Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Penguin (Non-Classics) (2008), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 352 pages
Description
Based on a true story, The Chess Machine is the breathtaking historical adventure of a legendary invention that astounded all who crossed its path. Vienna, 1770: Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen unveils a strange and amazing invention: the Mechanical Turk, a sensational and unbeatable chess-playing automaton. But what the Habsburg court hails as the greatest innovation of the century is really nothing more than a brilliant illusion. The chess machine is secretly operated from inside by the Italian dwarf Tibor, a God-fearing social outcast whose chess-playing abilities and diminutive size make him the perfect accomplice in this grand hoax. Von Kempelen and his helpers tour his remarkable invention all around Europe to amaze and entertain the public, but despite many valiant attempts and close calls, no one is able to beat the extraordinary chess machine. The crowds all across Europe adore the Turk, and the success of Baron von Kempelen seems assured. But when a beautiful and seductive countess dies under mysterious circumstances in the presence of the automaton, the Mechanical Turk falls under a cloud of suspicion, and the machine and his inventor become the targets of espionage, persecution, and aristocratic intrigue. What is the dark secret behind this automaton, and what strange powers does it hold? The Chess Machine is a daring and remarkable tale, based on a true story, full of envy, lust, scandal, and deception.… (more)
Media reviews
Yet none of these ideas is developed to a point where it drives either plot or character; they are merely an arcane embellishment to a pacy historical thriller.
knjigainfo.com
Istorijska pustolovina o legendarnom pokušaju obmane koja oduzima dah.
Od venecijanske tamnice do carskog dvora u Beču, od plemićkih palata do uličica jevrejske četvrti – uzbudljiv istorijski i pustolovni roman o najčuvenijoj prevari 18. veka.
Kada je godine 1770. dvorski savetnik
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Volfgang fon Kempelen na habzburškom dvoru predstavio svoju mašinu koja igra šah, čovek-mašina važio je za najveličanstveniju tekovinu veka. Ali u unutrašnjosti mašine, zapravo, krio se jedan patuljak – i taj čovečji mozak pokazao se ujedno kao umirući i, na kraju, smrtan. Od tada, senzacija koja je predstavljena u Presburgu ubrzo postaje najomiljeniji eksponat u Ugarskom carstvu. Ono što habzburški dvor proglašava za najveći pronalazak veka, nije ništa drugo do sjajna obmana: mozak automata je čovek – Tibor, Italijan patuljastog rasta, upravlja iz utrobe automata „Turčinom koji igra šah“. Čovek-mašina postaje meta špijunaže, crkvene hajke i plemićkih spletkarenja – i Tibor mora da nadraste samog sebe da ne bi propao zajedno sa šahovskom mašinom. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
The idea that this was based on actual events intrigued me, but I soon realized that it was mostly fiction. The actual events associated with von Kempelen's chess machine are not well documented and the actual machine is long lost. I was hoping that we had diaries or letters or some such to draw
That's not to say the story wasn't interesting or compelling. It was. The story is told in mostly the linear style with occasional flashes forward in time. This reassures us that certain characters prevail or at least survive, but does not diminish the suspense; we want to know what happened and how. The human element was obviously the most fascinating. As soon as von Kempelen 'rescued' Tibor, I knew it would only be a matter of time until it became strained. The balance of power in that relationship was very much on the side of Tibor until von Kempelen managed to tie Tibor to a murder. When Tibor tired of being the chess machine's brain and tried to make a break for freedom, von Kempelen's threats of exposure, prison and possible execution transformed his at will chess-playing to virtual enslavement.
Von Kempelen could not separate his life from the machine no matter how ruinous it became for him. The dead woman's brother wished revenge. His wife begged him to give up the chess machine. A rival machinist, still stung by his loss to The Turk, planted a spy in von Kempelen's household to ferret out the secret of the chess automaton. Tibor was tired and his engineer wanted to leave his employ as well. But von Kempelen would not stop. He craved the fame and fortune that came with exhibiting The Turk. He also feared he would never be able to top it.
The Turk itself is very interesting and at the same time, hard to imagine. We've come so far from mechanical clockwork devices that it's difficult to envision such a contraption. It was basically a large cabinet with a mechanical man built into the side and facing a chessboard on its surface. The automaton was dressed as a Turk and thus the name. The cabinet design concealed a compartment where Tibor would work the machinery and execute The Turk's moves. This was done without direct visual aid and depended too much on ideal circumstances. When the Empress decides that her match must take place outside in the blazing summer sun it becomes a disaster.
It was touted as a thinking machine which is unimaginable to me because of its mechanical nature. How could anyone think that this collection of gears and wheels could actually reason? But as clockwork was the height of machinery advancement, the people thought it could. Except for the rival machinist who knew there had to be a trick. This man turned over many ideas in his head about what could really be driving the automaton. Maybe it was von Kempelen himself since he was never far from the apparatus during play. He even checked the inside to see if there was a man in there (the cabinet itself was so cleverly designed, people could look right in both sides and never see Tibor). But since the cabinet was too small for a regular sized person to hide in he dismissed the idea without it occurring to him that it might be a dwarf. The attitudes toward dwarves by the normally statured are astounding to me; they were abominations or works of the devil and many people didn't even count them as human. Of course it didn't occur to them that one might be the secret to the whole operation.
The writing is fairly straightforward and reads somewhat like an encyclopedia. I'm not sure if this is due to the author or the translation. What is lost in verve is made up for in pacing and plot structure. Luckily for me, as I'm not a chess player nor have much interest in the game, not much of the novel is taken up by play information or lots of boring lists of moves or gambits. It is interesting though to read about how popular a pastime it was and how so many people could play. The ending is a bit weak, but it does build a great amount of tension so the calmness of the final chapter is necessary. There are some nice comeuppances along the way, too, but no revenge is complete.
There are few sympathetic characters. Tibor himself is the most sympathetic. Dwarfism is a heavy burden for him and he seems to go from master to master and has not lived a truly independent life. He is also often targeted for theft, betrayal and cruel practical jokes. He is very religious and his transgressions and sins really trouble him. The author says he transformed von Kempelen's true character as recorded by his contemporaries, but he had to for the sake of the fiction he wove around the facts. It is too bad there isn't more documentation, but given the heavy secrecy surrounding The Turk, it's not surprising. It's also quite sad that the automaton itself hasn't survived. It would be something to see.
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from, but we don't and the author's imagination had to fill in much of the story. That's not to say the story wasn't interesting or compelling. It was. The story is told in mostly the linear style with occasional flashes forward in time. This reassures us that certain characters prevail or at least survive, but does not diminish the suspense; we want to know what happened and how. The human element was obviously the most fascinating. As soon as von Kempelen 'rescued' Tibor, I knew it would only be a matter of time until it became strained. The balance of power in that relationship was very much on the side of Tibor until von Kempelen managed to tie Tibor to a murder. When Tibor tired of being the chess machine's brain and tried to make a break for freedom, von Kempelen's threats of exposure, prison and possible execution transformed his at will chess-playing to virtual enslavement.
Von Kempelen could not separate his life from the machine no matter how ruinous it became for him. The dead woman's brother wished revenge. His wife begged him to give up the chess machine. A rival machinist, still stung by his loss to The Turk, planted a spy in von Kempelen's household to ferret out the secret of the chess automaton. Tibor was tired and his engineer wanted to leave his employ as well. But von Kempelen would not stop. He craved the fame and fortune that came with exhibiting The Turk. He also feared he would never be able to top it.
The Turk itself is very interesting and at the same time, hard to imagine. We've come so far from mechanical clockwork devices that it's difficult to envision such a contraption. It was basically a large cabinet with a mechanical man built into the side and facing a chessboard on its surface. The automaton was dressed as a Turk and thus the name. The cabinet design concealed a compartment where Tibor would work the machinery and execute The Turk's moves. This was done without direct visual aid and depended too much on ideal circumstances. When the Empress decides that her match must take place outside in the blazing summer sun it becomes a disaster.
It was touted as a thinking machine which is unimaginable to me because of its mechanical nature. How could anyone think that this collection of gears and wheels could actually reason? But as clockwork was the height of machinery advancement, the people thought it could. Except for the rival machinist who knew there had to be a trick. This man turned over many ideas in his head about what could really be driving the automaton. Maybe it was von Kempelen himself since he was never far from the apparatus during play. He even checked the inside to see if there was a man in there (the cabinet itself was so cleverly designed, people could look right in both sides and never see Tibor). But since the cabinet was too small for a regular sized person to hide in he dismissed the idea without it occurring to him that it might be a dwarf. The attitudes toward dwarves by the normally statured are astounding to me; they were abominations or works of the devil and many people didn't even count them as human. Of course it didn't occur to them that one might be the secret to the whole operation.
The writing is fairly straightforward and reads somewhat like an encyclopedia. I'm not sure if this is due to the author or the translation. What is lost in verve is made up for in pacing and plot structure. Luckily for me, as I'm not a chess player nor have much interest in the game, not much of the novel is taken up by play information or lots of boring lists of moves or gambits. It is interesting though to read about how popular a pastime it was and how so many people could play. The ending is a bit weak, but it does build a great amount of tension so the calmness of the final chapter is necessary. There are some nice comeuppances along the way, too, but no revenge is complete.
There are few sympathetic characters. Tibor himself is the most sympathetic. Dwarfism is a heavy burden for him and he seems to go from master to master and has not lived a truly independent life. He is also often targeted for theft, betrayal and cruel practical jokes. He is very religious and his transgressions and sins really trouble him. The author says he transformed von Kempelen's true character as recorded by his contemporaries, but he had to for the sake of the fiction he wove around the facts. It is too bad there isn't more documentation, but given the heavy secrecy surrounding The Turk, it's not surprising. It's also quite sad that the automaton itself hasn't survived. It would be something to see.
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LibraryThing member lbmillar
Interesting adaptation of the true story of Wolfgang von Kempelen's chess playing automaton. It intertwines real people with fictional characters such as Tibor, the Italian dwarf who is the first brains of the machine. The historical story was interesting but the characters and how they interact
This was an audiobook. The narrator was clear and interesting. The story follows two time tracks and at times I found myself having to reorient myself to which track we were on. Still all in all very interesting.
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are what makes the story. This was an audiobook. The narrator was clear and interesting. The story follows two time tracks and at times I found myself having to reorient myself to which track we were on. Still all in all very interesting.
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LibraryThing member shanth
Too speculative, for a work of non-fiction, and too unoriginal for a work of fiction. The first dozen pages start out with great promise, but then it simply becomes a pulp thriller with the chess automaton as just a peripheral plot element.
It really has a cool cover though!
It really has a cool cover though!
LibraryThing member verenka
I bought the book based on the cover alone and never realised that it's by a german author. I hadn't heard of kempelen either. The story itself was interesting, but i missed kempelen's motive for deceiving people so thoroughly although he was a scientist, and what drove him to kill.
LibraryThing member tabascofromgudreads
Different and fascinating!
LibraryThing member PilgrimJess
Loosely based on actual events in 18th century Europe, The Secrets of the Chess Machine tells the story of the Baron von Kempelen, whom having seen a demonstration of magnetism and claiming that he could invent something even more remarkable is challenged by Maria Theresia, the Empress of Hapsburg,
There have been much written about the Mechanical Turk in later decades but little is known about it's early days so this is a purely fictional account. Initially the Turk was only meant to have one performance in front of the Empress but she is so astonished by it she orders the Baron continue showing it. However, when a woman mysteriously dies after one of its performances suspicion falls on von Kempelen and the Turk, they become targets for intrigue and religious persecution.
On the whole I found the characters are engaging and it is obvious that the author has done his research of the period giving the reader a feel for the machinations of Hapsburg court life and in many respects the murder mystery is secondary but always remains plausible. Far more important is the motivation that drives von Kempelen, who is already relatively successful, to carry out his charade.
That is not to say that I felt that it wasn't without its issues. The author was a journalist before turning author and at times it reads more like a news editorial instead of a true novel. There are also a couple of time shifts which felt rather clunky. Despite these minor faults I still felt that overall it was an enjoyable, worthwhile read.
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to do so within six months. The result is the Mechanical Turk, a chess-playing automaton. However, the Mechanical Turk is nothing but a cunning hoax for hidden inside the machine behind clockwork gear wheels that do nothing and are purely for show is Tibor, an Italian dwarf with astonishing chess-playing abilities. Tibor is deeply religious whilst Baron von Kempelen is in reality a conman. After gaining Tibor's release from a Venetian dungeon the Baron persuades him to utilise his God-given talents in order to fool audiences throughout the Empire.There have been much written about the Mechanical Turk in later decades but little is known about it's early days so this is a purely fictional account. Initially the Turk was only meant to have one performance in front of the Empress but she is so astonished by it she orders the Baron continue showing it. However, when a woman mysteriously dies after one of its performances suspicion falls on von Kempelen and the Turk, they become targets for intrigue and religious persecution.
On the whole I found the characters are engaging and it is obvious that the author has done his research of the period giving the reader a feel for the machinations of Hapsburg court life and in many respects the murder mystery is secondary but always remains plausible. Far more important is the motivation that drives von Kempelen, who is already relatively successful, to carry out his charade.
That is not to say that I felt that it wasn't without its issues. The author was a journalist before turning author and at times it reads more like a news editorial instead of a true novel. There are also a couple of time shifts which felt rather clunky. Despite these minor faults I still felt that overall it was an enjoyable, worthwhile read.
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LibraryThing member LisaLynne
In the late 18th century, a fabulous new scientific oddity was the toast of Europe. The Turk, a chess-playing automaton built by Wolfgang von Kempelen, was defeating chess masters across Europe. It was a true marvel of the times -- a machine, built after the fashion of a Turkish ruler, that was
My full review is here.
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capable of thought. Built for the amusement of Empress Maria Theresa of Hungary, it played chess, the game of kings, against rulers and commoners alike. In 1808, it played its most famous foe, Napoleon Bonaparte. The Turk was eventually retired, sold, and was destroyed in a fire at Peale's Chinese Museum in Philadelphia in 1854. But what was the secret behind this machine that dazzled royalty and astounded the court machinicians? Robert Lohr devises a tale for The Turk full of intrigue and heartbreak in his novel, The Chess Machine.My full review is here.
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Original publication date
2005
Physical description
352 p.; 8.4 inches
ISBN
9780143114369