Reviewed by Keith Mbuya – Review Rating: 4 Stars
Following an explosion at the Torres Strait gas pipeline terminal in Australia, veteran news anchor Jane Aurora interviews the Prime Minister. He not only appears shifty but also downplays the incident, despite reports of massive blasts. Aurora believes the Prime Minister is hiding something, and so does Marcus Whitehorse, the senator of Queensland. The pair sets out to investigate the whole situation, involving Douglas “Digger”, Aurora’s correspondent, and Cassandra, Marcus’s research officer. But that’s not all. Tension is building in the international community amid “Pentagon Leaks”, and Marcus is determined to decipher the documents. As they work together, they find themselves treading a dangerous path that puts their lives and jobs at stake as they uncover a global plot involving the US, which threatens the safety of Australia. Find out more in Queen’s Pawn to D4 by Rod Johnston.
Using dynamic prose, which alternates between moments of introspection and tension, and balancing narrative with historical details, Johston hurls readers into a world of espionage and geopolitical intrigue. The story is grounded in the game of chess. From the brief definitions of specific chess moves at the beginning of each chapter to the character names and the way the story is structured, reading the story felt like playing chess. The chess pieces assigned to each character are fitting and will help learners or prospective players of the game gain a better understanding of it. Aurora—the white queen—is powerful yet vulnerable. She wields immense power, enough to trigger major changes in the government. Yet, she faces hurdles, which, without her allies and their help, will impede her very own power. Lovers of geopolitical thrillers blended with suspense will find Queen’s Pawn to D4 by Rod Johston an enthralling read.
Read “Queen’s Pawn to D4” by Rod Johnston
