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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
There were a few parts of the story that I wasn't that partial to, such as Princess Elizabeth. I think it would have been better without such a well known historical character incorporated into the story.
And there were too many info dumps, plausibly added but annoying after the first few.
The book is extremely rah, rah for the British, which after awhile became very amusing.
But I really enjoyed the chess part of the story, I found the extra tidbits of info at the beginning of the chapters fascinating.
And there were too many info dumps, plausibly added but annoying after the first few.
The book is extremely rah, rah for the British, which after awhile became very amusing.
But I really enjoyed the chess part of the story, I found the extra tidbits of info at the beginning of the chapters fascinating.
I really enjoyed this book. I love the history of it and the chess game. (As I am learning to play). It was my first Mathew Reilly book and I will be reading more now.
"Always pause before you criticise, and never unduly criticise one who has made an effort at something you yourself have not even attempted."
Many people argue that this is Matthew Reilly's weakest works, but I beg to differ. It is a genre that is out of his comfort zone and he done and exceptional job. It was a fantastic mystery that wasn't lacking or slowing at any time during the novel. I highly recommend this to any mature readers, you will not be disappointed.
To read the full review visit here: https://rachwithbooks.wordpress.com/2015/07/12/review-the-tournament/
Many people argue that this is Matthew Reilly's weakest works, but I beg to differ. It is a genre that is out of his comfort zone and he done and exceptional job. It was a fantastic mystery that wasn't lacking or slowing at any time during the novel. I highly recommend this to any mature readers, you will not be disappointed.
To read the full review visit here: https://rachwithbooks.wordpress.com/2015/07/12/review-the-tournament/
I remember really enjoying Ice Station and Contest when I read them in my younger years. They were so full of action and adventure, books that took me on a great ride. I was expecting something similar with The Tournament, but I was sorely disappointed.
I found this to be a very underwhelming read. I was never really caught up in the story, I actually became quite bored with it at times. The development of the murder mystery is pretty ridiculous, and not a fun kind of ridiculous, more of a 'really Matthew?' *rolls eyes* kind of ridiculous. Like finding a very unique footprint in the mud on several occasions. How convenient!
Also, a big issue for me was the way the dialogue is written. The Tournament is written as a first person recollection of past events, and there are sections of dialogue that make no sense or are just completely unrealistic. There is a lot of direct quoting when a character is relaying a prior conversation they have had. I found this annoying and often confusing, because people just don't talk like that. Just turn to page 130 and you will see what I'm talking about.
Other problems with this book include:
1) The very repetitive, overlong and seemingly irrelevant recounts of nymphomaniac Elsie's sexual adventures.
2) The 'just in case the reader didn't quite catch that' explanations of every step of the mystery through conversations between Ascham and Elisabeth.
3) The stereotypes: Featuring dumb slut Elsie, child molesting Cardinals (a lot of them/all of them?) and oppressive Muslims.
Despite all of its faults this book isn't all bad, it does have some redeeming qualities. I rather enjoyed the chess tournament backdrop of the story, I actually found it to be more intriguing than the murder mystery to be honest. There are also a select few interesting, although underdeveloped, characters who make the story more bearable.
Ultimately, I found this greatly disappointing. I am usually a fan of Reilly's work but The Tournament just doesn't live up to the standard of his previous writings.
I found this to be a very underwhelming read. I was never really caught up in the story, I actually became quite bored with it at times. The development of the murder mystery is pretty ridiculous, and not a fun kind of ridiculous, more of a 'really Matthew?' *rolls eyes* kind of ridiculous. Like finding a very unique footprint in the mud on several occasions. How convenient!
Also, a big issue for me was the way the dialogue is written. The Tournament is written as a first person recollection of past events, and there are sections of dialogue that make no sense or are just completely unrealistic. There is a lot of direct quoting when a character is relaying a prior conversation they have had. I found this annoying and often confusing, because people just don't talk like that. Just turn to page 130 and you will see what I'm talking about.
Other problems with this book include:
1) The very repetitive, overlong and seemingly irrelevant recounts of nymphomaniac Elsie's sexual adventures.
2) The 'just in case the reader didn't quite catch that' explanations of every step of the mystery through conversations between Ascham and Elisabeth.
3) The stereotypes: Featuring dumb slut Elsie, child molesting Cardinals (a lot of them/all of them?) and oppressive Muslims.
Despite all of its faults this book isn't all bad, it does have some redeeming qualities. I rather enjoyed the chess tournament backdrop of the story, I actually found it to be more intriguing than the murder mystery to be honest. There are also a select few interesting, although underdeveloped, characters who make the story more bearable.
Ultimately, I found this greatly disappointing. I am usually a fan of Reilly's work but The Tournament just doesn't live up to the standard of his previous writings.
Thoroughly enjoyable! Quite different to the rest of Matthew Reilly's books, and if anything I liked it more than his action/adventure tales. I hope he writes more like this!
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! The second half was definitely more gripping than the first.
At its heart this story is a murder mystery. The unusual aspects is its setting and the point of view of the story teller. It is set in 1546 at a chess tournament held in Constantinople and the action is seen from the point of view of a 13 year old Princess Elizabeth, later in life Queen Elizabeth I. The crimes are investigated by Roger Ascham, Princess Elizabeth’s teacher, at the behest of the tournaments host Sultan Suleiman.
Everything comes together for an interesting read and one that should never been seen as a history text book. It moves along at a nice pace and is an easy read.
A departure in many ways by Matthew Reilly but an excellent change and this is worth reading. Just don’t expect Scarecrow or Jack West Jr characters.
Everything comes together for an interesting read and one that should never been seen as a history text book. It moves along at a nice pace and is an easy read.
A departure in many ways by Matthew Reilly but an excellent change and this is worth reading. Just don’t expect Scarecrow or Jack West Jr characters.
I loved this book!! I never thought a book about chess would be so exciting. But the story flowed with mystery and action and you never have time to get bored.
And in true Matthew Reilly style there was a hero, just a different kind of hero (a Sherlock Holmes style one with some unique gifts). It may not have had guns, maghooks, bullets flying everywhere but it was definitely a suspense driven novel and there was some death - just none that really affected you as a reader who is invested in those characters, which made it fine by me because I hate it when a favourite character dies.
The scenes about the chess game itself were actually very intense and I found myself reading them as if I wasn't readying about a chess match. It was more the "war" going on between the players and the reaction of the people around them that was the focal point.
I also loved the fact that the future queen of England, Elizabeth, was used in these books. If I hadn't known it was a fiction novel I could have been convinced it was based on part of her life - because who really knows if something like that had happened if it was kept quiet. But with Elizabeth in the stories it brings about the believability of the era that the book was written in. We all know of the world Queen Elizabeth I had lived in, seen it in movies, on tv, read it in other books and it made it easy to picture everything that happened in the story with the style of the era in our minds - not that Matthew Reilly didn't describe everything that needed to be described anyway but he chose a character and a time that people already knew which just made it that much easier for readers to relate to.
I didn't once question the book - where it was heading, who was the culprit and that sort of thing. I just wanted to read the book and let it unravel the way it was intended. And the ended was fantastic. It finished the way it should have (even though a little on the sad side because of what happened because of the guilty party being discovered) but again, in true Matthew Reilly style, it finished on a high note and I was left very satisfied with the book.
Well done again Matthew Reilly. You have produced another fantastic novel and one I was not prepared for!! This is the reason you are my favourite author. You'll never cease to surprise me :-)
And in true Matthew Reilly style there was a hero, just a different kind of hero (a Sherlock Holmes style one with some unique gifts). It may not have had guns, maghooks, bullets flying everywhere but it was definitely a suspense driven novel and there was some death - just none that really affected you as a reader who is invested in those characters, which made it fine by me because I hate it when a favourite character dies.
The scenes about the chess game itself were actually very intense and I found myself reading them as if I wasn't readying about a chess match. It was more the "war" going on between the players and the reaction of the people around them that was the focal point.
I also loved the fact that the future queen of England, Elizabeth, was used in these books. If I hadn't known it was a fiction novel I could have been convinced it was based on part of her life - because who really knows if something like that had happened if it was kept quiet. But with Elizabeth in the stories it brings about the believability of the era that the book was written in. We all know of the world Queen Elizabeth I had lived in, seen it in movies, on tv, read it in other books and it made it easy to picture everything that happened in the story with the style of the era in our minds - not that Matthew Reilly didn't describe everything that needed to be described anyway but he chose a character and a time that people already knew which just made it that much easier for readers to relate to.
I didn't once question the book - where it was heading, who was the culprit and that sort of thing. I just wanted to read the book and let it unravel the way it was intended. And the ended was fantastic. It finished the way it should have (even though a little on the sad side because of what happened because of the guilty party being discovered) but again, in true Matthew Reilly style, it finished on a high note and I was left very satisfied with the book.
Well done again Matthew Reilly. You have produced another fantastic novel and one I was not prepared for!! This is the reason you are my favourite author. You'll never cease to surprise me :-)
Very easy read. Quite an entertaining plot line but a bit simplistic.