The Chess Machine (Paperback)
Description
In 1770, Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen introduces Vienna to the Mechanical Turk--an unbeatable chess-playing automaton that, unbeknownst to an astonished Europe, is in fact nothing more than an illusion. The Turk is actually operated from within by a God-fearing dwarf named Tibor, whose chess-playing abilities and diminutive size make him the perfect accomplice in this grand hoax. But when a seductive countess dies under mysterious circumstances in the presence of the Turk, the machine and its inventor become the target of espionage, persecution, and intrigue. Based on a true story, this celebrated debut is a daring piece of storytelling, brimming with lust, scandal, and deception.
About the Author
Robert Löhr was educated as a journalist, and worked for several Berlin daily papers before becoming a screenwriter. The Chess Machine is his first novel.
Praise for The Chess Machine…
" If you liked Perfume you'll love it. . . . [The Chess Machine] will grip you from the very first page."
--Harper's Bazaar
"A promising debut."
--Entertainment Weekly
" Rich in detail and psychological depth . . . this is a work of such marvelously creative imagination that it makes little difference what's factual and what isn't--it all rings true."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
" Magnificent--a thinking man's thriller brimming with politics both social and sexual."
--Bookgasm
