Master of the Game Mass Market Paperback – June 27, 2017

My very first book by Sydney Sheldon, I’ve been hooked ever since.. Had a horrible house fire lost my original form back in 1991. So yes I’m replacing with hardback and rereading them all again.

Well I have to say, Sidney did not disappoint, although I must say, he gave me quite a scare toward the end of this book. I've always called Sidney Sheldon the Master of Plots, and I call him that for a very specific reason. He is THE MASTER OF ALL MASTERS! How he throws several stories into one and your mind is spinning trying to figure out what the hell is going on, by the time you get to the end and it comes together, you say, "A-ha!" He was such a brilliant writer and Lord knows I miss him. He's one of my favorites and one who made me want to go into writing.This story was outstanding. Again, near the last few chapters, I got so damn frustrated because those twins, Eve and Alexandra were something else, or shall I say, Eve was something else. The good twin versus bad twin type of vibe going on. Alexandra angered me so much because she was so damn stupid and never saw the wrong in anyone. She was almost childlike, but even children eventually begin to suspect things, but not Alex. Eve, in my opinion, was short for Evil! That woman had some issues for real!Sidney managed to go through an entire family dynamic in this book. From the ancestors all the way through the early '80s. To follow each generation was amazing. Katherine Blackwell's early beginnings gave rise to how the rest of the family would fair.The ending was so classic Sidney! It was OUTSTANDING! OMG, I cheered at the end because it was so fitting! If you've never read this, trust me, you will love it! What an Awesome Read!

An interesting tale. Jamie McGregor leaves a hardscrabble farm in Scotland in 1883 to seek his fortunes in the diamond fields of South Africa, one of many people chasing a dream (my mother's family left Scotland circa 1620, first to Ulster, and then to the American colonies to seek their fortunes). Jamie's initial success is stolen from him, and he seeks revenge, and then has a compulsion to acquire wealth and position in society. He passes his compulsion to his daughter Kate, who learns that power matters early in her life. Kate learns to manipulate people, and force things in the direction she wants, even if she destroys people in the process. Therein lies the story, because some things come back to bite her.The story alternates from detailed episodes to fast forwarding that skims over years of intervening time. There are sections that could have been better researched, e.g., in 1914 Kate talks about building armaments for World War I including tanks for the Army (tanks had not been invented at that point in time). Overall, it does give a good picture of the racial problems in South Africa where her company was founded, and the exploitation of native labor. It covers a span of about 100 years starting with her father, then Kate, then her son, then her granddaughters, and finally a young great grandson, ending on Kate's 90th birthday party.It is an interesting story, but I would not give it five stars. Perhaps it tries to cover too much in one novel, with too many sub-plots.

Great book! A good friend recommended this book to me and I have loved every page of this story! A very good read from start to finish!

This was the first time I've ever read a Sidney Sheldon novel, and it was just what I needed. I'm usually the type to shred through a novel in little more than a couple of days, but I just never seemed to be ready for this story to end. I wound up reading 5 to ten pages here and there, while I was brewing coffee or waiting for an appointment, with the occasional indulgence of several chapters over lunch or before bed. This is the perfect book for speed readers and page nibblers alike. The story spans several generations, with Sheldon introducing and developing new characters along the way. It was easy to lose hours at a time to the swift plot line, but the 360 degree storytelling also allowed me to feel fully satisfied even if I could only fit in a few pages here or there. Accompany the flexible pacing of the book with a killer narrative about power, struggle, and the truth behind coming from "a good family" --- all revolving around strong (if slightly one-dimensional) female protagonists ---and you're set for a great story.**Some readers are more mature than others, but the sexuality, violence, and overall "foregone era" theme of this book would probably keep me from recommending this book to anyone under a VERY mature high school student.

This was the first Sidney Sheldon book I read and it's my favourite. I love love love the storyline. It is a timeless story that can be read over generations. A timeless book!

I like all of his books

Quick book of rollercoaster rides through many many generations. Even though the book is dated , it still flew by