What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
5 days and 19:57:18
100 copies available
U.S. only
The Pawn Against the King
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
5 days and 19:57:18
100 copies available
U.S. only
The King announces a contest open to everyone, regardless of their financial status. The contest is “Present me with a game that is a true simulation of battle. Whoever succeeds will be richly rewarded. However, anyone who fails and wastes the King’s time will lose their life.” A humble carpenter, confident in what he holds, requests a hearing with the great ruler. Now, he must present his idea at the risk of his life and convince the King that it is exactly what he sought.
Thus begins a mental battle between the powerful and the powerless, the strong and the weak. Genius versus authority.
“A true gem that took my breath away with its claustrophobic atmosphere.” – Panos Tourlis, book critic.
“The pawn against the king, an ingenious concept by Giorgos Katsoulas to represent the eternal struggle between the strong and the weak.” – Yannis Chronopoulos, historical author and publisher.
Thus begins a mental battle between the powerful and the powerless, the strong and the weak. Genius versus authority.
“A true gem that took my breath away with its claustrophobic atmosphere.” – Panos Tourlis, book critic.
“The pawn against the king, an ingenious concept by Giorgos Katsoulas to represent the eternal struggle between the strong and the weak.” – Yannis Chronopoulos, historical author and publisher.
- GenresChess
42 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2024
About the author
Giorgos Katsoulas
9 books78 followersGiorgos Katsoulas was born on February 16, 1981, in Athens. He is an honours graduate of the screenwriting school at ANT1, but he is self-taught in literature. He has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and has received numerous literary awards. He has written 15 books of all genres, including poetry, plays, novellas, historical novels, and psychological thrillers. His greatest passion is film music, and he is also a collector of soundtracks and films.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Want to read
October 19, 2024The first reviews for my novel comes from Readers Favorite . Thank you all.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas is a short story that explores a high-stakes mental battle between a humble carpenter and a powerful king. The king has issued a deadly challenge: create a game that truly simulates battle, with either great rewards or death as the outcome. The carpenter, confident in his genius, presents his idea in the face of danger. This story explores the timeless clash between intelligence and authority as the powerless must confront the powerful in a test of wit and survival. Katsoulas offers readers a concisely penned narrative, making every moment in this short story count with suspenseful and significant exchanges. His use of the game as a metaphor for real-world power dynamics gives it a philosophical undertone that turns a simple contest into a reflection on human nature and societal structures.
I was particularly impressed by Giorgos Katsoulas' minimalist yet impactful storytelling style, which allows readers to focus on the intellectual duel between the carpenter and the king, heightening the emotional stakes. Some brilliant narration and dialogue moments give deeper insight into the psychological game at play. The theme of genius challenging authority is effectively explored on so many intelligent and emotive levels. I found myself completely absorbed in the mental chess match between the two characters, feeling the tension build up with each exchange and marveling at the layers of meaning packed into such a short piece. Katsoulas' ability to convey complex ideas and emotions in such a condensed format left me pondering the story's implications long after I finished reading. Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend The Pawn Against the King to readers who appreciate concise yet powerful storytelling that challenges the mind and sparks deep reflection on power and human nature.
Reviewed by Gabriella Harrison for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas is a short story about the beauty of strategy, which can lift the powerless from a weak state to a position of power when utilized efficiently. In this short story, the king has given his subjects a challenge that could result in wealth for the one who can impress him or eternal slavery for those who fail and waste his time. He demands a game that is a true simulation of battle. His subjects are distressed by the challenge, but a lowly carpenter bravely steps forward, believing he has created a masterpiece that will captivate the king. Thus begins a battle of minds.
Katsoulas creates intrigue through the consistent back and forth between the king and the carpenter, as the king raises various attacks to dismantle the carpenter's well-thought-out plan. While this is happening, the inner workings of the carpenter's mind are laid bare, allowing readers to witness his skillful navigation of the king's ploys, which creates anticipation for the king's countermove. The narration progresses smoothly, showing the importance of phrasing and an understanding of one's audience down to minute details, as this often saves the carpenter. The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas will appeal to strategists, especially those who enjoy mentally tasking games like chess. It is also an encouragement for those who may feel marginalized and powerless because this book shows that proper utilization of one's resources can take them to the top.
Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas is about a contest held by a king in which he searches for a game that will simulate a battle. The person who can create such a game will be given enormous riches, although failure will carry severe consequences. A carpenter, a mere minion in the kingdom, shows his game to the king and, as he does so, they engage in mental combat over the game’s merits. The king continually presents obstacles to the carpenter’s ideas, but the carpenter brilliantly explains why he created the game as he did and parries the king’s objections. The book is an imaginary look into how the game of chess was created and shows how perfectly designed the game is. It also expounds on some of the strategies of chess, such as sacrificing a piece to give a player a better position on the board.
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas is an absolutely brilliantly written book. I can’t write enough about how fascinating and enjoyable it is. Its brilliance lies in how it’s written—as a clever juxtaposition of the game of chess and a meeting between the king and the game’s creator. Readers don’t have to be chess players, or even have much interest or understanding of the game, to enjoy and learn from Katsoulas’ book. Anyone who wants to read an exceptionally well-told story will love it. There’s a wonderful twist when it comes time for the king to pay the carpenter for his creation of the game, but I won’t spoil it by explaining what that twist is. I highly recommend this fine book.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas follows the story of two men from very different backgrounds as they play a high-stakes game of chess. When a king offers an immense fortune in gold to the person who brings him the best strategy game that feels like a real-life simulation of battle, a man of humble means visits the palace with a wooden box to present his game to the king. But the stakes are high because if the man fails to impress the king, he will find a swift death instead of a fortune. With careful maneuvers and well-thought-out moves, the king and his subject start to play, and slowly, the king begins to realize the real-life parallels in the tactics employed by the lowly man. However, after the game is over, the man will have his due.
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority celebrates the game of chess and demonstrates how, even in real life, careful planning and calculated strategy can be used by a pawn to defeat the most powerful of kings. It's an allegory of the fact that even the most humble man can cast a large shadow and change the world. Author Giorgos Katsoulas' love for the game of chess permeates the pages of this book. As someone who used to play the game a lot as a child, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The man uses the king's pride and blind spots against him very cleverly toward the end. I loved the ending and felt it conveyed the themes of the narrative perfectly. All in all, it's a fantastic short story for readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Gaius Konstantine for Readers’ Favorite
A chess game within a chess game and metaphors within metaphors make up The Pawn Against The King, a short story by Giorgos Katsoulas. As a powerful despot searches for a game worthy of his supposed magnificence, he encounters a lowly commoner bearing a wooden box of chessmen and a mind full of wisdom. A battle of wits begins between the two unlikely foes, fought simultaneously on the board, in the mind, and by verbal exchanges between these two very different men. Slowly and steadily, the commoner makes his case as he defeats his arrogant rival and teaches him a precious and vital lesson. A king is nothing without his pawns.
The Pawn Against The King by Giorgos Katsulas is a delightful short story that appeals on multiple intellectual levels. On the surface, it is a simple tale of a man presenting a game to a bored monarch at great peril to himself. However, it is more than that as the story contains themes of arrogance, complacency, and overconfidence by the strong versus the inevitable truth that you should never underestimate an opponent or shut your mind and cease learning. What surprised me was the writing style, which can be described as an economy of force, not at a tactical or strategic level, but a literary one instead. Overall, this is a great little tale that could be expanded into a novel or left as is and serve as a perfect introduction to chess and some life lessons for young teens.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas is a short story that explores a high-stakes mental battle between a humble carpenter and a powerful king. The king has issued a deadly challenge: create a game that truly simulates battle, with either great rewards or death as the outcome. The carpenter, confident in his genius, presents his idea in the face of danger. This story explores the timeless clash between intelligence and authority as the powerless must confront the powerful in a test of wit and survival. Katsoulas offers readers a concisely penned narrative, making every moment in this short story count with suspenseful and significant exchanges. His use of the game as a metaphor for real-world power dynamics gives it a philosophical undertone that turns a simple contest into a reflection on human nature and societal structures.
I was particularly impressed by Giorgos Katsoulas' minimalist yet impactful storytelling style, which allows readers to focus on the intellectual duel between the carpenter and the king, heightening the emotional stakes. Some brilliant narration and dialogue moments give deeper insight into the psychological game at play. The theme of genius challenging authority is effectively explored on so many intelligent and emotive levels. I found myself completely absorbed in the mental chess match between the two characters, feeling the tension build up with each exchange and marveling at the layers of meaning packed into such a short piece. Katsoulas' ability to convey complex ideas and emotions in such a condensed format left me pondering the story's implications long after I finished reading. Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend The Pawn Against the King to readers who appreciate concise yet powerful storytelling that challenges the mind and sparks deep reflection on power and human nature.
Reviewed by Gabriella Harrison for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas is a short story about the beauty of strategy, which can lift the powerless from a weak state to a position of power when utilized efficiently. In this short story, the king has given his subjects a challenge that could result in wealth for the one who can impress him or eternal slavery for those who fail and waste his time. He demands a game that is a true simulation of battle. His subjects are distressed by the challenge, but a lowly carpenter bravely steps forward, believing he has created a masterpiece that will captivate the king. Thus begins a battle of minds.
Katsoulas creates intrigue through the consistent back and forth between the king and the carpenter, as the king raises various attacks to dismantle the carpenter's well-thought-out plan. While this is happening, the inner workings of the carpenter's mind are laid bare, allowing readers to witness his skillful navigation of the king's ploys, which creates anticipation for the king's countermove. The narration progresses smoothly, showing the importance of phrasing and an understanding of one's audience down to minute details, as this often saves the carpenter. The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas will appeal to strategists, especially those who enjoy mentally tasking games like chess. It is also an encouragement for those who may feel marginalized and powerless because this book shows that proper utilization of one's resources can take them to the top.
Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas is about a contest held by a king in which he searches for a game that will simulate a battle. The person who can create such a game will be given enormous riches, although failure will carry severe consequences. A carpenter, a mere minion in the kingdom, shows his game to the king and, as he does so, they engage in mental combat over the game’s merits. The king continually presents obstacles to the carpenter’s ideas, but the carpenter brilliantly explains why he created the game as he did and parries the king’s objections. The book is an imaginary look into how the game of chess was created and shows how perfectly designed the game is. It also expounds on some of the strategies of chess, such as sacrificing a piece to give a player a better position on the board.
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority by Giorgos Katsoulas is an absolutely brilliantly written book. I can’t write enough about how fascinating and enjoyable it is. Its brilliance lies in how it’s written—as a clever juxtaposition of the game of chess and a meeting between the king and the game’s creator. Readers don’t have to be chess players, or even have much interest or understanding of the game, to enjoy and learn from Katsoulas’ book. Anyone who wants to read an exceptionally well-told story will love it. There’s a wonderful twist when it comes time for the king to pay the carpenter for his creation of the game, but I won’t spoil it by explaining what that twist is. I highly recommend this fine book.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
The Pawn Against the King by Giorgos Katsoulas follows the story of two men from very different backgrounds as they play a high-stakes game of chess. When a king offers an immense fortune in gold to the person who brings him the best strategy game that feels like a real-life simulation of battle, a man of humble means visits the palace with a wooden box to present his game to the king. But the stakes are high because if the man fails to impress the king, he will find a swift death instead of a fortune. With careful maneuvers and well-thought-out moves, the king and his subject start to play, and slowly, the king begins to realize the real-life parallels in the tactics employed by the lowly man. However, after the game is over, the man will have his due.
The Pawn Against the King: Genius vs Authority celebrates the game of chess and demonstrates how, even in real life, careful planning and calculated strategy can be used by a pawn to defeat the most powerful of kings. It's an allegory of the fact that even the most humble man can cast a large shadow and change the world. Author Giorgos Katsoulas' love for the game of chess permeates the pages of this book. As someone who used to play the game a lot as a child, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The man uses the king's pride and blind spots against him very cleverly toward the end. I loved the ending and felt it conveyed the themes of the narrative perfectly. All in all, it's a fantastic short story for readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Gaius Konstantine for Readers’ Favorite
A chess game within a chess game and metaphors within metaphors make up The Pawn Against The King, a short story by Giorgos Katsoulas. As a powerful despot searches for a game worthy of his supposed magnificence, he encounters a lowly commoner bearing a wooden box of chessmen and a mind full of wisdom. A battle of wits begins between the two unlikely foes, fought simultaneously on the board, in the mind, and by verbal exchanges between these two very different men. Slowly and steadily, the commoner makes his case as he defeats his arrogant rival and teaches him a precious and vital lesson. A king is nothing without his pawns.
The Pawn Against The King by Giorgos Katsulas is a delightful short story that appeals on multiple intellectual levels. On the surface, it is a simple tale of a man presenting a game to a bored monarch at great peril to himself. However, it is more than that as the story contains themes of arrogance, complacency, and overconfidence by the strong versus the inevitable truth that you should never underestimate an opponent or shut your mind and cease learning. What surprised me was the writing style, which can be described as an economy of force, not at a tactical or strategic level, but a literary one instead. Overall, this is a great little tale that could be expanded into a novel or left as is and serve as a perfect introduction to chess and some life lessons for young teens.
November 13, 2024
The Pawn Against the King is an ok story, but the book blurb was more interesting than the tale itself. "...The contest is simple: “Present me with a game that is a true simulation of battle...Now, [the pawn] must present his idea at the risk of his life and convince the King that it is exactly what he sought. Thus begins a mental battle between the powerful and the powerless, the strong and the weak. Genius versus authority."
At only 24 pages, this is a very short story, but I still got tired of it before it was over. It was hard to loose myself in the story because of the awkward wording. I suspect some of this was caused by translation from Greek to English. "Upon being just a few meters away from the Lord, all the guards stopped." "'Go on,' told him the Ruler of everything." "In how many of the battles you've been given bishops were killed?" "So, the association of powers was on the side of absolute power."
All of the action in the book is described using chess terminology. For example, "The [blacksmith] realized that this pawn [point of debate] is of no value; he let it get eaten [let the King win this argument]." At some points, this is fun. At others, it feels forced.
At only 24 pages, this is a very short story, but I still got tired of it before it was over. It was hard to loose myself in the story because of the awkward wording. I suspect some of this was caused by translation from Greek to English. "Upon being just a few meters away from the Lord, all the guards stopped." "'Go on,' told him the Ruler of everything." "In how many of the battles you've been given bishops were killed?" "So, the association of powers was on the side of absolute power."
All of the action in the book is described using chess terminology. For example, "The [blacksmith] realized that this pawn [point of debate] is of no value; he let it get eaten [let the King win this argument]." At some points, this is fun. At others, it feels forced.
November 14, 2024
Now, this is a showdown for the ages! The Pawn against the King pits a humble carpenter against a ruthless ruler, and it’s all riding on one brilliant game. Imagine risking your life on a board game pitch—wild, right? This book is packed with mind games, high stakes, and a serious underdog vibe that’s impossible not to root for. If you love a story where brains take on brute power, this one’s a must-read! ♟️👑
November 15, 2024
The Pawn against the King is a gripping tale of wit, courage, and high-stakes intellect. When a humble carpenter faces the King’s deadly contest, he must present his game as the ultimate simulation of battle—or pay with his life. This book brilliantly explores the clash between genius and authority, and I loved the clever twists and the tense mental duel. It’s a story that kept me hooked, rooting for the underdog in every turn of the game!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews