Do you read chess-based Fiction?

With more than 20 million members of this site, I thought it would be a good place to conduct some research. Here's the topic: Do you read fiction? If you do, do you like chess-based stories? What do you like to see in chess-based fiction? What don't you like in it?

While my questions are certainly self-serving, I'm not here to try to sell my novels to you. (Although if you'd like to read them, please do! Links on my profile!  ) My curiosity stems from past conversations I've had with chess players who insist fiction is a waste of their time. While I don't expect everyone to read fiction, I would have thought chess players would enjoy stories that contain the game they love. As a chess player myself, that's why I write what I write. I've only talked to a few though, which is why I'm asking 20 million more. Thank you in advance for your insight.

@cellomaster8, can you elaborate a bit? Just not a fan of fiction in general, or...?

I have read some, but not a lot of chess-related fiction. For the most part, I have enjoyed it, but usually for reasons unrelated to the details of the chess content. One exception is the story, Unsound Variations by George R. R. Martin, that seemed to me to be strong as both a story and as an authentic depiction of what it is like to be a chess player. Another exception-example is The Sixty Four Square Madhouse by Fritz Leiber.

@kindaspongey, Thanks for your input. I know some chess players don't like the plot to revolve around a game and I tend to agree. Personally, I like the game to be like another character, part of the atmosphere of the story.

I used to read some chess-related fiction when I was young. About 20-30 years years I was lucky enough to pick up a second-hand copy of 'Pawn to Infinity', a collection of science-fiction stories with chess themes. While most of the stories weren't that great, there was a stand-out one about time travel that I recall liking a lot, though it's been such a long time since I read it that I don't even remember its name. So I pulled the book out from my shelf and tried to find it on the Contents page. Wait a minute, one of the titles is "Unsound Variations" by George R R Martin - the story mentioned by kindaspongey in the post above. I quickly flicked to that part of the book and, lo and behold, it's the time travel story I was looking for. Amazing - I had no idea that this excellent chess story I read 20-30 years ago was written by the author of Game of Thrones!

@Rocky64, Nice! It's always fun to find out you liked an author before he or she was cool!  

So, does having chess as part of a story make you, as a player, want to read it, or avoid it? 

I don't stand fiction at all.

Fiction has been dead since 100 years.

I try to create fiction myself by beating the top engines.

Sounds about right.

@ Lyudmil, I would have to argue against fiction being dead. There are plenty of novels that have been written within the past 100 years that have helped define the times, even changed peoples lives. If you don't care for fiction that's fine, you're entitled, but don't say it's dead to everyone. Do you ever go to the movies? Most movies are fiction and a lot of them are based on books!

I'm not sure what your last statement means.

There are movies, but mostly there is not a story behind.

No new ideas, that is the problem.

That is why we are still studying Thoreau, Senkiewicz and Hugo.

I don't just read chess fiction, I write it.  I have a story here on chess.com of the Morphy-Lowenthal meeting of 1850--historical fiction, keeping as much history as I could, but enough fiction that it's not history.  Check it out--you might like it.

@ Lyudmil, Well, movies aren't really the point. Can you not name any significant novels within the last 100 years?

I think there was a fiction book titled Grandmaster that was written by an author I enjoyed named Warren Murphy.  

@SeniorPatzer, Are you sure it wasn't mine, The Grandmaster's King?  Just kidding. Do you remember what it was in terms of the chess content that you liked?

I have the vague impression that it was a spy or super secret agent who was also a very cool and suave super grandmaster too!

I enjoy reading fiction and always have one or two active books, either physical or on my Kindle.  The majority of them are not chess based although I have read all 3 of the Ray Gordon mysteries.  Some of the other chess fiction I have read is an anthology called Masters of Technique and I recently found a used copy of Sinister Gambits. There are a few short stories - Fosgate's Game, The Empty Chair, and Gamble.

Now a question for you.  How close are you to publishing your next book?  I am looking forward to hanging out with Ray and Carla again.

 @drogstad, Thank you for reading the Ray Gordon series! I'm glad you enjoyed them. To answer your question, I am currently writing the 4th one and hope to have it published before Christmas. I'll let you know.

I haven't read Masters of Technique, but I have seen Sinister Gambits. I've read a few of those short stories as well.

Thanks for your feedback!