Hi tillmanj,
I'm confident the book you are looking for is "Chess-dream in a
Garden" by Rosemary Sutcliff.
Author: Rosemary Sutcliff
Illustrator: Ralph Thompson (illustrator)
Publisher: Candlewick Pr
Date: August 1, 1993
Category: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1564021920
Chess-dream in a Garden:
"This children's picture book begins by telling the true story of how
a fisherman found a small chest buried in a sand dune on the Isle of
Lewis off the coast of Scotland. The chest turned out to contain an
800 year-old Viking chess set with pieces carved out of walrus ivory.
The book then turns into a sumptuously-illustrated, surreal fairy tale
of the White King and Queen's battle to save their garden from the
invading Red Horde. The story is enchanting."
http://www.booksunderreview.com/Arts/Movies/Titles/I/In_Dreams/In_Dreams_42.html
From School Library Journal: Chess-dream in a Garden:
"The Lewis chessmen-12th-century Scandinavian walrus-ivory pieces-are
the principal characters in this story. The white pieces live in the
most beautiful garden in the world. Each one has an animal totem
inhabiting his or her dreams. When Alrek, the Queen's Knight, pleads
with the lady to love him instead of the King, she refuses, knowing
that to do so would destroy the garden. Nevertheless, the resulting
discord causes enough of a gap in their defense for the opposing chess
pieces to invade, resulting in a game to the death. Just when all
seems lost, the white pieces change into their dream animals and
overwhelm the invaders. Thompson's pen-and-ink and watercolor
illustrations combine elements of fantasy and lush foliage with
realistic, recognizable depictions of the famous figurines. Although
their facial expressions and gestures occasionally change, the
chessmen remain true to their static, carved likenesses. The text is
set in italics, adding to its dreamlike mood, and is placed within the
expansive illustrations. Mature themes and vocabulary, reminiscent of
Margaret Hodges's St. George and the Dragon (Little, 1984), limit the
audience for this book to older readers, as well to those with an
interest in medieval times and tales."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/1564021920/reviews/104-6427078-9815909#15640219207298
Used copies for sale:
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?author=&title=chess+games+in+a+garden&submit=Begin+Search&new_used=*&world_english=on&binding=*&isbn=&keywords=&minprice=&maxprice=&classic=on¤cy=USD&mode=advanced&st=sr&ac=qr
>>>>
If that isn't the book, here is my second choice.
"Squares of the City" by Brunner:
"...it also bears mention that the book is based around a famous chess
game, with each character being a piece on a board and the
interactions between the characters being based on the moves of the
game...quite in depth, and an interesting idea behind writing a
novel."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345218868/qid=1095607529/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-6427078-9815909?v=glance&s=books
Squares of the City:
"An unusual novel in that the main plot device was an actual chess
game played seventy years ago between Steinitz and Tchigorin."
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=136778618
Used copies for sale:
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?author=&title=squares+of+the+city&submit=Begin+Search&new_used=*&world_english=on&binding=*&isbn=&keywords=&minprice=&maxprice=&classic=on¤cy=USD&mode=advanced&st=sr&ac=qr
If you have any questions, or if neither of these is the correct
title, please post a clarification request *before* closing/rating my
answer and I'll be happy to reply.
Thank you,
hummer
Search Terms Used: fantasy book chess |
Clarification of Answer by
hummer-ga
on
20 Sep 2004 10:13 PDT
Hi tillmanj,
Oh, that's too bad. Ok, let me know how you make out at the library
and in the meantime, I'll have another look. If nothing pans out, I'll
ask GA to remove my answer so another researcher can have a try (no
extra charge to you).
Till later,
hummer
|
Clarification of Answer by
hummer-ga
on
20 Sep 2004 10:39 PDT
Here's another possibility -
Dahlov Ipcar
THE WARLOCK OF NIGHT
"Readers who know the game of Chess will take pleasure in the fact
that Dahov Ipear's original saga is based on a game played in 1949 by
two International Gamemasters. But those who have no knowledge of the
game may read the book as a strange and beautiful epic adventure, a
story of war-and of the madness of war."
http://www.frugalfamilybooks.com/si/30153.html
"mrs. ipcar's book is incredibly brilliant. based on a chess game, the
white side fights the black. if you are a chess player, you can follow
the moves made by both sides, as they are recorded in the back. if
not, you can still enjoy this adventure story. there are, however,
many deaths in the book. it bounces from one character to the next, as
the first dies. then the next is killed and it bounces to a third. you
never really get to know the characters well, however, so it is not at
all sad."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0670749915/qid=1095701527/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-6427078-9815909?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
Used books for sale:
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?author=ipcar&title=WARLOCK+OF+NIGHT&submit=Begin+Search&new_used=*&world_english=on&binding=*&isbn=&keywords=&minprice=&maxprice=&classic=on¤cy=USD&mode=advanced&st=sr&ac=qr
hummer
|
