Cover Image: The World Played Chess

The World Played Chess

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Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review. I didn’t even look at the title or cover of this I JUST saw the author’s name and knew I wanted to read it. This book was so well written and heartwarming that I was drawn into the characters as if they were real. I loved the fact there was a journal because I felt it really helped tell the story so much better. The coming of age book in three different generations showing how a young man is just expected to know about life and death plus how to handle it as a man . It really made me think and it was emotional much of the time. My husband was in the Navy in the Vietnam War but I didn’t know him then and I haven’t heard him say much about it but he jumps when he hears a loud noise even if you just drop something. I will remember this book as I have The Extraordinary Life Of Sam Hell.

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This was a powerful coming-of-age story about three different generations of young men.

Vincent tells most of the story—it’s the story of his own year after high school, as well as the story of his own son (40 years later) graduating high school, and the story of him reading William’s journal from his time serving with the Marines in Vietnam. There are also parts of the story that show the relationship between William and Vincent during the time they worked on a construction site together (the year after Vincent’s high school graduation, during William’s decline into PTSD after his return from Vietnam about ten years earlier).

While this puts Vincent’s and William’s stories in the first person, Vincent tells the story of his son Beau’s last year of high school and transition to college. The perspective seemed right, though, as Vincent had insight for all three stories. He not only told Beau’s story, but compared it to his story and that of William, and the different events that had forced the three young men to mature and move on to new stages of their lives.

The writing for all of the story lines was empathetic and compelling. The experiences of the three young men were unique, but shared some common themes. Vincent’s narration often led the reader to the commonalities between the three very different lives.

Overall, I’d give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thought should be given before recommending it, as the war stories could be triggering for some readers. It was a memoir-style literary fiction book that seemed as believable as non-fiction. If the subject matter sounds even a little interesting, the writing made this a fabulous book.

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"Growing old is a privilege not a right"

The world Played Chess is a book that brings to life one (fictional) man's experiences during the Vietnam War. His (William) stories are told to our main character Vincent over the course of the summer after Vincent's senior year of high school as they spend time working construction together. Vincent is coming to terms with leaving the comfort of high school friendships behind and going out into the world. Vincent is largely impacted by William and the contrast between the difference in their experiences as 18-year-old men.

We also see Vincent's son coming of age through the last few months of high school. Vincent had just received William's Vietnam journals and is reflecting on his lessons on growing up from William and wondering how he can instill these in his own son.

This was a book that kept me engaged. It was written in an easy to read format despite the heaviness of the topics discussed. My one complaint on the book is between Vincent's memories and William's journals we see a lot of overlap and repetition.

While I loved the coming of age stories set amongst vastly different backdrops. I do think I would have been more satisfied with more focus on William and Vincent and perhaps leaving out the modern day element. I do think there is something to be said about the message that you learn a lesson best the closer to the source but I felt least invested in that timeline and it felt like it didn't quite mesh as well.

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I cannot stress enough how wonderful this book is. It's the characters, their stories, the journeys. It's emotional. It's beyond well written. This is one of those books that will stay with you long after you finish it. One of the biggest must reads of the year.

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Robert Dugoni is one of the authors I follow on FB and Amazon so I do not miss a new book. His back library is extensive, his series well written and so worth your limited reading time. This book is a stand alone that revolves around three young men and how their lives touch and influence others. The 3 are from very different generations and clearly look at the world through different experiences. A young man meets a Vietnam veteran 20 years his senior who teaches him of the world outside his small town. 20 years later, The young man uses the veteran's journal to teach his college age son to look for the story behind the story. This story is based on Dugoni's experiences working with a Vietnam veteran. It is an excellent example of life becoming fiction.

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I am an emotional wreck after reading Robert Dugoni’s The World Played Chess. I graduated from high school in 1969, and I know so many who served in Viet Nam. Kids who found themselves on the front line hours after arriving in Viet Nam and then whisked back into the United States with no time to decompress and did not receive warm welcomes when they arrived. I also know several men who have suffered from the effects of Agent Orange later in life..

For me, William’s journal was brilliantly captured. I was brought to tears many times. I liked that the story was told through William’s eyes in the journal entries of an eighteen-year-old going to war and then through Vincent’s eyes after his senior year 1979 when he gets a job working with William and Todd on a construction crew. The third time period is 2015 where we find Vincent, a successful lawyer, is watching his son Beau who is graduating from high school. One day, he receives William’s journal in the mail. All three experience difficulties and learn many lessons.

Be prepared to experience many emotions while reading this masterpiece. My thanks to Lake Union and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

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Robert Dugoni has done it again! He is such an talented storyteller and this novel, much like The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, feels like a memoir. The coming-of-age aspect is universal to all humans and I loved hearing it from these male perspectives and in these periods of time. I was born in 1983 and I'm really not that knowledgeable about the Vietnam War, but could really get a feeling for how people were affected. The characters are so likeable and I found myself rooting for them all. This is one I will especially recommend to the men in my life but the women as well. I LOVED the epilogue so much. All the feels!

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This book will change your life.

William’s story will sear your soul and make you appreciate what the soldiers of Vietnam experienced. Not the hurt of being called Baby Killers but the hardships they endured every single day.

The World Played Chess is a story about a Vietnam veteran and a boy off to college in the fall. They find themselves working together on a construction crew for the summer. William slowly begins to disclose his time in Vietnam.

As an adult, Vincent has a senior in high school of his own. As Beau deals with the highs and lows of life as a boy becoming a man, Vincent receives a memory of William.

Without revealing spoilers, it is difficult to describe the majesty of this book. Suffice to say, it is one of the most profound books I have ever read. I read The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell and it was amazing. However, it can’t hold a candle to this story. Five stars is simply insufficient. This is a must read for everyone!


I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

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“Every minute of every day is a gift, and growing old a privilege, not a right.”

The World Played Chess is a very fitting title for Robert Dugoni’s newest book.

The first book I read by Dugoni was The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell and it truly was an extraordinary book. This book is also one of those extraordinary books that will be with you forever. Dugoni has a way with words, he develops his characters so thoroughly making you feel like you know each one of them intimately.

When is the critical moment or age in a boys life when he goes from being a boy to becoming a man? Is the magical number 18 when he graduates high school and moves on to college or a job, or is it when he experiences something very heavy and life changing? The World Played Chess takes you through the life of eighteen year old William as he goes off to Vietnam for his tour of duty. Dugoni also introduces you to Vincent when he turns eighteen and gets a job on a construction sight and lastly he Introduces you to Beau, Vincent’s eighteen year old son when he graduates high school. Each story intertwines to create a beautiful story that will bring you to tears.

William journals his experience in Vietnam, and it is so raw. After men came home from Vietnam and began experiencing anger, anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares eating disorders and substance abuse the world learned that PTSD was a real thing. This book depicts that reality.

This is a great read. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Robert Dugoni, you are the master of the coming-of-age story. You stole my heart with THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL (one of my favorite reads of the year), and THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS certainly didn’t let me down.

THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS follows three 18 year old men at different points in history:
It’s 1967 and William is fighting a war he doesn’t understand in Vietnam.
It’s 1976 and Vincent is living a carefree life before he leaves for college, working construction alongside William. His view of the world is challenged by William’s PTSD and war stories.
It’s 2016 and Vincent’s son, Beau, is privileged but not exempt from great loss.

Although decades apart, each boy is on the precipice of manhood facing unique yet timeless challenges of responsibility, identity, and integrity.

William’s storyline of his service in Vietnam was the most captivating to me, especially in light of recent events in Afghanistan. Dugoni truly transports readers to the battlefields of Vietnam, a war I had not read much about. His writing is so easy to get lost in-- I audibly gasped near the ending (a sure sign of a great book!)

This would make a fantastic book club selection as the novel explores themes of mental health, maturity and faith in a thought-provoking way. Dugoni has also written a detective series, so excuse me while I go binge read everything he has ever written.

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up)
PUB DATE: September 14, 2021

A big thank you to @netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Robert Dugoni has done something no other author has ever been able to do: write a book about war that I couldn’t put down! The World Played Chess is a fantastic book with life lessons for all.

Vincent Bianco just graduated high school in 1979 and all he wants to do is enjoy his summer before going to college and maybe make a little beer money. His sister’s boyfriend gets him a job working as a laborer on a construction crew where he meets two Vietnam vets that give him a better world education than any he could have received in school. Fast-forward forty years ahead and Vincent has his own son getting ready to leave for college when he receives a journal from William, one of the vets he worked with that summer decades ago, full of life lessons that help him prepare himself and his son for what lays ahead for them.

Robert Dugoni is by far one of the best authors I have ever read. He has a way of writing a story that goes deeper than most and characters that will pull you by the heartstrings. Never in my life did I think I would enjoy a book about war, just not my genre that interested me. But The World Played Chess is written so beautifully that I couldn’t help but enjoy every page. It didn’t matter if it was Vincent’s point of view or William’s time in war, I couldn’t help but want to know how the story would turn out and if these characters would have their happy ending. The way the life lessons of one character would influence the life of another and each one grew better because of the exchange. Usually, my favorite genre to read is suspense thrillers, they move fast and keep me hooked better than most. But anytime I pick up a Robert Dugoni book, I know I am going to have a fantastic read on my hands, it doesn’t matter if it is one of his suspense books or contemporary, it will be a book to remember. I could think all day and not come up with a single bad thing to say about this book; there is a little bit of language, but it is not written for a younger audience. I recommend this book for all adults that love a good contemporary novel with honest characters you will fall in love with and each chapter full of life lessons we can all walk away feeling better for having read the words written.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

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Title: The World Played Chess
Author: Robert Dugoni
Pub date : September 14, 2021

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

When I heard Dugoni had another book out, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I really enjoyed the Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell so I was looking forward to his next.

Vincent Bianco is 18 and graduating college when he meets William, the Vietnam Veteran on his construction summer job. They foster a friendship and years later when Vincent has his own family, he receives a package from William with his Vietnam War journal inside. The chapters then bounces between Vincent’s coming of age story and Williams journal.

PROS: I liked the overall story and I always enjoy a good coming of age book. The Vietnam war journal seemed authentic to the time period, and as much as I’m not usually a fan of “war books” this overall didn’t feel unberable. It was more about a young mans journey into adulthood and how this friendship helped each of them grow up.

CONS: I found the writing overly simplistic. I remember a similar feeling with Sam Hell but I loved that story so much I think I didn’t notice as much as when reading this one.

I think this would potentially be a good book for high schoolers (despite some of the language ) to have on their reading list. It’s an easy read, and there’s quite a few life lessons tucked in there.

“Growing old is not a right, it’s a privilege”.

Thank you to @PelotonMomsBookClub and @NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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"Regret is so much harder to live with than failure."

1979 - Vincent Bianco has graduated from high school is working as a laborer for a construction crew with two Vietnam Vets. It is a summer before college, he hopes to earn beer money, what he earns instead is a friend, William, with PTSD who will have an impact on his life.

1967 - William enlists in the Marines after high school. He is 18 years old and on his way to Vietnam. He hopes to be a journalist and due to his shooting abilities is sent to fight armed with a gun and a camera to take pictures. He is given the name "shutter" by his fellow marines.

2016 - Vincent received William's journal in the mail. Vincent has a son named Beau who plays football and will be off to college soon.

Three young men are depicted in this book at various times. Dugoni expertly weaves their tale though Vincent in the present, receiving Willian's journal which takes him back to 1979. He recalls meeting William, the work they did and even more so the talks about Vietnam. Williams journal entries vividly describe his time in Vietnam. They are raw, devastating and heartbreaking.

Beau, Vincent, and William all have/had dreams. All were/are young and had their lives ahead of them but fate and for William, war changed things. This book is a coming-of-age tale for all three of them. It is poignant, gripping, raw, and powerful. I loved the use of the journal as a means of telling the story.

This book is not only thought provoking it evokes emotion. I felt for all of them but for William the most. His journal entries are like a punch to the gut. Plus, the author's note as he informs readers what inspired him to write this book.

If you have not read Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series - you should. If you have not read his Charles Jenkins series - you should. If you have not read his stand-alone books - you should. If this book is not on your radar - it needs to be! Seriously Dugoni knows how to deliver, and he does so effortlessly in this powerful book.

Gripping, Raw. and Powerful.

Highly Recommend.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

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First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

While I have long had an affinity for Robert Dugoni’s series work, he is extremely talented, enough to pen some stunning standalone novels as well. This is another of those, taking the reader through three time periods as the characters explore themselves, the world around them, and struggles of young men in various situations. Dugoni’s theme of struggle is further strengthened by his depiction of one soldier’s view of the Vietnam War, sure to impact many readers who take the time to connect with that particular narrative. A wonderful piece that shows how versatile Dugoni can be in his writing.

Vincent Bianco has high hopes for the summer of 1979. Having just graduated high school, Bianco is hoping to make some pocket money before heading off to college. When he’s given the chance to work with a construction crew, he soon learns just how hard the work can be. He connects with two of the men, William and Todd, just enough to realise that they have quite the history themselves. Both served in the Vietnam War, with stories of their own. Throughout the summer, Bianco finds himself trying to emerge from teen to young man, while also seeing how different his struggles are from those of his coworkers, whose time in Asia eleven years before left an indelible mark, as well as remnants of PTSD.

In a parallel narrative, modern-day Vincent Bianco watches his own son, Beau, come to terms with life after high school and the choices he will make to shape his own future. The elder Bianco tries to steer his son in the right direction, but realises, thinking back to 1979, how important self-discovery can be. Beau suffers his own issues and must make sense of them as best as possible, while striving to better himself, both scholastically and as a young man.

A third perspective emerges in journal entries from William’s personal documentation in 1968 in the jungles of Vietnam. The young man questions himself, the choices of his fellow Marines, and the war as a whole. Seeing horrors unlike anything he could have imagined, he wonders how much is actually making it back home, where people read newspapers and see television news reports of the fighting. Death is everywhere, something no eighteen-year-old could have fathomed a few years before. All while the world seems somewhat ignorant to the real story.

Robert Dugoni is a master at the written word and is able to pull the reader into the middle of each story with ease. His standalone novels always resonate a little more with me, as the themes emerge independently from the series he has has crafted over the years, getting to the core of the reader and forcing them to reflect on what they’ve read. While stories of espionage and police procedurals are great, it’s nice to take a deeper plunge at times as the reader must come to terms with their own feelings, rather than read on autopilot.

The three young men featured in the piece could not be more different from one another, yet rate also so very similar. Just out of high school, each has a plan that is stymied by life events outside of their control. William, Vincent, and Beau all must have epiphanies to see what life means and how they want to leave their mark, wondering at times if they matter at all. The attentive reader will see these three struggles as well as a commonality between them, sure to bind the story together by the closing pages.

I have never had an issue with narrative momentum when it comes to Dugoni’s writing and this was no exception. The story takes hold of the reader from the opening pages and carries them along throughout. There are moments of humour alongside deeply pensive times, forcing moments of contemplation, all while keeping the story clipping along. Each chapter contrasts a longer narrative, set either in 1979 or 2016, with a journal entry from 1968. This permits the reader to contrast and compare effectively as they get to know the three protagonists. While some will bemoan the overly serious nature of the novel, many readers who can take a step back and enjoy something a little ‘meatier’ will likely want to delve deeper and see another side of Robert Dugoni. I loved it, as I needed something to pull me out of my drone reading, forcing me to take notice and ponder my own choices, as well as those of my young son.

Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for taking the time to write this. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and I am eager to see what else you have in store for your fans in the coming months.

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I’ve been trying to process my feelings about this book for a week now, and I’m no closer to finding the words to describe how profoundly affecting it was. There just aren’t any big enough. Or the right weight, the right size, the right shape.

It’s a coming-of-age story; actually three, but all intertwined. Different boys, different times, different circumstances; the contrast in experiences heavily outweighing the similarities of this universal rite de passage.

There’s William, whose story we learn through the journal he kept in 1968 as an 18 year-old draftee in Vietnam.

There’s Vincent, who worked with William, then a PTSD-suffering vet, on a building crew the summer of his high school graduation in 1979.

And there’s Beau, Vincent’s son, preparing to leave home for his first year of college in 2016.

Three men, linked by a certain wisdom passed from one to the other. Vincent and Beau each assured better life chances for lessons learned by forever-damaged William during his own transition from boyhood to manhood in the hell hole of ‘Nam.

William’s journal — a fiction rooted in truth — is raw and hard hitting; a brutal insight into the experience of American youths dispatched to fight a meaningless war against an invisible enemy. It details the terror they felt, the horrors they witnessed. The helplessness, the hopelessness. The rituals and superstitions concocted to keep them safe.

But while Vietnam is the fulcrum around which this narrative spins, equally important are the ripples it casts through the decades and generations that follow, as embodied in the stories of Vincent and Beau.

Dugoni’s handling of the multiple timelines and POVs is masterful. The layers are so tightly woven, it’s almost impossible to unpick them. The questions so vast, they make your brain hurt.

I’m left without words, but with the biggest hangover and the sense of having read something very special.

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The World Played Chess
author: Robert Dugoni
Lake Union Publishing

Dugoni's new novel is a brilliant story of three men approaching manhood. This book is well written and well researched. It gives insight into war and and will stay with readers for a long time.
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#TheWorldPlayedChess #NetGalley

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The World Played Chess is an extraordinary novel by Robert Dugoni! Two boys reaching manhood in two very different ways. In 1967 William’s story begins when he enlists in the marines and is immediately shipped to Vietnam. Vincent’s story starts in 1979 during his last summer before he heads to college. The two meet on a construction site during this summer and after work over a few beers, William starts to reminisce about his time in Vietnam and Vincent listens, and oh, how he listens. Something that doesn’t happen often to William. Years later, in 2015 Vincent receives a Journal in the mail from William, asking that would he please someday read it. He doesn’t want to throw it away, and he has no one to give it to. He only asks that. Vincent read it from the beginning. This journal has some rough reading about what our veterans went through during the Vietnam war. Don’t let that deter you from reading this amazing book. This story is very well researched and is written from the heart. Thank You to Net Galley, Author Robert Dugoni and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this fantastic novel.

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“ Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”
Three different boys at the edge of becoming men, during three different time periods. William during the Vietnam war in 1968 , Vincent graduating high school in 1979 and partying away his last summer before collage , Beau in 2016

Lessons in the fragility of life, mortality and the consequences of actions that define and shape, these three different teenagers in three eras, into manhood.
I could not put this book down. I
Know that this book will resonate with me for a long time.
While this is my first book by this author, it will definitely not be my last.

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3.5 STARS - 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.

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Some books don’t fall into a neat category. They won’t fit into a single box that gives you an idea of what they are about or how they will likely play out. Dugoni has written such a book. It is both Vietnam war experience and coming of age. It is a story of friendship and loss. It feels entirely authentic.
While growing up, my best friend’s father would occasionally tell us a little about his Vietnam experiences. This book reminded me of those stories, though Mr. W. was not very detailed or graphic in what he shared with his two 15 year old charges. He did, however, generally treat us like men and expected us to act accordingly.
If you are looking for a surprise read - a book that you might think isn’t for you, or that you approach with trepidation - this book will not leave you disappointed. I found nothing lacking in it whatsoever. I came to know and appreciate the protagonists and the secondary characters were developed to the proper level for advancement of the tale.
I give this book five stars; it is worth every one of them. Do yourself a favor: put on your grown up undies and read this book. You will be rewarded.
My gratitude to Lake Union Publishing and Robert Dugoni via Netgalley.

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