The Gameshouse

By: Claire North

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

The World Fantasy Award-winning author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August presents a mesmerizing tale of a gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets. . .

It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon -- every game under the sun.

But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league. . . a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.

Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all. . .

Critic reviews

"An eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece, as harrowing as it is brilliant"—Emily St. John Mandel, bestselling author of Station Eleven, on 84K

"An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with dashes of The Handmaid's Tale."—Cory Doctorow on 84K

"Everybody needs to read 84K. Consistently thoughtful fiction like this needs to be championed. I'll admit it, I'm a little in awe of the author. Her work is sublime.... Claire North deserves your undivided attention. Buy the book, read it. Your brain will thank you.... If there was a rating higher than highly recommended this book would receive it."—The Eloquent Page

"A terrifying setting that feels rooted to the present day.... Imbued with a menace that feels both recognizable and urgent, and the decisions the characters make as a result feel uncomfortably real."—RT Book Reviews on 84K

"Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists currently working in the intersection between thriller and science fiction."—Booklist (starred review) on 84K

"A furious, confrontational book that's extremely smart... its energy is infectious and its ideas are fiercely provocative."—SciFiNow on 84K

"Put simply, this book just blew my mind. A remarkable writer, doing extraordinary things, and I think this is her best book yet."—Blue Book Balloon on 84K

"Claire North goes from strength to strength.... A tense, moving story."—Guardian on 84K

"One of the most distinct and compelling SF novels of the year thus far."—Toronto Star on 84K

"A dystopian anthem for the modern activist... a cracking thriller.... Quite simply, North's best book so far."—Starburst on 84K

"Evocative, thought-provoking... I'll read anything she writes."—Omnivoracious on 84K

"The truly scary thing about 84K is how convincing this dark, brutal class-divided Britain is."—SFX

"Vivid and disturbing."—Publishers Weekly on 84K

"A fascinating look at the decisions society is taking now."—The Bookbag on 84K

"Claire North's writing is terrific, smart, and entertaining."—Patrick Ness on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

"Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination."
—Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls, on The Sudden Appearance of Hope

"Wonderful novel...held together by a compelling mystery involving nothing less than the end of the world itself. Beautifully written and structured...a remarkable book."—Booklist (starred review) on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

"A subtle study of friendship, love and the complexity of existence."—Eric Brown, Guardian on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

My new favorite author.

this is literally the third book I finished from her. and her stories are incredible. I can't recommend her enough. and let's not get started on the story teller. amazing all around. about to start a fourth.

HOLY CRAP THIS BOOK IS GOOD!

I bought this on sale for about $3.99, thought it sounded interesting so I took a chance on it and I'm so glad I did! this is probably the best audio book I've had the pleasure of listening to. Amazing narration, love how the book kind of makes you look at the world a little different wondering who in real life is a piece and who is a player.

The best boom I've listened to all year.

I purchased this book because I love Peter Kenny's narration. The story itself is one I couldn't wait to continue listening to.

Bad accents

I was genuinely enjoying the book until the story went to Bangkok and the reader started doing the worst Thai accent I’ve ever heard. Unlistenable. If was a good accent I could forgiven it, but it’s not, so I don’t.

Great stories, left me wanting more

Another great book by Claire North and narrated by Peter Kenny. Each of the 3 books is both stand alone, and connected. Unlike some of North's other works, these stories jumped right in and were gripping from page 1. Great concept. North once again demonstrates that she is a brilliant author that created at a level beyond the typical author. Nothing she writes follows some long written path leaving you feeling like you read it before. Her work is unique and fresh. I will be reading all her works as she has shown she is worth reading. My only criticism was I had a little trouble catching on to the 3rd story - a few chapters. But then like the others, could not put down.

Peter Kenny - if I wrote a book and wanted it narrated, Peter Kenny would be my choice to read it. Brilliant voice and reading. I feel like Kenny could read the book "Good Night Moon" and make it gripping. Of all the books I have listened to, his voice is one of the easiest to listen to I have ever heard. I have already either downloaded or put in my wish list, several books he has narrated from other authors as well (every book from North/Kenny was already in my lists).

Treat yourself to this gem.