The Gameshouse

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now ${{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

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

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

But those whom fortune favours may be invited to compete in the higher league . . . where the games played are of politics and nations, of economics and kings. It is a contest where Capture the Castle involves real castles and 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 . . .

From Claire North, author of word-of-mouth bestseller The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and one of the most original new voices in modern fiction, comes the mesmerising tale of the Gameshouse, where games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

*Originally published as three digital-only instalments: The Serpent, The Thief and The Master.*


Praise for Claire North:

'One of the fiction highlights of the decade' Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club

'North's talent shines out' Sunday Times

'Little short of a masterpiece' Independent

'Poignant and intensely gripping' Guardian

'Terrific, smart and entertaining' Patrick Ness

Critics Review

Very difficult to put down . . . The Gameshouse works beautifully as a highly entertaining thriller . . . intoxicating
SCIFINOW
A twisty tale of intrigue and games played for the highest possible stakes . . . An unusual, intriguing novel that's both a paranoid fantasy about a world where anyone can be bought and a broody tale about what really matters when anything can be gambled away
KIRKUS
I just loved this book . . . Strongly recommended. VERY strongly
BLUE BOOK BALLOON
North expertly melds the personal with the far-reaching. Action never lets up, and at times it even blends with philosophical questions of order and chaos
LIBRARY JOURNAL

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.