148 of 161 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Neville spins an incredible plot....., May 3, 2004
This review is from: The Eight (Mass Market Paperback)
I loved "The Eight". That comment alone causes readers who appreciate fiction writing for the writing caliber, as opposed to the plot, to groan aloud. "The Eight" is an oversized (500+ pages) novel, a first time effort for author Katherine Neville, whose later works are far less popular. "The Eight" on the other hand, is much beloved and widely read.
Neville's prose is typical of first time authors. Characterization can be thin, dialogue can be unrealistic, the romance altogether too passionate to be believable. What distinguishes this work, and what has given the book its cult following is the plot, the plot, the plot, the PLOT!
The premise takes two parallel events, in two different timeframes (the '70's and the late 18th century) and weaves the stories together. Both are quests for the mystical Montglane chess set, an Indian relic, once a gift to Charlemagne. Neville's got an imagination that knows no bounds, and she draws dozens of historical figures into the plot mix, both in this century and that. Catherine the Great plays a role, as does modern-day despot Muhammar Khaddafi. The Montglane chess set, like Tolkien's "The One Ring", has mystical powers, and must be prevented, by an innocent, from falling into the hands of those who represent evil and anarchy.
Part fairy tale, part romance, part historical fiction, part suspense novel, "The Eight" is unforgettable for its complexity and the peek into the mind of a great storyteller. You won't soon forget it!
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73 of 86 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I regret wasting so much time reading this huge book, September 27, 2007
This review is from: The Eight (Mass Market Paperback)
I wanted to like this book. As I began, I felt the book could have used some editing, too many repeated phrases, too many unnecessary details (why did she put the dog in the sink?) After about 300 pages the lack of editing and the unbelievable coincidences became annoying, but I continued to read it, thinking there would be a payoff at the end. There was not. I never did figure out what "The Eight" was, and the breathless sex scenes and characters forever burying their faces in each others hair, shoulders, neck, etc. was intolerable. The plot had promise, but the execution was very flawed. A good editor could have cut this book in half and made it better.
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55 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bloated drivel, October 20, 2007
This review is from: The Eight (Mass Market Paperback)
This book is badly written, needlessly convoluted, and chock full of gratuitous and often inaccurate historical details. I found some of the historical name dropping laughable and clearly the author was overeager to impart intellectual gravitas to her sub-par effort by padding the narrative with copious amounts of historical celebrity name dropping. I'm not even going to mention all the bodice ripper rip-off sections that just make this book that much more of a chore to read. The whole book seems to be one big exposition consisting of around 590 pages leading to a rushed, limp ending that holds no thrill and is easily guessed, with a bit of imagination, much earlier.
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