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The Gameshouse #1-3
The Gameshouse
A mesmerizing tale of a gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.
Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets...
It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.
But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league... a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.
Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all...
This novel was originally published as three digital-only novellas: The Serpent, The Thief, and The Master.
Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets...
It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.
But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league... a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.
Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all...
This novel was originally published as three digital-only novellas: The Serpent, The Thief, and The Master.
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First published May 28, 2019
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About the author
Claire North
27 books4,128 followersClaire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
May 18, 2017
I had to waffle between 3 and 4 stars, so call this 3.5.
But WHY? It's Claire North! You've never read anything of hers that you've disliked!
Well, I didn't exactly dislike this one. The first of the three novellas was pretty raveworthy, like a Machiavellian back-stabby game of thrones for people in Venice a couple hundred years ago, making and breaking kings in the Great Game they play.
It's smart, it's almost over-the-top, and it's quite delicious for an alternate-history high-stakes secret society story.
The second, by contrast, was good for its cool setting of 30's Thailand with rather deep descriptions... But, it just didn't have the same impact OR importance that developed in the first. For, after all, the winner of THAT game became the head of the order. (The rewards were somewhat unspecified except that it's so much better than kingships, etc.) This one was okay. The rewards for playing the game are getting fantastical, now. A real fantasy story mixed with a huge number of pieces (read human resources) being used up.
I honestly didn't care that much about this one.
The third novella had its ups and downs in a modern setting with an even bigger location. Note, we go from ONLY Venice to ALL of Thailand, and now, the world.
It was *okay* until it neared the end, with resources dwindling and piling up in a truly topsy-turvy game between order and chaos, and THEN I was like.... "Okay, this is pretty damn cool."
In fact, if any of you folks have been following the author's North-Only titles, you'll see a pretty big and awesome trend that includes immortality in one sense or another. This, in my honest opinion, is probably the very best feature of her novels. Identity, immortality, and often enough, a lot of fantastic locations.
This one was in line with the rest. It just didn't have the same punch for me as any of her other novels.
Still, it's decent. Not bad, taken all together. BUT I'd say just read the first novella if I was really recommending this to anyone except the Northian Die-Hards like me. :)
But WHY? It's Claire North! You've never read anything of hers that you've disliked!
Well, I didn't exactly dislike this one. The first of the three novellas was pretty raveworthy, like a Machiavellian back-stabby game of thrones for people in Venice a couple hundred years ago, making and breaking kings in the Great Game they play.
It's smart, it's almost over-the-top, and it's quite delicious for an alternate-history high-stakes secret society story.
The second, by contrast, was good for its cool setting of 30's Thailand with rather deep descriptions... But, it just didn't have the same impact OR importance that developed in the first. For, after all, the winner of THAT game became the head of the order. (The rewards were somewhat unspecified except that it's so much better than kingships, etc.) This one was okay. The rewards for playing the game are getting fantastical, now. A real fantasy story mixed with a huge number of pieces (read human resources) being used up.
I honestly didn't care that much about this one.
The third novella had its ups and downs in a modern setting with an even bigger location. Note, we go from ONLY Venice to ALL of Thailand, and now, the world.
It was *okay* until it neared the end, with resources dwindling and piling up in a truly topsy-turvy game between order and chaos, and THEN I was like.... "Okay, this is pretty damn cool."
In fact, if any of you folks have been following the author's North-Only titles, you'll see a pretty big and awesome trend that includes immortality in one sense or another. This, in my honest opinion, is probably the very best feature of her novels. Identity, immortality, and often enough, a lot of fantastic locations.
This one was in line with the rest. It just didn't have the same punch for me as any of her other novels.
Still, it's decent. Not bad, taken all together. BUT I'd say just read the first novella if I was really recommending this to anyone except the Northian Die-Hards like me. :)
June 8, 2019
The Gameshouse has an excellent premise executed with some beautifully absorbing and quirky writing, telling a fascinating story of games played at a level that the most ardent of gamer’s would struggle to comprehend..
Imagine if you will that most of the turmoil in our world is caused not by chance, or random people and things but is, in fact, a series of challenges enacted by players and pieces on the biggest chess board available- that of the world. This then is the setting into which Claire North places her pieces, sets the scene and the reader embarks on a thought provoking, thrilling journey through centuries….
A play for political power followed by a cat and mouse game of hide and seek leads us to the final showdown, all the way the smart, considered narrative absorbs you into the game play, brings you engaging, divisive and mysterious protagonist’s and finally spits you out again where you’ll look at the latest breaking news with an unnerving sense of wonder…
Clever, unpredictable, one of the most imaginative tales I’ve read lately, The Gameshouse is a sharp, atmospheric, literary and deeply layered tale of humanity. I loved it.
Highly Recommended for everyone.
Imagine if you will that most of the turmoil in our world is caused not by chance, or random people and things but is, in fact, a series of challenges enacted by players and pieces on the biggest chess board available- that of the world. This then is the setting into which Claire North places her pieces, sets the scene and the reader embarks on a thought provoking, thrilling journey through centuries….
A play for political power followed by a cat and mouse game of hide and seek leads us to the final showdown, all the way the smart, considered narrative absorbs you into the game play, brings you engaging, divisive and mysterious protagonist’s and finally spits you out again where you’ll look at the latest breaking news with an unnerving sense of wonder…
Clever, unpredictable, one of the most imaginative tales I’ve read lately, The Gameshouse is a sharp, atmospheric, literary and deeply layered tale of humanity. I loved it.
Highly Recommended for everyone.
April 20, 2017
Book 1 The Serpent was a 5 star novella. I love my intrigue books and this one drew me into its world and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I loved the concept of the gameshouse, the setting and was actively cheering for our main character Thenie. I could not wait to read the other novellas.
Book 2 The Thief I give 1 star. It is quite literally a step by step recount of a game of "hide and seek". "I hid in a village then I hid in the jungle. Then I caught a boat and hid in another jungle". We have no reason to care about our protagonist. Hard to believe this is from the same author as "The Serpent". The only redeeming feature was Peter Kenny performing a series of authentic sounding and humorous Thai accents.
Book 3 - The Master. 2 stars. A game in modern times for all the marbles. While the main characters of the previous 2 stories are referenced there wasn't a significant or meaningful payoff from them. Like book 2 this felt like a list as much as a story. "She sent the FBI and homeland security after me, I sent the CIA and Interpol after her. She overthrew my puppet government, I overthrew her puppet government. And on and on it went. Cool story bro!
Book 2 The Thief I give 1 star. It is quite literally a step by step recount of a game of "hide and seek". "I hid in a village then I hid in the jungle. Then I caught a boat and hid in another jungle". We have no reason to care about our protagonist. Hard to believe this is from the same author as "The Serpent". The only redeeming feature was Peter Kenny performing a series of authentic sounding and humorous Thai accents.
Book 3 - The Master. 2 stars. A game in modern times for all the marbles. While the main characters of the previous 2 stories are referenced there wasn't a significant or meaningful payoff from them. Like book 2 this felt like a list as much as a story. "She sent the FBI and homeland security after me, I sent the CIA and Interpol after her. She overthrew my puppet government, I overthrew her puppet government. And on and on it went. Cool story bro!
April 1, 2023
Say, four stars for the first novella and three plus for the remaining two. Claire North does well with big ideas, stories that span huge amounts of space and time, told with a curious sense of dettachment - even the third, which has a first person narrator. I liked the concept of the Gameshouse, where players move their human pieces around and do things that change the course of history, and I liked the setting of each of the three novellas: an introductory intrigue set in 17th century Italy, a very grown-up round of hide and seek in 1930s Thailand, the ultimate chess game set in contemporary times. All three are loosely related but feature different main characters, although characterization is not North's strong point, and I was never emotionally invested in any of them. Nothing kills suspense like not caring whether a character lives or gets eaten by a tiger.
I really enjoyed the first installment, but it took me almost a year to get to the second one. I like North's writing, and she's very good at the short, tense form of the novella, but I just didn't find myself in the mood until I ran out of other things to read.
I really enjoyed the first installment, but it took me almost a year to get to the second one. I like North's writing, and she's very good at the short, tense form of the novella, but I just didn't find myself in the mood until I ran out of other things to read.
June 13, 2022
Very clever and lots of fun. This is a trio of novellas I need to revisit soon.
* * * * *
Reread: June 2022
Claire North's writing makes me feel just a bit closer to humanity every time I read or reread one of her books. Her words make me appreciative of speculative fiction that fully embraces the grand idea of being human and having mortal desires and aspirations that are bound by mortal limitations. I feel most like other humans when I read her stories. She doesn't write realistic fiction, but she has a talent for making all of her impossible ideas plausible beyond the page.
* * * * *
Reread: June 2022
Claire North's writing makes me feel just a bit closer to humanity every time I read or reread one of her books. Her words make me appreciative of speculative fiction that fully embraces the grand idea of being human and having mortal desires and aspirations that are bound by mortal limitations. I feel most like other humans when I read her stories. She doesn't write realistic fiction, but she has a talent for making all of her impossible ideas plausible beyond the page.
April 22, 2020
"Dice roll.
Cards fall.
Kingdoms topple.
Emperors burn.
The young are born and the old pass away.
And always the Gameshouse, the Gameshouse, it lives, it turns, the Gamehouse waits.
And my love too.
The coin turns.
The coin turns.
And we are gone."
Did I pick this book from my shelf randomly during a global pandemic because I dug the black and green cover?
I sure as shit did!
To be fair, I am quite random even without a crisis. So there's that.
The Gameshouse was originally published digitally in 2015 as three interconnected novellas. Weaving them into one episodic novel, the story is held together through a deadly game of chance and skill.
Beginning in 17th century Venice, we follow a woman named Thene who is married to an alcoholic prick. One night, she goes to the Gameshouse with him and it is Thene that is chosen to take part in the higher league. The games here are much more intense than the ones found in the lower league. The players are picked by the Gamesmaster and the world becomes the game board.
The second story takes place in Thailand during a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek against rivals. Remy is a higher league player with centuries of experience. Yes.. centuries.
Finally, the third and final section focuses on Silver, a player who also appears in the previous installments, as he attempts to track down the mysterious Gamesmaster.
It's up to the reader to figure out how these three different characters, each their own game pieces, surge together in a complex game of cat and mouse, murder and mayhem.
"Sometimes life deals a bad hand, and the prize was not worth the price you paid. Sometimes there is nothing in a choice."
The Gameshouse is like a fever dream, a growing intensity residing in this involving tale. Thrilling, mysterious and atmospheric. The pieces of the game slowly fall into place, revealing something much larger.. the game of life.
This was just such a cool book which came out of nowhere for me! I had no idea what to expect going into it. I fear much of it went over my head, but North delivered a deliciously clever concept that I just found so addictive. There's a uniqueness to this story, melded with an almost mesmerizing familiarity reminiscent of The Night Circus and Carter Beats the Devil.
The Gameshouse was my introduction to Claire North and it appeared much like the Great Game, with the toss of a metaphorical coin. This time, it ended in my favor. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work!
(Thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a surprise copy!)
Cards fall.
Kingdoms topple.
Emperors burn.
The young are born and the old pass away.
And always the Gameshouse, the Gameshouse, it lives, it turns, the Gamehouse waits.
And my love too.
The coin turns.
The coin turns.
And we are gone."
Did I pick this book from my shelf randomly during a global pandemic because I dug the black and green cover?
I sure as shit did!
To be fair, I am quite random even without a crisis. So there's that.
The Gameshouse was originally published digitally in 2015 as three interconnected novellas. Weaving them into one episodic novel, the story is held together through a deadly game of chance and skill.
Beginning in 17th century Venice, we follow a woman named Thene who is married to an alcoholic prick. One night, she goes to the Gameshouse with him and it is Thene that is chosen to take part in the higher league. The games here are much more intense than the ones found in the lower league. The players are picked by the Gamesmaster and the world becomes the game board.
The second story takes place in Thailand during a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek against rivals. Remy is a higher league player with centuries of experience. Yes.. centuries.
Finally, the third and final section focuses on Silver, a player who also appears in the previous installments, as he attempts to track down the mysterious Gamesmaster.
It's up to the reader to figure out how these three different characters, each their own game pieces, surge together in a complex game of cat and mouse, murder and mayhem.
"Sometimes life deals a bad hand, and the prize was not worth the price you paid. Sometimes there is nothing in a choice."
The Gameshouse is like a fever dream, a growing intensity residing in this involving tale. Thrilling, mysterious and atmospheric. The pieces of the game slowly fall into place, revealing something much larger.. the game of life.
This was just such a cool book which came out of nowhere for me! I had no idea what to expect going into it. I fear much of it went over my head, but North delivered a deliciously clever concept that I just found so addictive. There's a uniqueness to this story, melded with an almost mesmerizing familiarity reminiscent of The Night Circus and Carter Beats the Devil.
The Gameshouse was my introduction to Claire North and it appeared much like the Great Game, with the toss of a metaphorical coin. This time, it ended in my favor. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work!
(Thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a surprise copy!)
July 21, 2019
The Serpent is the first book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. In early seventeenth century cosmopolitan Venice, Thene is given in marriage at fifteen, to a gambler who has soon gamed away her dowry and more. He takes her to the Games House where all manner of games and players are to be found. He continues to lose. She watches and eventually plays, plays well, and is invited into the Higher League.
The game in which she participates there is like other games, but also not. A new Tribune is to be elected and four players each play their piece, one of the candidates for the Supreme Tribunal of Venice. To win the game, the player’s piece must be crowned King (elected Tribune). Each player is issued a mask, a letter and several other “pieces” represented by Tarot Cards, for use to achieve their goal.
Thene’s candidate, Angelo Seluda, is not entirely sure she will be up to the task, but she assures him she plans to win: “This isn’t a game.” “Isn’t it? There are rules, boundaries, constraints on your action. Clear goals, tools to achieve them, a set table of rivals who must obey the same rules that you do if they want to reach the same end. The only difference between these events now unfolding and any other game is the scale of the board.”
Thene is an excellent chess player and, just like chess, there are knights and bishops and castles and kings; in this case, they are real. Strategy, timing, tactics, all are essential for winning. North gives the reader a very cleverly plotted tale that unfortunately loses half a star of the potential 4.5-star rating for indulging in the annoying editorial affectation of omitting quote marks for speech. Two further books in this trilogy, The Thief and The Master, are bound to be interesting reads.
The Thief is the second book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. In pre-WW2 Bangkok, at the Gameshouse, a very drunk Remy Burke has made an unwise wager. He has agreed to a game of Hide-and-Seek with Abhik Lee. The Board is the whole of Thailand and the stakes are high: if Remy wins, he gains twenty years of Abhik’s life; if he loses, he forfeits his own memory, all of it.
Abhik Lee is a local with many resources, even without considering the cards the umpires give him. Despite his good command of the language, Remy Burke is a six-foot white Anglo-Frenchman with virtually no resources in the country; the rules don’t allow him to access any off the board. The game is hardly even, but Remy, extremely hungover, has no time to wonder why the Gameshouse has allowed (perhaps even encouraged?) this before he sets out to hide.
Against the odds, Remy is not immediately caught. He does have some assistance: other players can help in minor ways, but of course there will be a future debt to pay; and some of the locals he encounters in his travels around the country are simply good people. And Remy is quick and sharp and determined, and sometimes very lucky. North gives the reader a very clever plot that also hints at what the final book of the trilogy, The Master, will involve. A brilliant read.
The Master is the third book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. After centuries of preparation, Silver judges it’s time to play the Great Game. At the Gameshouse’s current location in New York City, Silver challenges the Gamesmaster. The decide on chess. It’s the Great Game, so the board encompasses the whole globe, and the stakes are their lives, for the players are the opposing Kings. And while Silver has amassed many resources, the Gamesmaster has the wealth of the Gameshouse at her disposal.
Silver quickly relocates to a tiny island in the Caribbean, but stays mobile: he’s soon on an Interpol watchlist. This is chess, so strategy is all important, and he has to be careful not to use his key pieces prematurely. Those pieces are many and wide-ranging, from American Senators to German police to net hackers to FBI agents, cyber-security experts.
The game is serious and there are many casualties: “I activate the Union of South American Nations; she plays two of the big four oil companies; I launch environmental terrorists and an insurance broker in retaliation. She turns the head of the Greek police against the insurance company; I turn the interior minister against the police. She unleashes a nationalist opposition movement against my minister; I play an orthodox patriarch and evangelical Christian TV station back at her” etc etc etc.
The action, and there is plenty of it, sends Silver all over the world as he and the Gamesmaster battle to win. Some years into the Game, Silver reveals to one of his pieces his ultimate aim should he win, it provokes an unanticipated reaction from an unexpected quarter. This eventually leads to a very bloodthirsty climax and a rather predictable ending. A disappointing conclusion.
The game in which she participates there is like other games, but also not. A new Tribune is to be elected and four players each play their piece, one of the candidates for the Supreme Tribunal of Venice. To win the game, the player’s piece must be crowned King (elected Tribune). Each player is issued a mask, a letter and several other “pieces” represented by Tarot Cards, for use to achieve their goal.
Thene’s candidate, Angelo Seluda, is not entirely sure she will be up to the task, but she assures him she plans to win: “This isn’t a game.” “Isn’t it? There are rules, boundaries, constraints on your action. Clear goals, tools to achieve them, a set table of rivals who must obey the same rules that you do if they want to reach the same end. The only difference between these events now unfolding and any other game is the scale of the board.”
Thene is an excellent chess player and, just like chess, there are knights and bishops and castles and kings; in this case, they are real. Strategy, timing, tactics, all are essential for winning. North gives the reader a very cleverly plotted tale that unfortunately loses half a star of the potential 4.5-star rating for indulging in the annoying editorial affectation of omitting quote marks for speech. Two further books in this trilogy, The Thief and The Master, are bound to be interesting reads.
The Thief is the second book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. In pre-WW2 Bangkok, at the Gameshouse, a very drunk Remy Burke has made an unwise wager. He has agreed to a game of Hide-and-Seek with Abhik Lee. The Board is the whole of Thailand and the stakes are high: if Remy wins, he gains twenty years of Abhik’s life; if he loses, he forfeits his own memory, all of it.
Abhik Lee is a local with many resources, even without considering the cards the umpires give him. Despite his good command of the language, Remy Burke is a six-foot white Anglo-Frenchman with virtually no resources in the country; the rules don’t allow him to access any off the board. The game is hardly even, but Remy, extremely hungover, has no time to wonder why the Gameshouse has allowed (perhaps even encouraged?) this before he sets out to hide.
Against the odds, Remy is not immediately caught. He does have some assistance: other players can help in minor ways, but of course there will be a future debt to pay; and some of the locals he encounters in his travels around the country are simply good people. And Remy is quick and sharp and determined, and sometimes very lucky. North gives the reader a very clever plot that also hints at what the final book of the trilogy, The Master, will involve. A brilliant read.
The Master is the third book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. After centuries of preparation, Silver judges it’s time to play the Great Game. At the Gameshouse’s current location in New York City, Silver challenges the Gamesmaster. The decide on chess. It’s the Great Game, so the board encompasses the whole globe, and the stakes are their lives, for the players are the opposing Kings. And while Silver has amassed many resources, the Gamesmaster has the wealth of the Gameshouse at her disposal.
Silver quickly relocates to a tiny island in the Caribbean, but stays mobile: he’s soon on an Interpol watchlist. This is chess, so strategy is all important, and he has to be careful not to use his key pieces prematurely. Those pieces are many and wide-ranging, from American Senators to German police to net hackers to FBI agents, cyber-security experts.
The game is serious and there are many casualties: “I activate the Union of South American Nations; she plays two of the big four oil companies; I launch environmental terrorists and an insurance broker in retaliation. She turns the head of the Greek police against the insurance company; I turn the interior minister against the police. She unleashes a nationalist opposition movement against my minister; I play an orthodox patriarch and evangelical Christian TV station back at her” etc etc etc.
The action, and there is plenty of it, sends Silver all over the world as he and the Gamesmaster battle to win. Some years into the Game, Silver reveals to one of his pieces his ultimate aim should he win, it provokes an unanticipated reaction from an unexpected quarter. This eventually leads to a very bloodthirsty climax and a rather predictable ending. A disappointing conclusion.
dnf
April 24, 2025DNF on page 110.
Not for me. Cannot connect to the writing and I’m lost with all the names and characters.
Not for me. Cannot connect to the writing and I’m lost with all the names and characters.
June 19, 2019
I'm a huge fan of Claire North's writing (and mind) and The Gameshouse is a masterpiece. Originally published as three novellas and now, finally, they fit together perfectly as one with each of the three sections building on the others to present the staggering power of the Gameshouse, the astonishing lengths to which players will pursue their games, and the slavery of the pieces that they manipulate, manouevre and sacrifice. Really, really excellent. review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
June 13, 2019
Combined review of a Superb novella series:
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Once again, Claire North challenges me with a new concept, a new style, a fascinating adventure. She never fails.
This is an interesting novella, nicely plotted with good pacing, but with perhaps a bit too formal a prose style. I will be reading the sequels.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Notes and quotes:
I know grief, she replied, -and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself.
We walk, we walk through streets never changing, where blood is as old as stone, ancient blood of ancient families whose grandparents were fed on the water of the lagoon that shall one day be sprinkled on the brow of the newborn infant that shall carry on the name, in the house, in the street, in this frozen city of Venice.
All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose.
Or maybe here is the most terrible truth of all: that in a city as tide-turned as Venice is, perhaps it is simply too hard to find love, loyalty and truth, and so in other virtues people invest their hearts –passion, beauty, poetry and song –fancying perhaps that these shadows of the former are as great as love itself.
.
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Once again, Claire North challenges me with a new concept, a new style, a fascinating adventure. She never fails.
This is an interesting novella, nicely plotted with good pacing, but with perhaps a bit too formal a prose style. I will be reading the sequels.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Notes and quotes:
I know grief, she replied, -and rage. I know them so well that I think they have burnt a part of me to ash, leaving only the shape of what they were inside me, and not the feeling itself.
We walk, we walk through streets never changing, where blood is as old as stone, ancient blood of ancient families whose grandparents were fed on the water of the lagoon that shall one day be sprinkled on the brow of the newborn infant that shall carry on the name, in the house, in the street, in this frozen city of Venice.
All things are chance. Nature is chance. Life is chance. It is a human madness to try and find rules where there are none, to invent constraints where none exist. The only thing that matters is the choice. So choose. Choose.
Or maybe here is the most terrible truth of all: that in a city as tide-turned as Venice is, perhaps it is simply too hard to find love, loyalty and truth, and so in other virtues people invest their hearts –passion, beauty, poetry and song –fancying perhaps that these shadows of the former are as great as love itself.
.
June 13, 2019
3 novellas combined. Let me say first off that North has beautiful prose. She has a style which is unique and you can immediately tell its her writing. Novella 1 was great. Awesome idea and characters. 2 and 3 not so much. The protagonists just werent explored as well.
June 25, 2019
The Gameshouse is a collected edition of three previously published e-novellas: The Serpent, The Thief and The Master.
The Serpent follows a woman called Thene who plays the game of Kings in seventeenth century Venice. In a place where politics has become an art form, is it possible for the least powerful player to outsmart her rivals? As Thene learns the rules that govern this most exclusive of clubs, it acts as an ideal introduction for the reader. The power plays and underhanded tactics of competitors play out against this famous city, and you quickly get a sense of how all-encompassing The Gameshouse is.
The Thief, set in 1930s Thailand, involves one of the most complicated games of hide and seek ever played. Remy Burke, after making a foolish drunken wager, needs to disappear in a country where he sticks out like a sore thumb. Is Remy skilled enough to evade capture and use his meagre resources to turn the tables in his favour? As with its predecessor, there is a genuinely evocative air to this story. The sights and sounds of Thailand feel almost palpable.
The Master brings us bang up to date, and follows a man called Silver in the endgame to end all endgames. What could be a better prize than The Gameshouse itself? In a Highlander-esque nod there can only ever be one Gamesmaster. The competition to determine who that will be plays out on a global scale.
Each novella is a study in tension and escalating consequence. The scope of each story increases exponentially to reflect this. The Serpent takes place in a single city, The Thief in a single country while The Master has the entire planet as a backdrop. Each of these stories explore the nature of games, greed, regret and conflict. Individually they delight, but as part of a larger story they are something far more gripping. They dovetail together seamlessly creating a perfect whole. I was impressed how The Gameshouse manages to be many things at once. The writing doesn’t just entertain, it’s also insightful and thought-provoking. North has real skill when it comes to exploring the human condition.
There are also some wonderful throw away lines that help flesh out the history of this strange establishment and the players that use it. I particularly like the details of the stakes people are willing to risk. One character loses his appreciation of the colour purple. Another has to part with twenty years of life. The wagers are ever increasing, and it got me thinking about just what I would be prepared to give away on the toss of a coin or the roll of a die. Being ambivalent about a certain colour seems like the most inconsequential thing, but think about it, there is far more to this pot than appears at first glance. You are essentially giving away a little bit of yourself. A tiny nugget of the uniqueness that is you and no one else. Suddenly it becomes a much riskier proposition doesn’t it? Consistently losing bets like this would equate to a slow death. Conversely, the rewards could be life altering. Imagine the chance at effective immortality or decades worth of knowledge could bring. Now ask yourself the question again, would taking that chance be worth it?
The fact I found myself pondering such thoughts is testament to just how engrossing the writing is. The premise of The Gameshouse is fascinating. It manages to be deliciously simple and devilishly complex in the same breath. The simple part – you win, or you lose. Seems fairly binary, just black or white, zero or one. There is more complex consideration however – win or lose the outcome of your actions will have consequences. The idea that, if invited, you can play games that could potentially shape nations and change, or even end, lives is tempting and terrifying in equal measure.
There are subtle clues to the ultimate conclusion of The Gameshouse scattered throughout the entire narrative. It’s only when I got to the last chapters though that it all clicked. These final revelations are well executed and guarantee to leave any reader feeling rewarded by the experience.
The Serpent follows a woman called Thene who plays the game of Kings in seventeenth century Venice. In a place where politics has become an art form, is it possible for the least powerful player to outsmart her rivals? As Thene learns the rules that govern this most exclusive of clubs, it acts as an ideal introduction for the reader. The power plays and underhanded tactics of competitors play out against this famous city, and you quickly get a sense of how all-encompassing The Gameshouse is.
The Thief, set in 1930s Thailand, involves one of the most complicated games of hide and seek ever played. Remy Burke, after making a foolish drunken wager, needs to disappear in a country where he sticks out like a sore thumb. Is Remy skilled enough to evade capture and use his meagre resources to turn the tables in his favour? As with its predecessor, there is a genuinely evocative air to this story. The sights and sounds of Thailand feel almost palpable.
The Master brings us bang up to date, and follows a man called Silver in the endgame to end all endgames. What could be a better prize than The Gameshouse itself? In a Highlander-esque nod there can only ever be one Gamesmaster. The competition to determine who that will be plays out on a global scale.
Each novella is a study in tension and escalating consequence. The scope of each story increases exponentially to reflect this. The Serpent takes place in a single city, The Thief in a single country while The Master has the entire planet as a backdrop. Each of these stories explore the nature of games, greed, regret and conflict. Individually they delight, but as part of a larger story they are something far more gripping. They dovetail together seamlessly creating a perfect whole. I was impressed how The Gameshouse manages to be many things at once. The writing doesn’t just entertain, it’s also insightful and thought-provoking. North has real skill when it comes to exploring the human condition.
There are also some wonderful throw away lines that help flesh out the history of this strange establishment and the players that use it. I particularly like the details of the stakes people are willing to risk. One character loses his appreciation of the colour purple. Another has to part with twenty years of life. The wagers are ever increasing, and it got me thinking about just what I would be prepared to give away on the toss of a coin or the roll of a die. Being ambivalent about a certain colour seems like the most inconsequential thing, but think about it, there is far more to this pot than appears at first glance. You are essentially giving away a little bit of yourself. A tiny nugget of the uniqueness that is you and no one else. Suddenly it becomes a much riskier proposition doesn’t it? Consistently losing bets like this would equate to a slow death. Conversely, the rewards could be life altering. Imagine the chance at effective immortality or decades worth of knowledge could bring. Now ask yourself the question again, would taking that chance be worth it?
The fact I found myself pondering such thoughts is testament to just how engrossing the writing is. The premise of The Gameshouse is fascinating. It manages to be deliciously simple and devilishly complex in the same breath. The simple part – you win, or you lose. Seems fairly binary, just black or white, zero or one. There is more complex consideration however – win or lose the outcome of your actions will have consequences. The idea that, if invited, you can play games that could potentially shape nations and change, or even end, lives is tempting and terrifying in equal measure.
There are subtle clues to the ultimate conclusion of The Gameshouse scattered throughout the entire narrative. It’s only when I got to the last chapters though that it all clicked. These final revelations are well executed and guarantee to leave any reader feeling rewarded by the experience.
September 21, 2022
3,5/5 ¿No te apetece abofetear con un atún enterito a Francis Fukuyama por decir en 1992, tras la caída de la URSS, que había llegado el fin de la historia? ¿No te parece que, en los últimos años, antes de la pandemia también, todo se está yendo de madre cosa mala? ¿A qué vienen tantos tiempos interesantes? Yo solo quiero vivir tranquilo, como Rincewind con un puestín aburrido de la Universidad Invisible.
Bueno, quizá la Casa de Juegos esté cerrada, todos los juegos menores aplazados y verdaderos reyes estén librando una gran batalla que decidirá… Huy, casi hablo de más.
Un par de citas de la tercera y última parte sobre un posible futuro:
Huy.
Este libro reúne tres novelas cortas. La primera es muy atípica para Claire North: básicamente, es un juego político con intrigas, pactos y traiciones ambientado en la Venecia del siglo XVII. La segunda ya suena un poco más a Claire North: alguien se ve obligado a huir por toda Tailandia a finales de los 1930, se encuentra con gente por el camino y crece como persona… y como jugador. La tercera es puro Claire North y me recuerda especialmente a The Sudden Disappearance of Hope: un thriller con dos titanes del espionaje, del politiqueo, de los negocios se persiguen por todo el mundo en un juego del gato y ratón. Definitivamente, el libro va de menos a más, aunque es recomendable no leer demasiado seguido a Claire North, porque satura fácilmente.
Bueno, quizá la Casa de Juegos esté cerrada, todos los juegos menores aplazados y verdaderos reyes estén librando una gran batalla que decidirá… Huy, casi hablo de más.
Un par de citas de la tercera y última parte sobre un posible futuro:
Extreme nationalists come to power in Spain, and start expelling and imprisoning its enemies. A religious war breaks out in Mali. Russia cuts off gas to the EU.
The interest rate of the Federal Reserve drops to 0.1 per cent and six banks fold, taking with them two hundred and eighty thousand mortgages, five hundred and seventy-nine thousand pensions and, once all the investors they shatter are counted, nearly eighty thousand jobs.
Huy.
Este libro reúne tres novelas cortas. La primera es muy atípica para Claire North: básicamente, es un juego político con intrigas, pactos y traiciones ambientado en la Venecia del siglo XVII. La segunda ya suena un poco más a Claire North: alguien se ve obligado a huir por toda Tailandia a finales de los 1930, se encuentra con gente por el camino y crece como persona… y como jugador. La tercera es puro Claire North y me recuerda especialmente a The Sudden Disappearance of Hope: un thriller con dos titanes del espionaje, del politiqueo, de los negocios se persiguen por todo el mundo en un juego del gato y ratón. Definitivamente, el libro va de menos a más, aunque es recomendable no leer demasiado seguido a Claire North, porque satura fácilmente.
July 29, 2019
This is a SF novel that consists of three linked novellas. The novellas were published earlier, but it isd the first time they are collected under the same cover.
Imagine there are players behind every major event of our history from the pre-historic times to the present day. The results of their game determine our history.
The first novella, The Serpent, is set in 1610 Venice. An estranged wife of a nobleman, who married her only to get funds to pay his debts is a gambler. And a bad gambler at that. Once she visits the gameshouse and sees that she is much better player. Soon she gets a chance to play the game: to install her pawn at the head of true power of the city – the Inquisitor Tribune. She gets several Tarot cards (each linked to a person), money and some other items. She uses some unusual approaches to win.
The second novella, The Thief, is set in 1938 Thailand. An old player has been drunk and agreed for a game with a star upstart. The game is hide and seek and the older player is of Anglo-French origin, who sticks out in the country. Moreover, his opponent is dealt a great hand, enough pawns to overthrow a government.
The last, third novella, The Master, is set in the current time and all over the globe, for the Great Game for the ownership of the Gameshouse is played. It is a chess with whole countries as pawns.
I liked the first two novellas more. The third at some moment turned a little bloody for a chess game
Imagine there are players behind every major event of our history from the pre-historic times to the present day. The results of their game determine our history.
The first novella, The Serpent, is set in 1610 Venice. An estranged wife of a nobleman, who married her only to get funds to pay his debts is a gambler. And a bad gambler at that. Once she visits the gameshouse and sees that she is much better player. Soon she gets a chance to play the game: to install her pawn at the head of true power of the city – the Inquisitor Tribune. She gets several Tarot cards (each linked to a person), money and some other items. She uses some unusual approaches to win.
The second novella, The Thief, is set in 1938 Thailand. An old player has been drunk and agreed for a game with a star upstart. The game is hide and seek and the older player is of Anglo-French origin, who sticks out in the country. Moreover, his opponent is dealt a great hand, enough pawns to overthrow a government.
The last, third novella, The Master, is set in the current time and all over the globe, for the Great Game for the ownership of the Gameshouse is played. It is a chess with whole countries as pawns.
I liked the first two novellas more. The third at some moment turned a little bloody for a chess game
June 26, 2024
Reread und immer noch so gut!!
October 30, 2020
The Gameshouse (The Gameshouse #1-3) by Claire North is a collection of three novellas from Claire North that are all brilliantly interconnected. I adored the first story called The Serpent set in 16th century Venice. The voice of the narrator is pretty fantastic through all three stories, but the second and third called The Thief set in 1930s Thailand and The Master set in our present day world just didn't quite hit in the same way. Overall, though I highly recommend that you read the entire collection because as I mentioned before the interconnectedness of the three is something special.
February 16, 2020
There is something particularly tragic about wasted potential. A part of me that wants to give 2 stars, even though I spent most of the book expecting to give five, because it didn't live up to what it could have been. Even though it is better than other books, it feels worse because it should have been so much more.
This book is a tale told in three parts, of the players in the Gameshouse - a secret magical society in which the games are played on the real world geopolitical stage, and with outcomes such as empires and religions rising and falling in prominence and power. The first two stories are masterful. While I didn't care for the writing style, for folks who like political intrigue, this is exceptional. And underneath the primary plot are hints that there is a larger game afoot, that even the players determining the fate of Middle Ages Venice and Colonial Asia may themselves be pieces in an even larger board.
But if you expect it to come together in the third story... prepare for disappointment. After the first two stories I could not wait to read the third; I was ready to give it a five star and tell everybody to read it. Then...
Put simply, nothing in part three works. The best strategians in the history of the world are making moves that they have planned and plotted over years, but which I can see in 30 seconds are amateurish at best (ludicrously stupid at worst). The overstory doesn't make sense. The resolution is implausible and makes no sense. I honestly don't know how the editor let the author get away with this. If I were editing a book, and the first two thirds were flirting with best book of the year (or several years) I would make sure the ending delivered. This did not.
Oh for what could have been...
This book is a tale told in three parts, of the players in the Gameshouse - a secret magical society in which the games are played on the real world geopolitical stage, and with outcomes such as empires and religions rising and falling in prominence and power. The first two stories are masterful. While I didn't care for the writing style, for folks who like political intrigue, this is exceptional. And underneath the primary plot are hints that there is a larger game afoot, that even the players determining the fate of Middle Ages Venice and Colonial Asia may themselves be pieces in an even larger board.
But if you expect it to come together in the third story... prepare for disappointment. After the first two stories I could not wait to read the third; I was ready to give it a five star and tell everybody to read it. Then...
Put simply, nothing in part three works. The best strategians in the history of the world are making moves that they have planned and plotted over years, but which I can see in 30 seconds are amateurish at best (ludicrously stupid at worst). The overstory doesn't make sense. The resolution is implausible and makes no sense. I honestly don't know how the editor let the author get away with this. If I were editing a book, and the first two thirds were flirting with best book of the year (or several years) I would make sure the ending delivered. This did not.
Oh for what could have been...
July 13, 2023
3,5 stars
Very original series of novellas! I had lots of fun reading the first two but the final one didn't work for me :/
The Serpent (4 stars) : didn't particularly like the setting of Venice but Thene was amazing. I loved her POV and her game style.
The Thief (4 stars): loooooved that it took place in Thailand! I was so into the game!
The Master (2,5 or 3 stars idk) : sadly did not like the pacing of the story, didn't feel very invested in the main character's story. And really disliked the end :'(
Overall it was a good series to read and although the end left me unsatisfied, I had lots of fun reading it and will probably (finally) take a look at The first fifteen lives of Harry August!
Very original series of novellas! I had lots of fun reading the first two but the final one didn't work for me :/
The Serpent (4 stars) : didn't particularly like the setting of Venice but Thene was amazing. I loved her POV and her game style.
The Thief (4 stars): loooooved that it took place in Thailand! I was so into the game!
The Master (2,5 or 3 stars idk) : sadly did not like the pacing of the story, didn't feel very invested in the main character's story. And really disliked the end :'(
Overall it was a good series to read and although the end left me unsatisfied, I had lots of fun reading it and will probably (finally) take a look at The first fifteen lives of Harry August!
October 28, 2020
Very enjoyable. I love how North plays with so much of the human condition in her stuff, and this one did that very well. She takes the real world and just gives things a quarter-turn to the fantastical that really appeals. And since the fantastical this time is games, and I'm a big gamer, this one had an added appeal for me.
Each of the three stories had their own flavor and scope and I quite enjoyed consuming the shorter works like this as a whole. Additionally, they form a kind of triptych where the whole was greater than the sum.
Finally, I should point out that the narrator for the audiobook does an amazing job. I've liked what Peter Kenney brings to all his stuff.
Each of the three stories had their own flavor and scope and I quite enjoyed consuming the shorter works like this as a whole. Additionally, they form a kind of triptych where the whole was greater than the sum.
Finally, I should point out that the narrator for the audiobook does an amazing job. I've liked what Peter Kenney brings to all his stuff.
May 29, 2025
Fascinating premise with a masterfully woven story that ties itself together satisfyingly. The concept isn’t fleshed out early enough, so the early parts feel pointless when you don’t understand the stakes.
I wish she would write more medium scale books rather than introducing a concept and taking it to its extreme in the same book.
I wish she would write more medium scale books rather than introducing a concept and taking it to its extreme in the same book.
May 26, 2020
4.5 stars
1. the serpent 5/5: wow. this sets up the gameshouse world really nicely. we follow thene in venice and the game of kings.
2. the thief 4/5: ooooh silver’s great game is gonna start soon!! hide and seek with remy in thailand.
3. the master 4/5: what a worldwide game of chess. heartbreaking end.
1. the serpent 5/5: wow. this sets up the gameshouse world really nicely. we follow thene in venice and the game of kings.
2. the thief 4/5: ooooh silver’s great game is gonna start soon!! hide and seek with remy in thailand.
3. the master 4/5: what a worldwide game of chess. heartbreaking end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2019
Review to come at https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/
November 26, 2021
"At first people played her out of pity, and lost. Then they played out of curiosity ... Now they play for the purest cause, and in the purest way, for now the Gameshouse works upon their souls and they play for the only thing which matters - for the win"
NON UNA TRILOGIA MA UN TRITTICO
Composto da tre novelle, inizialmente separate e disponibili nel solo formato digitale, "The Gameshouse" è stato pubblicato cinque anni più tardi come fosse un vero e proprio romanzo, ed onestamente come tale vi consiglierei di leggerlo perché le diverse storie non sono semplici companion novellas, hanno invece molti elementi in comune e diversi dettagli risultano incomprensibili se si legge un solo racconto oppure non si segue l'ordine indicato. Pertanto, approvo in pieno la scelta di creare questo bind-up, che tra l'altro permette per la prima volta ai lettori di avere una copia cartacea di un'opera forse meno nota ma non per questo da sottovalutare della fantastica Claire North (sì, ho un bias nei suoi confronti, pensavo fosse ormai palese!).
Il concept dal quale parte è interessante e gestito in maniera brillante: si basa sull'esistenza della Gameshouse, una sorta di casinò di lusso dove i clienti si possono sfidare a qualunque tipo di gioco, mentre austeri giudici in bianco supervisionano ogni partita; i migliori giocatori vengono poi invitati a mettersi ulteriormente alla prova e tentare di accedere alla higher league, dove le poste in gioco sono ben più alte e le dimensioni del tabellone possono raggiungere i confini di uno Stato. Questo elemento paranormale da all'autrice la possibilità di spaziare con la fantasia, infatti all'interno della Gameshouse vediamo persone che acquisiscono o perdono semplici fortune, ma anche capacità fisiche, l'affetto della persona amata, i ricordi di un'intera esistenza... perfino gli anni della propria vita, e proprio grazie a quest'ultimo espediente abbiamo personaggi particolarmente longevi, tratto quasi distintivo dei romanzi di North.
Sfruttando quest'idea, l'autrice struttura le tre storie. La prima è ambientata nella Venezia del 1600 e ruota attorno a Thene, una donna frustrata dalla vita infelice che altri hanno scelto per lei; dopo essere stata costretta ad entrare nella Gameshouse al seguito del marito ludopatico, il suo talento per la strategia le permetterà di partecipare ad una competizione per vincere un posto nella higher league. Il secondo racconto parte da Bangkok agli inizi del Novecento per poi muoversi per tutta la Thailandia ed ha come protagonista Remy, un giocatore esperto ma penalizzato dal vizio dell'alcool, che viene sfidato ad una partita di nascondino su scala nazionale, con i suoi preziosi ricordi come posta in palio. L'ultima novella è quella con maggiori collegamenti alle altre e ogni informazione a riguardo (perfino l'identità del protagonista) sarebbe uno spoiler, quindi vi posso solo dire che questa storia tira le fila di un gioco attentamente pianificato da secoli, nel quale verranno coinvolti gli altri due protagonisti, ed il mondo intero.
Come per i suoi lavori precedenti, sono posso che elogiare lo stile narrativo di Claire North, che in quest'opera ha un quid inaspettato perché tutte le storie sono raccontate da un punto di vista onnisciente eppure sempre vicino ai personaggi, che porta il lettore ad interagire con l'ambientazione mentre segue lo sviluppo delle vicende; la rivelazione su chi sia questo POV misterioso è poi tanto geniale quando assolutamente calzante.
Di North ammiro poi la capacità di portare i personaggi in luoghi e tempi tanto distanti, rendendo verosimile e chiara ogni location in cui si trovano; e in questo libro in particolare i protagonisti viaggiano praticamente in ogni Continente. Il mio unico appunto negativo rilevante è il poco spazio dato alla caratterizzazione dei personaggi, che si nota soprattutto nella prima e nella terza storia, ma per motivi diversi: in un caso abbiamo un cast troppo ampio per poter analizzare bene tutti, mentre nell'altro seguiamo dei personaggi presentati come estremamente freddi, quindi risulta un po' difficile empatizzare con le loro azioni, anche quando ci viene data una giustificazione.
Infine, se dovessi fare una micro classifica di queste novelle, metterei al primo posto "The Thief" -la novella su Remy, che più di tutte mi ha emozionata per aver inserito un protagonista molto umano eppure logico in un'avventura ricca di adrenalina -, al secondo "The Serpent" nella quale ho molto apprezzato l'intelligenza e la risolutezza di Thene, e al terzo "The Master" che è godibile quanto le altre ma ricorda un po' troppo la seconda per spiccare, oltre ad avere un epilogo molto emotivo ma anche aperto, da interpretare, che non corrisponde proprio al mio ideale di conclusione per una storia.
Voto effettivo: quattro stelline e mezza
NON UNA TRILOGIA MA UN TRITTICO
Composto da tre novelle, inizialmente separate e disponibili nel solo formato digitale, "The Gameshouse" è stato pubblicato cinque anni più tardi come fosse un vero e proprio romanzo, ed onestamente come tale vi consiglierei di leggerlo perché le diverse storie non sono semplici companion novellas, hanno invece molti elementi in comune e diversi dettagli risultano incomprensibili se si legge un solo racconto oppure non si segue l'ordine indicato. Pertanto, approvo in pieno la scelta di creare questo bind-up, che tra l'altro permette per la prima volta ai lettori di avere una copia cartacea di un'opera forse meno nota ma non per questo da sottovalutare della fantastica Claire North (sì, ho un bias nei suoi confronti, pensavo fosse ormai palese!).
Il concept dal quale parte è interessante e gestito in maniera brillante: si basa sull'esistenza della Gameshouse, una sorta di casinò di lusso dove i clienti si possono sfidare a qualunque tipo di gioco, mentre austeri giudici in bianco supervisionano ogni partita; i migliori giocatori vengono poi invitati a mettersi ulteriormente alla prova e tentare di accedere alla higher league, dove le poste in gioco sono ben più alte e le dimensioni del tabellone possono raggiungere i confini di uno Stato. Questo elemento paranormale da all'autrice la possibilità di spaziare con la fantasia, infatti all'interno della Gameshouse vediamo persone che acquisiscono o perdono semplici fortune, ma anche capacità fisiche, l'affetto della persona amata, i ricordi di un'intera esistenza... perfino gli anni della propria vita, e proprio grazie a quest'ultimo espediente abbiamo personaggi particolarmente longevi, tratto quasi distintivo dei romanzi di North.
Sfruttando quest'idea, l'autrice struttura le tre storie. La prima è ambientata nella Venezia del 1600 e ruota attorno a Thene, una donna frustrata dalla vita infelice che altri hanno scelto per lei; dopo essere stata costretta ad entrare nella Gameshouse al seguito del marito ludopatico, il suo talento per la strategia le permetterà di partecipare ad una competizione per vincere un posto nella higher league. Il secondo racconto parte da Bangkok agli inizi del Novecento per poi muoversi per tutta la Thailandia ed ha come protagonista Remy, un giocatore esperto ma penalizzato dal vizio dell'alcool, che viene sfidato ad una partita di nascondino su scala nazionale, con i suoi preziosi ricordi come posta in palio. L'ultima novella è quella con maggiori collegamenti alle altre e ogni informazione a riguardo (perfino l'identità del protagonista) sarebbe uno spoiler, quindi vi posso solo dire che questa storia tira le fila di un gioco attentamente pianificato da secoli, nel quale verranno coinvolti gli altri due protagonisti, ed il mondo intero.
Come per i suoi lavori precedenti, sono posso che elogiare lo stile narrativo di Claire North, che in quest'opera ha un quid inaspettato perché tutte le storie sono raccontate da un punto di vista onnisciente eppure sempre vicino ai personaggi, che porta il lettore ad interagire con l'ambientazione mentre segue lo sviluppo delle vicende; la rivelazione su chi sia questo POV misterioso è poi tanto geniale quando assolutamente calzante.
Di North ammiro poi la capacità di portare i personaggi in luoghi e tempi tanto distanti, rendendo verosimile e chiara ogni location in cui si trovano; e in questo libro in particolare i protagonisti viaggiano praticamente in ogni Continente. Il mio unico appunto negativo rilevante è il poco spazio dato alla caratterizzazione dei personaggi, che si nota soprattutto nella prima e nella terza storia, ma per motivi diversi: in un caso abbiamo un cast troppo ampio per poter analizzare bene tutti, mentre nell'altro seguiamo dei personaggi presentati come estremamente freddi, quindi risulta un po' difficile empatizzare con le loro azioni, anche quando ci viene data una giustificazione.
Infine, se dovessi fare una micro classifica di queste novelle, metterei al primo posto "The Thief" -la novella su Remy, che più di tutte mi ha emozionata per aver inserito un protagonista molto umano eppure logico in un'avventura ricca di adrenalina -, al secondo "The Serpent" nella quale ho molto apprezzato l'intelligenza e la risolutezza di Thene, e al terzo "The Master" che è godibile quanto le altre ma ricorda un po' troppo la seconda per spiccare, oltre ad avere un epilogo molto emotivo ma anche aperto, da interpretare, che non corrisponde proprio al mio ideale di conclusione per una storia.
Voto effettivo: quattro stelline e mezza
January 2, 2018
Mystisch, kryptisch und soooo ungewöhnlich...
Ein Haus wie jedes andere, ein Spielhaus - in den unteren Gemächern wird das Spiel der Gewöhnlichen gespielt und in die oberen Gemächer wirst du gewählt. Der Einsatz ist groß, der Verlust noch größer und der Gewinn unermesslich - hier geht es um die Seele, um Lebensjahre, um Kriege, Terror und vieles mehr...
Ein so ungewöhnliches Buch habe ich lange nicht gelesen.
Der Schreibstil ist sehr ungewöhnlich, in drei Novellen werden drei Zeitsprünge getan und es geht jeweils um ein anderes Spiel und wie Verbündete entstehen.
Ich hatte teilweise Probleme mit dem Schreibstil. In den ersten beiden Novellen wird die Sichtweise durch einen Dritten beschrieben (die Schlichterinnen) und im letzten wechseln wir in die ich bzw. wir Perspektive eines Spielers.
Im Buch geht es um Spieler, diese Spielen um Kriege, die Vorherschaft über eine Stadt, Verstecken in einem ganzen Land und noch ganz andere...
Interessant fand ich die Gedanken die beim Lesen aufkommen, denn mag es noch so unrealistisch erscheinen, findet man sich immer wieder in unserer Welt, denn wissen wir wirklich wer Kriege entfacht, Terroranschläge ausübt oder hinter Amtserhebungen steckt?!
FAZIT
Ein Buch der Spitzenklasse, für das der Leser sich Zeit nehmen muss und sich ganz darauf einlassen. Empfehlenswert für alle die das ungewöhnliche suchen und vor einem komplizierten Schreibstil nicht zurück schrecken.
Ein Haus wie jedes andere, ein Spielhaus - in den unteren Gemächern wird das Spiel der Gewöhnlichen gespielt und in die oberen Gemächer wirst du gewählt. Der Einsatz ist groß, der Verlust noch größer und der Gewinn unermesslich - hier geht es um die Seele, um Lebensjahre, um Kriege, Terror und vieles mehr...
Ein so ungewöhnliches Buch habe ich lange nicht gelesen.
Der Schreibstil ist sehr ungewöhnlich, in drei Novellen werden drei Zeitsprünge getan und es geht jeweils um ein anderes Spiel und wie Verbündete entstehen.
Ich hatte teilweise Probleme mit dem Schreibstil. In den ersten beiden Novellen wird die Sichtweise durch einen Dritten beschrieben (die Schlichterinnen) und im letzten wechseln wir in die ich bzw. wir Perspektive eines Spielers.
Im Buch geht es um Spieler, diese Spielen um Kriege, die Vorherschaft über eine Stadt, Verstecken in einem ganzen Land und noch ganz andere...
Interessant fand ich die Gedanken die beim Lesen aufkommen, denn mag es noch so unrealistisch erscheinen, findet man sich immer wieder in unserer Welt, denn wissen wir wirklich wer Kriege entfacht, Terroranschläge ausübt oder hinter Amtserhebungen steckt?!
FAZIT
Ein Buch der Spitzenklasse, für das der Leser sich Zeit nehmen muss und sich ganz darauf einlassen. Empfehlenswert für alle die das ungewöhnliche suchen und vor einem komplizierten Schreibstil nicht zurück schrecken.
November 8, 2019
There's this element about Claire North books, regardless of which amazingly creative premise she's working with, that's just about "Look at the wondrous variety of humanity! Look at it, Anakin" (I feel this resonate, for me, with the deep abiding love of London obvious in the author's Kate Griffin works. Warts and wonders and all.)
This works strangely as a novel, because the final third pulls out all this "new story" (alluded to in the earlier portions, but not developed like it would be in a novel), but it also feels funny as a trilogy of novellas because the first two are so very clearly preludes to the Big Game (literally). But, all in all, it is a really fascinating concept (not so much the Gameshouse itself as the philosophical stuff underpinning it and raised by it) and a collection of intriguing characters doing astonishing things.
The final third was a little bit "and then we battled for a thousand years across the depths of space and time" and I found myself skimming the "action" a little, but it's also chock-full of beautiful detail and a great richness of contemplation that really brings the finale to a perfect balance.
So, overall? This was nice to read, thought-provoking, fun, invigorating. Was it perfect? Nah. But it was still pretty great.
This works strangely as a novel, because the final third pulls out all this "new story" (alluded to in the earlier portions, but not developed like it would be in a novel), but it also feels funny as a trilogy of novellas because the first two are so very clearly preludes to the Big Game (literally). But, all in all, it is a really fascinating concept (not so much the Gameshouse itself as the philosophical stuff underpinning it and raised by it) and a collection of intriguing characters doing astonishing things.
The final third was a little bit "and then we battled for a thousand years across the depths of space and time" and I found myself skimming the "action" a little, but it's also chock-full of beautiful detail and a great richness of contemplation that really brings the finale to a perfect balance.
So, overall? This was nice to read, thought-provoking, fun, invigorating. Was it perfect? Nah. But it was still pretty great.
July 4, 2018
I enjoyed all three of these novellas and would definitely recommend them, though I must say I enjoyed the first one more than the other two by a small margin.
It's not that the latter two are bad, it's just that there's so much more worldbuilding going on in the first novella where we get introduced to it all. We learn the about how the Gameshouse works in the first story, what it can bring to a person's life alongside some risks.
In the second story we see a desperate struggle to avoid some risks that was enjoyable but it doesn't add as much as the first story did.
In the third we see the height of which the gameshouse can go to and how far a certain character is willing to go, but the ending is left intentionally open and I expected more tying up of all the themes, but instead they're just kind of left there.
Those are my only problems with the novellas however, the premise is intriguing, the stories are great, and the performance on the audiobook is great. I'll probably come back to these at some point and I'll enjoy them each again when I do.
It's not that the latter two are bad, it's just that there's so much more worldbuilding going on in the first novella where we get introduced to it all. We learn the about how the Gameshouse works in the first story, what it can bring to a person's life alongside some risks.
In the second story we see a desperate struggle to avoid some risks that was enjoyable but it doesn't add as much as the first story did.
In the third we see the height of which the gameshouse can go to and how far a certain character is willing to go, but the ending is left intentionally open and I expected more tying up of all the themes, but instead they're just kind of left there.
Those are my only problems with the novellas however, the premise is intriguing, the stories are great, and the performance on the audiobook is great. I'll probably come back to these at some point and I'll enjoy them each again when I do.
January 30, 2021
I'm torn. I was definitely bored for large chunks of this book. The premise was a lot more interesting than the mechanics. But each of the 3 books/sections had a strong start and finish that kept me reading. The third book was definitely the most engaging, but I realize that it needed the first 2 parts to set it up. Pieces were laid out so that they could come back when needed. Still, even the last book fell into tedium when playing through the vast changes on the world stage at the hands of "the house." I read stories for characters, so when the focus was more on the action, the nuts and bolts of the game, I kind of tuned out.
It was worth the read. North's prose is always strong, and the concepts she comes up with are always fascinating. This just wasn't her strongest effort in my opinion.
It was worth the read. North's prose is always strong, and the concepts she comes up with are always fascinating. This just wasn't her strongest effort in my opinion.
July 28, 2025
New Words Learnt - 3
Kinda cheating with my book read tally, but wanted to review this trilogy as a whole since it comes as one printed book.
I absolutely loved books 1 and 2, and book 3 was a worthy ending although not quite reaching the same heights . I understand the stories are quite slow paced (for the most part) which I personally don't mind - in fact I sometimes prefer when things are slow, I can enjoy the world and story without the constant tiresome plot progression - but I know some prefer fast-paced stories, and I know that the narration style can be off-putting, but again, personally, I loved the charm and personality it added. My only recommendation is don't give this book to a conspiracy theorist to read.
Kinda cheating with my book read tally, but wanted to review this trilogy as a whole since it comes as one printed book.
I absolutely loved books 1 and 2, and book 3 was a worthy ending although not quite reaching the same heights . I understand the stories are quite slow paced (for the most part) which I personally don't mind - in fact I sometimes prefer when things are slow, I can enjoy the world and story without the constant tiresome plot progression - but I know some prefer fast-paced stories, and I know that the narration style can be off-putting, but again, personally, I loved the charm and personality it added. My only recommendation is don't give this book to a conspiracy theorist to read.
January 22, 2021
I have loved all the books I have read so far written by this author. This book has all three game house books together. This game house has the usual games that you would picture in a casino atmosphere, but there is another level to the game house. I level where you don't just play for money you play for anything you can image. You can bet years of your life, a position in government, your desire to learn a language etc... The gameboard is people and countries and is controlled by the gamemaster. The three parts of the book build to an ultimate battle. Though I am a fan of this author I have to admit when it ended I shouted NOOOO Seriously that is where it ends. Without giving any spoilers you will understand if you decide to read/listen to this book.
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