Blurb:

In the depths of the cosmos, slumbers a malevolence that humanity has long forgotten.

An unsuspecting researcher knocks on a door, completely unprepared for what awaits on the other side.

As he tackles a murder investigation, an imperial treason conspiracy and backstabbing - the intertwined fates of two civilizations hang in balance.

As a dark history suppressed centuries ago resurfaces, the direction of the future will be set by one epic gamble.

Review:

I had fun reading Paul G. Zareiths debut novel earlier this year (review here), and when asked if I wanted to read his next book, set somewhere completely different, and with no connection to the previous book, I agreed. And I thought I knew what I was getting into with what the blurb said. And it more or less punts my expectations right after the third paragraph starts up in this story's plot line. Again, it’s a relatively short novel compared to my usual reading habits, but still, “The Grandmaster’s Gamble”, like his first book, takes you on a trip while it goes through each of the paragraphs in the blurb, and the characters in this book do what they are here for.

If I had to convince siblings or friends to read this tale, I’d tell them:
“Norman’s a smart kid - Too smart, sometimes. His genius comes back to haunt him after a disastrous trip to an unknown planet goes wrong.”

However, that is only the beginning for that tale, with far more to come. For example, this does absolutely nothing to prepare you for what is to come. One scene reminded me instantly of some of Asimov's classic robot tales, and others brought back memories of Parasyte the Grey (probably not inspired by the show, but still, some parts did feel that way). Some characters fell flat, others kept their lustre. No animals were severely harmed in this tale, not too severely.

First, let’s start with Norman, and what he’s up to. He’s your typical smart college kid with nothing better to do than find a star system that hasn’t been explored in a while and grab artefacts. From there, he grows a bit as a character, learns about having trust issues, and then, after a few more shenanigans that involve a technological quidditch game, learns that other people will get hurt from consequences his actions have caused. Then, we have the side characters. Fleshed out when needed, or kept simplistic enough to just fill the scene, each one felt like they belonged in their specific part of the book. It worked.

Then, we have the world of politics Norman finds himself in. It’s a theocracy mixed with a meritocratic sense of honor. That by itself isn’t what makes it interesting to look at, no. There’s also the technological side of things. And that’s where things get interesting. 

“There can be no serious conflicts on Earth, in which one group or another can seize more power than it has for what it thinks is its own good despite the harm to Mankind as a whole, while the Machines rule.” - Isaac Asimov; I, Robot

Why do I quote Asimov here? And why from “The Evitable Conflict”? Is it because things aren’t what they seem back in the protectorate? Yes. For the meritocratic society is just the blinds that are pulled over the true power that runs the show. And what runs the show is truly a marvel. But I digress, this is a world full of technology, and what I’m talking about is only a sliver of what is there. Besides that, there’s also a high technology quidditch game, with the various flying balls replaced with a highly technological football.

After that, the plot and pacing. The plot was there, it was understandable with where it was going and I was genuinely surprised at some parts of it, and the pacing was also great. Some parts are not as much as the others, however it pales with the amount of information jammed into “The Grandmasters Gamble”, so it all balances out.

Finally, there’s the slight cosmic horror. Only slight. It’s not too grand, just a long thought dead alien race playing the long game. Joking aside, the psychological aspect that led to the cosmic horror was great. Was not expecting it to play out as it did, and was actually almost biting off my fingernails waiting for the other shoe to drop. And then do that to a cat?  Zareith, if you are reading this, you’re a monster. 

If I had to go find something I didn’t enjoy about “The Grandmaster’s Gamble” is that some characters just existed to further the plot along, bringing along some motivation, yet even then, it’s like they’re being evil for evil's sake. Or just poofing out of nowhere to act as a guide (I’m looking at that orphan child in that abandoned temple). Sure, it is difficult to bring in nuanced characters all the time, yet, at some point, if they’re not somewhat 3D, then they almost act as comedic relief even when they shouldn’t.

Overall, if you want some cosmic horror with a lot of technology, a smart aleck, and a psychopathic cat, this tale is for you!

As always, if you’ve made it to this part of the review, thank you for reading it, and I hope I’ve helped nudge you towards your next read! If not, don’t fret, there’s a myriad of reviews here for other fantastic books, some in this genre, some not. If you’ve not yet read “Red Rising” by Pierce Brown (or you already have and you want to see what someone here has to say about it), check out Dwayne’s review of it here. It’s the start of a series that is similarly a space opera, but a bit out of the genre. And for something completely off the rails compared to this one, Ronit’s review of “Dawnshard” by Brandon Sanderson can be found here.

Wherever you are reading this review, have a wonderful good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night!