Mate

Mate
a novel in twenty games
Robert Castle

ISBN 978-1-963908-49-7 176 pages $22.00

MATE: a novel in twenty games deals with marriage as a chess game. What distinguishes MATE from other stories and novels about the life and death of a relationship is its radical correlation of the actions of a husband and wife to chess moves. The logic of the novel suggests: chess is war reduced to a game; marriage is chess; marriage is war. That is the tragedy—marriage, as a human institution and human desire, is innately tragic. In marriage, one or the other partner feel obliged to annihilate the other in a struggle for...what? This is the central question and riddle of MATE.

Beneath the quick wit sits a bleak observation: perfectly played matches end in stalemate, and no clever tactic erases the cost of constant competition. Scores swing wildly—one chapter leaves Pillsbury a single victory from clinching the match—yet triumph feels hollow when the commentary reminds us another round always looms. Class anxiety, gender scripts, and ‘90s pop politics all take turns on the board, their influence measured in incremental positional gains rather than sweeping mates.
Alex Norton, Likely Story

The first thing worth noting was how uniquely presented this novel was to Robert Castle’s readers. The entire concept of dating to having a family was intricately written out for readers to follow along as if they were playing a true game of chess. Each step in Pillsbury and Larkin’s relationship was expertly played out as individual chess moves and chess fan readers will eagerly turn the pages to see how each match turned out between both Bill and Cynthia.
Katie Specht, Feathered Quill

Castle’s writing is sharp, biting, and at times hilariously cruel. His chess metaphor isn’t just a clever gimmick; it’s an ingenious device that illuminates the absurdity and tragedy of two people trying (and failing) to love each other properly. The characters aren’t likable in a traditional sense. In fact, they’re often selfish, petty, or clueless. But that’s the point. Marriage, as Castle paints it, is not about romance or even companionship; it’s about control, defense, sacrifice, and sometimes resignation. It was refreshing, even when it hurt to read.
April Pullian, Literary Titan

On his other works:

The End of Travel: Robert Castle takes us on his travels with him. It’s almost like a sitcom or soap opera. One thing after another occurs. What I did like about The End of Travel is that though Bob is seeing the world, he constantly wonders what the hell he is doing at each new destination. Also, this is the kind of read where you forget you’re reading. With The End of Travel I found myself seeing only pictures, as if it all played out on TV. An outstanding comedic book that was a pleasure to read.

"His cranky, horny, suspicious, ungrateful, scornful pilgrim seeking he knows not what spares nothing in the telling of his travails. The narrator certainly does whatever he wants to. He fractionates incidents and randomly distributes the parts. He fractionates his self and sets self against self. So lively with perception and detail was The End of Travel that I read it at one sitting."
S. Leonard Rubinstein (author of Writing: A Habit of Mind)

Odd Pursuits: Odd Pursuits can be praised on many levels, but in writing, there are two things, when all is said and done, that ultimately matter--what one has to say, and how well one can say it. Robert Castle fulfills on both counts. The stories and characters are complex enough for readers to find different qualities of merit. I highly recommend a foray into this multifaceted collection.
Dianne Gray

Berthcut & Sons: Robert Castle's Berthcut & Sons is a highly readable and entertaining novel for two primary reasons—its deep but good-natured sense of humor and its style. The humor is of a quirky kind that is nonetheless readily enjoyable by a wide audience. It is steeped in reality and gently mocks one of the idols of our time—work and the workplace.

The Hidden Life: The character of Gladwynne 'Tony' Biddleton is at the center of this novel that is a mix of Remains of the Day, Pinter and Borges. The narrative slips in and out of historical episodes as the author reveals the strange mind and behavior that is Biddleton. Mr. Castle handles the fragmentary nature of the book wonderfully, jumping back and forth in time and events. It is very well written and has a great sense of pace. Bravo!
Thomas Bazar (An Expectation of Plenty)

Berthcut & Sons: Robert Castle's Berthcut & Sons is a highly readable and entertaining novel for two primary reasons—its deep but good-natured sense of humor and its style. The humor is of a quirky kind that is nonetheless readily enjoyable by a wide audience. It is steeped in reality and gently mocks one of the idols of our time—work and the workplace. In this case, the work is heightened by its association with religion or, rather, religious goods—stand ins for the esoterica associated with all jobs and with a jargon of its own. A pleasure that should not be missed.
Warren Hope (Norman Cameron: His Life and Works)

After attending Columbia University School of the Arts for a brief time, Robert Castle traveled around Europe and lived on and off in Florence, Italy. He taught American History, Film Criticism, and Sociology at a small academy outside Trenton, NJ. His most recent published novel was The Hidden Life (Atmosphere Press, 2020). In 2006 he had three books published A Sardine on Vacation (fiction, Spuyten Duyvil, 2006), The End of a Travel (Memoir, Ravenna Press) and Odd Pursuits (short stories, Wild Child Press). Since 2000, he has published over 50 articles in Bright Lights Film Journal and over 160 other pieces on movies. Since 2005, he has written many plays, some performed in NYC, Great Britain, and Philadelphia. He is married and has no children.