“Yokai Scavenger Hunt-Heist-Military Fantasy”
Yes, that tagline is a convoluted mouthful, that Rob J. Hayes manages to pull off, just as he did in book one of the Mortal Techniques series, the Wuxia-Yokai-Chanbara mashup, Never Die. And while Pawn’s Gambit is ostensibly book two, if you’re an unwashed heathen who didn’t enjoy or finish book one, don’t let that stop you from trying it out.
You won’t be sorry.
Pawn’s Gambit is only tangentially related as a standalone, and in this reader’s opinion, is heads and shoulders, knees and toes better Never Die. Which is saying something, because Never Die was a pretty enjoyable book.
But whereas it was a pure martial arts romp with action scene after action scene, Pawn’s Gambit is more a character study of the retired hero trope, disguised as a Yokai scavenger hunt heist military fantasy. Said retired hero is not really the classical hero, but rather the once illustrious, now-disgraced strategist, The Art of War.
Having worn a mask during her career, Yuu never revealed her face, and was thus able to leave her life after a stunning victory where she lost everything. She now ekes out an anonymous existence hustling old men at chess, while drinking to drown her significant baggage.
We get to explore all that baggage when she’s recruited by Natsuko, Goddess of Lost Opportunities, to be her Champion in a scavenger hunt that will determine who rules the Heavens.
Unlike Never Die, where the characters are all warriors with special martial skills to resolve their problems, Yuu uses her brilliant mind. It harkens back to iconic strategists in Asian history, like Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao, Kansuke, and Hideyoshi, who won battles from behind the scenes. The text is full of strategic aphorism and adages, and we get to see how these tactics are applied in the most creative ways. Although she does have a minor magical talent, it’s refreshing to see someone resolve the story’s central conflict by more or less being a normal person.
The supporting cast also helps the story stand out. They’re lovable and memorable, whether it’s the old horse Lump, the wannabe hero Li Bang, the irascible Prince of thieves Fang, or the curmudgeonly goddess Natsuko. All feel so real and fleshed out.
Where Pawn’s Gambit is top notch, and the reason why I rate it so highly, is the narrative voice. There’s so much heart in the prose, fusing humor, sarcasm, tragedy, and triumph (Hayes is a Brit, so perhaps that is par for the course for them?).
If I could rate Pawn’s Gambit higher than 10 stars, I would. Heck, I will. 15 stars!
Reviewer’s Note: I listened to the audiobook, and while the narrator does a spectacular job of bringing the story to life, I wish she would have consulted with speakers of Japanese and Chinese to get the names right. I almost gave up in the first chapter because of this.
Jennie Ivins