Format: Paperback
Language: English
ISBN: 9781743289679
Pages: 432
Price: INR 455
Not since his first flush of fiction has Matthew Reilly struck such a purple patch of creativity. ‘When your life falls apart you think about a lot of things,’‘ he says. ‘The Tournament’ is Reilly’s secret novel after the death of his wife Natalie in December 2011.
Set in 1546, the Tournament unveils the story through the thirteen-year-old princess Elizabeth’s perspective about her tutor, Roger Ascham. ‘The Tournament’ is not just about the chess championship but it’s much more than that. It’s about murders, it’s about teaching a young girl that world is not that fair a place to live and rule in. The novel talks about how one of the Britain’s most successful monarchs (Queen Elizabeth) has survived her childhood.
With minute detailing, the character sketch is quite spellbinding. Just like Elizabeth and Roger, the readers are not just hooked to the book till the last page but even to the interview with the author. The story has the finesse and characterization that enthrall the readers thoroughly.
Her tutor Roger Ascham and her infamous and sexually volatile mistress accompany Queen Elizabeth with Gilbert Giles to the powerful and fearful Ottoman Empire accepting a chess tournament. Roger Ascham who is renowned worldly for his brilliance is given a murder mystery to solve at the championship. The novel takes the readers on an adventurous thriller ride revealing darkest of the secrets. With unanticipated twists and turns, this is a must-read novel of the year.
With an intense plot and fast pacing action, there is a lot in store for the readers. ‘The Tournament’ also carries a warning about its mature sexual content for younger readers. It’s not just about survival; it’s about the survival of the smartest.
Rating: 8.5/10
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