 First edition | |
| Author | Barrington J. Bayley |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Don Maitz |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | DAW Books |
| Publication date | August 1977 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 176 |
| ISBN | 978-0-87997-318-6 |
The Grand Wheel is the eighth science fiction novel by Barrington J. Bayley. The novel follows Cheyne Scarne, a professor of "randomatics", as he is selected by the eponymous organization (which holds a galactic monopoly on games of chance) to represent humanity in a card game with infinitely varying rules. The name of the main character appears to be a reference to John Scarne.
Literary significance and reception
Rhys Hughes, in his survey of Bayley's work, described The Grand Wheel as an "entertaining gambling novel" with a "seedy and elegant" atmosphere. Colin Greenland, writing in Foundation 18, received the novel negatively, saying that it had been produced for the market and "would have been old in 1957".
References
- "Annihilation Factotum: The work of Barrington J. Bayley". The Council for the Literature of the Fantastic. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- "Astounding Worlds of Barrington J. Bayley". Foundation 18. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
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