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justasking27's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
erraticeldandil's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I get that it was likely intentional, but the impersonal perspective that this book took made it less enjoyable than the rest and I mean, as with the others the broad stroke of the outcome were obvious from the start. I appreciated that the ending wasn't very clean intentionally though.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Antisemitism
ruineleint's review against another edition
5.0
This is a review for the entire Gameshouse trilogy 1-3.
Firstly, I love Claire North. I have read books written by her under all three of her names and I have loved all of them. Her Horatio Lyle books as Catherine Webb make for great YA reads. Her Matthew Swift urban fantasy books as Kate Griffin are some of the best books of the genre. As Claire North Touch and The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August were captivating reads.
So now to the Gameshouse.
The concept of the Gameshouse is intriguing, amusing and thought provoking. The way the scope of the "game" expands from Book 1 to 3 hints at how powerful and all encompassing the scope of the Gameshouse actually is.
The characters she introduces are very interesting as well. Thene from book 1 was somebody I found myself identifying with a lot. Her life, her motives, her goals were something I could get behind. Remy from Book 2 starts of as a rather sloppy character but as the book progresses his image changes. He is also someone you can empathize with. I really felt bad about a few choices he had to make. Silver from book 3 is probably the most enigmatic of them all and perhaps the hardest to empathize with - till of course the book thunders towards its climax.
The setting is another thing I rather liked. I felt like reading a book on Venetian history after completing book 1, and book 2 made me feel that the author had travelled extensively in Thailand. Book 3 is again the exception with its rapid changes in locale and I think this detracted from its appeal.
Overall they are excellent books and highly recommended for those who want something different.
Firstly, I love Claire North. I have read books written by her under all three of her names and I have loved all of them. Her Horatio Lyle books as Catherine Webb make for great YA reads. Her Matthew Swift urban fantasy books as Kate Griffin are some of the best books of the genre. As Claire North Touch and The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August were captivating reads.
So now to the Gameshouse.
The concept of the Gameshouse is intriguing, amusing and thought provoking. The way the scope of the "game" expands from Book 1 to 3 hints at how powerful and all encompassing the scope of the Gameshouse actually is.
The characters she introduces are very interesting as well. Thene from book 1 was somebody I found myself identifying with a lot. Her life, her motives, her goals were something I could get behind. Remy from Book 2 starts of as a rather sloppy character but as the book progresses his image changes. He is also someone you can empathize with. I really felt bad about a few choices he had to make. Silver from book 3 is probably the most enigmatic of them all and perhaps the hardest to empathize with - till of course the book thunders towards its climax.
The setting is another thing I rather liked. I felt like reading a book on Venetian history after completing book 1, and book 2 made me feel that the author had travelled extensively in Thailand. Book 3 is again the exception with its rapid changes in locale and I think this detracted from its appeal.
Overall they are excellent books and highly recommended for those who want something different.
barb4ry1's review against another edition
5.0
A brilliant conclusion to a brilliant trilogy of novellas. Longer review to follow shortly.
pagesofash's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
4.0
Ah - the last of the trilogy. I'm sad to see it end. Honestly - read it. If you enjoy fantasy or games or just thrillers for that matter, this is a great set of novellas. In this last one, we even have a love story of sorts.
This time around the game is chess and our narrator has become one of the players, a player in the Great Game - the game for control of the Gameshouse. His name is Silver and he's been working toward this moment for ages. He's a King in the game, of course, and has gathered forces that he can deploy. His opponent has her own resources, possibly more powerful than his.
This one had even more action than the last two. Chess is a dangerous game, but it also has more meaning - for the world as a whole and for Silver personally.
My one complaint had to do with a part near the end. Silver became a little too melodramatic for me.
I don't what else I can really say that I haven't said in my reviews for The Serpent and The Thief. I love the use of language, of descriptions. Some of the characters are fully-developed, some are left a bit mysterious, which fits the mood of the novellas.
This time around the game is chess and our narrator has become one of the players, a player in the Great Game - the game for control of the Gameshouse. His name is Silver and he's been working toward this moment for ages. He's a King in the game, of course, and has gathered forces that he can deploy. His opponent has her own resources, possibly more powerful than his.
This one had even more action than the last two. Chess is a dangerous game, but it also has more meaning - for the world as a whole and for Silver personally.
My one complaint had to do with a part near the end. Silver became a little too melodramatic for me.
I don't what else I can really say that I haven't said in my reviews for The Serpent and The Thief. I love the use of language, of descriptions. Some of the characters are fully-developed, some are left a bit mysterious, which fits the mood of the novellas.
kiwi_fruit's review
2.0
This series went downhill for me. I loved the first novel set in Venice, the idea of players moving people as pieces in a big game was original and the characterization superb, the second one, set in Thailand, was OK but repetitive. By the third book, set in the modern days and on the world scale, the novelty has worn off, even if the novella itself has a good pace, it didn’t satisfy completely. To me it seemed more a contemporary action book, employing the pursued protagonist trope, rather than fantasy. 2.5 stars rounded down as the ending was a disappointment.
colossal's review against another edition
5.0
The first novella in this series was a young game player in her first higher league game playing for her freedom. The second novella was a jaded older game player playing a simple game but coming away with a new appreciation for the pieces and the game itself. In this final novella we have Silver playing the Great Game for control over the Gameshouse itself, and there's a feeling of death and finality across the event. Silver doesn't seem to be playing to win, or lose, but more because he's sick of waiting for the game to be over.
This story is an excellent completion of this book, with the motives of all the great players laid bare, explaining why they're playing the game, why the Gameshouse exists, and the stakes of the event. It doesn't have the fresh simple politics of the first, or the raw humanity of the second, and the game here (Chess) is a truly horrific one when played at the higher league level, but it makes sense in terms of the natural progression of the Gameshouse novellas. The last game should be brutal. It should be for the highest stakes.
The outcome is guessable through the novella. No surprises what happens when the game is won, and it's a surprisingly satisfying way to end it all. Great series.
This story is an excellent completion of this book, with the motives of all the great players laid bare, explaining why they're playing the game, why the Gameshouse exists, and the stakes of the event. It doesn't have the fresh simple politics of the first, or the raw humanity of the second, and the game here (Chess) is a truly horrific one when played at the higher league level, but it makes sense in terms of the natural progression of the Gameshouse novellas. The last game should be brutal. It should be for the highest stakes.
The outcome is guessable through the novella. No surprises what happens when the game is won, and it's a surprisingly satisfying way to end it all. Great series.
phouweling's review
3.0
Part 3 in the Gameshouse series. Just like part 2, I found it somewhat disappointing, this one because it was really over the top. Luckily the last few chapters somewhat made up for the less interesting middle part.
coolcurrybooks's review against another edition
4.0
The Master is the third novella in North’s Gamehouse series, which begins with The Serpent. It might not have been as good as I had hoped, but it was still a solid ending to this trilogy, which has combined the genres of fantasy, thriller, and historical fiction across it’s short page span.
In the past two books, we’ve seen a mysterious man known as Silver gathering strength to make a move against the Gameskeeper. It’s now roughly modern day times, and Silver is ready to make his stand. He challenges the Gameskeeper to a game of chess, where the board is the world and they are both kings. In the course of their game, economies will be shattered, wars created, and lives lost until one or the other is finally captured.
In The Master, the POV shifts away from the mysterious watchers to being first person from Silver’s POV. On one hand, it might have been a good decision to put the reader inside Silver’s head. On the other, I really want to know who those mysterious watchers were!
More is revealed about the mythology of the Gameshouse. It is order and rationality, opposing the chaos of the barbarian king mentioned in the previous novels. If Silver succeeds in taking it down, where will that leave the world?
I think the overriding question of The Master is whether Silver retains his humanity. It’s a theme that’s been interwoven through the past two books. Can the player remain a person? Or do they have to sacrifice all connections and feelings to win the game?
The ending may not be for everyone, but I personally liked it. The ambiguity of it suits the trilogy and reminds me of the classic short story “The Lady or the Tiger.”
I’m glad I’ve picked up this series. It’s something different and hard to describe, not quite one thing or another. Picking them up also encouraged me to try more of Claire North’s work, which has been a rewarding experience. The Gameshouse novellas have been an enchanting journey that I would recommend.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
In the past two books, we’ve seen a mysterious man known as Silver gathering strength to make a move against the Gameskeeper. It’s now roughly modern day times, and Silver is ready to make his stand. He challenges the Gameskeeper to a game of chess, where the board is the world and they are both kings. In the course of their game, economies will be shattered, wars created, and lives lost until one or the other is finally captured.
In The Master, the POV shifts away from the mysterious watchers to being first person from Silver’s POV. On one hand, it might have been a good decision to put the reader inside Silver’s head. On the other, I really want to know who those mysterious watchers were!
More is revealed about the mythology of the Gameshouse. It is order and rationality, opposing the chaos of the barbarian king mentioned in the previous novels. If Silver succeeds in taking it down, where will that leave the world?
I think the overriding question of The Master is whether Silver retains his humanity. It’s a theme that’s been interwoven through the past two books. Can the player remain a person? Or do they have to sacrifice all connections and feelings to win the game?
The ending may not be for everyone, but I personally liked it. The ambiguity of it suits the trilogy and reminds me of the classic short story “The Lady or the Tiger.”
I’m glad I’ve picked up this series. It’s something different and hard to describe, not quite one thing or another. Picking them up also encouraged me to try more of Claire North’s work, which has been a rewarding experience. The Gameshouse novellas have been an enchanting journey that I would recommend.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.