The World Played Chess

I am a huge fan of Robert Dugoni and have read most of his books. He is an autoread author for me but his latest book is different from his suspenseful Tracy Crosswhite series and his coming-of-age book The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell. In The World Played Chess, Dugoni focuses his story on the lives of three men at different points in their lives - 1967 where we meet a young William, 1979 when Vietnam veteran William meets teenage Vincent and 2015 when Vincent, who now has a teenage son Beau, receives William's journal that documents his time fighting in the Vietnam War.

Through William's experiences as a young soldier sent to fight in a war he doesn't quite understand and his journal entries that Vincent reads decades later, Dugoni transports his readers first to the frontlines of war and after the war when these soldiers arrived home only to continue to be plagued by its effects decades later. I honestly don't think that those of us who have never experienced war firsthand can ever truly comprehend the horrors and atrocities of living and fighting in a war zone, but through William's experiences and recollections, Dugoni provides his readers with descriptions that are vivid, raw, and often emotional.

This is a work of literary fiction which is not my favourite genre, so I struggled a bit with this story and the transitions between the POVs. I found William's journal entries much more compelling and emotional compared to the other POVs, and while the story was engaging, there were several spots that dragged for me - most focusing on Vincent's day-to-day life. 

So, I enjoyed this book but have mixed feelings. With its focus on the Vietnam War, I probably would not have picked up this book if it weren't for Dugoni's name on the cover. That said, I'm glad I read this book and appreciate how it gave me a better idea of what it is like for soldiers on the frontlines and the long-lasting impact of war on individuals. 

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Robert Dugoni

Genre: Historical Fiction

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

First Published: Sept 14, 2021

Opening Lines: A purpose, I have learned, is rarely found, but revealed. 

Only when I do not search does the purpose become clear.

Book Description from GoodReads: In 1979, Vincent Bianco has just graduated high school. His only desire: collect a little beer money and enjoy his final summer before college. So he lands a job as a laborer on a construction crew. Working alongside two Vietnam vets, one suffering from PTSD, Vincent gets the education of a lifetime. Now forty years later, with his own son leaving for college, the lessons of that summer—Vincent’s last taste of innocence and first taste of real life—dramatically unfold in a novel about breaking away, shaping a life, and seeking one’s own destiny.