Customer Reviews

Chess with a Dragon (Millennium)

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Chess with a dragon is one of the faster reading books I have seen. Although it may look like 150 or so pages, the large number of chapters, and layout at the chapters makes the actual length more like 100 pages.

Short is not bad. This is a really enjoyable, very good book.

The title "Chess with a Dragon" does not refer to an actual game; rather, at the point where the good guys are in the worst possible shape, one of them has to, hrmm, "negotiate", with an alien creature from a race called the Dragons.

Without spoiling the book: The story takes place in the far future. Man has found the stars, or been found by them; man has been introduced into the galactic society, that revolves around the galactic library, an information storehouse that races can "borrow" information from (running up an information debt), or repay by adding new information to.

As the story opens, mankind is informed that the credit limit has been reached, and it is time to make payment plans. Of course, the race that has purchased the information debt wants one type of collection plan, that isn't necessarily favorable to mankind's future existance.

I wish there were more books written in this vein. An incident near the beginning where our hero engages in diplomacy with an amphibious alien in a fish tank is hilarious and sets the whacky tone for the rest of the book. Gerrold could have made a whole series set in this world.

And the question is:
"Why should you never play chess with a dragon?"

In the distant future, man isn't a whole lot smarter than he is today. We join the great horde in the galaxy thinking that everything is for free. When the bill comes due, it's a shocker.

But we find out quickly through our cast that the whole things a rigged game being played with loaded dice; con artists abound; and talk is definitely not cheap.

This book is a fast but delightful read. The alien cultures are neatly delivered with insight into their way of doing things. And philanthopists they're not.

I strongly recommend "Chess With a Dragon" especially if you have a sense of humor.

Very well written and engaging. Illustrates the type of creative problem solving and "out of the box" thinking so important to succeeding in our society.