Blurb:
A young chess hustler goes on the supernatural adventure of a lifetime
when he meets Mortimer Blackwell, a strange elderly man, who grants him an
irresistible gift.
Review:
"Gamble" had immediate appeal because the story
contains two disparate elements--chess and the supernatural—and combines them to
make for an unusual story. Indie author Derek Odom creates an interesting tale
of suspense and intrigue that kept me turning the pages just to see what would
happen next.
The story's hero, Sam, hustles chess along California's
Santa Monica boardwalk, eking out a modest living, but never really living up
to his potential. One day Sam meets an older gentleman, Mortimer Blackwell, who
offers Sam the gift of telepathy—the ability to read minds—but with a price
tag attached.
The story follows Sam to Las Vegas where he learns to play
poker, using his unique abilities to accumulate a fortune at high-stakes poker.
Along the way, Sam meets a pretty redhead, Katie, the only person in the city
that Sam cannot read. Naturally, the young couple falls in love, but Katie has
secrets of her own.
Derek keeps the plot moving with steadily building tension
toward an epic battle between two ancient forces at the story's climax.
Although chess play is described in narrow detail, the technical aspects of the
game are skimmed over, and so do not bog down the story. Sam and Katie's
relationship is sweet with closed door bedroom scenes, and a satisfying
portrayal of young love.
As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed "Gamble" from
start to finish. Derek does such a great job of creating suspense and building
toward the tense climax admirably well over the course of approximately eleven
thousand words. I will admit—without giving away any spoilers—I had hoped for a
more sinister finish to this intriguing tale.
Still, the conclusion wraps up the story nicely and provides a
satisfactory ending.
"Gamble" is definitely recommended reading for
fans of suspenseful short stories.
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