Eight
A thriller story.
A writing by Kathryn Neville that engages you.
A formula and a riddle “that who knows may still exist even now” made famous and anonymous people deal with it together.

A number “8” that chases us throughout the story, but also a brilliant chess piece “The Mythical Chess Piece of Mongolia” made many people desire it. Not for its beauty but for its qualities.
The heroes of the story are powerful, extremely intelligent, and each villain operates for their own purpose.
The main heroes are two women, the difference between one and the other being approximately a thousand years. However, the goal is the same.
A story that from the beginning until just before the end keeps you on the edge of your seat, literally tears you apart..... Yet the ending of the story is very dull.

Good reading.

4 stars--I truly had a great liking for it.

Before recommending this book to others, there are several warnings that I believe I should offer. Firstly, it is centered around a magical chess set. Yes, quite literally. Secondly, while the writing is decent, it is not outstanding. There are certain outdated elements of racism and fat shaming, but these are relatively mild. Thirdly, the historical facts are somewhat unreliable.

Despite all of these aspects, however, I really enjoyed this book. It was a non-stop adventure filled with plenty of action, making it the perfect summer read. There is both a modern and a historical narrative, and both are captivating (although historical accuracy takes a backseat to the story. This did not bother me as I was fully engaged in the story).

This book is filled with a great deal of mysticism, political maneuvering, and international intrigue. Two sections in particular - the description of "the Terror" in France and a car chase through the desert - were truly harrowing, and I devoured these parts.

If you have a penchant for historical mysteries and adventure novels, this one was enjoyable. It is a lengthy book, but it never felt overly long to me. It is not something deep or world-changing - just pure fun. This book is often compared to Dan Brown, which I think is a fair comparison - although this book was written in 1988 and features female leads.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review; I am truly grateful!

The first time I delved into this remarkable piece of literature was way back in the early 1990s. It was, in fact, an assigned reading book for my Modern European History class. I must confess that I am incredibly glad we were required to read it, as it has since become one of my all-time favorite books. I have re-read it countless times, to the extent that my original copy is on the verge of falling apart. Just recently, I had to purchase a replacement copy.

I was utterly captivated by both of the story lines. However, I must admit that following Cat's story was my absolute favorite. With the assistance of her friend, Lily Rad, and the charming and intelligent chess champ, Solarin (mmm... so sexy and smart!), she embarks on a journey to solve the mystery surrounding the Montglane Service. Even though I am not a chess player myself, I found the references to the game fascinating. Especially as you begin to observe the roles each of the characters play in the story and ultimately discover who the Black Queen is. The reader is introduced to a diverse cast of interesting characters, each with their own unique quirks and personalities that draw you in. At times, I found myself torn between cheering Lily on and wanting to strangle her and her little dog. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone!

I am currently in the midst of reading the recently released sequel, but I will save my thoughts on that for a review once I have completed it.

In 1972, Catherine Velis, a highly skilled computer expert, is entrusted with a special assignment in Algeria. When an antique dealer catches wind of this, he approaches her with a particular request. Even before her departure, strange occurrences begin to unfold, and she realizes that she has become embroiled in something beyond her comprehension. Everything appears to be intricately connected to an ancient quest.

People from various corners of the world are in pursuit of an ancient Moorish chess service that was once given to Charlemagne and hidden within Montglane Abbey. The Montglane service is far more than just a chessboard with pieces crafted from gold and jewellery. It holds an immense power that has the potential to unlock the mysteries of the world's history and make its owner the most powerful individual on earth.

In a parallel storyline, the French Revolution looms large. Danger descends upon Montglane in France, and the novice nuns Mireille and Valentine from the Montglane Abbey are compelled to disperse some of the chess pieces and conceal them. They cannot trust anyone and must make astute decisions when forging the necessary alliances. This perilous game involves prominent figures such as Robespierre, Talleyrand, Newton, Napoleon, Voltaire, and Catherine the Great.

In 1972, Catherine steps into the game. Accompanied by a mysterious friend, the daughter of a friend, and a Russian chess master, she encounters numerous perils in the search for the chess service. She comes to the realization that among those seeking it, many are professional chess players. They are all mere pieces in the game, and a pawn can easily be swept off the board.

The Eight is an adventure that is both thrilling and intellectually stimulating. Neville weaves numbers and information in an extraordinary manner, seamlessly blending true events with fiction. Although some aspects may seem a touch far-fetched and overly colorful – with everyone seemingly being a player in the game and the number eight featuring prominently everywhere – it is easy to overlook these details. The combination of chess, ancient secrets, captivating places, and intriguing characters makes The Eight an engaging and entertaining read.

I read this book a long time ago, but it truly is an outstanding and remarkable piece of work.

From the very first page, it had me completely engrossed and unable to put it down.

The story is filled with rich and vivid characters, each with their own unique personalities and motives.

The plot is intricately woven, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

It explores deep and profound themes that make you think and reflect long after you've finished reading.

Whether it's the beautiful prose, the engaging narrative, or the powerful message it conveys, this book has it all.

It is a book that will stay with you forever and is well worth reading again and again.

Truly a masterpiece that deserves all the praise and acclaim it has received.

A good and interesting book where the struggle fought with knowledge. Although not a masterpiece, I liked it....

RE-READING. I blew out a star, it fell to 3. All this mixture of historical figures with conspiracies and the investigated characters rather tired me than pleased me. Perhaps the era of books of such philosophy and structure has passed....

This book initially caught my attention with its unique premise of the battle between struggle and knowledge. It was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages, even though it might not reach the heights of a true literary masterpiece.

However, upon re-reading, my perspective changed. The combination of historical figures and conspiracy theories, along with the rather convoluted characters, started to wear on me. It felt as if the book's philosophy and structure were perhaps a bit outdated, belonging to an era that has now passed.

Nevertheless, it still holds some value and can be an interesting read for those who enjoy exploring different literary styles and ideas.

Finally! Truly, I have come to feel both love and hate for this book.

I hate it because it has seemed extremely long to me and also because I have had the sensation that there were too many characters, some of which have not contributed much.

And I love it because I have learned many historical details. Sincerely, I believe this book offers a lot.

Yes, I know, I said that I also hate it, but I recognize that the details, the historical explanations, and the descriptions have been wonderful: the author has done very good research.

However, the fact that it is so long makes it seem endless and, at least in my case, you want to abandon it. In my opinion, I think that if it had been shorter, I would have enjoyed it more.

But, look, it's not that bad. It is a very good book.

I would also like to say that the journey of both Cat and Mireille makes me wonder if it was really worth it (don't read the spoiler if you haven't read the book): so many turns, so many dangers and in the end the board is at the other end of the world.

In summary: a good book, very cultural, with a lot of knowledge, but too extensive in my opinion.

A chaotic book, serpentine and forced to pass through a bunch of historical points just to name and forcefully insert characters and historical figures to intertwine it (mostly not really caring much if they are these or other characters as they are irrelevant) in the history of the board. It mixes two eras so that generally not much happens in either of them. It is full of fluff in a dull and insipid story and stuffed with historical facts to make it interesting. I think it's the worst book I've read this year. I give it a 3, and I don't understand how it could have become so well-known.

It seems that the author was more focused on showing off his knowledge of historical events rather than creating a captivating and coherent narrative. The characters lack depth and personality, and the story feels disjointed and rushed.

Maybe some people are attracted to the historical aspects of the book, but for me, it failed to engage on a deeper level. I would not recommend this book to others.

Pues al final no me he enfadado.

It turns out that it wasn't that toast that I was smelling.

The book is very entertaining, gentle, sometimes a bit simple-minded and a little roundabout for not much.

It has reminded me of the Indiana Jones movies, like "After the Green Heart" (allowing for differences, of course, due to the era and adventure).

It's not brilliant but it is very entertaining, although it lacks depth in the development.

Overall, it has been okay.

Iskreno, ne znam koju bih ocenu dao sad da je pročitam al te godine, kada mi je dopala šaka, knjiga me je toliko raspametila tako da sam joj se vraćao još dva puta. Pa stoga pet zvezdica.

Za Ketrin Nevil možemo slobodno reći da je preteča Den Brauna. Njena knjiga o tajanstvenoj šahovskoj garnituri Karla Velikog je bila opravdavo nezaboravno iskustvo. Priča je bila tako zanimljiva i zapletena da sam se odmah zaljubio u nju. Svaki detalj je bio precizno opisivan, što je doprinijelo stvaranju atmosfere tajnosti i napetosti.

Knjiga me je usledila i nakon što sam je pročitao prvi put. Osjećao sam se kao da sam dio priče, kao da sam istraživao tajne šahovske garniture zajedno s glavnim likovima. Karakteri su bili dobro razvijeni i vjerojatni, što je omogućilo da se bolje identificiram s njima.

Ukratko, ova knjiga je bila za mene jako specijalna. Njena kombinacija tajnosti, istorije i ljubavi je učinila je neizostavnim dijelom svakog biblioteka. Preporučujem je svima koji vole dobro napisane knjige koje ih će zapleniti i ostaviti zauzetima od početka do kraja.

This is a great book with an extremely interesting plot that never flags at any moment and an ending that lives up to expectations.

The story is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.

The characters are well-developed and the author has done a wonderful job of creating a vivid and engaging world.

Whether you are a fan of mystery, adventure, or romance, this book has something for everyone.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read that will keep them entertained and satisfied.

It is truly a must-read for book lovers.

**"The Review of 'The Eight' by Katherine Neville"**

I received this book from NetGalley and was initially overjoyed. However, it took me far too many weeks to complete, and now it's destined for the "mediocre at best" shelf. Let me explain.

The story of "The Eight" had a captivating premise. A mysterious chess set, an age-old game, two female characters on the same quest separated by 200 years of pursuit, and a colossal battle of good and evil involving history's biggest names. But what we got was far from what was promised.
The writing was silly and childish. Characters constantly became pale, very pale, or deadly pale. There was excessive name-dropping, yet the big names had little impact on the story. The cheap drama techniques, borrowed from Indian/Mexican soap operas, were laughable. Each chapter ended with something so dramatic it was almost comical.
The time-frame was completely disregarded. Events spanned many years, but the narrative continued as if nothing significant had happened in the intervening time. Mireille's story was particularly egregious. How could these characters be so mobile in an era when the steam boat was just emerging? They crossed seas and oceans, traveled from America to Russia as if it were the 21st century. A nine-month pregnant Mireille journeyed between Algeria and France, crossing seas, deserts, and steep mountains with ease. Even in 1973, the characters seemed to teleport from one destination to another.
The characters were also highly unbelievable. An 18th-century underage French nun-to-be who spoke fluent English, learned multiple languages, traveled the globe, and gave birth to two children before 30? A man who supposedly ruled France but turned out to be a spineless plaything? And Cat, a computer expert before 25, fluent in several languages and knowledgeable in everything from music to physics to mythology? All of these characters were chosen to play the game, but how and why? There was no clear explanation.
There was also insta-love, which I didn't expect and which made me even more frustrated with the book.
However, there were a few things I liked about the story. The plot, in the hands of a better writer, could have been amazing. The idea of the chess set was original. I also appreciated the information on various topics that flowed through the narrative. The mix of fictional and real personages and histories was interesting.
At the end of the book, there was a detailed biography of the writer, which I thought was a bit odd. But including a gallery of the author's headshots was just plain strange. It seemed like unnecessary self-promotion.
Overall, "The Eight" had a lot of potential, but it fell short in many areas. I can't recommend it, but I did learn a few things from it.

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