in a show with everything, but Yul Brynner" - One Night in Bangkok from Chess
The Eight by Katherine Neville focuses heavily on the chess world, and, indeed, Yul Brynner is one of the few famous names that does not show up. Throughout this novel we see interactions between Neville's created characters and
- Catherine the Great, czarina of all the Russias
- Talleyrand
- Robespierre
- William Blake
- William Wordsworth
- Napoleon
- Benedict Arnold
- Muammar Qaddafi
Those who are included as off-stage personages include: Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, and Bach.
What do all of these folks have in common? The search for the Montglane Service, the chess set that was gifted to Charlemagne by the Moors. The search for the pieces, and the secret they contain, stretches across the centuries from medieval times to 1973. This is an epic story, and I was quite impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into the production of its 598 pages.
This book was an adventure, a mystery, a bit of supernatural/sci-fi, numerology, mythology and featured strong female characters. Although some of the "loose ends" are tied up a bit too conveniently (i.e. contrived, in my view), the book itself is an absolute page-turner. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads, mainly based on the research involved in integrating all of the myths, history, math, and chess knowledge.
The quote that titles this post was referenced in the book, and resonated with me. Originally found in The Arabian Nights, it seemed to me to be related to the saying "It's not the destination, but the journey." And many people do believe also that the hunt is more interesting than the final outcome. If that's your view of life as well, read The Eight; it will expand your mind.
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