The year is 1546. Suleiman the Magnificent, the powerful and feared Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, issues an invitation to every king in Europe: YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND YOUR FINEST PLAYER TO COMPETE IN A CHESS TOURNAMENT TO DETERMINE THE CHAMPION OF THE KNOWN WORLD. The English delegation - led by esteemed scholar Roger Ascham - journeys to the glittering city of Constantinople. Accompanying Ascham is his pupil, Bess, who is about to bear witness to events she never thought possible. For on the first night of the tournament, a powerful guest of the Sultan is murdered, and against the backdrop of the historic event, Ascham is tasked with finding the killer. Barbaric deaths, unimaginable depravity and diplomatic treachery unfold before Bess' eyes, indelibly shaping her character and determining how she will perform her future roll...as Queen Elizabeth I. EVEN A PAWN CAN BECOME A QUEEN
The Tournament
Although providing quite a different setting from his previous novels The Tournament is full to the brim with the elements of his stories that people have come to love. Set in the sixteenth century, this is a murder mystery set against the beautiful backdrop of Constantinople, fraught with the action and peril that Matthew Reilly is famous for. I would highly recommend this title for any Matthew Reilly fans and any historical fiction readers, however there is a high amount of sexual content so The Tournament is only suitable for mature readers.
QBD Eastland, 30/10/2013
