Number of entries: 58
(NOTE: if more than one character gets the same number of votes, the characters will be listed alphabetically):
(NOTE: same rules as favorite characters):
From Shannon Wendt ([email protected]):
A friend of mine recommended "The Eight." After devouring that, I
tackled "ACalculated Risk"
From Marlene Kondelik ([email protected]):
My daughter told me how good she was.
From John Kondelik ([email protected]):
My daughter recommended it to me and after a long time I finally read it.
It has been a continuing conversation point ever since.
From Catherine ([email protected]):
I needed a book for lunchtime reading and a coworker gave me The Eight
From Laura Ross ([email protected]):
through the library, then discovered that the eight is a cult book,
obtained through often mysterious ways
From [email protected]:
I play chess. I like fantasy and Sci-Fi books A friend talk to me and
recommend me to read The Eight (El Ocho in the spanish edition). He knows
that I like! Bingo!
From Irina Klein ([email protected]):
My Mom has a German translation of "The Eight" on her book shelf. I read
it and decided to have a look at the original version.
From Dawn ([email protected]):
My husband recommended it to me.
From J.E. ([email protected]):
I worked for B. Dalton Books for a while. I was unpacking a shipment, the
book was in there and it looked interesting, so I decided to buy it and
read it.
From Catherine ([email protected]):
I had to read The Eight for an English class
From Chris Hoare ([email protected]): Saw The Eight in a
bookshop, thought it sounded interesting and bought it...the rest, as
they say is history.
From Karen ([email protected]):
Quite by chance, the title caught my interest and after reading the book
cover trailer, I was sure it was my kind of book.
From Kat ([email protected]):
Dad brought A Calculated Risk hoem from the library and I was hooked.
This novel has now become the novel I read most at the moment, I keep
going back to it I never get tired of re reading it. I love the whole
entire book. I learn something new each time I read it. I finish it and
then start it again. We all need a Tor to bring back the adventure
missing in our lives.
From an anonymous reader:
I used to work in a library. I stumbled upon _The Eight_ while I was
making sure the shelves were in order one day, and I got reprimanded
because I was caught reading it in the back of the library rather than
doing my work! I couldn't put it down!
From Chip De Atley ([email protected]):
my father was reading "The Eight."
From [email protected]:
My history teacher. I picked up a Calculated Risk, and she saw me reading
it in class. She borrowed it from me, and suggested I read The Eight.
I'm glad I read it first, or else I would have been dissappoint in A
Calculated Risk.
From Jeff King ([email protected]):
Friend of a friend of a friend....
From Denise Whitmire ([email protected]):
Just came across "The Eight" on a sale rack in a bookstore several years
ago. It was my lucky day when I bought the book to read on a vacation. I
can't wait for her next book.
From Victoria ([email protected]):
Just picked up a copy of The Eight, read it and it is now my favorite book
ever. Just finished reading it for the 4th time. I own three copies of
it. LOVE IT!! Once i finished it, i wanted other books by Katherine
Neville, discovered Calculated Risk, just started it for the 2nd time.
From Safilo ([email protected]):
a friend recommended The Eight to me because it is her favorite book, and
now it is mine.
From [email protected]:
I discovered it at used bookstore in paperback, Later I bought the hard
back because i really enjoyed it . I have read this book about 5 times so
far in a 4 yr. period. every time you learn something new.
From Nori ([email protected]): eight's my fave number; saw the book
in a store and picked it up
From Kristin Smagula ([email protected]): The book kept popping
up in literary discussions, and the plot sounded interesting. I bought it
a number of years ago, but never got around to reading it. Finally I dug
it out, and in a moment of rashness started reading. The rest as they say
is history...
From Kim Civins ([email protected]): Dad suggested the book to me...
From [email protected]: Was working in B.Dalton, picked up The Eight,
started reading on a break, bought it, and have been hooked ever
since.
From Zenobia ([email protected]): When I was in college and
supposed to be studying for a test on the French Revolution I picked up
the SF Chronicle, and there was a review of the book THE EIGHT which was
brand new at the time. That weekend, I played hooky, went to a Star Trek
convention in San Jose, bought the book at Printers Ink in Palo Alto and
read it on the way back to the city. Trains are the perfect place to read
:)
From Andrew ([email protected]): by chance at my public library
From Ellen ([email protected]): Found "The Eight" in a bookstore and
fell in love with it.
From Kasey ([email protected]): My aunt lent it to my Grandmother who
lent it to me
From Jeana ([email protected]): I was given The
Eight as a present from some friends with the inscription that it was the
best book they had ever read.
From Michele ([email protected]): Pure chance - read the blurb of
The Eight, liked the cover, bought it and devoured it!
From Arturo Marquez ([email protected]): My father bought this
book and he gave it to me. I read it and started looking for Catherine
Neville's books.
From [email protected]: My cousin had the book at her house several
years ago, and recommended it. I started reading it, and we ended up
fighting over who was going to get the chance to read it. I have read it
several times since.
From Megan ([email protected]): I found The Eight in a pile of
books my grandparents had given my parents to read.
From Karen ([email protected]): an acquaintance recommended the eight to
me and it was the best book I have read (and I read a book a week or so).
I loved it and constantly recommend it to others.
From Cecilia ([email protected]): I found The Eight in a library
and y like it, so i buy it.
From [email protected]: picked up the eight
From Dianne ([email protected]): Trolling through a bookshop,
I was doing a bit of "judging a book by its cover". I liked the images on
the front cover so much I bought the book. I've been sharking for
Katherine Neville books ever since.
From Lee Fleisher ([email protected]): A friend suggested it to
me after I read Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum."
From [email protected]: recommendation from a friend of a friend
while sunbathing at a pool. I was reading Elizabeth Peters, and she was
reading A Calcuted Risk.
From Derek Phillpotts ([email protected]): Recommendation from a
friend!
From Carolyn Fuleihan ([email protected]): Review in
Book-of-the-Month Club
From Wendy M. Poll ([email protected]): Quite by chance. I just
picked up the paperback in my favorite bookstore about 5 years ago. I
have been recommending it to friends and associates ever since.
From Julia ([email protected]): My best friend gave me _The Eight_
to read, and I was hooked! The book fascinated me!
From Megan Bohse ([email protected]): Random bookstore shelf
browsing 5 years ago.
From [email protected]: Cousins and sister have read it and passed it on
to me.
From [email protected]: Picked up The Eight at a used bookstore.
Read it on a lo-o-ong van trip to Houston and New Orleans to deliver art
to museums.
From Erin ([email protected]): I literally have no idea. I'm sure
someone recommended "The Eight" to me at some point in time, but I don't
remember when. I'm going with the "cosmic fate" idea and chalking it up
to providence.
From Daniel ([email protected]): My mother had the book The Eight and
i decided to read it. I found it extremely hard to put down!
From [email protected]: Picked it randomly off the bookstore shelves
From [email protected]: recommended by a friend
From Vicki Adams ([email protected]): My mother really enjoyed the
book, and bought it for me for Christmas. I read it in less than a week,
and then insisted on reading Calculated Risk.
From Aimee ([email protected]): I needed a book for a trip to Hawaii,
and picked it up in a used bookstore becasue I was intrigued by the
infinity on the cover. I read it twice before my mother stole it, and
have since read it out loud to a boyfriend, given it as gifts, and bought
6 or 7 copies.
From [email protected]: I discovered Ms. (?) Katherine Neville through
a friend of my sister.She lent me a stack of paperbacks and one of them
happened to be "The Eight". (Boy, do i owe her! =) Incidentally, is
Katherine Neville married? I sure hope you can post a picture of her in
your web page. And i'm truly grateful that you've set up a Katherine
Neville webpage. I've discovered lots of potential "vade mecum" =) and
friends who love "The Eight" as much as i do. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
From [email protected]: Bookstore - looked interesting. I loved it
so much and every trip looked for new books - it has been a long wait but,
for the quality it is worth it! I enjoyed Calculated Risk but, it is more
entertaining than one you never forget like the Eight.
From Janet ([email protected]): Book Central "The Book Bunch"
From Shannon Wendt ([email protected]):
I enjoyed the stimulating, intelectual mystery of the riddle of the
Eight.
From Marlene Kondelik ([email protected]):
I liked the way she interwove two time periods.
From John Kondelik ([email protected]):
The historical setting and the chess background. Also the very
sympathetic leading characters.
From Catherine ([email protected]):
Strong, smart characters -- especially women - traveling, adventuring, and
solving mysteries. It's an intellectual story.
From Laura Ross ([email protected]):
the puzzles, and figuring out alternate answers than those given, the use
of the past and present, the use of many famous characters, showing a
strong female lead character that didn't need a man to help her out
From [email protected]:
I like sincerely ALL! I read it about three times this last year and I
recoomend it to anybody who ask for a good book to read! I plain to read
it in the english verson!
From Irina Klein ([email protected]):
It has a well-researched and intriguing plot.
From Dawn ([email protected]):
The twists and turns, the wonderful characters, the use of several time
periods and historical facts mixed with fiction to enhance the story.
From J.E. ([email protected]):
The plot is very complex. It was nice to find a story that was not
entirely linear. Plus, I love chess!
From Catherine ([email protected]):
Everything. I guess I really liked how well the story was woven and the
complexity of the characters and their identities.
From Chris Hoare ([email protected]): Excellent and believable
plot, cleverley interweaving the Past and the Present
From Karen ([email protected]):
I enjoy the mixture of adventure and history. A thoroughly satisfying
escape!
From Kat ([email protected]):
The connection with the french revolution, my favorite piece of history
and the connection with chess. The whole theme of playing the game over
time and continent is addictive. That the black queen was the side of
Good. They way the book was written you could have been there. It gets
you so involved with the whole race to find the pieces. You become part
of the world she has created when you read The Eight.
From an anonymous reader:
The human chess game...the mind games layered on top of the action...
From Chip De Atley ([email protected]):
It combined elements of magic, travel, strategy and chess into one
spellbinding book, written in beautiful prose and a rich style.
From [email protected]:
It's intricacy and plot. It was a mix of every, or almost every, type of
literature out there.
From Jeff King ([email protected]): impressive plot twists
From Denise Whitmire ([email protected]):
Everything! It is THE best book I have ever read, and I read a lot!! I
loved the characters, the history and really everything about the
book.
From Victoria ([email protected]):
The complete story line and being totally amazed at how she ties in the
historical times/characters with modern day and age. Making each and
every chara cter come alive and making me the reader feel such passion.
The details and the intellect of Katherine Neville is stunning.
From Safilo ([email protected]):
The fact that so much accurate historical events were included, making the
reader believe that this possibility actually exists.
From [email protected]:
I liked the history, the mystery and the pararell between the two stories
which were really one.
From Nori ([email protected]): interconnectedness of it all;
puzzles; character development; adventure; francophone stuff
From Kristin Smagula ([email protected]): The complexity, the
multilayered aspects, and the interwoven relationships of man and nature
and forces
From Kim Civins ([email protected]): Everything....I love not really
knowing who's who and what the motives are until you are really into the
book.
From [email protected]: Interweaving plots.
From Zenobia ([email protected]): Great characters, and a story
that is somehow plausible while still being technically fantasy.
From Andrew ([email protected]): the fact that it spanned so long a period
and yet was still able to keep the story going. that and the blend of
story telling and fact.
From Ellen ([email protected]): Involved a lot of mysticism in topics
I'm interested in.
From Kasey ([email protected]): That it was set in two diffenernt time
periods. Also the French Revolution is one of my favorite historical
times
From Jeana ([email protected]): I haven't
analyzed it or broken it down that much. Though I've read it 3 times, I
don't have a favorite part of the book.
From Michele ([email protected]): What *didn't* I like most! CV
is such a great feisty character, the plot is so plausible and
fascinating! I particularly appreciated the way Neville dealt with the
historical characters - her characterisation of famous figures never
seemed to jar (as is often the case when "real people" are introduced into
fiction. The plot was totally gripping. Excuse the shouting, but BRING
ON THE SEQUEL!!!
From Arturo Marquez ([email protected]): the story and all the
facts that Catherine Neville use to connect all the people and the places
were they had been
From Javier Fernandez ([email protected]): So many elements
From [email protected]: The author's incorporation of historical facts
into the story, as well as the way she extrapolated from historical facts
to come up with this wonderful fantasy. For example, historically, it is
known that Charlotte Corday killed Jean Paul Marat. The way she wove
Corday into the story, exchanging Mireille's character as the killer, and
then having them make a switch in prison was all very clever. That she
managed to do this credibly throught the book is a testament to her depth
and breadth of knowledge and wit.
From Megan ([email protected]): Everything!
From Karen ([email protected]): I enjoyed the intertwining stories as well
as the fact that it was rooted in history. I also like the double
entendres (sp?)
From Cecilia ([email protected]): Everything
From [email protected]: the complexity of the two storylines -- the search
for truth
From Dianne ([email protected]): The majesty of the
storyline. So epic and yet simple to follow. It grabbed me hook, line
and sinker. I liked especially how one was constantly tantalised through
the flitting from century to century, the underlying romance wrapped up
cleverly in the chemistry of characters, plot and mystery.
From Lee Fleisher ([email protected]): The heroine was smart and
acted like a normal woman would. I liked the original characters. As a
chess fan, I liked that aspect as well.
From [email protected]: the intricate storyline and strangely
believable premise
From Derek Phillpotts ([email protected]): Neville's portrayal of the
roles of the historical figures she pens in 'The Eight'. Since my
recollections of most of these figures is somewhat 'misty', I am planning
to go back and review and research some of their accomplishments and the
role's they played on our histories. I attribute this to renewal directly
to Nevilles captivating writing style. Also of note, besides the whole
chess treatment, I also found Nevilles introduction of the Freemason
Society to be equally engaging.
From Carolyn Fuleihan ([email protected]): The story - I have
read this book many times. It is a 'desert island' book
From Wendy M. Poll ([email protected]): The way the author combined
historical facts and scenarios with the present.
From Julia ([email protected]): I love how you learned throughout
the book. This book was also a "thinking" book where the reader had to be
involved in the book. Everything has a meaning! I also loved the
characters--how could you not?! The brave heroines are fantastic too.
There is also the romance . . . sigh.
From Megan Bohse ([email protected]): Neville describes chess
with a depth not found by most authors. Less "romance novely"
protagonist.
From [email protected]: History
From [email protected]: Too hard to answer. One of the best
books I've ever read . . .
From Erin ([email protected]): The puzzle within a puzzle/story within
a story. Who wouldn't be drawn into a book that keeps wrapping around
itself and divulges more historic truths than any grad student's
disertation?
From Daniel ([email protected]): The complexity of the plot and the
way it shifted form one period to another. The way the clues all came
together to show what the Montglane Service had locked in it was really
cool.
From [email protected]: The mystery, the puzzle, how it was so confusing
but it all fit together at the same time. I loved trying to figure it out
and read ahead simultaniously
From [email protected]: the plot
From Vicki Adams ([email protected]): I loved the intricate plot
line, and especially the chess that was woven in. I also liked the
historical fiction that was intricatly woven into the present-day
plot.
From Aimee ([email protected]): The incredible amount of detail - not
only did it not weight down the story, it was accurate, which made it even
better (i have a ba in history, so anything historical and not dry is a
great find!)
From [email protected]: Mainly the intricate plots and the way she
incorporates deep, esoteric words in a reader-friendly way. And the
exotic places and insights esp. with the deciphering cryptic messages were
truly a delight.
From [email protected]: Intelligent story line, smart female leading
characters, historical, a little romance but mostly, an adventure
mystery
From Janet ([email protected]): Have just started reading it.
From Shannon Wendt ([email protected]):
I didn't enjoy the romantic interludes too much. They were distracting
and I think they cheapened the book just a little bit.
From Marlene Kondelik ([email protected]):
Nothing I disliked.
From John Kondelik ([email protected]):
Can't think of anything except Marat.
From [email protected]:
Since today everything is allright!
From Irina Klein ([email protected]):
Nothing at all!
From J.E. ([email protected]):
Not really a dislike, but I found the ending almost anti-climactic.
From Catherine ([email protected]):
Some of the "tales" got a little slow.
From Chris Hoare ([email protected]): The jumping backwards
and forwards wa extremely frustrating the first time through the book.
Also, the ending was a little vague, I would have preferred something
more definitive
From Karen ([email protected]):
I was sorry the book had to end. Can't think of a thing I didn't like.
It is one of the books I consistently recommend to friends.
From Kat ([email protected]):
Some of the discription of the Women rampaging the streets of Paris was
horric to read. Really violent and you can picture it so clearly what was
happening.
From Chip De Atley ([email protected]): nothing
From [email protected]:
The fictious ending! I was a little sudden, and too obvious.
From Jeff King ([email protected]): No sequel (so far)
From Denise Whitmire ([email protected]):
I hated when I finished it! I've re-read it about 8 times now, and always
hate it to end! I also thought it would have been nice if Catherine drank
the elixer herself. And maybe she could do a sequel??
From Victoria (vpeck@cyberion com): Not a thing!
From Safilo ([email protected]): Nothing
From [email protected]: Not really.
From Nori ([email protected]): nothing at all!
From Kristin Smagula ([email protected]): The is no sequel
From [email protected]: It was over too soon.
From Zenobia ([email protected]): There isn't a sequel.
From Andrew ([email protected]): nope
From Jeana ([email protected]): I didn't
particularly like the bouncing back and forth between centuries.
From Michele ([email protected]): Yeah - the fact that it
ended.
From Arturo Marquez ([email protected]): to have an end.
From [email protected]: That it ended.
From Karen ([email protected]): it ended...... nad she only wrote one
other book (which was not as good)
From Cecilia ([email protected]): In some times is confused
From Dianne ([email protected]): There was nothing.
From Derek Phillpotts ([email protected]): No! This book was
captivating from the outset. She rivals Guy Gavriel Kay for storytelling
The only regret is that the sequel still seems to far away! How does CV
ensure the disposition of the 'Montglane Service'? Which characters
return and what role do they play? These questions need answers which I
eagerly await!
From Carolyn Fuleihan ([email protected]): nothing
From Wendy M. Poll ([email protected]): Hummmm, perhaps only the
ending ----a bit.
From Julia ([email protected]): Sometimes it got too complicated.
So I had to read it over and over again so I could understand everything :
o)
From Megan Bohse ([email protected]): Sometimes the switch
between time periods.
From [email protected]: Nothing.
From Erin ([email protected]): Some of the language struck me as
slightly stilted. You know, some of the romance language from Mireille's
story and some of the dialogue from Catherine's story. Just a little
dated, I felt. But I pass it by and keep on reading...
From Daniel ([email protected]): Nothing.
From [email protected]: zip
From Vicki Adams ([email protected]): It was a trifle confusing,
but that is not something I necesarily disliked. I just felt like it was
quick moving, and I had a little bit of trouble keeping up.
From Aimee ([email protected]): That it ended!
From [email protected]: The first chapter in the Eight and in Magic
Circle is deep and complex and many friends I give the book to - lose
interest...and quit reading too soon.