- Paperback: 544 pages
- Publisher: Harper (1 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007310331
- ISBN-13: 978-0007310333
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11.2 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,584,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Fire
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Product Description
Review
‘If you liked The Da Vinci Code, you’ll love The Fire.’ Now
'A thriller written with brio and a pace which never flags … A rattling good read.' Daily Express
'The premise of The Fire is refreshingly original …comfortably several notches above Mr Brown’ Independent
'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
'Katherine Neville's The Fire proves once again that she is the true grand master of international intrigue and historical mystery. Relentless, gripping, convoluted, and grand, this is a classic for the new millennium.' James Rollins, author of The Last Oracle
'One of the best novels I've read this year…The Fire is a compulsively readable novel for Da Vinci Code fans, as brilliantly complex as a grand-master chess match. I could not put this book down' Douglas Preston, author of The Monster of Florence
'I've been waiting for twenty years to find out what happened after The Eight. Katherine Neville answers that longing in a story that skilfully moves players around a global chessboard and expertly blends history, science, myth and more. Katherine Neville is the undisputed queen of the international suspense genre.' Steve Berry, author of The Venetian Betrayal
Review
'If you liked The Da Vinci Code, you'll love The Fire.' Now 'A thriller written with brio and a pace which never flags ! A rattling good read.' Daily Express 'The premise of The Fire is refreshingly original !comfortably several notches above Mr Brown' Independent 'Weaving in a plethora of historical characters and moving swiftly through time and place, this is a welcome sequel to Neville's first novel The Eight' Daily Mail '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 'Katherine Neville's The Fire proves once again that she is the true grand master of international intrigue and historical mystery. Relentless, gripping, convoluted, and grand, this is a classic for the new millennium.' James Rollins, author of The Last Oracle 'One of the best novels I've read this year!The Fire is a compulsively readable novel for Da Vinci Code fans, as brilliantly complex as a grand-master chess match. I could not put this book down' Douglas Preston, author of The Monster of Florence 'I've been waiting for twenty years to find out what happened after The Eight. Katherine Neville answers that longing in a story that skilfully moves players around a global chessboard and expertly blends history, science, myth and more. Katherine Neville is the undisputed queen of the international suspense genre.' Steve Berry, author of The Venetian Betrayal
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The book was totally new and amazingly cheap! It is a real masterpiece of literature mixing every wise study with real life! history, science, politics, chess...it has it all! and on the best story ever! I suggest it to everyone who likes clever stories and conspiracies!
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
How do you write a sequel to an astonishing work of imagination like The Eight? Very carefully . . . as witnessed by the long delay between the original and the sequel. But perhaps not carefully enough as judged by the challenges of inserting new meaning into well developed material in The Eight.
The Fire has to be seen as a sequel. As a stand-alone novel, the references to The Eight weigh down the book for a new reader in ways that would make the book almost impenetrable . . . and obscure at the same time.
Time has moved forward into the post-Second Iraq War period, creating a balance with the OPEC-related story lines in The Eight. As she did in The Eight, Katherine Neville has also moved back in time to create historical stories that march into the present time. These story lines cross in powerful ways.
The book opens as Aleksandr Solarin accompanies his daughter, Alexandra ("Xie"), to Zagorsk Monastery in Russia for a pivotal chess match in the autumn of 1993 where she will have a chance to earn grandmaster status at the tender age of eleven. While there, Aleksandr spots something that shouldn't be there . . . and it becomes clear that the Game he had sought to end years before has begun again.
You then travel to Albania in 1822 to meet Haidee, a pasha's daughter, who uncovers a sneak attack by Turkish forces on her father. Will she escape its consequences?
From there, the scene shifts to Mesa Verde in Colorado in the spring of 2003 as Alexandra arrives to visit for her mother's (Cat Velis) birthday party to discover that her mother missing, many puzzle clues, and an odd assortment of visitors arriving for the party. Clearly, these people seem to be positioning themselves for the Game. What is Alexandra's role?
Much of the story's charm come from comic appearances involving Lily Rad and adventures involving Alexandra's highly competent friend Key. The historical backdrop is enlivened by the character of Lord Byron who becomes a significant figure in the story.
For those who loved The Eight, The Fire presents a challenge in that it puts a new perspective on that story. Some will see the new aspects as enriching the original story line. Others won't agree.
Like The Eight, I found the ending to be an anticlimax that didn't live up to the rest of the story. This story has a drawback that The Eight didn't have, it often moves very slowly. Much of the book is taken up with locating Alexandra's mother. Characters are also assessed in a few too many ways for my taste in terms of what roles they might be playing in the Game.
If I hadn't read The Eight, I'm not sure I would have finished The Fire. The new stories didn't grip me nearly as much with emotion as the old ones did in The Eight.
If you have read The Eight, I think you should read The Fire . . . if for no other reason than being able to write a review of it where you can assess how it compares to the original novel.
The Fire has to be seen as a sequel. As a stand-alone novel, the references to The Eight weigh down the book for a new reader in ways that would make the book almost impenetrable . . . and obscure at the same time.
Time has moved forward into the post-Second Iraq War period, creating a balance with the OPEC-related story lines in The Eight. As she did in The Eight, Katherine Neville has also moved back in time to create historical stories that march into the present time. These story lines cross in powerful ways.
The book opens as Aleksandr Solarin accompanies his daughter, Alexandra ("Xie"), to Zagorsk Monastery in Russia for a pivotal chess match in the autumn of 1993 where she will have a chance to earn grandmaster status at the tender age of eleven. While there, Aleksandr spots something that shouldn't be there . . . and it becomes clear that the Game he had sought to end years before has begun again.
You then travel to Albania in 1822 to meet Haidee, a pasha's daughter, who uncovers a sneak attack by Turkish forces on her father. Will she escape its consequences?
From there, the scene shifts to Mesa Verde in Colorado in the spring of 2003 as Alexandra arrives to visit for her mother's (Cat Velis) birthday party to discover that her mother missing, many puzzle clues, and an odd assortment of visitors arriving for the party. Clearly, these people seem to be positioning themselves for the Game. What is Alexandra's role?
Much of the story's charm come from comic appearances involving Lily Rad and adventures involving Alexandra's highly competent friend Key. The historical backdrop is enlivened by the character of Lord Byron who becomes a significant figure in the story.
For those who loved The Eight, The Fire presents a challenge in that it puts a new perspective on that story. Some will see the new aspects as enriching the original story line. Others won't agree.
Like The Eight, I found the ending to be an anticlimax that didn't live up to the rest of the story. This story has a drawback that The Eight didn't have, it often moves very slowly. Much of the book is taken up with locating Alexandra's mother. Characters are also assessed in a few too many ways for my taste in terms of what roles they might be playing in the Game.
If I hadn't read The Eight, I'm not sure I would have finished The Fire. The new stories didn't grip me nearly as much with emotion as the old ones did in The Eight.
If you have read The Eight, I think you should read The Fire . . . if for no other reason than being able to write a review of it where you can assess how it compares to the original novel.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved The Eight. I mean I seriously loved it to the extent that I would count is as one of my Top Ten novels of all time. So when The Fire was published I had great expectations. I saved it for my holiday and was hoping it would provide me with a bit of poolside escapism. But No. I was so thoroughly disappointed I cannot begin to tell you.
I don't think I am a stupid person. I like a puzzle. I like a bit of esoteric or arcane mumbo jumbo to keep me entertained. But please....what was this all about? I couldn't follow it at all I'm afraid. I appreciate that we were following clues here, but some of the connections were so tenuous you could have driven a truck through them. I was actually relieved when it ended to be honest. What a shame.
I don't think I am a stupid person. I like a puzzle. I like a bit of esoteric or arcane mumbo jumbo to keep me entertained. But please....what was this all about? I couldn't follow it at all I'm afraid. I appreciate that we were following clues here, but some of the connections were so tenuous you could have driven a truck through them. I was actually relieved when it ended to be honest. What a shame.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I wanted to love it - I didn't even like it
As you've probably gathered from the title of my review, I loved "The Eight", like many reviewers of this book. Like many of them too I find myself deeply disappointed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. D. Clark
Very poor sequal to "The Eight"
If, like myself, you are a huge fan of "The Eight" by Katherine Neville, then please, please DO NOT read "The Fire". Read more
Published 4 months ago by Trudi
Only purchase for lighting fires!
I re-read 'The Eight' after 20years and despite being a bit dated it was an OK read...I decided to give the sequel a go.
Don't follow me... Read more
Don't follow me... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mrs. L. Mcniven
More of the same
In this book the writer sells you more of the same old tale (the eight and a half).
She has fell in the same bag as the rest of this kind of "something-like-historical-facts... Read more
She has fell in the same bag as the rest of this kind of "something-like-historical-facts... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ana Delia Rodríguez
The Fire never quite got going for me
I love "The Eight" even 10+ years down the line it is still one of my most read again books. I didn't really feel it needed a sequel, but as there was one I had to read it. Read more
Published 22 months ago by J. S. Farmer
A GOOD BOOK, JUST NOT AS GOOD AS "THE EIGHT"
I read Katherine Neville's "The Eight", two years ago, I thought it was a brilliant book, and I was thrilled to find out that a sequel was announced. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Eleni
What is happening?
I am halfway through this book with no real understanding of what is going on. It flicks back in history and seems to be following 2 or 3 timelines. Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2010 by K. Porter
not the shinest bulb in the chandelier of mystery stories
I believe that most of us were very taken by Katherine Neville's "The Eight" and eagerly looking forward to the sequel. But like most others I share the disappointment. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2009 by Amelrode
the most dissapointing sequel i have ever read
having thoroughly enjoyed the eight, i was really excited to discover katherine neville had writen a sequel. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2009 by Ms. Lucy Scarfe
LIGHTNING DOES NOT STRIKE TWICE...
I remember reading THE EIGHT when I was in graduate school and had enjoyed it immensely. On the strength of that experience I was fooled repeatedly into buying the next three books... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by NeuroSplicer
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