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The Chess Quest Series by Michael D. Young — clean middle-grade fantasy adventure

Middle-Grade Fantasy · Chess · Courage

The Chess Quest Series

Every Move Changes the Kingdom

A clean middle-grade fantasy adventure where a young pawn must learn courage, strategy, and friendship before a living chessboard reaches checkmate.

Book One available in print and ebook

Start Here

Begin the Chess Quest

Find the opening volume and enter a fantasy world where every move matters and the pieces refuse to remain on the board.

The Game Has Chosen Its Next Paladin

Rich Witz is just trying to survive middle school. Homework, bullies, and everyday chaos are already enough—until his grandmother disappears and leaves behind a white chess pawn carved with his initials.

Overnight, Rich is drawn into a hidden world of strategy, danger, and ancient power. Chosen as the next Paladin, he must complete four trials of valor in seven days. If he fails, he dies. If he succeeds, he may save the world.

But a dark knight known as the Nemesis is always one move ahead—and may be hiding in plain sight at Rich’s school.

Seven days. Four trials. One final test he cannot afford to fail.

Perfect for Readers Who Love

Strategy & Magic

Chess-inspired powers, clever choices, and a hidden magical order.

Underdog Heroes

An imaginative kid facing bullies, impossible odds, and a destiny he never requested.

Fast, Clean Adventure

High stakes and coming-of-age courage in family-friendly fantasy for ages 10–14.

A great next quest for fans of Percy Jackson, The Unwanteds, and strategy-driven fantasy adventures.

Meet the Players

Every quest needs allies, rivals, and at least one opponent who refuses to play fair. Open a profile to meet the cast of Paladin: Pawn.

♙ Rich Witz — The Reluctant Paladin
Rich Witz, young hero of Paladin: Pawn in The Chess Quest Series

Creative, imaginative, and more comfortable daydreaming about heroics than living them, Rich faces junior-high bullies and ordinary frustrations—until a mysterious pawn makes the adventure real.

♟ Nadia Petrenko — The Challenger
Nadia Petrenko from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Assertive, cunning, and determined to dominate every confrontation, Nadia knows exactly how to unsettle Rich—but her toughness may conceal more than it reveals.

♗ Angela Alfredson — The Loyal Friend
Angela Alfredson from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Kind, empathetic, and quietly brave, Angela is one of the few genuinely friendly faces at Rich’s school—and she is not afraid to stand up for herself or others.

♕ Laura Tinney — The Resourceful Aunt
Laura Tinney from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Nurturing, resourceful, and able to make the best of whatever is at hand, Laura brings warmth and reliability when Rich needs both most.

♕ Helena Witz — Rich’s Mother
Helena Witz from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Carrying the weight of a husband missing in action, Helena works to keep her family together while the mysteries surrounding Rich grow harder to ignore.

♛ Minerva Witz — Keeper of the Past
Minerva Witz from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Proud of her Austrian heritage and guardian of family secrets, Minerva knows more about the ancient forces surrounding Rich than she has ever revealed.

♞ Aaron — The Charismatic Wild Card
Aaron from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Charismatic, playful, and capable of lifting the mood around him, Aaron’s mischievous charm makes him an intriguing—and unpredictable—piece on the board.

♜ Joe Stockton — The Schoolyard Threat
Joe Stockton from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Big, intimidating, and accustomed to using fear as leverage, Joe is one of the everyday dangers Rich must face even before the magical trials begin.

♝ Mallory — The Social Powerhouse
Mallory from Paladin: Pawn by Michael D. Young

Outgoing, spirited, and at home in the center of school life, Mallory commands a different kind of influence than any knight or queen.

♚ The Nemesis — One Move Ahead
The Nemesis, dark knight antagonist in Paladin: Pawn

A cunning dark knight in training whose motives remain hidden. The Nemesis is determined to win at any cost—and may be much closer to Rich than he realizes.

Make Your Opening Move

Enter a clean, fast-moving middle-grade fantasy where courage matters, strategy has consequences, and even a pawn can change the board.

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Series details

The Chess Quest Series

A middle-grade fantasy series in which a mysterious white chess pawn draws Rich Witz into four magical trials that must be completed in seven days.

Language: English

Genres: Middle-grade fantasy · Strategy · Adventure

Paladin: Pawn

Buy Paladin: Pawn on Amazon