- Mass Market Paperback: 608 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (31 Jan 1990)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345366239
- ISBN-13: 978-0345366238
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.2 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 870,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
‘Katherine Neville has a remarkable ability to weave strands of history into one vivid tale. Readers who love culture, travel, and, of course, the detective work of research, will delight in this work.’ Elizabeth Kostova, author of ‘The Historian’
‘Stellar… The story’s relentless pace is matched by characters both sympathetic and real.’ Publishers Weekly
‘Readers thrilled by The Da Vinci Code will relish the multi-layered secrets of The Eight.’
Matthew Pearl, author of ‘The Dante Club’
'A big, rich, two-tiered confection of a novel…a rousing, amusing game.’
San Francisco Chronicle
‘A fascinating piece of entertainment that manages to be both vibrant and cerebral . . . Few will find it resistible.’
Los Angeles Times Book Review
‘With alchemical skill, Neville blends modern romance, historical fiction, and medieval mystery…and comes up with gold.’
People
‘A feminist answer to Raiders of the Lost Ark.’
Washington Post
‘Impossible to put down’
Boston Herald
Review
'Katherine Neville has a remarkable ability to weave strands of history into one vivid tale. Readers who love culture, travel, and, of course, the detective work of research, will delight in this work.' Elizabeth Kostova, author of 'The Historian' 'Stellar! The story's relentless pace is matched by characters both sympathetic and real.' Publishers Weekly 'Readers thrilled by The Da Vinci Code will relish the multi-layered secrets of The Eight.' Matthew Pearl, author of 'The Dante Club' 'A big, rich, two-tiered confection of a novel!a rousing, amusing game.' San Francisco Chronicle 'A fascinating piece of entertainment that manages to be both vibrant and cerebral ... Few will find it resistible.' Los Angeles Times Book Review 'With alchemical skill, Neville blends modern romance, historical fiction, and medieval mystery!and comes up with gold.' People 'A feminist answer to Raiders of the Lost Ark.' Washington Post 'Impossible to put down' Boston Herald
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First Sentence
A FLOCK OF NUNS CROSSED THE ROAD, THEIR CRISP WIMPLES FLUTtering about their heads like the wings of large sea birds. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
A FLOCK OF NUNS CROSSED THE ROAD, THEIR CRISP WIMPLES FLUTtering about their heads like the wings of large sea birds. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book about 18 or so years ago, purely because is was the fattest book in the shop. It was long before I had ever heard of Dan Brown. I devoured this book and then promptly read it all over again and I believe it is possibly the best book I have ever read. I must have read this book about 8 or 9 times now and all my friends and family have read it also, it is now very tatty with the pages falling out etc. but I have just started reading it again. I thoroughly thoroughly recommend it to anyone.
16 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
....there was already a novel of epic proportions, that had been published, read, appreciated by many, then lost to charity shops and bargain discount bookshops around the world. The book surpassed Brown's scope and dull narrative, while matching the exciting plot page for page.
"The Eight" is one part Dan Brown, one part "Alice through the looking glass", one part spy thriller, and one part Wilbur Smith, combining all these elements in an enticing and exciting tale of a legendary chessboard that has changed the face of history, and of the tale of the woman who is suddenly thrown into a deadly global game of chess against her will, and who must reassemble the chessboard to discover its secret. Along the way, as the tale of the fabulous chessboard is revealed, historical charactes such as Charlemagne and Catherine the Great are convincingly brought in. Of the more modern story of the heroine, Catherine Velis, the plot is filled with spies, assassins, powermongers, murderers, and people who will stop at nothing to own the chessboard for themselves.
The novel is breathlessly paced and well-researched, filled with larger-than-life characters who all play a part in the game, whether as pawns or major pieces. The tale is also filled with mysteries, puzzles and esoteric conundrums, some linked to historical characters, others to give the reader something to dwell on. Admittedly at times, I got the feeling that the point of reality was stretched just a little too far, but at the end of the day, it's a novel.
If you enjoyed the yarns of Dan Brown, have even the slightest interest in the game of chess, or just enjoy a well-researched and well-written novel, this novel should do more than just entertain you.
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read thisbook 10 years ago when it was released, I lent it to somebody and never got it back. So I bought it again - guess what? it never came home again! The third copy I bought last year, I didn't even get to read it for a third time before my husband took it to Malaysia, lent it to a colleague there and never came back. I am now buying it again as I really want to read it again. The plot is so convoluted and has something for everyone. Ms Neville does not seem to have managed to recreate the magnificence of this first novel, with her other books, good though they are.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Eight
Brilliant read! Couldn't put down! Makes you look at life differently!! Reading second book The Fire.... Buy both books now!!!
Published 1 month ago by Hettihoo
The best book I have ever read
I first got this book about 15 years ago after reading A Calculated Risk by this author and I have now had about seven copies and have read this story at least 10 times and at my... Read more
Published 1 month ago by F. Lawless
The best book....ever
This is I book I first read over 20 years ago when it first came out and I couldn't put it down. The book opens during the French revolution and sets the story. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Diane Grocott
The Eight by Katherine Neville. ?
This is my 9th copy of this book! It is my all time favourite book and it keeps disappearing from my bookshelves! I suspect I have 'sold' it so well! Read more
Published 15 months ago by Rpa De-layen Vian
The Eight
THE EIGHT by KATHERINE NEVILLE...
I NOW HAVE MY THIRD COPY OF "THE BOOK" ABOUT A CHESS SET...I AM AN ARTIST (GEOMETRIC) & CHESS PLAYER AND READ THE BOOK AVIDLY ON TWO... Read more
I NOW HAVE MY THIRD COPY OF "THE BOOK" ABOUT A CHESS SET...I AM AN ARTIST (GEOMETRIC) & CHESS PLAYER AND READ THE BOOK AVIDLY ON TWO... Read more
Published 21 months ago by peter hugo mcclure
The Eight by Katherine Neville (book)
This is not a "new" book, but it is one of only a handful of books that I can return to and read again and again. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Trudi
The Eight is not Dan Brown
A rather silly story about a chess set with special powers, lost in the mists of time, which re-merges. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Xera
A Chore and a Bore
This book was unbelievably tedious and a real struggle to get through. The central character - Catherine Vellis - is so perfect she set my teeth on edge. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Beau
An exhausting read !
I consider myself a book lover, I devour books and enjoy getting lost in a wonderful story. I had just finished the magnificent Millenium Trilogy before embarking on The Eight, and... Read more
Published on 12 May 2010 by Conchie
Whoa!
I LOVED this book! The twist at the end was just brilliant, I had to read that part again because I just couldn't believe it! I forgot to breathe at one point! Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by Lil' Miss Big
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