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The Gameshouse #3
The Master
The Gameshouse is an unusual institution.
Many know it as the place where fortunes can be made and lost though 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 . . .
And now, the ultimate player is about to step forward.
Many know it as the place where fortunes can be made and lost though 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 . . .
And now, the ultimate player is about to step forward.
Audiobook
First published November 3, 2015
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About the author
Claire North
27 books4,207 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 194 reviews
March 9, 2022
The third in North’s triptych of novellas about The Gamehouse.
The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch
You keep using that word.
I know, I know; but I’m having a hard time finding another concept that so perfectly encapsulates the idea of what North has done with these novellas. This is not a trilogy, precisely; different times, different locations and the main character in one makes the briefest of appearances in another. The plot from one does not pick up and carry on to the next, not exactly. What this is is three ways of looking at a Game, a game that is quite possibly rigged. Or, in The Master, understanding the truly long game.
In this final panel, senior gamesman Silver does the unthinkable: he sets himself to playing the Gamesmaster. While they play, the Gameshouse closes up and the world reels.
“Red brick above, a fire escape pushed awkwardly to one side as if the Gameshouse has transplanted itself into the architecture of this place, shuffling pre-established buildings a little to the left, a little to the right, to the confusion of the mortar around. Which, of course, it has.”
Pieces come into play, and some of the other Players have a very good idea what Silver and the Gamesmaster are risking:
“It’s not your death that troubles me here, though I am certain that you will die–it’s the death of every pawn, rook and queen the pair of you throw at each other as part of your game.”
The Game will range across continents and as predicted, draw endless numbers of pawns into their maneuvers. As before the setting is lovingly described, so despite the variety of places, they are all beautifully evoked.
“Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth. Her beauty changes with the eye of the beholder. To a man freshly flung from a still-moving train, it is flat, vast, terrifying, a desert of grass where you might roam for ever, still bleeding, still stinging, and see barely another soul. To a tired wanderer, it is a blessed place, rolling hills and dry shrub where you might start a fire, a warning of mountains in the distance, but an infinite space between you and them.”
Characters are quickly and strongly created, with passion and enthusiasm in their mayfly lives.
“I smiled at the man, whose mighty beard and grubby cap declared that here was a man who served the oceans first and la belle France second. Poseidon was his god, the water was his lover, and Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité would be welcome on board only if they were willing to row.”
Silver–and the Gamesmaster–are toiling under the weight of years. One gets the sense that they might have embraced cleverness and strategy without feeling the connection to an end goal.
“I laughed at that, and wondered when my own company had become so unpleasant to me.”
As a very small aside, I will note that this should have been proof-read at least one more time. While I can be largely indifferent to rules of grammar and punctuation, Claire North is a word-smith, and as such, I read her writing carefully. Imagine my surprise then, at at least three different typos, one confusing 'heroine' with 'heroin.' (!)
This is beautiful and sad, this is aging and tiring, this is change and staying the same. It's weakness is the lack of plot specificity; it is somewhat like describing a chess game, so one needs to be open to the occasional lack of immediacy. I'll note my on my second kindle read-through, I did not notice the editing issues, so that may well have been corrected. Overall, a curious and thoughtful conclusion to the first two stories, leaving some right-sided questions about the ending.
The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch
You keep using that word.
I know, I know; but I’m having a hard time finding another concept that so perfectly encapsulates the idea of what North has done with these novellas. This is not a trilogy, precisely; different times, different locations and the main character in one makes the briefest of appearances in another. The plot from one does not pick up and carry on to the next, not exactly. What this is is three ways of looking at a Game, a game that is quite possibly rigged. Or, in The Master, understanding the truly long game.
In this final panel, senior gamesman Silver does the unthinkable: he sets himself to playing the Gamesmaster. While they play, the Gameshouse closes up and the world reels.
“Red brick above, a fire escape pushed awkwardly to one side as if the Gameshouse has transplanted itself into the architecture of this place, shuffling pre-established buildings a little to the left, a little to the right, to the confusion of the mortar around. Which, of course, it has.”
Pieces come into play, and some of the other Players have a very good idea what Silver and the Gamesmaster are risking:
“It’s not your death that troubles me here, though I am certain that you will die–it’s the death of every pawn, rook and queen the pair of you throw at each other as part of your game.”
The Game will range across continents and as predicted, draw endless numbers of pawns into their maneuvers. As before the setting is lovingly described, so despite the variety of places, they are all beautifully evoked.
“Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth. Her beauty changes with the eye of the beholder. To a man freshly flung from a still-moving train, it is flat, vast, terrifying, a desert of grass where you might roam for ever, still bleeding, still stinging, and see barely another soul. To a tired wanderer, it is a blessed place, rolling hills and dry shrub where you might start a fire, a warning of mountains in the distance, but an infinite space between you and them.”
Characters are quickly and strongly created, with passion and enthusiasm in their mayfly lives.
“I smiled at the man, whose mighty beard and grubby cap declared that here was a man who served the oceans first and la belle France second. Poseidon was his god, the water was his lover, and Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité would be welcome on board only if they were willing to row.”
Silver–and the Gamesmaster–are toiling under the weight of years. One gets the sense that they might have embraced cleverness and strategy without feeling the connection to an end goal.
“I laughed at that, and wondered when my own company had become so unpleasant to me.”
As a very small aside, I will note that this should have been proof-read at least one more time. While I can be largely indifferent to rules of grammar and punctuation, Claire North is a word-smith, and as such, I read her writing carefully. Imagine my surprise then, at at least three different typos, one confusing 'heroine' with 'heroin.' (!)
This is beautiful and sad, this is aging and tiring, this is change and staying the same. It's weakness is the lack of plot specificity; it is somewhat like describing a chess game, so one needs to be open to the occasional lack of immediacy. I'll note my on my second kindle read-through, I did not notice the editing issues, so that may well have been corrected. Overall, a curious and thoughtful conclusion to the first two stories, leaving some right-sided questions about the ending.
August 30, 2016
This is the last of three novellas which really need to be read in order to appreciate the whole work fully. Let me say first that I love everything this author writes under any of her pseudonyms. She has an outstanding imagination and a real sense of the extraordinary.
So, Book 3 of The Gameshouse and the final instalment. The events of the first two books have been moved to a whole new level for the ultimate challenge, the Gameshouse itself is temporarily closed and two people compete for control. Their Game is Chess played using real people and events and ranging across continents. And I loved every single word of it!
As far as I am concerned Claire North is The Master:)
So, Book 3 of The Gameshouse and the final instalment. The events of the first two books have been moved to a whole new level for the ultimate challenge, the Gameshouse itself is temporarily closed and two people compete for control. Their Game is Chess played using real people and events and ranging across continents. And I loved every single word of it!
As far as I am concerned Claire North is The Master:)
November 14, 2022
We have come - at last - we have come to the end. You and I, we have played this game so long, and never once made a move.
Come now, come.
The board is ready; the cards are prepared.
The coin which was spun must fall at last.
The Gameshouse trilogy wraps up with The Master - and where the first novella spoke of a newcomers introduction to the House and the games, and the second dealt with an established player, The Master deals with the ultimate game; a challenge to the Gamesmaster herself.
As always, the book is beautifully written, with the story spanning the globe and locations being brought to life with evocative passages that still somehow manage to be brief, rather than wordy. Seriously, Claire North does an incredible job conjuring an image out of almost nothing - every word is exactly the right one to paint the picture she wants to describe, and even combative or extremely tough moments find beauty in the world.
It's a great wrap-up to a beautiful series. I need to go dig into more of her back catalogue!
Come now, come.
The board is ready; the cards are prepared.
The coin which was spun must fall at last.
The Gameshouse trilogy wraps up with The Master - and where the first novella spoke of a newcomers introduction to the House and the games, and the second dealt with an established player, The Master deals with the ultimate game; a challenge to the Gamesmaster herself.
As always, the book is beautifully written, with the story spanning the globe and locations being brought to life with evocative passages that still somehow manage to be brief, rather than wordy. Seriously, Claire North does an incredible job conjuring an image out of almost nothing - every word is exactly the right one to paint the picture she wants to describe, and even combative or extremely tough moments find beauty in the world.
It's a great wrap-up to a beautiful series. I need to go dig into more of her back catalogue!
October 1, 2025
I went into The Master with high expectations after loving the first two books in the Gamehouse series. North certainly raises the stakes, and the story begins in a compelling way, but it quickly loses steam. The relentless pace and constant changes in setting become repetitive and, at times, exhausting. Even so, the ending is satisfying, and the exploration of losing one’s identity to the "game" carries a haunting, melancholic weight that lingers after the final page.
January 5, 2018
Thought-provoking themes, a brilliant story and a masterful execution!
Finally the narrator takes the stage. I had my idea, there were cues, but nothing is at it seems, much to my delight and continued entertainment. In modern-day New York the board is set, the pieces are in place, the players are ready (or are they?) and the greatest game of all, a game that transcends time whose board is the world and the pieces the players' own, has begun.
The coin turns, the coin turns.
Full circle. Hats off.
For so many centuries I have waited for this day, and grief faded with time.
Or did it? Perhaps grief never leaves us but is merely drowned out by a flood of life overwhelming it. Perhaps the wound that bled once is bleeding still, and I did not notice it until now.
Finally the narrator takes the stage. I had my idea, there were cues, but nothing is at it seems, much to my delight and continued entertainment. In modern-day New York the board is set, the pieces are in place, the players are ready (or are they?) and the greatest game of all, a game that transcends time whose board is the world and the pieces the players' own, has begun.
The coin turns, the coin turns.
Full circle. Hats off.
For so many centuries I have waited for this day, and grief faded with time.
Or did it? Perhaps grief never leaves us but is merely drowned out by a flood of life overwhelming it. Perhaps the wound that bled once is bleeding still, and I did not notice it until now.
September 10, 2016
In this conclusion to the Gameshouse trilogy of novellas, the Master of the Gameshouse is challenged by one of it's oldest and most experienced players, Silver. The game is Chess and it is played on the world stage with countries and armies at the disposal of the players as they play out their strategies. A brilliant ending to a brilliant series!
January 30, 2023
4,5
Avis Lecture 🧐 📖 "Le Maître", La Maison des Jeux tome 3, Claire North ♟️@lebelial
"Le jeu n'est pas miséricordieux"
Le tome 1 avait été un coup de cœur, le tome 2 avait jusque là ma préférence... Mais ce tome 3 les dépasse !!! 😱💖
Ce tome 3 nous montre le génie de l'autrice qui libère le pouvoir de La Maison des Jeux, lors d'une partie d'échec à grande échelle. Car ça y est, nous y sommes et il est temps de franchir les dernières marches de La Maison et d'affronter son Maître.
C'est le dernier adversaire, le dernier jeu, l'ultime défi qui verra s'affronter les pions sur toute la surface du globe. Mais ce jeu signera-t-il "la mort des nations"?
Une partie d'échec dont l'échiquier est la planète Terre est sur le point de débuter...
Dans cet univers de jeux, il n'est nul question d'argent. On y pari des années de vies, sa santé, sa vue... Son âme. Les pions ? Les pions sont constitués par les joueurs au fil de leurs années de jeu et dans ce dernier volume, les joueurs nous révèlent leurs atouts et c'est brillant !😱🤯
C'est avec un plaisir avide que j'ai dévoré ces pages ; un plaisir presque pervers de voir ce que La Maison des Jeux et notre Joueur réservent à leurs pions ! 😱 L'autrice rajoute avec brio un peu de fan service qui ravira les lecteurs de la série, perso j'ai adoooooré 💖
Ce tome 3 signe la conclusion d'une série originale, absolument intelligente et captivante ; un véritable Page Turner !
Seul bémol : malheureusement dans un monde où les prix des livres s'envolent, je trouve pas ça donné 11€ la novella de 150p. Même si soyons honnête je suis heureux de l'avoir achetée. Avoir misé sur Claire North aura été une excellente idée 🤩❤️
Avis Lecture 🧐 📖 "Le Maître", La Maison des Jeux tome 3, Claire North ♟️@lebelial
"Le jeu n'est pas miséricordieux"
Le tome 1 avait été un coup de cœur, le tome 2 avait jusque là ma préférence... Mais ce tome 3 les dépasse !!! 😱💖
Ce tome 3 nous montre le génie de l'autrice qui libère le pouvoir de La Maison des Jeux, lors d'une partie d'échec à grande échelle. Car ça y est, nous y sommes et il est temps de franchir les dernières marches de La Maison et d'affronter son Maître.
C'est le dernier adversaire, le dernier jeu, l'ultime défi qui verra s'affronter les pions sur toute la surface du globe. Mais ce jeu signera-t-il "la mort des nations"?
Une partie d'échec dont l'échiquier est la planète Terre est sur le point de débuter...
Dans cet univers de jeux, il n'est nul question d'argent. On y pari des années de vies, sa santé, sa vue... Son âme. Les pions ? Les pions sont constitués par les joueurs au fil de leurs années de jeu et dans ce dernier volume, les joueurs nous révèlent leurs atouts et c'est brillant !😱🤯
C'est avec un plaisir avide que j'ai dévoré ces pages ; un plaisir presque pervers de voir ce que La Maison des Jeux et notre Joueur réservent à leurs pions ! 😱 L'autrice rajoute avec brio un peu de fan service qui ravira les lecteurs de la série, perso j'ai adoooooré 💖
Ce tome 3 signe la conclusion d'une série originale, absolument intelligente et captivante ; un véritable Page Turner !
Seul bémol : malheureusement dans un monde où les prix des livres s'envolent, je trouve pas ça donné 11€ la novella de 150p. Même si soyons honnête je suis heureux de l'avoir achetée. Avoir misé sur Claire North aura été une excellente idée 🤩❤️
November 27, 2015
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.
November 30, 2015
A satisfying conclusion to the three-novella series. Brutal, full of twists and turns. My only real complaints is the change in narration; I liked our sly, unseen narrator of the previous books.
May 2, 2016
The finale to the Gameshouse series. Where Silver plays the Great Game and finally decides to challenge the Gamemaster herself.
I literally laughed aloud when I realized that this book was set in the modern day as we know it right now. From old Venice to war torn Bangkok, we now move to this technology-filled, globalization world.
This book is strewn with "current events". The NSA, politics in China, the ongoings of Europe. It's all related to "the Great Game". I am conflicted on this use of modern day world. On one hand, it directly forces the reader to think that it is "not a game" and it ties into the knowledge that we know now. The book ultimately uses the reader's outside knowledge of current events/politics to bring a greater sense of understanding of the scale of this game. On the other hand, I always think using current events dates the book and makes it slightly less readable later on. But I suppose that isn't a problem at this moment.
North slips into first person POV here, and I have to give a nod for her using different writing styles to convey ways of engaging the reader. I definitely felt more connected to Silver than Thene or Remy. Overall, the change didn't negatively affect my read of the third book.
The game in this book is not nearly as clever as the first two books. Purportedly, they play a game of "chess". But this book could potentially be seen as merely a war between two people rather than chess. The only chess involved in the game is just terminology and analogies to the moves. (Pawn checks King, let us Castle now, etc.).
However... the ending. I am blargh about the ending. I go back and forth on it. It works. It doesn't work. What else could have happened? The ending is almost as ambiguous as Inception's spinning top. However. If you carry the book further beyond the written words, you will realize that the ambiguous answer doesn't actually solve anything. There are still only bad choices and no way out to change things.
And if that is true., then the whole series is for naught. Argh. I liked it. I didn't like it. I am undecided on this ending. I will let you read it and ask you what you think because this series is still worth reading.
Three stars. A decent third book to finish this series with a few odd ends. Nevertheless, highly recommended for all fantasy fans!
I literally laughed aloud when I realized that this book was set in the modern day as we know it right now. From old Venice to war torn Bangkok, we now move to this technology-filled, globalization world.
This book is strewn with "current events". The NSA, politics in China, the ongoings of Europe. It's all related to "the Great Game". I am conflicted on this use of modern day world. On one hand, it directly forces the reader to think that it is "not a game" and it ties into the knowledge that we know now. The book ultimately uses the reader's outside knowledge of current events/politics to bring a greater sense of understanding of the scale of this game. On the other hand, I always think using current events dates the book and makes it slightly less readable later on. But I suppose that isn't a problem at this moment.
North slips into first person POV here, and I have to give a nod for her using different writing styles to convey ways of engaging the reader. I definitely felt more connected to Silver than Thene or Remy. Overall, the change didn't negatively affect my read of the third book.
The game in this book is not nearly as clever as the first two books. Purportedly, they play a game of "chess". But this book could potentially be seen as merely a war between two people rather than chess. The only chess involved in the game is just terminology and analogies to the moves. (Pawn checks King, let us Castle now, etc.).
However... the ending. I am blargh about the ending. I go back and forth on it. It works. It doesn't work. What else could have happened? The ending is almost as ambiguous as Inception's spinning top. However. If you carry the book further beyond the written words, you will realize that the ambiguous answer doesn't actually solve anything. There are still only bad choices and no way out to change things.
And if that is true., then the whole series is for naught. Argh. I liked it. I didn't like it. I am undecided on this ending. I will let you read it and ask you what you think because this series is still worth reading.
Three stars. A decent third book to finish this series with a few odd ends. Nevertheless, highly recommended for all fantasy fans!
February 3, 2016
Infuriating.
The ending, so problematic. I think it renders all the intricate shenanigans before it into a tempest in a teapot, and much ado about little--and, when viewed up close, actually explains very little about the hidden protagonist's motivation for throwing all that time and effort into this plan-less plan.
So my issue with Claire North continues. Intricate and imaginative worlds and plot, but seemingly populated by puppets, not people, with their own churn of thoughts and feelings and experiences that inevitably affect all their decisions and situations.
An interesting read, but a disappointing ending.
The ending, so problematic. I think it renders all the intricate shenanigans before it into a tempest in a teapot, and much ado about little--and, when viewed up close, actually explains very little about the hidden protagonist's motivation for throwing all that time and effort into this plan-less plan.
So my issue with Claire North continues. Intricate and imaginative worlds and plot, but seemingly populated by puppets, not people, with their own churn of thoughts and feelings and experiences that inevitably affect all their decisions and situations.
An interesting read, but a disappointing ending.
March 6, 2017
An excellent conclusion to a set of three stories about the Gameshouse. This time, the main character is Silver, who's made an appearance in the previous two installments. Silver and the Games Master spend this book fighting, throwing their resources at each other. As these resources can be entire armies, police forces, or intelligence communities, with results being the destruction of an economy, a country or something else consequential, the stakes are huge. Where stories one and two were tightly focused on Thene then Remy, Silver is harder for me to get a sense of and the Games Master is shadowy, so I found a lot of the action to be remote. Silver is often is personal danger, but I found my reactions to his resources' peril to be somewhat muted, unlike the very real dangers Remy faced.
While the ending of this series is satisfying and little frightening, I'll say that I loved parts one and two, and really enjoyed part three.
While the ending of this series is satisfying and little frightening, I'll say that I loved parts one and two, and really enjoyed part three.
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.
The final novella traverses the modern world, and North shows her mastery of government organisations and apparatchiks. Her heart is clear, and the perhaps-evil manipulation of vast populations by the arrogant powerful and the super-wealthy are questioned, but not set as an absolute. We are honestly challenged. The ending here was just a bit drawn out and overwrought.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good combined as her other novels.
--
Great action sequences throughout, and especially at the climax of this book.
“Do you see this victory?” he asked, face burning with joy. “The banks bet big and countries fall; the numbers grow and the numbers shrink but people – the clever, clever people, reasonable, rational people – they don’t play the numbers, they don’t play the maths, they just play greed. Lust! Lust and blood, that’s all there is, all there ever was. Behind every smile there’s only sex and need, in every gift there’s a debt that will be paid, power that will be reaped, this world, these people, they are the wild things, the savage things, just like I always said, just like I promised – I was right! There is no reason; there is only the fire and the dark!”
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.
The final novella traverses the modern world, and North shows her mastery of government organisations and apparatchiks. Her heart is clear, and the perhaps-evil manipulation of vast populations by the arrogant powerful and the super-wealthy are questioned, but not set as an absolute. We are honestly challenged. The ending here was just a bit drawn out and overwrought.
Overall, a fine series, but not quite as good combined as her other novels.
--
Great action sequences throughout, and especially at the climax of this book.
“Do you see this victory?” he asked, face burning with joy. “The banks bet big and countries fall; the numbers grow and the numbers shrink but people – the clever, clever people, reasonable, rational people – they don’t play the numbers, they don’t play the maths, they just play greed. Lust! Lust and blood, that’s all there is, all there ever was. Behind every smile there’s only sex and need, in every gift there’s a debt that will be paid, power that will be reaped, this world, these people, they are the wild things, the savage things, just like I always said, just like I promised – I was right! There is no reason; there is only the fire and the dark!”
March 15, 2016
Fin zavrsetak serijala ali opet nekako slabiji nego ocekivan. I sama knjizica mi je dosta slabija. Dok je prva predstavljala uvod u igru a druga digla sve to na visi nivo i upoznala nas sam gomilom mogucnosti ova treca mi vise dodje samo kao ponavljanje druge sa vecom povrsinom za igrom ali u sustini istom pricom (bezi, bezi, bezi dok ne nadjes resenje). Stil pisanja je i dalje prelep ali jednostavno fali originalnosti u odmnosu na druge dve knjige.
Serijal je u svakom slucaju vredan citanja ali sam ipak malo razocaran krajem.
Serijal je u svakom slucaju vredan citanja ali sam ipak malo razocaran krajem.
April 13, 2017
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.
February 14, 2022
A disappointing conclusion to a trilogy I had been really enjoying. I preferred the smaller scale stories in novella 1 & 2 and also felt like the modern setting of this novella made the game board a bit too unrealistic. I c an see why others would like this one but it didn't work for me.
April 28, 2024
3,5 par ce qu’un peu déçu de ce troisième tome. Le rythme était tellement soutenu que j’ai eu du mal à m’y plonger réellement. J’avais plus l’impression d’assister à un enchaînement d’événements
Par contre toujours très pointu dans le style et la mise en place.
J’ai beaucoup aimé la fin qui clôture à merveille cette trilogie. Ça reste une excellente découverte, originale, palpitante, très pertinente et intelligente.
Par contre toujours très pointu dans le style et la mise en place.
J’ai beaucoup aimé la fin qui clôture à merveille cette trilogie. Ça reste une excellente découverte, originale, palpitante, très pertinente et intelligente.
April 22, 2025
Un peu déçu de la perte du narrateur qui m’avait tant plu dans les tomes précédents. Et dans l’ensemble, le rythme est plutôt étrange et me donnait envie d’aller à la fin pour avoir la confrontation inévitable plutôt que de suivre cette liste de courses d’événements mondiaux. Mais cette fin sauve le livre, boucle la boucle et mène à un dénouement satisfaisant toutes les réflexion entamées dans ces trois histoires.
July 28, 2017
I listened to the audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Peter Kenny.
Contrary to what all the movies and ads sell us, we know, deep down we know, that the house always wins. The game being played here is the ultimate one: a game of chess against the Gameshouse itself. Who would dare? Silver, of course. He's had cameo appearances in the first two novellas, and in this final one he takes center stage, and in this case the stage is the entire planet. Can Silver really win against the Woman in White?
Yes, I'll repeat myself with how much I loved the writing, the plot, the setting, the characters, etc. There are so many things that made me smile in recognition, and I flew through this one too. I docked a star because the point of view of the story changed, and I so loved the original format. Also, I had an inkling about the head of the Gameshouse, so was not really surprised. Still, loved that ending. It's a game after all, so why would you expect anything different?
I honestly can't put into words the wondrous experience of this trilogy. I've enjoyed every minute of my time in these worlds, and would highly recommend you give this series a try.
Contrary to what all the movies and ads sell us, we know, deep down we know, that the house always wins. The game being played here is the ultimate one: a game of chess against the Gameshouse itself. Who would dare? Silver, of course. He's had cameo appearances in the first two novellas, and in this final one he takes center stage, and in this case the stage is the entire planet. Can Silver really win against the Woman in White?
Yes, I'll repeat myself with how much I loved the writing, the plot, the setting, the characters, etc. There are so many things that made me smile in recognition, and I flew through this one too. I docked a star because the point of view of the story changed, and I so loved the original format. Also, I had an inkling about the head of the Gameshouse, so was not really surprised. Still, loved that ending. It's a game after all, so why would you expect anything different?
I honestly can't put into words the wondrous experience of this trilogy. I've enjoyed every minute of my time in these worlds, and would highly recommend you give this series a try.
March 15, 2018
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
Pas mon tome préféré de la série mais il boucle vraiment bien la série avec une fin surprenante.
Nous poursuivons notre exploration de la Gameshouse que nous avions découvert dans le premier tome de cette série. Tout au long des tomes précédents un personne récurant se préparait à lancer son assaut donc la maîtresse du jeu. Ce tome raconte donc la confrontation et tout ce qui en découle.
Nous savons tous que le casino gagne toujours, c'est une règle universelle et bien sur elle s'applique aussi pour la Gameshouse. Mais la ou un casino ne fait que gagne de l'argent, cette maison ci gagne des biens bien plus précieux. L’enjeu de la partie : la place de gamemaster, le contrôle de l'évolution du monde, un peu une place de dieu. Le jeu : un simple partie d'échec, mais dans laquelle les participants sont les rois à mettre en échec.
Le premier tome se déroulait sur une période de quelques semaines, le second sur quelques mois, et celui ci plusieurs années. Du coup le rythme est des fois extrêmement rapide. De longs passages, de nombreuses confrontations sont résumés en quelques mots, succession de phrases hyper courtes qui résument des mois d'action. Je dois dire que c'est très réussi, on sent vraiment la complexité de leur bataille, l'intensité des combats et tout ça donne le tournis. D'autant plus que le style est très percutant, il n'y a pas de phrases qui ne servent à rien, tout est à sa place.
En fait le seul point qui me fait dire que ce n'était pas mon tome préféré, est que ce style la fait qu'on est moins pris dans le coté émotionnel du personnage comme on l'était dans le tome précédent. C'est un autre type de tension ici. Ça n'en reste pas moins très sympa mais moins prenant. Du moins sur un texte si court, je pense que si il avait été plus long ça aurait surement aidé.
J'ai vraiment aimé le fait qu'on découvre ici qui était le/les narrateur(s) des tomes précédents. Je n'aurais jamais imaginé ça.
Et la fin est vraiment bien trouvé. Elle a vraiment sa place dans l'ensemble, je crois que je n'aurais pas pu imaginer une meilleur fin même en y réfléchissant longtemps. C'est une fin ouverte vraiment réussie.
Au final j'ai vraiment bien apprécié l'ensemble de la trilogie. C'est assez spécial comme lectures et comme style mais c'est justement ça qui les démarque du reste. Ce dernier tome était intense et une excellente lecture.
16.5/20
Pas mon tome préféré de la série mais il boucle vraiment bien la série avec une fin surprenante.
Nous poursuivons notre exploration de la Gameshouse que nous avions découvert dans le premier tome de cette série. Tout au long des tomes précédents un personne récurant se préparait à lancer son assaut donc la maîtresse du jeu. Ce tome raconte donc la confrontation et tout ce qui en découle.
Nous savons tous que le casino gagne toujours, c'est une règle universelle et bien sur elle s'applique aussi pour la Gameshouse. Mais la ou un casino ne fait que gagne de l'argent, cette maison ci gagne des biens bien plus précieux. L’enjeu de la partie : la place de gamemaster, le contrôle de l'évolution du monde, un peu une place de dieu. Le jeu : un simple partie d'échec, mais dans laquelle les participants sont les rois à mettre en échec.
Le premier tome se déroulait sur une période de quelques semaines, le second sur quelques mois, et celui ci plusieurs années. Du coup le rythme est des fois extrêmement rapide. De longs passages, de nombreuses confrontations sont résumés en quelques mots, succession de phrases hyper courtes qui résument des mois d'action. Je dois dire que c'est très réussi, on sent vraiment la complexité de leur bataille, l'intensité des combats et tout ça donne le tournis. D'autant plus que le style est très percutant, il n'y a pas de phrases qui ne servent à rien, tout est à sa place.
En fait le seul point qui me fait dire que ce n'était pas mon tome préféré, est que ce style la fait qu'on est moins pris dans le coté émotionnel du personnage comme on l'était dans le tome précédent. C'est un autre type de tension ici. Ça n'en reste pas moins très sympa mais moins prenant. Du moins sur un texte si court, je pense que si il avait été plus long ça aurait surement aidé.
J'ai vraiment aimé le fait qu'on découvre ici qui était le/les narrateur(s) des tomes précédents. Je n'aurais jamais imaginé ça.
Et la fin est vraiment bien trouvé. Elle a vraiment sa place dans l'ensemble, je crois que je n'aurais pas pu imaginer une meilleur fin même en y réfléchissant longtemps. C'est une fin ouverte vraiment réussie.
Au final j'ai vraiment bien apprécié l'ensemble de la trilogie. C'est assez spécial comme lectures et comme style mais c'est justement ça qui les démarque du reste. Ce dernier tome était intense et une excellente lecture.
16.5/20
June 18, 2017
The Master, Claire North - A third and final visit to the Gameshouse, which takes the conceit of this little series (in which Players battle one another in games using the real world as board and pieces) to its natural conclusion. Where the first story concentrated on a political contest in a city, and the second a game of hide and seek in a country, now the full board is in play. One of the oldest and most skilled of Players, who has been quietly accumulating pieces in the background of the previous tales, steps forward to challenge the House. The pieces are Everyone and Everything. The board is Everywhere.
This is an incredibly dense novella, covering a staggering amount of incident in few pages, but it never feels like a trudge. North has a gift for swift, alluring characterisation that allows her to throw secondary characters in and out of events at ridiculous speed, giving the impression that the book is packed when in truth it only really has two characters. The action is startling, as politics, culture, and economics are weaponised and deployed alongside armies and cyber warriors, yet North keeps her focus so tightly wrapped around the narrator and challenger Silver that the book retains the humour and intimacy of the previous instalments.
At its core the book is less about war (though it has much to say about how the mighty discard the weak) than it is about humanity itself, and the dualism (order and chaos) which fuels it. This is a thrilling and provocative read in its own right, and wraps the whole trilogy up as something incredibly special.
This is an incredibly dense novella, covering a staggering amount of incident in few pages, but it never feels like a trudge. North has a gift for swift, alluring characterisation that allows her to throw secondary characters in and out of events at ridiculous speed, giving the impression that the book is packed when in truth it only really has two characters. The action is startling, as politics, culture, and economics are weaponised and deployed alongside armies and cyber warriors, yet North keeps her focus so tightly wrapped around the narrator and challenger Silver that the book retains the humour and intimacy of the previous instalments.
At its core the book is less about war (though it has much to say about how the mighty discard the weak) than it is about humanity itself, and the dualism (order and chaos) which fuels it. This is a thrilling and provocative read in its own right, and wraps the whole trilogy up as something incredibly special.
September 17, 2021
Claire North Gameshouse-Triologie könnte der große Traum aller Verschwörungstheoretiker sein - eine geheime Macht, die im Hintergrund das Weltgeschehen lenkt.
Nur: Das Weltgeschehen wird von Spielern gelenkt, um ein Spiel zu gewinnen - sei es die Nachfolge eines wichtigen Posten in Venedig (Band 1) oder nun hier Schach auf der höchsten Ebene: Das Spiel um die Macht im Gameshouse. Das die beiden Protagonisten aus den ersten beiden Romanen dabei eine Rolle spielen, ist nicht verwunderlich, schließlich stehen sie in der Schuld des Herausforderers.
Das Buch hat mich von der Thematik etwas zu sehr an Band 2 erinnert (gegenseitiges Verfolgen bzw. Matt setzen), insofern bleibt Band 1 mein Highlight der Triologie. Interessant eingearbeitet auch der übergreifende Konflikt - welche Rolle spielt das rohe Glück in den Spielen?
Nur: Das Weltgeschehen wird von Spielern gelenkt, um ein Spiel zu gewinnen - sei es die Nachfolge eines wichtigen Posten in Venedig (Band 1) oder nun hier Schach auf der höchsten Ebene: Das Spiel um die Macht im Gameshouse. Das die beiden Protagonisten aus den ersten beiden Romanen dabei eine Rolle spielen, ist nicht verwunderlich, schließlich stehen sie in der Schuld des Herausforderers.
Das Buch hat mich von der Thematik etwas zu sehr an Band 2 erinnert (gegenseitiges Verfolgen bzw. Matt setzen), insofern bleibt Band 1 mein Highlight der Triologie. Interessant eingearbeitet auch der übergreifende Konflikt - welche Rolle spielt das rohe Glück in den Spielen?
December 23, 2015
Wow.
Wonderful culmination to a mind-bending story. I have no idea why the author (or publisher?) chose to structure it as three novellas, because it makes no sense to read any one of the volumes in isolation. Never mind: just read the whole thing, and allow yourself to imagine how differently the events of the world could be understood. It's the ultimate conspiracy theory, and we all know that it isn't true, but it could almost be comforting as an alternative to the chaotic reality....
Wonderful culmination to a mind-bending story. I have no idea why the author (or publisher?) chose to structure it as three novellas, because it makes no sense to read any one of the volumes in isolation. Never mind: just read the whole thing, and allow yourself to imagine how differently the events of the world could be understood. It's the ultimate conspiracy theory, and we all know that it isn't true, but it could almost be comforting as an alternative to the chaotic reality....
December 1, 2015
Like the two other books that I've read by Claire North, I want more. "The Gamehouse", just like her previous two novels, was well fleshed out and felt real. Now I have to wait until next spring for her next novel. And I keep thinking, when do all of these separate works come together and we find out they are all a shared world?
February 8, 2023
« Parfois les routes sont brisées. Parfois les gens brisent des choses. Parfois des pays sont brisés. Parfois des sociétés. Parfois les gens le sont au point de ne même pas le remarquer »
Tout comme les deux premiers tomes, celui-ci a été dévoré d’une traite le temps d’une soirée ! Le style de l’autrice y est toujours autant addictif, voire même encore un cran au-dessus avec pas mal de phrases coup de poing qui ont retenu mon attention 🤩
On voyage encore plus que dans le tome 2 car le plateau de jeux est la planète entière dans cette ultime partie. Seulement, notre protagoniste n’a pas le temps de faire du tourisme, car son adversaire est redoutable ! Impossible de lâcher le bouquin tant le rythme était effréné dans ce 3ème tome 😱
Par contre, j’ai trouvé la première moitié un peu longue dans le sens où ça ne répondait pas du tout à mes attentes pour le grand final, avec des péripéties très proches de ce qu’on avait déjà vu dans le tome 2. Heureusement, arrivée à la moitié, l’autrice m’a entendue et m’a offert tout ce que j’attendais en terme de révélations et dénouement, je me suis régalée 🤩
Une saga qui vaut clairement le détour pour son côté addictif, original, très bien écrit mais aussi sa fin que je trouve très réussie !
Mais n’oubliez pas « La chance est parfois miséricordieuse ; le jeu jamais »
Tout comme les deux premiers tomes, celui-ci a été dévoré d’une traite le temps d’une soirée ! Le style de l’autrice y est toujours autant addictif, voire même encore un cran au-dessus avec pas mal de phrases coup de poing qui ont retenu mon attention 🤩
On voyage encore plus que dans le tome 2 car le plateau de jeux est la planète entière dans cette ultime partie. Seulement, notre protagoniste n’a pas le temps de faire du tourisme, car son adversaire est redoutable ! Impossible de lâcher le bouquin tant le rythme était effréné dans ce 3ème tome 😱
Par contre, j’ai trouvé la première moitié un peu longue dans le sens où ça ne répondait pas du tout à mes attentes pour le grand final, avec des péripéties très proches de ce qu’on avait déjà vu dans le tome 2. Heureusement, arrivée à la moitié, l’autrice m’a entendue et m’a offert tout ce que j’attendais en terme de révélations et dénouement, je me suis régalée 🤩
Une saga qui vaut clairement le détour pour son côté addictif, original, très bien écrit mais aussi sa fin que je trouve très réussie !
Mais n’oubliez pas « La chance est parfois miséricordieuse ; le jeu jamais »
June 25, 2016
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.
August 5, 2016
“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.
October 17, 2016
Not my favorite, but still really enjoyable. If I could give 'em individual ratings, I'd rate the first one a 5, the 2nd one a 4.5 and the 3rd one a 4.25.
I definitely enjoyed the smaller scale of the first book. This one was set over 10 years and criss crossed the world tons of times. It was still really good, what a great series.
Merged review:
My least favorite or the 3 but still so good. I think that I would have loved it even more if it were longer. The first book covered weeks, the 2nd book covered months and this one covered years, yet they were all the same length. And the end, argh!! But still, quite enjoyable!
I definitely enjoyed the smaller scale of the first book. This one was set over 10 years and criss crossed the world tons of times. It was still really good, what a great series.
Merged review:
My least favorite or the 3 but still so good. I think that I would have loved it even more if it were longer. The first book covered weeks, the 2nd book covered months and this one covered years, yet they were all the same length. And the end, argh!! But still, quite enjoyable!
January 16, 2023
Le maître constitue pour moi une conclusion absolument parfaite pour une série d’une intelligence et d’une originalité rare. Un ultime coup de cœur qui place définitivement La maison des jeux parmi le top du top de la collection UHL avec cette partie de jeu captivante, palpitante et magnifiquement écrite.
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
Critique complète sur yuyine.be!
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.
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