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The Gameshouse #2
The Thief
The Gameshouse is an unusual institution.
Many know it as the place where fortunes can be made and lost through games of chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.
But a select few, who are picked to compete in the higher league, know that some games are played for higher stakes - those of politics and empires, of economics and kings . . .
In 1930s Bangkok, one higher league player has just been challenged to a game of hide and seek. The board is all of Thailand - and the seeker may use any means possible to hunt down his quarry - be it police, government, strangers or even spies . . .
Many know it as the place where fortunes can be made and lost through games of chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.
But a select few, who are picked to compete in the higher league, know that some games are played for higher stakes - those of politics and empires, of economics and kings . . .
In 1930s Bangkok, one higher league player has just been challenged to a game of hide and seek. The board is all of Thailand - and the seeker may use any means possible to hunt down his quarry - be it police, government, strangers or even spies . . .
Audiobook
First published November 3, 2015
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About the author
Claire North
27 books4,201 followersClaire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
February 8, 2022
Tag–you’re it!
An old man approaches. He is almost as thin and fibrous as the stick on which he leans, skin like bark, hair like cobweb. He is the village elder but unlike his father, who was the elder before him, he has retained his wits and knows better than to glare with suspicion on the unknown. “Who are you?” he asks. “Are you lost?”
This is the high-stakes adult version of hide-and-seek. The boundaries are Thailand; the resources, only what is available in country. The goal: stay free as long as possible, then the tables will be turned. The stakes, substantial and risky: twenty years of young Abhik Lee’s life to Remy Burke’s memory.
North has written a perfect little triptych of novellas centering on the Great Game. It puts me in mind of Sheri S. Tepper’s own sojourn into The True Game, which was incredibly confusing when first read at fourteen. Now somewhat older, I appreciate the conceit, because the Game, after all, is just another way of saying “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.“
“But if you are good enough–if you have the will to win–then step through these silver doors and come into the higher place where ancient souls and scheming players lay our bets down in life and blood, in sight and souls.”
At any rate, Remy needs to evade Li, and do it post-haste. Unlike The Serpent, this is focused on plot, with less musing on the Game. Even brief characters are interesting, particularly the garrulous lorry driver. The feel of the country in 1938 seems well done; using the terrain to hide provides a kind of cultural overview.
“Four minutes after it has reached the centre of the stream, knocking against the sneaking currents of the river, three cars arrive. Three are two more than are usually seen in Bangkok, save when the king or the generals go about their business, but there they are, black, American-made, carried over the Pacific by a great white-painted steamer.”
I was particularly enchanted with the description of the stars overhead:
"Dao Look Kai, the seven little chickens that threw themselves into the fire where their mother burnt, a tiny cluster of starlight that we might call the Pleiades. The crocodile, Dao Ja Ra Kae, look on him and remember always to do good deeds so you will be rewarded. Dao Jone, the brightest star of all. Children born under his light will become robbers, and the dogs that would have guarded the house all fall asleep under his silver gaze."
It’s a gripping, quick read with a clever solution. As usual, North also makes her points about humanity, gaming, and emotion. I am also one hundred percent certain there is both a reference to Star Wars (the original, natch) and the song from Chess. An excellent, fast read.
Wordpress will have the reference and song links: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2016/...
An old man approaches. He is almost as thin and fibrous as the stick on which he leans, skin like bark, hair like cobweb. He is the village elder but unlike his father, who was the elder before him, he has retained his wits and knows better than to glare with suspicion on the unknown. “Who are you?” he asks. “Are you lost?”
This is the high-stakes adult version of hide-and-seek. The boundaries are Thailand; the resources, only what is available in country. The goal: stay free as long as possible, then the tables will be turned. The stakes, substantial and risky: twenty years of young Abhik Lee’s life to Remy Burke’s memory.
North has written a perfect little triptych of novellas centering on the Great Game. It puts me in mind of Sheri S. Tepper’s own sojourn into The True Game, which was incredibly confusing when first read at fourteen. Now somewhat older, I appreciate the conceit, because the Game, after all, is just another way of saying “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.“
“But if you are good enough–if you have the will to win–then step through these silver doors and come into the higher place where ancient souls and scheming players lay our bets down in life and blood, in sight and souls.”
At any rate, Remy needs to evade Li, and do it post-haste. Unlike The Serpent, this is focused on plot, with less musing on the Game. Even brief characters are interesting, particularly the garrulous lorry driver. The feel of the country in 1938 seems well done; using the terrain to hide provides a kind of cultural overview.
“Four minutes after it has reached the centre of the stream, knocking against the sneaking currents of the river, three cars arrive. Three are two more than are usually seen in Bangkok, save when the king or the generals go about their business, but there they are, black, American-made, carried over the Pacific by a great white-painted steamer.”
I was particularly enchanted with the description of the stars overhead:
"Dao Look Kai, the seven little chickens that threw themselves into the fire where their mother burnt, a tiny cluster of starlight that we might call the Pleiades. The crocodile, Dao Ja Ra Kae, look on him and remember always to do good deeds so you will be rewarded. Dao Jone, the brightest star of all. Children born under his light will become robbers, and the dogs that would have guarded the house all fall asleep under his silver gaze."
It’s a gripping, quick read with a clever solution. As usual, North also makes her points about humanity, gaming, and emotion. I am also one hundred percent certain there is both a reference to Star Wars (the original, natch) and the song from Chess. An excellent, fast read.
Wordpress will have the reference and song links: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2016/...
July 7, 2016
The Serpent which was part one in this trilogy was very good. The Thief is part two and it is brilliant. On this basis the final part should be really outstanding!
This middle book follows a 'game' 0f hide and seek set up between two master players. As one player seeks, using all the advantages available to him, the other, with scarcely any resources at all, attempts to hide within the borders of Thailand for as long as he can. The penalty if he is caught is to have his entire memory taken by the winning player.
Claire North writes some of the most imaginative fantasies I have ever read (under any of her pen names) and she also writes really well. Her descriptions of pre war Thailand are beautiful as is the way she describes the mysterious Gameshouse. The idea behind this trilogy is also exceedingly clever and I like clever in my books!
So now I am looking forward to the third book - let's hope it is good as I am expecting it be.
This middle book follows a 'game' 0f hide and seek set up between two master players. As one player seeks, using all the advantages available to him, the other, with scarcely any resources at all, attempts to hide within the borders of Thailand for as long as he can. The penalty if he is caught is to have his entire memory taken by the winning player.
Claire North writes some of the most imaginative fantasies I have ever read (under any of her pen names) and she also writes really well. Her descriptions of pre war Thailand are beautiful as is the way she describes the mysterious Gameshouse. The idea behind this trilogy is also exceedingly clever and I like clever in my books!
So now I am looking forward to the third book - let's hope it is good as I am expecting it be.
March 1, 2017
4.5 stars. Another terrific entry in the Gameshouse series, in which Remy Burke must elude another man and his men in a game of hide-and-seek throughout Thailand. Remy faces the terrifying prospect of losing his memories if he loses. The chase takes place through cities, country roads, villages, train stations....There is a nice connecting thread with the first novella in the persons of Thene and Silver, both still alive and playing still. They don't figure hugely in the story, but it's nice to see Thene again, while Remy runs and runs around the country, attempting to stay ahead of his pursuer.
On to the last Gameshouse story.
On to the last Gameshouse story.
October 29, 2022
How did this house come to be here? We have seen these doors in Venice and London, Paris and New York, Tokyo and Beijing, always the same doors with the lion's head roaring from the metalwork, and yet wherever it is, wherever it appears, the Gameshouse seems old, a fixture, slotting into the architecture of this place as if it always was, and vanishing again without a scar.
We ask ourselves, you and I, who controls this motion through the world? Who is it who proclaims that here, now, in 1938, a door to the house shall open in Bangkok?
Then we ask ourselves another, far harder question: why?
Loved this even more than the first; I found the twisty nature of the first game we followed to be a little bit much for me to have time to truly care about the outcome, even if I was invested to the hilt in the player. But this time I got to have the best of both worlds; and what could be simpler than hide and seek?
The characterisation is spot on. This is still a novella, but Claire North is proving it's possible to have not just a compelling story in that space, and not just a stunning portrayal of Thailand on the brink of WWII. She's also giving her reader a character who'll surprise them, a whole moment of huge development for a person it'll feel like we know. Stunning, insightful, and just glorious to read. And somehow all in the form of a novella, when I swear I feel like I read a whole book.
Great trilogy so far, really looking forward to book 3.
We ask ourselves, you and I, who controls this motion through the world? Who is it who proclaims that here, now, in 1938, a door to the house shall open in Bangkok?
Then we ask ourselves another, far harder question: why?
Loved this even more than the first; I found the twisty nature of the first game we followed to be a little bit much for me to have time to truly care about the outcome, even if I was invested to the hilt in the player. But this time I got to have the best of both worlds; and what could be simpler than hide and seek?
The characterisation is spot on. This is still a novella, but Claire North is proving it's possible to have not just a compelling story in that space, and not just a stunning portrayal of Thailand on the brink of WWII. She's also giving her reader a character who'll surprise them, a whole moment of huge development for a person it'll feel like we know. Stunning, insightful, and just glorious to read. And somehow all in the form of a novella, when I swear I feel like I read a whole book.
Great trilogy so far, really looking forward to book 3.
September 10, 2016
The second novella in a brilliant series, The Thief is just as awesome if not better than the first, The Serpent. Two expert game players of the Gameshouse challenge each other to a game of hide and seek with the board being Thailand in the 1930s. One player, the hunter has massive resources while the other, the hunted, has only his wits. Nevertheless, the game is thrilling and totally engaging.
November 30, 2015
I enjoyed the first but the second of this novella series had me absolutely hooked. The setting is pre-WWII Thailand, and the game is hide and seek. Our hero is a conspicuous Westerner, hiding for his memories. And the game is deepening.....
September 27, 2025
Like The Serpent, The Thief is a gripping tale of intrigue and transcendence, wrapped in the enigma of the Gamehouse—a secretive organization of uncertain origin that seems to exist beyond space and time, quietly pulling the strings of history. North’s prose is as vivid and insightful as ever, rich with wisdom and atmosphere. The unusual second-person narration, told as if one unseen observer were addressing another, deepens the sense of mystery and heightens the story’s haunting quality. Just as compelling is her portrait of early 20th-century Thailand, where ancient traditions collide with the encroaching influence of the West.
March 8, 2025
We (the readers) see Abhik Lee pacing up and down before the silver doors of the Gameshouse. How did this house come to be here? We have seen these doors in Venice and London, Paris and New York, Tokyo and Beijing, always the same doors with the lion’s head roaring from the metalwork, and yet wherever it is, wherever it appears, the Gameshouse seems old, a fixture, slotting into the architecture of this place as if it always was, and vanishing again without a scar. We ask ourselves, you and I, who controls this motion through the world? Who is it who proclaims that here, now, in 1938, a door to the house shall open in Bangkok?
On reading the first in the trilogy The Serpent based in 17th century Venice, I was immediately drawn in. Like a TARDIS, the Gameshouse appears, neighbouring buildings shuffling aside to allow access. The umpires here rule supreme over the fates of men, armies, countries. Back then, Thene manipulated her pieces for a successor on the commune ruling Venice: here, three centuries later and thousands of miles further east, veteran player Remy Burke, a drunken Anglo-Frenchman, accepts a bet thrown down by Asian Ablik Lee, to an elaborate game of hide-and-seek, with Remy’s memory/soul as the prize.
So Remy sets out on a desperate journey across Thailand, evading Ablik Lee’s “pieces” - army generals, police chiefs bought over time; his own resources overseas. Until bruised, blooded but unbowed, Remy returns to Bangkok, the hunted becoming the hunter.
Cameos here from Thene, and Silver, a talent-spotter for the Gameshouse with ambitions of his own.
I am in awe of author Claire North’s – also writes as Kate Griffin – talent. Already got the third part of the trilogy lined up.
On reading the first in the trilogy The Serpent based in 17th century Venice, I was immediately drawn in. Like a TARDIS, the Gameshouse appears, neighbouring buildings shuffling aside to allow access. The umpires here rule supreme over the fates of men, armies, countries. Back then, Thene manipulated her pieces for a successor on the commune ruling Venice: here, three centuries later and thousands of miles further east, veteran player Remy Burke, a drunken Anglo-Frenchman, accepts a bet thrown down by Asian Ablik Lee, to an elaborate game of hide-and-seek, with Remy’s memory/soul as the prize.
So Remy sets out on a desperate journey across Thailand, evading Ablik Lee’s “pieces” - army generals, police chiefs bought over time; his own resources overseas. Until bruised, blooded but unbowed, Remy returns to Bangkok, the hunted becoming the hunter.
Cameos here from Thene, and Silver, a talent-spotter for the Gameshouse with ambitions of his own.
I am in awe of author Claire North’s – also writes as Kate Griffin – talent. Already got the third part of the trilogy lined up.
April 14, 2018
Combined review of a Superb novella series:
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Quotes and notes:
He also had three elephants under his authority, which regarded the great turbulence of the humans about them with the patience of wily priests who have seen rebellion and heard the changing of the psalms, yet looked up and known the heavens never altered for man’s delight.
The youngest monk, the orphan, sat next to him and said, “First I am the breath. Then when I am the breath, I am the air. I am the wind that moves through the sky. I am the leaves bending in the trees. I am the earth turning, the soil splitting, the dust that blows away. I am here and above and in all the corners of the earth. I am in the first gasp of the newborn child; I am in the last sigh of the dying mother. I am the sobs of the abandoned lover. I am the laughter of the delighted child. I am breath, I am wind, I am life, and when I am all of these things, I, the I that was simply me, that sat by you now, was nothing at all.”
Remy, you have the greatest gift of a higher league player –you remember that your pieces are human. At a superficial level, some might say that makes you kind, but I would suggest it makes you beautiful.
.
The Serpent
The Thief
The Master
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Once again Claire North provides superb prose, great intellect, astounding knowledge of foreign places and times, and a growing insight into the human heart.
I was astounded at her intimate knowledge of Renaissance Venice and pre-WW-2 Thailand. These are living places and peoples. The rural areas of Thailand are beautifully painted, and the common people are alive and fascinating.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good as her other novels.
--
Quotes and notes:
He also had three elephants under his authority, which regarded the great turbulence of the humans about them with the patience of wily priests who have seen rebellion and heard the changing of the psalms, yet looked up and known the heavens never altered for man’s delight.
The youngest monk, the orphan, sat next to him and said, “First I am the breath. Then when I am the breath, I am the air. I am the wind that moves through the sky. I am the leaves bending in the trees. I am the earth turning, the soil splitting, the dust that blows away. I am here and above and in all the corners of the earth. I am in the first gasp of the newborn child; I am in the last sigh of the dying mother. I am the sobs of the abandoned lover. I am the laughter of the delighted child. I am breath, I am wind, I am life, and when I am all of these things, I, the I that was simply me, that sat by you now, was nothing at all.”
Remy, you have the greatest gift of a higher league player –you remember that your pieces are human. At a superficial level, some might say that makes you kind, but I would suggest it makes you beautiful.
.
February 11, 2019
The Thief by Claire North is the second novella in the Gamehouse trilogy, and it tops The Serpent.
Set in the 1930s Thailand, The Thief follows Remy Burke - a veteran player of the Gameshouse. One night he gets drunk and makes a risky bet – he wagers his memories against 20 years of his challenger’s life. The game? A hide and seek. Thailand becomes the playing board, and Remy’s odds look bad. Remaining unnoticed as a six foot tall white man in pre-WWII Thailand is difficult. Especially when his opponent has a lot more cards at his disposal.
Remy flees the city, and ends up on the run, struggling through a jungle, villages and cities. He meets people who help him but also those who betray him. It all makes for a fast-paced and exciting read with clever twists and ingenious tactics used by Remy.
The story is narrated by “watchers” who observe the game and comment it to the reader providing insights and glimpses of the future. I hope North reveals their identity in the last novella.
A must-read if you enjoy intelligent, clever ideas and the power of brevity.
Set in the 1930s Thailand, The Thief follows Remy Burke - a veteran player of the Gameshouse. One night he gets drunk and makes a risky bet – he wagers his memories against 20 years of his challenger’s life. The game? A hide and seek. Thailand becomes the playing board, and Remy’s odds look bad. Remaining unnoticed as a six foot tall white man in pre-WWII Thailand is difficult. Especially when his opponent has a lot more cards at his disposal.
Remy flees the city, and ends up on the run, struggling through a jungle, villages and cities. He meets people who help him but also those who betray him. It all makes for a fast-paced and exciting read with clever twists and ingenious tactics used by Remy.
The story is narrated by “watchers” who observe the game and comment it to the reader providing insights and glimpses of the future. I hope North reveals their identity in the last novella.
A must-read if you enjoy intelligent, clever ideas and the power of brevity.
January 5, 2018
Watcher and reader take again part in a high-stake game of uneven balance, this time in a a hide-and-seek race across Thailand.
There are more details about the Gameshouse, the higher-league players, the played-upon, and the mysterious narrator. We follow Remy, a British with a code and every disadvantage, and Abhik, a man with open ambitions and a sure plan. Through it all, the Gamehouse, a character in its own right.
A game isn’t fun if it’s merely the inevitable destruction of an opponent.
The writing is still glorious, the game deeper, though the jungle is not as fascinating a setting as the twisted canals of Venice.
4.5 stars rounded down only because the bar is set so high, I want to be mindful of every nuance of a great story.
we move past the lives that are being made, the dreams that are being broken, the wonders won, the lives lost, the battle of mind against mind, brute intelligence and skill; governments fall, empires turn; this is the Gameshouse, where humanity is a symbol, the world an object –come and play if you dare; come into the Gameshouse.
There are more details about the Gameshouse, the higher-league players, the played-upon, and the mysterious narrator. We follow Remy, a British with a code and every disadvantage, and Abhik, a man with open ambitions and a sure plan. Through it all, the Gamehouse, a character in its own right.
A game isn’t fun if it’s merely the inevitable destruction of an opponent.
The writing is still glorious, the game deeper, though the jungle is not as fascinating a setting as the twisted canals of Venice.
4.5 stars rounded down only because the bar is set so high, I want to be mindful of every nuance of a great story.
we move past the lives that are being made, the dreams that are being broken, the wonders won, the lives lost, the battle of mind against mind, brute intelligence and skill; governments fall, empires turn; this is the Gameshouse, where humanity is a symbol, the world an object –come and play if you dare; come into the Gameshouse.
November 20, 2015
Another superb novella in this series.
Remy Burke is an half-English half-French six foot tall European man living in Thailand in 1938. He's also a Game player and has unwisely agreed to a game with a hungry young man. And what a game. Unlike Thene in the first novel, Remy is an experienced player who has maybe lost the sharpness for the game that he has had in earlier years. Thene's game in the first novella was unbalanced. Remy's game makes that one look like a paragon of fairness, and the central premise of why that might be threads through the book.
Like the first one, but in a far less subtle way, the Gameshouse is directly playing into the game, and the stage is clearly being set for a Great Game between the Gamesmaster and Silver, both side characters in these first two novellas. The last one should be a doozy.
Remy Burke is an half-English half-French six foot tall European man living in Thailand in 1938. He's also a Game player and has unwisely agreed to a game with a hungry young man. And what a game. Unlike Thene in the first novel, Remy is an experienced player who has maybe lost the sharpness for the game that he has had in earlier years. Thene's game in the first novella was unbalanced. Remy's game makes that one look like a paragon of fairness, and the central premise of why that might be threads through the book.
Like the first one, but in a far less subtle way, the Gameshouse is directly playing into the game, and the stage is clearly being set for a Great Game between the Gamesmaster and Silver, both side characters in these first two novellas. The last one should be a doozy.
March 14, 2016
Zadrzao se lirican stil pisanja i interesantna naracija ali promenivsi igru koja se igra knjiga je dobila jako puno na dinamicnosti pa samim tim i na interesu. Drzi paznju od pocetka do kraja. I dok je sama mini prica gotova velika misterija iz prv knjige se nastavlja i ovde i ide ka finisu u trecoj knjizi. Jedva cekam.
Slobodno navalite na ovaj serijal.
Slobodno navalite na ovaj serijal.
June 8, 2022
Claire North !
September 15, 2022
Book 2 of North's Gameshouse trilogy. In this volume, old and jaded gamer Remy is challenged by an upstart Li to a game of hide and seek. The stakes: the winner gains years of the losers life span. The boundaries of the game: all of 1930s Thailand. Any means can be used to flush out and find the other: criminals, military, police, government agents. As Remy is chased across Thailand - one would expect him to be easy to find, a white man in an Asian country - North does a wonderful job of distilling the landscapes and cultures of the country into an kaleidoscopic travelogue. Pacing is excellent, the head long panic of Remy's flight from merciless pursuers is nicely countered with moments of piogancy as he encounters kindly outcasts amongst the country's rural poor and ethnic minorities. Li's approach, being young and arrogant, is brute force - armed and mechanized. Remy, dealt a very poor hand, must be cerebral. Overall, a unique spin on the classic upstart vs the wily veteran meme. A thrilling read with lusher background and character development than Book 1 The Serpent Can't wait to see where North takes this series next.
July 16, 2019
The Thief is the second book in the Games House trilogy by award-winning British author, Claire North. In pre-WW2 Bangkok, at the Gameshouse, a very drunk Remy Burke has made an unwise wager. He has agreed to a game of Hide-and-Seek with Abhik Lee. The Board is the whole of Thailand and the stakes are high: if Remy wins, he gains twenty years of Abhik’s life; if he loses, he forfeits his own memory, all of it.
Abhik Lee is a local with many resources, even without considering the cards the umpires give him. Despite his good command of the language, Remy Burke is a six-foot white Anglo-Frenchman with virtually no resources in the country; the rules don’t allow him to access any off the board. The game is hardly even, but Remy, extremely hungover, has no time to wonder why the Gameshouse has allowed (perhaps even encouraged?) this before he sets out to hide.
Against the odds, Remy is not immediately caught. He does have some assistance: other players can help in minor ways, but of course there will be a future debt to pay; and some of the locals he encounters in his travels around the country are simply good people. And Remy is quick and sharp and determined, and sometimes very lucky. North gives the reader a very clever plot that also hints at what the final book of the trilogy, The Master, will involve. A brilliant read.
Abhik Lee is a local with many resources, even without considering the cards the umpires give him. Despite his good command of the language, Remy Burke is a six-foot white Anglo-Frenchman with virtually no resources in the country; the rules don’t allow him to access any off the board. The game is hardly even, but Remy, extremely hungover, has no time to wonder why the Gameshouse has allowed (perhaps even encouraged?) this before he sets out to hide.
Against the odds, Remy is not immediately caught. He does have some assistance: other players can help in minor ways, but of course there will be a future debt to pay; and some of the locals he encounters in his travels around the country are simply good people. And Remy is quick and sharp and determined, and sometimes very lucky. North gives the reader a very clever plot that also hints at what the final book of the trilogy, The Master, will involve. A brilliant read.
January 8, 2020
این بار بازی در تایلند دههٔ ۳۰ میگذره، همان بازیخانه و قواعد شرطبندیاش، فقط این بار وضعیت شدیدا یکطرفه است و خطیر.
کلیر نورث قلم توانایی داره؛ این بار هم در توصیف شهرها و مناطق روستایی و جنگلی انتظارم رو برآورده کرد. این مجموعه کاملا ظرفیت تبدیلشدن به یک سریال کوتاه رو داره
کلیر نورث قلم توانایی داره؛ این بار هم در توصیف شهرها و مناطق روستایی و جنگلی انتظارم رو برآورده کرد. این مجموعه کاملا ظرفیت تبدیلشدن به یک سریال کوتاه رو داره
November 4, 2022
Ce second opus de La Maison des Jeux est excellent. Claire North parvient à rebattre ses cartes pour un volume très différent et pourtant subtilement lié à son premier tome en nous proposant une intrigue sous tension. On y retrouve avec plaisir la fascination qu’exerce son univers et son écriture élégante pour une fuite haletante qui, si elle paraît d’abord moins fine et intelligente, cache vraiment bien son jeu.
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
February 7, 2016
Reviewed on my blog - Books by Proxy
5 Stars
The Serpent, the first novella in The Gameshouse series, impressed with its enchanting and opulent setting and its calculated narrative which resonated with political intrigue and decisive manoeuvres. The second novella, The Thief, follows on from The Serpent several hundred years later in an equally beautiful but entirely different tale which is utterly gripping from start to finish.
The Thief is a heady, exotic and thrilling tale which takes the reader on a journey – one of survival and victory – across Thailand and Asia. Through jungles and cities, on railroads and by foot, North weaves across the landscape as she spins her tale of The Gameshouse, where bets, debts and the game remain king. This is an exciting, intoxicating and incredibly beautiful tale and, much like The Gameshouse, once it has it hooks in you, it is impossible to let go.
-
The Gameshouse is preparing itself for The Great Game but, first, another pieces needs to be manoeuvred into place. Once more we take up the die and play the game which transcends all boundaries, the game which fells empires and topples kings and where the cost of victory leaves an indelible imprint on the world. Anonymous sentinels stand watch as they recount a tale of hide and seek, a game where whole countries are the board and governments, military and warbands are the pawns.
It’s the summer of 1938 and Remy Burke has made a bet with the notorious Abhik Lee; a bet he made whilst drunk and in no fit state to call terms. The wager: Twenty years of Abhik Lee’s life versus Remy Burke’s memory. The deck is stacked against him and his pieces, those people and forces that he holds in his power like pawns on a chessboard, cannot compare to the powerful hand that Lee holds.
Under such circumstances a game of hide and seek is no easy feat, not when you’re a near six-foot Anglo-Frenchman in the heart of Asia; not when your opponent has such powerful forces to call upon; and not when your opponent would never have made a bet unless he knew he could win. For Remy, victory and survival may just be one and the same thing.
-
Throughout The Thief, North stuns with her sumptuous and compulsive writing. She paints a picture of 1930’s Thailand, and Bangkok in particular, with such skill and ease that it’s hard not to feel you’ve suddenly been transported there. From the heart of the city, to the wilds of the jungle, to the cracked and dry deserts, North conjures up a world of politics and alliances, of cities and wilderness, and saturates her writing with a wealth of history in this fantastical and enchanting tale.
The Thief is almost reminiscent of those great chase stories, such as The Thirty-Nine Steps or twentieth century escape memoirs, which share a protagonist fleeing across expansive stretches of wilderness and jungle with unknown enemies hidden within the landscape. North delights in stacking the decks against her creation; everyone and anyone could be a piece in Lee’s hand. Trust the wrong person and Burke may lose more than just the game. But even an underdog may yet have a few tricks to play.
Once more the silent observers take the reigns of the tale and steer our course, recounting Burke’s tale in additively florid prose. Their identity remains a mystery and their allegiance remains unknown, but their desire for Burke’s unlikely victory lends them a friendly if other-worldly air. They seem both part of The Gameshouse and separate from it, transcending time and earthly boundaries to observe and record the unfolding of the game.
Remy Burke is an affable and likeable protagonist who, in his own terms, has become a little sloppy when it comes to the game. His fundamental flaws of character leave him with no time to assess and no time to think, his game becoming a chase from start to finish, and the pursued outwitted and outmatched at almost every turn. But friendship may be found by our beleaguered protagonist, even within The Gameshouse, as The Thief sees the return of the enigmatic Silver.
The Thief is an incredibly well written tale which rejoices in its own prose and is almost impossible to put down. This is a series of novellas which, although close to perfect in their own short format, consistently leaves me yearning for more. The writing is poetic, the premise is full of intrigue and excitement, the characters are both likeable and other-worldly, and the power and draw of The Gameshouse is almost tangible. Once it has you in its sights, The Gameshouse will not let go.
-
I wholeheartedly recommend The Thief, along with the other Gameshouse novellas, to anyone wishing for a beautiful, tense and exciting break from reality. Fantasy, history and intrigue are entwined throughout the narrative for something which, for me, bordered close on perfection. Claire North has once again left me with the distinct impression that I really do not have enough of her work in my life.
5 Stars
The Serpent, the first novella in The Gameshouse series, impressed with its enchanting and opulent setting and its calculated narrative which resonated with political intrigue and decisive manoeuvres. The second novella, The Thief, follows on from The Serpent several hundred years later in an equally beautiful but entirely different tale which is utterly gripping from start to finish.
The Thief is a heady, exotic and thrilling tale which takes the reader on a journey – one of survival and victory – across Thailand and Asia. Through jungles and cities, on railroads and by foot, North weaves across the landscape as she spins her tale of The Gameshouse, where bets, debts and the game remain king. This is an exciting, intoxicating and incredibly beautiful tale and, much like The Gameshouse, once it has it hooks in you, it is impossible to let go.
-
The Gameshouse is preparing itself for The Great Game but, first, another pieces needs to be manoeuvred into place. Once more we take up the die and play the game which transcends all boundaries, the game which fells empires and topples kings and where the cost of victory leaves an indelible imprint on the world. Anonymous sentinels stand watch as they recount a tale of hide and seek, a game where whole countries are the board and governments, military and warbands are the pawns.
It’s the summer of 1938 and Remy Burke has made a bet with the notorious Abhik Lee; a bet he made whilst drunk and in no fit state to call terms. The wager: Twenty years of Abhik Lee’s life versus Remy Burke’s memory. The deck is stacked against him and his pieces, those people and forces that he holds in his power like pawns on a chessboard, cannot compare to the powerful hand that Lee holds.
Under such circumstances a game of hide and seek is no easy feat, not when you’re a near six-foot Anglo-Frenchman in the heart of Asia; not when your opponent has such powerful forces to call upon; and not when your opponent would never have made a bet unless he knew he could win. For Remy, victory and survival may just be one and the same thing.
-
Throughout The Thief, North stuns with her sumptuous and compulsive writing. She paints a picture of 1930’s Thailand, and Bangkok in particular, with such skill and ease that it’s hard not to feel you’ve suddenly been transported there. From the heart of the city, to the wilds of the jungle, to the cracked and dry deserts, North conjures up a world of politics and alliances, of cities and wilderness, and saturates her writing with a wealth of history in this fantastical and enchanting tale.
The Thief is almost reminiscent of those great chase stories, such as The Thirty-Nine Steps or twentieth century escape memoirs, which share a protagonist fleeing across expansive stretches of wilderness and jungle with unknown enemies hidden within the landscape. North delights in stacking the decks against her creation; everyone and anyone could be a piece in Lee’s hand. Trust the wrong person and Burke may lose more than just the game. But even an underdog may yet have a few tricks to play.
Once more the silent observers take the reigns of the tale and steer our course, recounting Burke’s tale in additively florid prose. Their identity remains a mystery and their allegiance remains unknown, but their desire for Burke’s unlikely victory lends them a friendly if other-worldly air. They seem both part of The Gameshouse and separate from it, transcending time and earthly boundaries to observe and record the unfolding of the game.
Remy Burke is an affable and likeable protagonist who, in his own terms, has become a little sloppy when it comes to the game. His fundamental flaws of character leave him with no time to assess and no time to think, his game becoming a chase from start to finish, and the pursued outwitted and outmatched at almost every turn. But friendship may be found by our beleaguered protagonist, even within The Gameshouse, as The Thief sees the return of the enigmatic Silver.
The Thief is an incredibly well written tale which rejoices in its own prose and is almost impossible to put down. This is a series of novellas which, although close to perfect in their own short format, consistently leaves me yearning for more. The writing is poetic, the premise is full of intrigue and excitement, the characters are both likeable and other-worldly, and the power and draw of The Gameshouse is almost tangible. Once it has you in its sights, The Gameshouse will not let go.
-
I wholeheartedly recommend The Thief, along with the other Gameshouse novellas, to anyone wishing for a beautiful, tense and exciting break from reality. Fantasy, history and intrigue are entwined throughout the narrative for something which, for me, bordered close on perfection. Claire North has once again left me with the distinct impression that I really do not have enough of her work in my life.
December 13, 2017
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
Second tome dans la série de novella The Gameshouse, The Thief nous transporte en 1938 cette fois ci.
Dans le premier tome nous avions appris que la Gameshouse est une maison de jeu à deux niveaux. Le premier est classique, on y joue de l'argent, mais les joueurs doués sont vite repérés et on leur propose alors l'entrée au mystérieux second niveau. Dans celui ci on peut tout parier, et surtout tout jouer.
Remy Burke est un joueur vétéran de la Gameshouse, un jour alors qu'il est bourré il accepte imprudemment un jeu dans lequel il joue toute sa mémoire en échange de 20 ans de la vie de son adversaire. Le jeu? Cache Cache ! Le lieu? La Thaïlande entière. Les règles? Chaque joueur à tour de rôle va devoir chercher l'autre, et celui qui aura mit le plus de temps à trouver son adversaire a perdu.
Commence donc la chasse à l'homme ....
Le problème c'est que le jeu est totalement déloyal, car si Remy connait la région il est un blanc de plus d'1m90 et donc il ressort parmi la population ce qui n'est pas du tout pratique pour s'y cacher, alors que ce n'est pas du tout le cas de son adversaire, qui en plus de cela est tombé sur des cartes très avantageuses.
Ce tome ci est bien plus basé sur l'action que le tome précédent. Et un peu moins sur la gameshouse elle même. C'est logique quand on y pense car le premier tome nous faisait découvrir le lieu, alors qu'ici on le connait déjà et donc on peut passer bien plus de temps à suivre Remy dans son jeu.
On commence l'histoire 30 minutes avant le début du jeu ou Remy se réveille dans sa chambre d’hôtel en ne se souvenant de rien de la soirée précédente. Un autre joueur lui annonce ce qu'il risque et la partie commence. Le rythme est bien actif alors qu'on suis la fuite effrénée de Remy dans cette Thailande avant la seconde guerre mondiale.
Remy est un personnage qu'on ne connaissait pas avant mais on retrouve tout de même 2 ou 3 personnages du premier tome, qui ont fini par gagner leur immortalité car ils savent jouer.
Ce que j'ai adoré c'est que dans le premier tome on nous racontait des batailles épiques sur l'ensemble du globe alors qu'un adversaire de valeur attaquait la gardienne de la maison en duel. Et la justement il y a tout un jeu politique qui arrive par derrière en plus de l'histoire de Remy dans lequel un autre concurrent est en train de rassembler ses pions pour attaquer celle ci.
Connaissant la date du récit on se pose bien entendu la question de savoir si la seconde guerre mondiale a été le terrain de jeu du duel en question ou si il se réserve pour le troisième volume. Grand mystère.
Bref, cette novella était à nouveau vraiment super sympa, j'ai passé un excellent moment de lecture. Je trouve que le ton et le rythme étaient meilleur que ceux du premier tome et du coup j'ai vraiment hâte de me lancer dans celui ci !
17/20
(je m'aperçois que j'ai toujours tendance à mieux noter les textes courts pour la même qualité, car ayant toujours plus de mal je suis toujours surprise quand j'aime bien)
Second tome dans la série de novella The Gameshouse, The Thief nous transporte en 1938 cette fois ci.
Dans le premier tome nous avions appris que la Gameshouse est une maison de jeu à deux niveaux. Le premier est classique, on y joue de l'argent, mais les joueurs doués sont vite repérés et on leur propose alors l'entrée au mystérieux second niveau. Dans celui ci on peut tout parier, et surtout tout jouer.
Remy Burke est un joueur vétéran de la Gameshouse, un jour alors qu'il est bourré il accepte imprudemment un jeu dans lequel il joue toute sa mémoire en échange de 20 ans de la vie de son adversaire. Le jeu? Cache Cache ! Le lieu? La Thaïlande entière. Les règles? Chaque joueur à tour de rôle va devoir chercher l'autre, et celui qui aura mit le plus de temps à trouver son adversaire a perdu.
Commence donc la chasse à l'homme ....
Le problème c'est que le jeu est totalement déloyal, car si Remy connait la région il est un blanc de plus d'1m90 et donc il ressort parmi la population ce qui n'est pas du tout pratique pour s'y cacher, alors que ce n'est pas du tout le cas de son adversaire, qui en plus de cela est tombé sur des cartes très avantageuses.
Ce tome ci est bien plus basé sur l'action que le tome précédent. Et un peu moins sur la gameshouse elle même. C'est logique quand on y pense car le premier tome nous faisait découvrir le lieu, alors qu'ici on le connait déjà et donc on peut passer bien plus de temps à suivre Remy dans son jeu.
On commence l'histoire 30 minutes avant le début du jeu ou Remy se réveille dans sa chambre d’hôtel en ne se souvenant de rien de la soirée précédente. Un autre joueur lui annonce ce qu'il risque et la partie commence. Le rythme est bien actif alors qu'on suis la fuite effrénée de Remy dans cette Thailande avant la seconde guerre mondiale.
Remy est un personnage qu'on ne connaissait pas avant mais on retrouve tout de même 2 ou 3 personnages du premier tome, qui ont fini par gagner leur immortalité car ils savent jouer.
Ce que j'ai adoré c'est que dans le premier tome on nous racontait des batailles épiques sur l'ensemble du globe alors qu'un adversaire de valeur attaquait la gardienne de la maison en duel. Et la justement il y a tout un jeu politique qui arrive par derrière en plus de l'histoire de Remy dans lequel un autre concurrent est en train de rassembler ses pions pour attaquer celle ci.
Connaissant la date du récit on se pose bien entendu la question de savoir si la seconde guerre mondiale a été le terrain de jeu du duel en question ou si il se réserve pour le troisième volume. Grand mystère.
Bref, cette novella était à nouveau vraiment super sympa, j'ai passé un excellent moment de lecture. Je trouve que le ton et le rythme étaient meilleur que ceux du premier tome et du coup j'ai vraiment hâte de me lancer dans celui ci !
17/20
(je m'aperçois que j'ai toujours tendance à mieux noter les textes courts pour la même qualité, car ayant toujours plus de mal je suis toujours surprise quand j'aime bien)
February 16, 2020
I read
The Serpent
back in 2018 and liked it well enough. I remember being convinced that I would finish this series soon after, as the novellas are all fairly short, but for one reason or another I never actually got around to it. Fortunately, I finally decided it was time to give this second novella a go.
Personally, I thought that The Serpent was a bit boring at times, which is why I could not really focus on it and often found myself easily distracted. Therefore, I gave the book a more or less average rating, although it might have deserved a better one. The Thief has a similar problem. Although I enjoyed the game itself, I thought that Remy's journey is fairly boring at times. That is, in terms of what he is doing. I do not really care about lengthy descriptions of his days on that widow's farm, but then again, the suspense is still kept up because we know how extensive his opponent's network is and that he could literally be caught any second. It also helped that Remy is a fairly likable character that I could really root for. Especially the last few chapters show how clever and resourceful he truly is and I hope we get to see him (and Thene) again in the third installment.
On a more general note, I really enjoyed the writing as well as the way the narrator is used. I usually like when narrators insert themselves into the story in the form of addressing the reader, which then kind of inserts the reader, too. Of course, this does not work for every book, but it was a great choice for this one.
All in all, this is a good book, especially considering it is only a novella. I am not quite convinced it is worth a four-star-rating, but I'd certainly give it three and a half.
[Disclaimer: I listened to the German audio book.]
Personally, I thought that The Serpent was a bit boring at times, which is why I could not really focus on it and often found myself easily distracted. Therefore, I gave the book a more or less average rating, although it might have deserved a better one. The Thief has a similar problem. Although I enjoyed the game itself, I thought that Remy's journey is fairly boring at times. That is, in terms of what he is doing. I do not really care about lengthy descriptions of his days on that widow's farm, but then again, the suspense is still kept up because we know how extensive his opponent's network is and that he could literally be caught any second. It also helped that Remy is a fairly likable character that I could really root for. Especially the last few chapters show how clever and resourceful he truly is and I hope we get to see him (and Thene) again in the third installment.
On a more general note, I really enjoyed the writing as well as the way the narrator is used. I usually like when narrators insert themselves into the story in the form of addressing the reader, which then kind of inserts the reader, too. Of course, this does not work for every book, but it was a great choice for this one.
All in all, this is a good book, especially considering it is only a novella. I am not quite convinced it is worth a four-star-rating, but I'd certainly give it three and a half.
[Disclaimer: I listened to the German audio book.]
January 12, 2017
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.”
(Shakespeare, As You Like It)
Although they probably can be read as standalones, each having their own central plot, there is a hidden story that binds them, so they are best to be read in close succession.
The idea is not entirely new, but the execution is simply superbe.
An unknown observer - which makes the style so exquisite, both intimate and conspirative - takes us on a journey across centuries, through the Gameshouse’s establishment and the big league games played here, not for meek wagers of money, but for far higher ones, like decades in one’s life, health, secrets, memories, love, pleasures, knowledge. The rules are almost non-existent, the possibilities going as far as the player's intelligence, slyness and resources.
The characterization is minimal, so the emotional involvement is scarce, making you, as I think North intended, an equidistant observer, a kind of umpire.
After each and every one, you’re left with a sense of something more, of life being merely a game, of people being just pieces in this ancient game, going on and on as the coin turns.
And all the men and women merely players.”
(Shakespeare, As You Like It)
Although they probably can be read as standalones, each having their own central plot, there is a hidden story that binds them, so they are best to be read in close succession.
The idea is not entirely new, but the execution is simply superbe.
An unknown observer - which makes the style so exquisite, both intimate and conspirative - takes us on a journey across centuries, through the Gameshouse’s establishment and the big league games played here, not for meek wagers of money, but for far higher ones, like decades in one’s life, health, secrets, memories, love, pleasures, knowledge. The rules are almost non-existent, the possibilities going as far as the player's intelligence, slyness and resources.
The characterization is minimal, so the emotional involvement is scarce, making you, as I think North intended, an equidistant observer, a kind of umpire.
After each and every one, you’re left with a sense of something more, of life being merely a game, of people being just pieces in this ancient game, going on and on as the coin turns.
July 28, 2017
Book blurb: In 1930s Bangkok, one higher league player has just been challenged to a game of hide and seek. The board is all of Thailand - and the seeker may use any means possible to hunt down his quarry - be it police, government, strangers or even spies ....
I listened to the audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Peter Kenny.
This is the second novella in the Gameshouse trilogy and I loved it even more than the first one. If you have ever visited Thailand you'll get even more of a thrill as you read this installment. We've all played hide and seek as children, but not with stakes or allies like these! We get introduced to some new characters, and run into some old pals too. The writing continues to be wonderful, the characters well developed, the setting beautifully described, and I loved the exploration of philosophy, humanity, greed, gambling, and emotions evoked by games. And that ending! So dang good. As with the previous one, I gobbled it up and downloaded the final one in the trilogy.
I listened to the audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Peter Kenny.
This is the second novella in the Gameshouse trilogy and I loved it even more than the first one. If you have ever visited Thailand you'll get even more of a thrill as you read this installment. We've all played hide and seek as children, but not with stakes or allies like these! We get introduced to some new characters, and run into some old pals too. The writing continues to be wonderful, the characters well developed, the setting beautifully described, and I loved the exploration of philosophy, humanity, greed, gambling, and emotions evoked by games. And that ending! So dang good. As with the previous one, I gobbled it up and downloaded the final one in the trilogy.
July 7, 2023
Deuxième volet de cette trilogie de la maison des jeux. Mais les dés de ce lieu de jeux et de pouvoir ne sont-ils pas pipés ? Nouveau personnage principal, nouveaux enjeux. Si ceux-ci paraissent enfantins de prime abord (il s'agit de jouer à... cache -cache), on comprend vite que cette partie revêt une importance bien plus grande pour deux camps opposés.
Très clairement, il s'agit ici d'un tome de transition et de préparation au grand final qui devrait intervenir dans le tome 3. Pour autant, j'ai été complètement happé par cette traque. Nous sommes ici plongés avec Rémi, celui qui est traqué, ce qui nous permet de voir "l'envers" du décor : nous ne voyons pas l'élaboration de la stratégie et de l'utilisation des pièces et cartes, seulement l'impact qu'elles ont sur la "victime". Le dépaysement, passant de la Venise du XVIe à la Thailande de 1930 est total, on se plaît à découvrir les zones sauvages du pays, sa partie rurale plus exploitée que la ville de Bangkok.
Tout est en place pour un troisième tome explosif, où des têtes devraient tomber et les vrais enjeux nous être révélés.
Très clairement, il s'agit ici d'un tome de transition et de préparation au grand final qui devrait intervenir dans le tome 3. Pour autant, j'ai été complètement happé par cette traque. Nous sommes ici plongés avec Rémi, celui qui est traqué, ce qui nous permet de voir "l'envers" du décor : nous ne voyons pas l'élaboration de la stratégie et de l'utilisation des pièces et cartes, seulement l'impact qu'elles ont sur la "victime". Le dépaysement, passant de la Venise du XVIe à la Thailande de 1930 est total, on se plaît à découvrir les zones sauvages du pays, sa partie rurale plus exploitée que la ville de Bangkok.
Tout est en place pour un troisième tome explosif, où des têtes devraient tomber et les vrais enjeux nous être révélés.
November 24, 2015
Another excellent book by Claire North. As in her previous novels, you'll fall in love with her characters and you'll be amazed by what the writer is doing with the main theme.
February 11, 2016
Brilliant writing, story, and concept. A perfect book.
February 8, 2023
Un très bon 4,5 !
Ça n'a pas été l'émerveillement du premier tome, la découverte, la nouveauté mais ça a quand même été une lecture qui dépote.
Les enjeux sont très différents dans ce tome avec une partie de cache-cache mortel dans la ville de Bangkok... On découvre de nouveaux joueurs, de nouvelles mises mais surtout le plateau final se précise et les pions sont lentement mais en place !
Vraiment, l'histoire entière relève du génie et la plume est parfaite.
Ça n'a pas été l'émerveillement du premier tome, la découverte, la nouveauté mais ça a quand même été une lecture qui dépote.
Les enjeux sont très différents dans ce tome avec une partie de cache-cache mortel dans la ville de Bangkok... On découvre de nouveaux joueurs, de nouvelles mises mais surtout le plateau final se précise et les pions sont lentement mais en place !
Vraiment, l'histoire entière relève du génie et la plume est parfaite.
March 5, 2024
OUI madame !!
Sah quel plaisir de découvrir cette trilogie
Sah quel plaisir de découvrir cette trilogie
September 24, 2017
Normally the second book in a series is never as good as the first. This one was better!
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