The Chess Machine: A Novel Audiobook (Unabridged)

" I must admit, I picked this book by its cover. I really liked the crazy characters. I found the whole book to be a bit trippy, but in a good way. "

" Picked this up in a bargain bin for 5 bucks, and it's a good example of why I love bargain binning! Although half of what you find ends up being crap, the other half is like this book. Something I probably never would have known existed, or wouldn't have bought full price, and it turned out to be a really enjoyable read. I love historical fiction, and this book is about a place/time I'm not too familiar with... the Hapsburg empire during the late 1700s. About an invention, the "Mechanical Turk" that is a thinking machine that can play chess (turns out to be a hoax). Even more interesting b/c it's based on a true story. "

" An intriguing book based on a true story in the late 1700's of a man made machine that plays chess... Looking for a dark yet entertaining story, give this one a shot :) "

" AWSOME! I loved this book. "

" A novelistic account of a true historical anecdote and the invention of the first chess playing machine, which of course was a fake. "

" very well written, entertaining story, based in part on fact. "

" While this little story might not interest everyone, I really enjoyed it. It was based on a true story. I would give it 3 and a half stars if I could. It was well written and held my attention throughout. It was a slow, leisurely read that I could enjoy coming back to whenever. "

" Intriguing historical premise and engaging storytelling even if the plot twists are somewhat predictable at times. Also, I probably would've enjoyed the book more if I actually knew how to play chess. "

" A fascinating little historic novel "

" Very finely detailed and crafted, much like the automaton at the heart of it's story. "

" Perfect evening-read fare: many strides ahead of other possible choices, but neither deep nor any real plot surprises. I was happy to get it from the library, and happy that someone would write a book about chess-playing automaton fakery. "

" The Chess Machine is a novelized retelling of one of the greatest hoaxes of all time. It is the story of Baron Wolfgang Von Kempelen's invention, The Turk, a chess playing automaton. It is an enjoyable read. "

" Excellent roman! "

" A compelling and interesting historical tale with layered characters and not an overwhelming amount of period description of clothes, buildings, etc. Fun! "

" Unfortuantely, I couldn't get involved in this book. It didn't grab my attention whatsoever. "

" This book had more dwarf sex than I had anticipated. "

" What a surprising story! I picked this up on an absolute whim at a used bookstore, had no expectations, and was rewarded with a great read. Superb characters, many plot twists. "