Epic Game

By William Kowalski

Kat is a tough, independent woman who makes her living as a professional poker player. She is single, childless and happy about it. But when her best friend, Josie, commits suicide, she names Kat as the temporary guardian of her ten-year-old son, David, until his father can come for him. In the few weeks that David is with her, Kat finds herself changed in ways she had never thought imaginable. With the old poker adage “bet with your head, not your heart” ringing in her head like a warning bell, Kat nevertheless finds that all the money and success in the world don’t mean a thing unless you have someone to share it with…and that maybe there is more to life than winning after all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Mar 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781459810501

William Kowalski

William Kowalski is the author of Eddie's Bastard, Somewhere South of Here, and The Adventures of Flash Jackson. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1970 and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. He lives in Nova Scotia with his wife and daughter.

Reviews for Epic Game

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think it might have helped if I knew something about playing poker. That's what the epic game of the title refers to: a poker tournament that starts with 1000 players and winnows it down to one who wins one million dollars. The player we are following is a young woman named Kat. She makes her living by playing poker and she doesn't want any other complications in her life. Then her best friend dies and Kat is asked to be the temporary guardian to her son. Poker and children don't really go together as Kat knows because her father was a poker player. For her friend and for a short while she figures she can manage to look after the boy. Once his father has picked him up she can go back to playing poker. But maybe she wants more? This was a quick read (I guess that's why it is published as a Rapid Read by Raven Books) and it was okay if rather predictable. Plus there's that lack of knowledge about playing poker that meant I didn't grasp everything in the card games.

[docwalt10 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read the book in 6 days, which given the size, was longer then it should have been. Not a page turner for me. I was interested in on-line poker at one time. Tried to learn Texas Hold'em with the varies terms. Lost interest quickly, when I could see, how quickly you could loose your money, if you don't know what you are doing. Unless you know poker, you won't understand the references made, starting on the first page. We finally learn the main characters name on page 16, Katherine Thomas. We learn her dad was a poker player, which is how she learned. How she acquired discipline, by not making his mistakes. I think the story is too simplistic with all feel good. There should have been more drama. As I'm sure there is a lot, in the world of poker. This book didn't make me want to read any of his other books. Writers like Sue Grafton, Iris Johansen, W.E.B. Griffin leave me wanting more every time.

[readerbynight · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A rather strange book, but addicting; you have to keep reading, The start of the story is not quite what is expected, but lures the reader in with its unexpected changes of direction.A lonely young lady, Kat, raised by an addictive poker player father begins to realize there is more to life when her best friend Jodie, possibly her only friend, dies and leaves her 10-year-old son David to be raised by her until his father is able to come from England to get him.In the midst of training for an epic poker tournament, this is not going to help her win, or so she thinks. Life is often full of surprises and the life Kat is about to embark on is no different. This is a very unique book, not like any other I have read in the past. There are many elements to the story which bring about changes in Kat's lifestyle. A fast read, short but sweet and full of energy. I really enjoyed it.

[elizabeth1929-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This...was surprisingly good. I received this book awhile ago...but I put it on hold since I had other books I was in the middle of...and honestly, the blurb on the back didn't sound all that interesting...BUT, as I started reading the first chapter, I found it very easy to get into. Yes, the book was short and the font was...bigger than what I was used to, but that just made the book go back that much quicker! Also, it was a nice break from reading books where I had to analyze every sentence for double meanings or had to keep track of different characters and their hidden agendas. DAVID. The poor kid that lost his mom....THIS kid annoyed me. Incredibly so. In the beginning, he was...cocky, and rude, and completely unlikeable...except his dry sense of humour was an unexpected bonus...BUT as the novel unfolded, I DID get attached to him (thank goodness), and dang it, it just made it that much harder for me to read the part when he.......ah wells.Poker. My...poker skills, or rather my LACK of poker skills and accompanying knowledge may have hindered my enjoyment of this book slightly, but nowhere near enough to make me seriously consider it as a downside...in fact...I want to learn how to play poker now, it sounds FUN.I would never have picked up a book like this on my own, so I am incredibly thankful I had it sent to me...which made me feel like I had an obligation to read it...this is actually the first book I read where a person was given responsibility over a child because of parent issues. I usually see this kind of setup in romance novels...you know...where one parent is stuck with a kid and somehow, meets another person...and falls in love, thereby, joining the family...I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this....Anyhoos...this was so much fun to read! I would suggest this book to anyone who wants a break from long, intricate books with complex plots they have to over analyse. This book has none of that. It was just pure...fun.

[ckgs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Katherine Thomas is a professional gambler practicing for a major poker game worth one million dollars. She learned poker while following her father, also a professional poker player from town to town, game to game. After her father is killed, she lives a solitary existence by playing poker online until she receives an email from an old friend or so she thought. Instead her old friend, Josie has died and Kat is temporary guardian of Josie's ten year old son, David. David is Kat’s responsibility until David’s father can close out his business in England. Josie soon realizes how empty her world has been before David came to live with her.A feel good rapid reads book that can be read in an afternoon, Epic Game teaches a little about poker and a lot about how one small boy can enrich a lonely woman’s life.