The Ballad of a Small Player

A Novel

By: Lawrence Osborne

Narrated by: Rupert Penry-Jones

NOW A NETFLIX FILM STARRING COLIN FARRELL AND TILDA SWINTON FROM ACADEMY AWARD WINNER EDWARD BERGER, DIRECTOR OF CONCLAVE AND ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

A “thrilling and terrifying” (NPR) tale of risk and obsession set in the mysterious world of Macau’s casinos, by the author of the critically acclaimed The Forgiven

“To open a new Lawrence Osborne book is to enter a maze of thrills from which there is no exit other than to finish the book in one sitting.”—The New York Times

“[A] vivid and feverish portrait of a soul in self-inflicted purgatorio”—The New York Times Book Review

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, NPR

As night falls on Macau and the neon signs that line the rain-slick streets come alive, Doyle—“Lord Doyle” to his fellow players—descends into his casino of choice to try his luck at the baccarat tables that are the anchor of his current existence. A corrupt English lawyer who has escaped prosecution by fleeing to the East, Doyle spends his nights drinking and gambling and his days sleeping off his excesses, continually haunted by his past. Taking refuge in a series of louche and dimly lit hotels, he watches his fortune rise and fall as the cards decide his fate.

In a moment of crisis he meets Dao-Ming, an enigmatic Chinese woman who appears to be a denizen of the casinos just like himself, and seems to offer him salvation in the form of both money and love. But as Doyle attempts to make a rare and true connection, all that he accepts as reality seems to be slipping from his grasp.

Resonant of classics by Dostoevsky and Graham Greene, The Ballad of a Small Player is a timeless tale steeped in eerie suspense and rich atmosphere.

Critic reviews

“Slim but insistent . . . A vivid and feverish portrait of a soul in self-inflicted purgatorio.”—Tom Shone, New York Times Book Review

“Osborne, a travel writer, renders the atmosphere of casinos, hotels, and restaurants seductively…[and] shows an impeccable facility for capturing the sweat-soaked suspense of the high-stakes card table.”—The New Yorker

“Hypnotic . . . Macau and Hong Kong feel vivid and true in the novel, yet also otherworldly: Well-known landmarks and weather conditions are captured with a stillness and beauty that make them feel haunting and melancholy. . . . Old ways collide with a brash new world, and in this game, it is not yet clear which will emerge the winner.”—Tash Aw, for All Things Considered

“Haunting . . . A captivating story about the nature of addiction, the power of the supernatural and the freedom that may come from throwing everything to chance.”—NPR

“Elegantly told…The beauty of this novel is in the elegance and precision of its prose, which renders the glaring kitsch of Macau into a series of exquisite miniatures, and draws on Osborne's reserves as a travel writer.”—The Guardian

“A searing portrait of addiction and despair set in the glittering world of Macau’s casinos. . . . Osborne's intriguing Chinese milieu and exquisite prose make this work as a standout.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Osborne masterfully recreates the atmosphere of casinos as well as the psychology of baccarat players—and leaves readers eager to try their luck at the game.”—Kirkus Reviews

“[Osborne’s] darkly introspective study of decline and decay conjures apt comparisons to Paul Bowles, Graham Greene, and V. S. Naipaul.”—Booklist

“A modern Graham Greene . . . Osborne is a thrilling, exceptional talent in British fiction’s landscape.”—Sunday Times (UK)

“Unavoidable comparisons will be drawn with Graham Greene’s work. . . . [Osborne] has a masterful touch with creating mood, and a swirling, world-weary foreignness pervades the story. The Ballad of a Small Player is a layered work, a novel about addiction, love and class but given an allusive face by the way it perches constantly on some supernatural brink.”—Irish Examiner

Ballad of the small player

I will read anything by this author. He has always captured my imagination. He seems to have an excellent knowledge of his geographical surroundings. He also paints an excellent picture of these rather desperate characters. Really well written book.

Not much happens

British guy living in Macau is addicted to gambling. Sometimes he wins. Sometimes he loses. He has an encounter with a sex worker. He senses his luck might be changing. Osborne drags us along through this banal story to an ending that is even less satisfying than the “buildup.” Narration is excellent but can’t save this plotless book.