book(s) on offer.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this narrated by Scott Brick. Very well done. I wasn't paying attention to the time & the book was long. A quarter of the way through I was sure I knew what was going to happen. I expected it at the halfway mark, but he threw in a cuckoo's egg. The coating really did work. I didn't expect that. The question was how he'd get out of it & still wind up at the same point, not if. He managed it, just drew it out longer. Anyone who has read any of my reviews knows I detest that, but somehow I didn't mind it this time. I enjoyed the ride even though I was sure where it was going to end up. I was right. It did, but it was a really fun ride watching the screws turn ever so painfully into people who really deserved it.

[Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian Haig, a writer whose Sean Drummond series I really enjoy, has penned a stand alone thriller about corporate greed, corrupt officials and a very clever protagonist. The plot should have made it unputdownable, but unfortunately, the current real and sad state of our government and Wall Street greed made this book an uncomfortable reminder of how bad things have become in our country. It was a page turner, but I think I need less reality and more fiction in my life.

[Jacob Peled · Rating 5 out of 5]

WםW !!!
What a great book. It was so sad to finish it, I wish it was an 800 page book. The only thing that is even more sadder is the fact that since 2015 Brian Haug didn't publish any new book. So please. We are waiting. This is a great book. So efrashing to read a book with no dead people.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Frey meets the "Sting"!!! Defense contacting, finance and revenge...Intriguing story of a con to ruin powerful, but shady defense contractors...great revenge story...great fun, but I miss the Sean Drummond stories...I hope he gets back them!!!

[Nicole Rethmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterfully woven story. Very well done. Keep a post-it handy to keep track of the many characters, but well worth the read.

[ElaineY · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; 24 DECEMBER 2015
Narrator: Scott Brick

Kept me intrigued to the very end. I liked the plot very much even though there was no one to root for until the very last chapters. Wiley seemed to wily for his own good (yes, groan) and the only character I could sympathize with was Arvan. Since he got paid rather well, I didn't feel sorry for him for long. No truly good guys in this book. Only greedy corporate bigwigs and politicians. Or so, I thought.

I liked Jack Wiley but he was one of the money-hungry Wall Street guys, not a hero. I needed someone to root for but the author gave me zilch. Despite this, Haig kept me tightly gripped in his tale of corporate intrigue...and I got my hero in the end. Not one, but two:) I loved the ending:)

What kept this from being 5 stars? It took too long. It should have had 2 hours trimmed and better editing as Haig belabored the same point in a conversation until I was silently yelling, "Okay! I got it! I got it!". If I had been reading the ebook, I would have skimmed these as the author had his characters repeat the same things over and over, not just in one place but in other chapters.

Still worth reading, IMO, despite the above complaint.

I've come to enjoy Scott Brick's narration but, in this book, I could have done with more differentiation between the characters' voices. Everyone sounded alike, regardless of gender.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one starts out with the death of a GI in Iraq from and IED that takes out the Humvee he was riding in. He was just weeks from ending his tour and returning to his wife and twin daughters. Jump now to Washington DC where Jack Wiley a hot shot equity trader is being vetted by a big firm called the Capitol Group. They a at the top of the heap when it comes to buying companies in trouble and turning them around or decimating them for a profit. Their management is made up of many ex military and politicians with a nose for and big appetite for money. Jack as come to them with an proposition, he knows of a small chemical company that has fallen on hard times and is ripe for a buyout and it seems they have discovered a unique material that when painted on vehicles makes them invulnerable to bullets, missiles and bombs. The Group sees lots of dollar signs and works to gobble up the company and make a killing with the paint. What happens next is a battle of wits, extreme skullduggery, illegal acts and more. But that is what makes this a good read, so I won’t divulge any more of the story, but let you find outr for your self what transpires.

[Eric Wright]

A small company has made the discovery of the decade, a kind of polymer to paint on army vehicles that repels explosives giving the vehicles armour equivalent to 30 inches of steel.

Jack Wiley, a successful Wall street wheeler and dealer, proposes to a large company skilled at takeovers the acquisition of this small company. The company is in financial trouble. The potential earnings from the polymer through the Defense Department are astronomical. The very idea, while at first seems too good to be true, soon captures to imagination and exaggerates the greed of the leaders in this large company, The Capital Group.

The scenarios that ensue from chapter to chapter paint a pictures of corporate and government corruption that boggles the mind. Who is to be believed? Is Jack another greedy corporate wolf? Is the Capital Group totally without a conscience? And when a young lawyer comes on the scene to investigate government corruption we wonder why motivates her.

The story moves well and comes to a startling conclusion that leaves Washington wounded and wondering.

[Laura Burns · Rating 2 out of 5]

Using the word "disappointing" is an understatement. I've been a fan of Brian Haig's for years and have recommended his books to many people. His early books, with the Sean Drummond character, were intelligent, nuanced and shed light on otherwise somewhat neglected topics (Bosnia, South Korea). The last two I've read, The Hunted and The Capitol Game, are cliched and formulaic. The good guys are all good (and tall, and beautiful). The bad guys are chubby, and spiteful, and stupid. The plot of The Capitol Game was interesting, but the writing got in the way of the plot. Every paragraph, and in many cases every sentence, included a cliche or hackneyed phrase. This author could certainly benefit from a strong editor. What a shame.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all of Haig's Sean Drummond novels- they were exciting and very witty- this book was very exciting and not witty but rather a severe and angry indictment of the way politics works(or doesnt work) the corruption, the utter lack of ethics in DC- I found it very scary as Haig -son of the Late Alexander Haig- certainly must know of what he writes.

[Chris Barkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book not expecting anything special (not familiar with the author). I was very pleasantly surprised - this is by far one of the best books I've read in a very long time. If I would to try and describe it, I guess the best comparison would be "The Firm", but its so much better.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes a good suspense / intrigue.

[Lee Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one kept me reading throughout, not wanting to stop. Greed, graft, politics and lots of money combine to create some very unholy alliances and some very dislikable characters. Hair brings it all together in the end and somehow believing that things are in a type of balance.

A compelling read, I totally enjoyed.

[Johnathan Nazarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really slow and jumped around a lot. The last quarter of the book was great though. Tied everything together. For 3/4 of the book I was going to give a one start review because it rambled on with tons of detail that seemed irrelevant. However, a lot of those details became relevant later. Pay close attention. Worth a casual read.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't Sean Drummond but a good read anyway! Haig is a great writer! Bringing a deal to the Capital Group Jack Wiley sets himself up to make millions. Unfortunately the deal isn't as great as is seems to be and that could put Jack into the hot seat instead of millionaire's row

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoyed this book. In part it is a scathing satire on dirty politics and greedy defense contractors. Thoroughly entertaining. I appreciated the fact that it does this without foul language or sex.

[Paul Rouleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

9

[Toney Bedell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Jack had a hunch—a seer’s eye, he called it—and changed the plan at the last minute. Good thing, he said. The old plan would’ve gotten them all butchered."

From the moment you crack open The Capitol Game by Brian Haig, you know you're in for a ride—one that’s not just about corporate chess or political machinations, but about a man who seems to thrive on the sort of intrigue most of us only encounter in adrenaline-fueled fantasies. Jack Wiley, the lead character, exudes a machismo that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. He’s slick, cunning, and always a step ahead. And let’s be honest, I fell in love with this book at 15 precisely because of that aura of invincibility Jack carries around like an expensive leather briefcase.

Here is a man who walks into the cutthroat world of corporate finance as if he’s showing up to a duel, armed not with pistols but with leverage, insider knowledge, and a grin that could melt titanium. The game he plays—corporate takeovers, shadowy deals, and a little light espionage—might be complicated to those not familiar with the financial realm, but Haig keeps it grounded in Jack’s sheer presence. Jack isn’t just good at what he does, he’s great—and the best part? He knows it. And somehow, so do you from the moment he steps onto the page.

Haig writes Wiley as the kind of guy who makes you believe in the power of conviction. He’s a man who doesn’t just have principles; he has an unshakeable code. Whether he’s double-crossing a corporate titan or navigating the murky waters of government oversight, Wiley remains unapologetically true to himself. It’s that firm grip on his own identity that makes him magnetic, like a combination of James Bond and Gordon Gekko but with just a touch of humility that makes you root for him.

Now, don’t mistake Wiley’s brand of machismo for brashness. No, this is a character who operates with finesse—he’s smooth in a world where smooth can often mean survival. Haig’s writing reflects this, too, with prose that moves swiftly, as lean and purposeful as Jack himself. The financial and political scheming could easily bog down the story, but Haig makes it feel like the backdrop to Jack’s personal warpath, a landscape over which our hero hovers, untouchable but deeply involved.

And it’s not just the high-stakes drama that makes The Capitol Game such a comfort read for me—it’s the mystique of Jack Wiley himself. Haig doesn’t give away all his secrets; instead, he lets the reader revel in the quiet confidence that Jack has everything figured out, even when it seems like the whole world is conspiring against him. There’s something comforting about a protagonist who seems to have an answer for every dilemma, a witty retort for every challenge. It’s like having a personal guide through the jungle of corporate America, one who’s wearing a perfectly tailored suit and can still dodge metaphorical bullets without breaking a sweat.

What makes The Capitol Game really sing, though, is that beneath the hard edges of Jack’s character, there’s a heart. He’s not just a slick operator out to make a quick buck or win a game. There’s a deeper sense of purpose to his machinations, a sense that he’s driven not just by power but by a need to prove something—to himself, to the world, to anyone who’s ever doubted him. It’s that depth that keeps you flipping the pages, even when the stakes seem impossibly high.

In a way, Jack Wiley’s mystique is what we all crave—an identity so firm, so unshakeable, that the world bends around it. He’s a man who, like the best of us, knows that sometimes winning isn’t about outmuscling the competition but outsmarting them. Haig crafts that mystique with care, balancing Jack’s machismo with moments of vulnerability that remind you why you fell in love with him in the first place.

Sure, the corporate takeovers and political twists are thrilling, but at the heart of The Capitol Game is a character study of a man who refuses to compromise on who he is, even when the stakes couldn’t be higher. And for a 15-year-old discovering what it means to live by principles, Jack Wiley’s machismo and unbreakable sense of self was—and still is—an irresistible allure.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

As young US Army Sgt. in Jan/67, I had a detached assignment to accompany a team from The Inspector General's office in USAREUR during an inspection of the implementation of the AR15(M-16) into the combat units in South Viet Nam and South Korea. During the hours together I listened to these West Point/VMI grads who from 1-star to E-7 were all combat veterans.
Important points that I still remember:

--- The possibility that the 8 battleships at Pearl Harbor were sacrificed for the war effort that the govt. knew was coming. Subs and planes made the "dreadnoughts" vulnerable.

--- Retired Gen. Douglas MacArthur Field Marshall of the Philippines, 1936-1946, failed to prperly protect ports and airports. And most tragically, did place his ammunition supplies where they were accessible to the defending troops. Forces on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidore were forced to surrender en masse.

--- Sen Harry Truman was recruited to be Roosevelt's VP thus removing him as committee chairman
of the "Truman Committee, which was aimed at reducing waste and inefficiency in wartime contracts". Rumor: many of pre-war torpedo supplies failed to explode upon impact.

--- Retiring Pres. D. Eisenhower's farewell speech warned of the dangers from the "military industrial complex"

--- What was the Johnson Admin. making with the involvement in the Vietnamese civil war?

My current thoughts

--- How much have current politicians such as the Biden Family made from Afghanistan, Iraq, China, and now the Ukrane?

I can only imagine what Haig had learned from his 4-star General father and his personal military education and service.

Well worth the read especially for people who vote!

[Jak60 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not not know Brian Haig, but based on the reviews of his books I was expecting to be positively surprised; well, I was not.
Haig is obviously a military brat, and I can imagine he must have a good hand for writing army-based stories; but this inroad into the business world is not good.
The whole story sounds very artificial, full of clichés; the characters are almost cartoonish, over simplistic and with no depth at all: the lawyer acting like the perfect stereotype of a lawyer, the general acting like the perfect stereitype of a general, the good standing all on one side, the evil all on the other, and so on so forth. When you look at situations at a very high level, both in business and politics, well, people do not speak nor behave in that way: I wish I saw more subtlety, more texture in the way such situations were portrayed, deals like those described in the book are handled more like a sophisticated chessboard game than the walk of an elephant in a china shop.
It is a kind of shame as the novel had some potential, but it was all wasted by a poor execution,

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the deal of the decade, if not the century. A small, insignificant company on the edge of bankruptcy had discovered an alchemist's dream; a miraculous polymer, that when coated on any vehicle, was the equivalent of 30 inches of steel. With bloody conflicts surging in Iraq and Afghanistan, the polymer promises to save thousands of lives and change the course of both wars.
Jack Wiley, a successful Wall Street banker, believes he has a found a dream come true when he mysteriously learns of this miraculous polymer. His plan: enlist the help of the Capitol Group, one of the country's largest and most powerful corporations in a quick, bloodless takeover of the small company that developed the polymer. It seems like a partnership made in heaven...until the Pentagon's investigative service begins nosing around, and the deal turns into a nightmare. Now, Jack's back is up against the wall and he and the Capitol Group find themselves embroiled in the greatest scandal the government and corporate America have ever seen..

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Capitol Game is an inside look at the greed, corruption, and back-room shenanigans prevalent in politics and corporate America.
"Amazingly, (the Congressman) had pulled this off with only one million dollars; the other million contributed by (big business) to his buying spree, of course, ended up in his pockets. Democracy at its best." "This was the secret to success....no matter how enticing the gamble, do it with other peoples' money." "Wars spawned greed."
These quotes present the background to this readable and entertaining story set primarily in Washington, DC during the wars in the Middle East. A small, family-owned company develops a polymer that when sprayed on Humvees and other military vehicles makes them impervious to bombs and grenades. When big business learns of this, they want it!
In 390 pages of intriguing reading, the reader learns of what really goes on in corporate and political America. One would hope that this fictional story couldn't really happen, but is left believing that it could!

[Chris Haughton · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you go into a novel, that's was written by an author you have never read before you hope for good things, exciting stories, and amazing characters. The Captiol Game was one that should have been that. It does have good qualities, lots of cat and mouse, it has some excellent dialogue, and characters that start with having the reader have an interest. The one downfall and the major flaw for me was just how predictable it all was. After the first hundred pages, it felt like a circle and the same theme over and over again. The ending came together fast, and the protagonists were always ahead of the antagonists.

I will be giving Brian Haig another shot because he has some strong writing, the humor and wit are strong, and the dialogue was greatly paced. There was little action, just lots of financial talk and private investigators.

From other reviewers, I have seen Haig has better works, and I'll check them out. The Capitol Game is not a bad book, but it isn't great either. However, that's just what I feel coming out of it. On to the next one.

[Robert Ries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Wiley is a Wall Street wizard and military veteran who has a well defined sense of morality. I know; a Wall Street guy with a moral compass, what a contradiction!

Jack attempts to gain control of a company that has developed a chemical alloy with potential military applications as well as financial potential in the tens of billions.

The book is a mash of drama, intrigue, conspiracies, murder, mayhem and Wall Street and governmental machinations(insert Trump joke here).

The novel offers an interesting story premise, likable main characters(although some are a bit thin on development) and an interesting ending. The story and plot development are decent but it does lag a bit on occasion. Although there were a few dropped balls in the story continuity area, I still enjoyed the book overall.

Robert Frank Ries

[Writemoves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a change of pace in my reading and I was looking for a good story. It had all the elements of a good story: greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, noble and smart regulator, cunning hero, various other villains. This was a book I had a hard time putting down. I wanted to find out how the story was going to end. A capital group seizes on the idea of a cunning entrepreneur and ruthlessly buys out a company that had a chemical product that protected tanks and humvees from explosives and IUDs.

How this capital group and their minions (ex Presidents, Senators, Saudi investors) get scammed and deceived makes this a fun book to read. The hero and heroine are always two steps ahead of the villains looking to stop them.

Very entertaining story.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not my normal mystery read. It was, however, full of corporate greed, government corruption, and legal maneuvering. How could you go wrong with such a story. The author was masterful with all the twists and turns. Every time I was sure I had it figured out another bomb was dropped.

Had I read this book when it was first published 10+ years ago, I probably would have found many areas to be a bit unbelievable and far-fetched. Unfortunately, in the climate we find ourselves now, I found it not at all hard to believe most of the story could actually have happened. The end seemed a bit anti-climatic and somewhat lame but what a ride it was to get there.

[Chris Hofmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5. I’ve really enjoyed Haig’s other books and this one doesn’t quite live up to those. That said, I still enjoyed it and the pages turned quickly. The characters, especially at CG, we’re almost caricatures and over the top. The main character, Jack, was solid and mostly likable. About halfway through it became pretty obvious what was going to happen but the ending was satisfying in the way where the good guys win and the bad guys get what they deserve. Not a whole lot of depth and pretty predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Jkane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel does not progress with an obvious protagonist in the classic fashion. Instead, the author writes it as a mystery the reader must decipher. Unfortunately, the storyline was easy to guess at, and so the unknown was not all that unknown. Thus, the book suffers without the lead lighting the way. The contrived story was not the knockout for which the author had hoped, and then without a lead protagonist, the book was a disappointment for me especially after how absolutely tremendous The Hunted was.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was predisposed to like this book. The author's uncle years and years ago did me a great service and was a wonderful friend. (His father, was the secretary of state under Regan but I knew from previous books that Brian Haig is more of his uncle than his father.)

And I did like it. The characters were interesting and true. The plot was actually pretty fascinating. I thought I had it figured out most of the way and was totally wrong. There was a pretty draggy part in the middle - hence 4 stars instead of 5 - but the beginning and the ending were great.