Pawn's Gambit

The Pawn Stratagem, Book 1

By: Darin Kennedy

Narrated by: Jack Wayne

Steven Bauer always thought chess was just a game....

Until the sultry brunette in the little black dress did her best to incinerate him.

Yesterday, he was just an ordinary guy. Today, he is the White Pawn, a combatant in a nightmarish game of chess where people are the pieces, and the world is at stake. To survive the deadly Black Queen, Steven must pull together the rest of his pieces.

The Knight, a grieving teenage boy caught up in a web of gang violence.

The Queen, a young woman at death’s door, her body ravaged by leukemia.

The Bishop, a disgraced priest haunted by visions of the game.

The Rook, a suicidal drunk reeling atop a storm-ridden skyscraper.

But Steven isn’t the only one looking for his team, because the Black Queen already has her pieces assembled....

Pawn’s Gambit is the first book in The Pawn Strategem, a new contemporary fantasy series from author Darin Kennedy (The Mussorgsky Riddle).

©2016 Darin Kennedy (P)2017 Falstaff Books

Cosmic Balance

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio," quoth Hamlet. And as you picture the Bard and his players, you can imagine chess pieces as they might have been clothed. The title should have informed you that the game of chess is a key player in this genre-crossing thriller. This is book one of a series and, although it concludes at a logical point, it is certainly a cliffhanger for its world arc. I know I am anxious to continue with book two.

Beautifully crafted and with its own unusual spin on the universe and its hows and whys, the story starts with an ordinary guy who's apparently been stood up on a blind date. Expert narration by Jack Wayne provides extra depth to the characters as you become immersed in the drama. And having a rudimentary knowledge of the game of chess is really useful.

Great story, bring on more!

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was a unique and very entertaining story. I thought the author did a great job developing the characters and the narration was fantastic. I am very interested in this series and will be looking forward to the next book being released.

A Great Listen

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher and found it very entertaining. A game to save the world from chaos and total destruction. This fast paced tales follows those chosen to be the pieces of a chest board. No one has a choice as this vastly different group of people are chosen randomly for to play the game for the White. This unique story is filled with well written characters and lots of suspense. I'm looking forward to book 2.

A Pawn in the game for the world

Where does Pawn's Gambit rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks in the upper 5% of the audiobooks I have listened to from Audible and other sources.

What other book might you compare Pawn's Gambit to and why?

I would compare it the Dark Tower series in the sense that there is the gathering of the players in order to win the fight against evil.

Have you listened to any of Jack Wayne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not this is the first one by Jack Wayne.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh in parts at comments made between characters and feel emotional when a favorite character was injured.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the diversity among the players in this real life game of chess and their interactions with each other and outside of the group.

absolutely brilliant

After loving the Mussorgsky Riddle I read Pawns Gambit and found this new series to be completely different but as brilliant as the first series. Darin Kennedy spins an amazing story of intricate characters and fantastic descriptions of both location and action, you can't help but listen to one more chapter. This book has it all.