I suppose it was a bad sign when the author's biography said "She was inspired to write [the book] after learning about the popularity of role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft. She wondered what it was that led people to become so consumed by worlds that existed only on a computer screen or in their heads." That sort of flippant comment shows exactly the amount of interest and research (or lack thereof) she had put into understanding those sorts of fandoms (which a More...

I saw the sequel advertised somewhere and thought, hmm, that sounds interesting, I'll get the first one from the library. Unfortunately ... not so much. I got a bad feeling when I flipped to the author's biography and saw that she was inspired to write this after learning that Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft were popular and wondering why. She did not convey any understanding of this that she might have gained to the reader.

The whole premise is unconvincing and not very absorbing, at More...

Cat, who is living in London’s Soho district with her young and disorganized aunt, is approached by a stranger to save him. When she investigates, she uncovers an elaborate role playing game based on Tarot cards, The Game of Triumphs, and accepts an invitation to play. Wanting to know more, she looks for information on Tarot at a fantasy supply store, the Dark Portal, where she meets Toby, who is also involved in the fame, and he enlightens her. Not only does the game allow people to go into Arc More...

First Impression:
I am not really a card person. But something about this summary drew me in. Maybe the mix of Tarot. Maybe the thought of this card game had a lot more depth below the surface. Whatever it was, the premise of The Game of Triumphs excited me.

While Reading:
The Game of Triumphs takes card games to a whole new level.

In the dark and often dreary streets of London, a new card game has emerged, The Game of Triumphs. Here players complete with Tarot cards for the ultimate prize. Fame, fo More...

This is based on a) cards, and b) gaming, neither of which I know much about. That's part of the reason I was interested in it.

It takes about 3/4 of the book to set up the whole premise of the Game and the world of the Arcanum, so don't expect this to be plot-driven until the end. I also found parts of it unconvincing: the motivations of the chancers didn't have enough momentum, nor does their eventual 'mission' really answer that question. It was difficult to understand why the Game Masters nee More...

The plot of this book is very innovative. The book is centered around The Game, a game where players compete with each other utilizing Tarot cards. The prize is worth what it takes to compete, even when the cost seems very high. A reader who does not know much about cards or Tarot cards need not worry, the author does a terrific job of carefully explaining The Game with all of its complications.



The world of Arcanum is a fascinating place. The author readies the reader for entry into this world f More...

I loved the way the characters were realistic-- how Cat actually had to work at a relationship with Bel. Bel was awesome. I really admired her for bringing up Cat at age nineteen.

Okay, the gushing is now out of the way. Basically, this book is about a real-life game based on tarot (it's not a fortune-telling thing), where the Kings and Queens of the card suits send anybody who wants a particular power (a Knight) on a quest for the card that the power represents. Most players, when they are activ More...

GoodReads Synopsis: At an exclusive Soho party one rainy night, Cat stumbles into an ancient and dangerous game of fortune. A mysterious quartet of game masters deal out challenges—moves that unfold in the Arcanum, a dream-scape version of our world. Success can earn players fame, fortune, inspiration. Failure can be deadly.

At first Cat is skeptical, but undeniably curious. And when a journey into the Arcanum reveals a shocking glimpse of her family's past, Cat begins to understand what drives p More...

On her way home one night, Cat accidently bumps into a man while exiting the tube station. Through this seeming insignificant interaction, Cat finds herself drawn into the magical and dangerous world of the Game of Triumphs. A game where tarot cards come to life and the winners can gain riches and glory but losers take the risk of paying the ultimate price.

At times this book is a page turner; the game, its central theme, is pretty original and the worlds within the cards are also compelling. Ho More...

more reviews at: thegoddessofbooks.blogspot.com

There's a typical story-line: main character discovers a secret magic world, finds other people like her to help her out, and they have to gather several objects to defeat the evil kings and queens. I kept envisioning the book taking place in the medieval era, while it really was in present-day. Cat's aunt, Bel, is very similar to a type of character I've encountered in several books: older female relative in charge of caring for the main character, More...

Fifteen-year-old Cat is well acquainted with London's seamy underside--one perk of living across from a casino and on the same block as a strip joint. The tawdry Soho neighborhood doesn't bother her. Cat is used to moving around with her aunt/guardian Bel. She's used to blending into the background and being invisible. Neighborhoods don't change that.

But a mysterious game played out on the streets of London and in a strange world called the Arcanum can change everything. A chance encounter on th More...

I was interested in this YA book when I saw on the back inside flap that the author studied classics at Oxford. It’s not particularly classical, though there are some Latin quotes (which are correct, and correctly translated, I was happy to see). We meet Cat, a loner of a teenager who has just moved with her aunt/guardian to London. She initially brushes off her strange encounter with a man on the street as just another crazy person in the city, but it ends up leading her to the Game in which kn More...

Oh so much potential! A great premise - a real life RPG based on Tarot, and with great rules and stratagems.

But, utterly boring. There's no sense of build up, no urgency or massive events. Maybe I need to read its companion Master of Misrule, and this was just outlining and getting you used to the game. But overall I was bored. Things happened quickly, but not in an exciting quickly. The characters were flat, with no development and no relationship between one another.

But so many possibilities More...

It's a recent YA portal fantasy, UNPOSSIBLE! People are still reading Narnia, there's no room for any more! Readers are too stupid to want anything but dystopias and vampires! ....it's a portal fantasy with Tarot cards (Amber, anyone?) set in London and I have a really bad cold, what more do you want from me. Richard III and I are not made of stone....


Later: Lord, the WHOLE BOOK is basically a setup for the sequel. Someone already told me, but if I hadn't been warned, I'd've been hopping mad. Al More...

The Game of Triumphs was an interesting book. It was definitely different from what I see in bookstores and in the library. The world building did take some time making the first part of the book a bit slow. It wasn’t really until the last quarter that the pacing became faster and there was more focus on the action. The ending was a bit disappointing … I suppose it was meant to be a cliff-hanger, but it felt more like a big set-up for the next book. A little less world building and a bit more ac More...

I happened to like this book very much. I thought that the author visually showed my the Arcanum. As an American, I usually find it hard to read books taking place in England because of the slang they use. But I was happy that the book was pretty straightfoward and easy to read.

The suspense happens about.. the last quarter of the book. And it was very suspenseful. And The book had my attention despite the fact that it had zero romance in it. (usually I insist on having some). Maybe a little hint More...

This book has a really good setup. The author obviously put a lot of effort into building the world of the Arcanum and how the tarot cards fit into the game. I was hooked from that standpoint, though the main character, Cat, leaves something to be desired. She is quite a downer and her personality never improves. It's hard to imagine that anyone would want to be around her. (As an aside, why are so many teenage characters named Cat?) Luckily, the companions she picks up along the way are somewha More...

Ich hätte diesem Buch so gern vier oder sogar mehr Sterne gegeben. Die Grundidee gefällt mir so unglaublich gut. Aber das Potenzial wurde einfach nicht komplett ausgeschöpft und es gab auch einige weitere Makel.
Trotzdem würde ich eher zu 3,5 Sternen tendieren.

The Game of Triumphs handelt von einem gefährlichen Spiel, das auf Spielkarten basiert. Anstelle der altbekannten Symbole Karo, Kreuz, Herz und Piek gibt es hier Swords, Wands, Cups, Pentacles und einige Figuren, die an Tarot-Karten erinner More...

3.5* A strong one. This book has some great aspects to it - the fantasy portions of it are EXCELLENT (I love the blend of a real-life D&D style game being combined with tarot cards and a lot of creatively unique aspects) and the writing of those portions was mysterious and fantastical in the best way. The action portions reminded me of watching a really good cartoon/anime, as the world was just so different and atmospheric. The setting of London adds to that a lot. The trouble is that, like More...

I loved the tarot cards and the idea of a role-playing game opening portals into an alternate world, but I was bogged down by too many rules of play and disappointed that the motivations of the Chancers weren't revealed sooner.

I wish I could do 4.5 stars. This book was well-written, and I loved being able to look up all the cards/prizes! I will write a better review later, but this is a great book & I can't wait to read the next one...

Quite an original book - I love card games too so this book appealed to me. It also has a bit of an "Alice in Wonderland" feel but I think that's mostly because the game deals with a deck of cards.

I really enjoyed this book because it was about a group of frieds tyhat play a battle of games and real stuff and real life problems happen with them!!!!!!!!!!

This is an interesting and unique read. Once you can get your head around the different cards and the way the game is played, it becomes quite exciting.

Though the story's base is quite intriguing, I found the book wasn't terribly engaging. Maybe if more of a connection had been made between the chancers I would have been drawn in a bit more?

This was an absolutely, bloody brilliant read. The plot was intriguing, the characters engaging and the writing enthralling. Care to play the game?

I find the Game itself very confusing, but I did like the characters and learning their motivations for playing.

DNF. WAY too much explaining about the tarot, no story, no characterization, no momentum.

Read like it would be a really good movie, but not a REALLY great book. Just ok.

high 3 - mid 4. An interesting, adventurous book that I throughly enjoyed.