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Grandmaster #1
Grandmaster
Otto Penzler and the Mystery Writers of America present Grandmaster by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran, winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original in 1985.
Two men, born on the same day on opposite sides of the world, driven to oppose each other--for only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov, two men driven by powerful forces they can neither understand nor deny--driven to fight each other in a battle for power that only one of them may win.
Gilead, a magnificent athlete, an American, a genius, and a spy. Zharkov, a master strategist, head of the feared secret service agency, Nichevo, a determined, ambitious man.
They first meet as ten-year-old chess prodigies-both lonely, both meaning to win, both born under the magical sign of the gold coiled serpent. They will come to know the uses of pleasure, the secrets of pain, the impact of evil turned upon itself. They will understand the deadly forces that grip the world in swift violence, sudden death. And they will finally know that only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Grandmaster is an extraordinary tale of spymasters and assassins, murder and intrigue played against a background of Far Eastern mysticism from Moscow to Washington, from Havana to Tibet.
Two men, born on the same day on opposite sides of the world, driven to oppose each other--for only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov, two men driven by powerful forces they can neither understand nor deny--driven to fight each other in a battle for power that only one of them may win.
Gilead, a magnificent athlete, an American, a genius, and a spy. Zharkov, a master strategist, head of the feared secret service agency, Nichevo, a determined, ambitious man.
They first meet as ten-year-old chess prodigies-both lonely, both meaning to win, both born under the magical sign of the gold coiled serpent. They will come to know the uses of pleasure, the secrets of pain, the impact of evil turned upon itself. They will understand the deadly forces that grip the world in swift violence, sudden death. And they will finally know that only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Grandmaster is an extraordinary tale of spymasters and assassins, murder and intrigue played against a background of Far Eastern mysticism from Moscow to Washington, from Havana to Tibet.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
36 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Warren Murphy
294 books123 followersWarren Murphy was an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 4, 2011
This book has got to be on the list of my all time favorites. Although I read this book over 20 years ago I still keep it on my shelf and periodically I read it. It is a great story about good verses evil and how one can't survive without the other. Wonderful masterpiece!!
August 1, 2013
Grandmaster
By Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Otto Penzler and the Mystery Writers of America present Grandmaster by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran, winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original in 1985.
Two men, born on the same day on opposite sides of the world, driven to oppose each other--for only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov, two men driven by powerful forces they can neither understand nor deny--driven to fight each other in a battle for power that only one of them may win.
Gilead, a magnificent athlete, an American, a genius, and a spy. Zharkov, a master strategist, head of the feared secret service agency, Nichevo, a determined, ambitious man.
They first meet as ten-year-old chess prodigies-both lonely, both meaning to win, both born under the magical sign of the gold coiled serpent. They will come to know the uses of pleasure, the secrets of pain, the impact of evil turned upon itself.
They will understand the deadly forces that grip the world in swift violence, sudden death. And they will finally know that only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Grandmaster is an extraordinary tale of spymasters and assassins, murder and intrigue played against a background of Far Eastern mysticism from Moscow to Washington, from Havana to Tibet.
Review
When I first read the blurb for this book, I got really excited as it reminded me of a book I read more than twenty years ago. Imagine my surprise when I started reading to discover that its the same book re-released.
Anyway rereading Grandmaster reminded me of all the reasons I loved it, intrigue, adventure and a life and death battle where good battles evil.
Justin Gilead, Alexander Zharkov. Born enemies til death, meet as child prodigies in a chess tournament. Then again as adults. One is a man who was raised by monks. One was raised to take over the Russian military group known as Nichevo. This book is amazing, I could not put it down.
5 Stars
By Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Otto Penzler and the Mystery Writers of America present Grandmaster by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran, winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original in 1985.
Two men, born on the same day on opposite sides of the world, driven to oppose each other--for only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov, two men driven by powerful forces they can neither understand nor deny--driven to fight each other in a battle for power that only one of them may win.
Gilead, a magnificent athlete, an American, a genius, and a spy. Zharkov, a master strategist, head of the feared secret service agency, Nichevo, a determined, ambitious man.
They first meet as ten-year-old chess prodigies-both lonely, both meaning to win, both born under the magical sign of the gold coiled serpent. They will come to know the uses of pleasure, the secrets of pain, the impact of evil turned upon itself.
They will understand the deadly forces that grip the world in swift violence, sudden death. And they will finally know that only one man may be the Grandmaster.
Grandmaster is an extraordinary tale of spymasters and assassins, murder and intrigue played against a background of Far Eastern mysticism from Moscow to Washington, from Havana to Tibet.
Review
When I first read the blurb for this book, I got really excited as it reminded me of a book I read more than twenty years ago. Imagine my surprise when I started reading to discover that its the same book re-released.
Anyway rereading Grandmaster reminded me of all the reasons I loved it, intrigue, adventure and a life and death battle where good battles evil.
Justin Gilead, Alexander Zharkov. Born enemies til death, meet as child prodigies in a chess tournament. Then again as adults. One is a man who was raised by monks. One was raised to take over the Russian military group known as Nichevo. This book is amazing, I could not put it down.
5 Stars
July 11, 2021
1st read 35 years ago, and reread several times. 1st book I added, as a new member. Excellent read. You may not even put it down until you are finished. Not a spoiler, but JUST IN CASE you might think so.
There is a part 2: High Priest.Most great reads have more.
There is a part 2: High Priest.Most great reads have more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
November 1, 2019Synopsis: Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov are both born on the same day and both are spies. Only one of them can be the Grandmaster.
February 16, 2021
Excellent story and plenty to think about...
March 5, 2017
This book is precisely what "How I became a famous novelist" is all about. What began as an interesting theme, soon turned into a mystical crackpot of extremely cheesy narration of the life of a protagonist, who undergoes hardships that no one has ever heard of.
Pretentious, cheesy, predictable and for creating a complete lack of any satisfaction for the reader in me, except for a very fine quote:-
"What accounts for the bravery of weak men at the moment if death?"
this goes down into the bin.
Pretentious, cheesy, predictable and for creating a complete lack of any satisfaction for the reader in me, except for a very fine quote:-
"What accounts for the bravery of weak men at the moment if death?"
this goes down into the bin.
February 6, 2017
I picked this up probably hoping for something as ingenious as
'Remo Williams: the Destroyer'
but was disappointed. Although I respect the reputation Murphy has in men's action literature (and the 'Remo' character is a gem) this aborted series was just really too lurid. Turgid reading. Too many coincidences, too much over-juxtapositioning of the two character's life-stories. It was a muscular, throaty read; lots of ka-pow! biff! sock! punch! but just not enough restraint.
March 19, 2014
When I first starting reading this book, I was thinking it was another cold war chess match spy story. Was I wrong! What a compelling story of good vs evil, white vs black, yin and yang. I really enjoyed the development of Justin Gilead, the good guy and the battle he goes through to avenge the death of his mentor and the other monks who raised him. The cat and mouse game with Russian Alexander Zharkov keeps the story moving along.
February 1, 2015
This was one of the best books I can remember I've read it when I was a child and was really caught up in this book, I can only recommend this to read who likes books about Spies, Chess and the ColdWar times.
January 29, 2011
Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran's Grandmaster is well worth a read for fans of 80's spy thrillers. If you can find it, grab it!
October 12, 2012
Great book. I've read it three times. Never gets old.
September 10, 2013
A fun mix of spy, reincarnations and chess, kinda surprised that it's not be made into a movie.
September 13, 2016
A very good book. I loved how the Grandmaster trained by picking up a piece of paper, crumbling it in his hand and then smoothing it out on the floor for several years.
Read
December 24, 2014I read this when it was first published-one of the best written by Molly and Warren
May 30, 2015
Leste denne for 4. eller 5. gang. Beste spionboka med twist ever :-9
October 31, 2015
Good Read
I enjoyed the story. It won't win any awards,but is a good read. I read something like this in between more serious literature.
I enjoyed the story. It won't win any awards,but is a good read. I read something like this in between more serious literature.
May 20, 2022
Read this and Grandmaster a couple times in the last decades.
It's escapist, surely, and I remember enjoying it or I wouldn't have saved it for rainy days. Exactly what I require.
It's escapist, surely, and I remember enjoying it or I wouldn't have saved it for rainy days. Exactly what I require.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews