"Slim but insistent . . . A vivid and feverish portrait of a soul in self-inflicted purgatorio."--Tom Shone, New York Times Book Review

"Osborne, a travel writer, renders the atmosphere of casinos, hotels, and restaurants seductively...[and] shows an impeccable facility for capturing the sweat-soaked suspense of the high-stakes card table."--The New Yorker

"Hypnotic . . . Macau and Hong Kong feel vivid and true in the novel, yet also otherworldly: Well-known landmarks and weather conditions are captured with a stillness and beauty that make them feel haunting and melancholy. . . . But ultimately it is the uncertain fate of Doyle and the others that made me as a reader feel strangely fulfilled. The decisions they make seem connected to the thrilling and terrifying changes taking place around them. Old ways collide with a brash new world, and in this game, it is not yet clear which will emerge the winner."--Tash Aw, for All Things Considered

"Haunting . . . A captivating story about the nature of addiction, the power of the supernatural and the freedom that may come from throwing everything to chance."--NPR

"Elegantly told...The beauty of this novel is in the elegance and precision of its prose, which renders the glaring kitsch of Macau into a series of exquisite miniatures, and draws on Osborne's reserves as a travel writer."--The Guardian

"A searing portrait of addiction and despair set in the glittering world of Macau's casinos. . . . Osborne's intriguing Chinese milieu and exquisite prose make this work as a standout."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Osborne masterfully recreates the atmosphere of casinos as well as the psychology of baccarat players--and leaves readers eager to try their luck at the game."--Kirkus Reviews

"[Osborne's] darkly introspective study of decline and decay conjures apt comparisons to Paul Bowles, Graham Greene, and V. S. Naipaul."--Booklist

"A modern Graham Greene . . . Osborne is a thrilling, exceptional talent in British fiction's landscape."--Sunday Times (UK)

"Unavoidable comparisons will be drawn with Graham Greene's work. . . . [Osborne] has a masterful touch with creating mood, and a swirling, world-weary foreignness pervades the story. The Ballad of a Small Player is a layered work, a novel about addiction, love and class but given an allusive face by the way it perches constantly on some supernatural brink."--Irish Examiner