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Queen Sacrifice by Tony Riches
In his novel Queen Sacrifice, Tony Riches describes a Welsh Civil War that occurred in the tenth century. The final section of the book details how Donald Byrne and 13-year-old Bobby Fischer played the “Game of the Century” in New York City on October 17, 1956.
I have no chess knowledge. Only because of Bobby Fischer’s well-established status in popular culture and the fact that his name appeared as the solution to a Trivial Pursuit question have I heard of him. That being said, it would not have been obvious to me if no one had mentioned that this book, beginning with Chapter 8, tracked the movements of a well-known chess match.
Riches does a good job of setting out his motive for writing the book and establishing its historical context so that the reader knows when the story will move to “this occurred… and then this happened… and then this happened.” The story actually moves along smoothly the entire time. Maybe chess has a deeper narrative than this hapless reader could have ever imagined.
The mediaeval genre is popular right now, let’s face it. Queen Sacrifice falls within that market area along with shows like Game of Thrones, Camelot, and Merlin. Riches explains that when he started the book and saw he had written only two women, he gave the Queen’s female companions to level the playing field a little. There is a VAST cast of characters that Riches lists like chess pieces on a board. Riches distinguishes between the characters so that even if there are numerous voices, the narrative is highly clear and the story is simple to follow.
The plot of Queen Sacrifice is reminiscent of an Arthurian legend. The characters get involved in intrigue and infidelity. While others serve the King and their country, some are self-centered and self-serving. Well described, Riches’ motion resembles a dance rather than a tennis match. Since I am not familiar with Welsh history, I am unsure if the history is accurate; a quick Google search turned up nothing. However, the story gives me the wonderful impression that it might have been. Riches’ story makes sense and seems thoroughly researched and based on a real incident. Queen Sacrifice has the smell of meticulous labour put into it for the reader’s pleasure.
If you enjoy playing chess and are knowledgeable about the game, I think this might be the book for you. With each move, the chess player will nod knowingly. Although I did not understand the chess allusions or follow the action as 1956 onlookers did, I did appreciate the book as someone who likes historically based stories. I will suggest the book to a few folks I know who enjoy reading in this genre. In terms of quality and complexity, Queen Sacrifice is on par with any book in the category. Tony Riches is after George R.R. Martin, so beware!
About The Book
In ancient Wales, two kings battle for their lives. In a land where battles can last decades, trouble is brewing and the stakes are high. The queen of the northern tribes has a new son and the king of the south has young Saxon bride.
At the heart of the conflict are the bishops, who are torn between their faith and their duty. Powerful knights and warlords see the opportunity to grow rich but know there the loser will pay a heavy price. This is a tale of love and sacrifice, soldiers and spies, heroes and assassins, who meet in the war to end all wars.
The Review
Queen Sacrifice
9 Score
If you're a history lover with a particular interest in the Medieval, then this would be an excellent novel to pick up. Not only is it thoroughly researched with incredible detail, pacing and finess, but Queen Sacrifice also has the added bonus of being inspired by a famous chess game. This alone was the reason I downloaded this book, and it was interesting to follow the storyline as it progresses through the moves that were done in that particular game. The cast of characters is extraordinarily complex and expansive, and yet I never found myself lost or confused thanks to Riches' gift of slipping in enough detail about even minor characters so that each person had their own voice. I loved the two warring sides and the contrasting differences between the two Kings and especially the Queens.
PROS
- An Impressive Historical Fiction Novel!
- Fast Paced Adventure.
- Fast Moving & Very Entertaining.
- Fascinating Characters.
CONS
- Poor Editing And Much Confusion.
- Paper Thin Characters.
- Dull And Boring.
- Poorly Written.
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