Checkmate : The Omnibus

by Noah Rook

This is not a story about survival. It’s an autopsy. A confession carved into marrow. A record of what happens when a child is locked in a box and told to call it home. Inside these pages, memories become evidence. Trauma takes shape in splinters, dog’s teeth, and the lullabies of monsters. From the shadowed corners of a childhood stolen by cruelty, to the haunting return of ghosts that never left, Checkmate is a devastating excavation of abuse, survival, and the unbearable weight of memory. This book is not a cry for help. It’s the final move on a board set long before the game began. For anyone who has ever carried their cage inside them and called it a body, Checkmate will crack you open and remind you are not what was done to you. You are what survived it.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2025

Reviews

[Harleen Soare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so raw and relatable it's terrifying. I could not put it down. It was like I was walking through my own past between the stanzas. It's beautifully written, and honestly made me feel seen, heard, understood for once. Every word, every stanza, every page, it tore me open again and again—yet I couldn't look away. Couldn't breath. Couldn't make a sound. But I soaked in every last word like it was water from a cactus in the desert. I loved and hated it both at the same time. I wish I could say I cried, but the tears remained trapped burning behind my eyes. I wanted to scream; "I hear you!" I wanted to reach out and hug that child I never got to be. I couldn't my throat was too constricted, and my arms trembled at the thought. I wanted to whisper; "You're not alone." But the words didn't feel like they'd be enough.

It's a brilliant masterpiece, simply because of how real it is. 10/10 Would Highly Recommend!

[Miranda Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m not okay.” That line hit harder than I expected. If you’ve ever read something and felt it echo in your chest, Checkmate is that kind of book. It’s brutal and beautifully written, and it doesn’t flinch. I cried. I got angry. I wanted to protect the narrator and burn the world down for what he survived. Noah Rook doesn’t write for attention—he writes because he has something to say, and he says it with clarity, restraint, and power. This isn’t a cry for help. It’s a move in a game he’s been forced to play, and it’s one he makes with quiet precision. I admire him deeply for sharing this story. It’s not easy to read, but it’s worth it. Checkmate is unforgettable, and I’m glad I didn’t look away.

[Allie Dars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Checkmate is a wonderful (and traumatic) continuation of Rook.
This book is quite difficult to read, particularly Last Piece. The contents remind you that not everyone lives a happy life, and that looks can be deceiving. However, despite the contents, the way Noah has moved through and healed is marvelous. You can see that in this work.

Please, be mindful when you read this. You will feel raw emotions, and you will react. Trust me. You will enjoy the poetry and the work Noah put into this work, as he does with all of his other work. Just take care of yourself along the way.

[P. D. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Read that I need for my bookshelf!

The dark intimacy of this omnibus is amazing and will have the reader craving to reread it.

Be sure to check the TWs before reading because this is not for the squeamish or fainthearted.