Anonymous
Posted March 8, 2013
The first novel of the Seven Point Eight series is a stunning beginning to an epic tale that spans generations. Readers will become lost in the story of Paul Eldridge, a knowledgeable but lonely professor who meets his counterparts in the characters of Max Richardson and the mysterious Tahra. The book is a chillingly beautiful tribute to the genre of sci-fi, and left me stunned. I feel as if I am now on a quest for the higher knowledge of what lies beyond life as we know it.
As a person with an interest in the psychic arts, the opening scene in the mental institution captured my interest immediately. One wonders whether illnesses of the mind are the handicaps they appear to be, or if some are indeed a manifestation of a more acute sense of attenuation to an alternate world.
The story is richly textured in its prose, and detailed in its explanations. The voice of the author comes across clearly in this well-written novel. Those who are interested or simply curious about astral projection, psychic abilities, and the advancement of science MUST READ this novel. I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series.
notrow1
Posted February 8, 2013
I have been meaning to read this book since it was first released back in May. In fact, it's been sitting on my Kindle since then! I have since mentally kicked myself for not reading it sooner, because I loved it!
Dr Paul Eldridge is a fascinating character. He is a scientist, physicist and quantum theorist. He has a keen and sharp mind. I liked this character very much. He is very charming and unassuming, and is very kind. However, he is also dedicated to his research. What he finds out in his quest to measure the soul will totally reshape his understanding of the universe, and have far reaching consequences in the future.
This is a fabulous science fiction story! I struggled to put it down! I'm interested in science, and in all the big questions that everyone has asked for millennia. Are we alone, or is there life on other planets? Are there other dimensions? What are the other planets in the universe like? Do we have a soul? If we do, what happens to it when we die?
This book attempts to answer some, if not all these questions and more. Although it is a work of science fiction, there is a lot of science fact written into this most interesting story. The subjects mentioned in the book seem to have been thoroughly researched by the author, and can be a bit technical for the layman, but gives the story an authentic and original feel. There are a lot of different characters in this story, and also different timelines; there are also different points of view from some of these characters, who come alive in the telling of this tale. Having these time differences, you would think it would be confusing. However, I found myself caught up in the drama as it unfolded. As I was following Ava and Sam, I was wondering what Paul and the others were up to, and visa versa. The story ends on a cliffhanger that has me wanting to find out what's going to happen next!
Marie Harbon has written an intriguing "what if" piece of science fiction that made me think long and hard about why we (and all other life on Earth) are here, and what our purpose on this world could be. There is no easy answer. And, until we (as curious explorers of science and space) can find proof of life after death, different dimensions or life on other planets, we will continue to pose these questions for millennia to come.
I highly recommend this book if you love science fiction. - Lynn Worton
eternalised
Posted September 6, 2012
It doesn’t happen often that one comes across a book as detailed and well-researched as Seven Point Eight. This book left me stunned. Dazed. The amount of new information I’d just absorbed kept throbbing in my head like a dull headache. This book offers a myriad of information, without getting too informational. It’s a brilliant mix of science-fiction, mystery, suspense, romance and fantasy. Fantasy and science collide, and it makes an intriguing mix. I can’t wait to read more from this author, and from this series.
What I thought was the best part about this book for me, was the use of science to explain fantasy. Take a step back in time, to the sixteenth century. If you told a sixteenth century villager that in a couple of hundred years, people would be flying through the skies, they’d probably cry out ‘witchcraft’ and condem you to the stakes. Now we have airplanes crossing vast distances. We have Curiosity going to Mars. What Marie Harbon describes in Seven Point Eight is still fiction, but that doesn’t mean that parts of it may not turn out to be true decades from now. It’s definitely a fascinating concept to think about. A professional scientist, Dr. Paul Eldridge, is hired by a rich entrepreneur named Max, who is using psychics from all over the world to help the English government in uncovering secrets from various other countries. Max’ influence changes Paul in a way that isn’t entirely good. He soon leaves behind his ultimate goal of finding the unknown, and turns to money, women and drugs. When he’s finally starting to find himself again, we get to meet another protagonist, Tahra, a young and gifted psychic who Max brought to their falicity to help them with their research.
I’m not sure which main character I liked the most. They’re all unique and different in their own way, and each one plays an important part in the story. What I didn’t like that much is that large chunks of the story are told from secondary character’s POVs. I would’ve probably liked it better had the story stuck to its original protagonists – I’d have a better way to look into their heads then. Of all protagonists, I had most trouble with Tahra. It’s not that I didn’t like her, I just couldn’t connect with her. I found her intriguing, with her mixed heritage, her studious background and her quick wit, but I didn’t like her.
The general consensus for this book is that it’s very intellectual. I love that, but some people might not. The story unfolds over several years, and most chapters mention at least one or two historical events that took place that year. That was probably my favorite part of the entire book, besides how much I learned from it. I got to watch history unfold on those very pages, and it was a great experience. There is no real action in this book though. There’s action here and there, but most battles are fought intellectually. Like I said, it may not be for everyone, but I definitely enjoyed it.
If you want something different that deals with the clash of science-fiction and fantasy, look no further. If you want something intellectual, with vibrant, new ideas and rich, compelling protagonists, look no more. Seven Point Eight is an excellent choice. Give it a try. You may end up being as blown away as I am!
dreamer2229
Posted May 25, 2012
This book has a lot of technical scientific information combined with mystical ideas. It is a unique mix of technology and fantasy. The story is somewhat difficult to follow as it is told from the point of view of different people, but it is not always easy to tell who is talking.
I am still unsure of my reaction to this book. It certainly made me think. At times I was uncomfortable; and at other times I was profoundly intrigued. I think this is a book that I will have to re-read to fully process.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.
AnastasiaVPergakis
Posted April 5, 2012
This book was a very intense read. With so much specifics into quantum physics it can be easy to get lost in. However, the real trouble I had with this book was how jumpy it was between points of view and even decades. I often had to reread the beginning of a section over again to realize whose story I was reading. The story also breaks up between 3rd person narrative and what seems like a personal diary account from the characters themselves. I did think it was an interesting touch that added some great insite into the characters, but it was just a little abrupt in delivery.
In essense, this is almost two stories molded into one. One story, that follows Ava, takes place in the 1980's and beyond a hidden (and unexplained) clue at the very end of the book, I have no idea how she relates to the other story (the real meat of the story it seems) that takes place in the 50's and 60's, with the characters Paul, Tahra, and Max. I wish Ava's story had continued as it simply stopped but I do know that this is the first in a series so I'm sure she will return and readers will learn how she relates to Paul, Max, and Tahra. All of the characters were developed well, in backstory and progression.
Now, despite all that, I did enjoy reading this book. No doubt the author put extensive research into the story as there is so much scientific detail. While sometimes it felt the science dragged the story with long monologues of explanation, at the same time, it helped me to understand the later events that related to it.
There wasn't a lot of 'action' in the book, the tension coming from the "unknown" factor, playing well against the emotional state of the characters. I do look forward to reading more of this series to find out more about the characters and how the story ends.
Very different, unique book. I had a difficult time writing this review. I don't usually like books that require me to re read passages over and over before I understand, but I'll make an exception with this book. I kept rereading because I WANTED to understand everything that was happening. I didn't want to miss a thing! ( I was never a fan of quantum physics.) This book has enough twisty turns to keep everyone scratching their heads with questions. We go back and forth in time.
The characters are very interesting, some more so than others. I really liked the character of Tahra, a psychic who becomes caught in a bizarre love triangle.
I think this book was very well written. The author made an attempt to ensure everyone could understand most of the science or at least have enough of an understanding to figure out what was happening. Despite my reservations about this book, I really liked it. It is the first in a series.
Seven Point Eight has to be one of the most fascinating reads I've come by in quite a while. I do not say this lightly. The range of this book was quite impressive because not only did it tackle science, but it mixed science fiction with both fantasy and paranormal elements which was quite a surprise for me. Why? because it worked. It's always risky to mix several genre's and sub-genres together but for this book, the execution was flawless. Seven Point Eight is quite the captivating story from start to finish.
What's great about Seven Point Eight is that even if it is a Sci-Fi book at it's core, the scientific terminology never overwhelms the reader or the story, for that matter. The plot and character development in this book are never sacrificed for the sake of including science in the story. I felt like the writing was balanced and that the author did her best to have a well rounded book, considering the mixed themes within this book such as science and spirituality.
The character development in this book was rather fantastic and gripping because at the heart of this story, are the lives of the main characters and their search for truth in this universe; be it through scientific or spiritual means. Loved Paul, Sam and Ava. Max was also a favorite, not because of his likeability but because of how mysterious and intriguing he was despite his debaucherous and womanizing behavior. Tahra was also a delight to read, she had such a singular and diverse background and was a very smart, yet determined female lead.
The plot in this book was something rather unique. The book starts out with the premise of measuring the soul in scientific terms. And as the story evolves, you soon find yourself in a world with people with psychic abilities. Extreme science experiments. Travels to space and other dimensions of the universe through unique means. And to add to that, the author takes us through the eras of the 40's, the 60's, 80's & the 90's. Always being subtle about historical facts but always making each era very vivid and real to the reader.
The cliffhanger was quite amazing and as an added bonus there is romance included within the story.
My opinion: Read this book. It is quite captivating and intelligently written. Definitely could appeal to fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, Dan Brown books, fans of the Jodie Foster film "Contact" and anyone who loves X-Men.
Side Note - There is quite a lot of adult content in this book (many references to sex and drugs) but the cast of characters in this book is so diverse and vast, that there are story-lines and characters that will appeal to every age range from young adult to adult.
Rating: 4.5/5
This book was very interesting. It seemed like a slow start in the beginning, but the further I got into it, the more into the book I became.
I'll be honest, the scientific aspect of the book kind of threw me for a loop. I was horrible at science while in school and I felt like I was reading a text book. The book itself wasn't text book-like, it was just my unfortunate lack of science retained from school.
I found the paranormal aspect of the book very interesting. I enjoyed the testing of the characters, finding out what each character could do and how they were significant to the storyline. The characters in this book are very well written and thought out, and it honestly seems like you're reading about real life people. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and learning more about who they were and what they were doing.
Oh, I also loved the author's little note at the end of the book.
"Woo hoo! Congratulations on reading the first chronicle of the five! You may now perform a happy dance!"
Who wouldn't love that?
4.5 stars.Wow! I'm completely stunned and speechless this completely blown me away! it reminded me of the time when I was studying physics and other life sciences.. I like how very intellectual the characters are, how they managed to tackle their dilemmas, the queries they asked each other, about the future, research, analysis and so on are answered in the most intriguing and full of wisdom manner. Which left me craving for more! all these being psychic stuff made me feel to really trust my instincts/guts/hunches whatever you call it these days this made me think even more than life and throughout life. Everything was so greatly executed.
The story that revolved around this is so fantastically laid out that took years of life and research in order to complete their findings which of course proved that something is definitely out there beyond reach but somewhere along the way they just can't lay a finger on it until the end A-HA!. It also has a couple of adult content and the characters I adore because of their unique qualities and weird personalities I love Tahra she's very mature, wise and sweet.. however Paul, was quite my favorite he's very devoted & smart though there are times he knows what he's not suppose to do but he did during those situations I dwelled and get so caught up in his thoughts I felt the time crunch, fatigue he's been through..he made so many brilliant discoveries, research and equipments that would made it possible to prove his work but of course there are things that science just could not prove not just yet.. It's hard but that what made this so great in the right time it will all unfold!a very believable and promising book a great way to start the series.I'm really impressed with all their amazing journey besides that there are parts that made me cry while reading this..certainly after all the sudden twist and turn of events I certainly want to read more of this series!I must say very well done and good job to Madam Marie Harbon the bibliographies are surely worth checking out as well they're all very interesting.
Icecream18
Posted August 21, 2011
This is a great science fiction book for those interested is mind power/control. The main characters, Max, Tahra, and Paul, are embroiled in a project that allows one to project his/her consciousness to different areas of the world as well as, they soon find out, outside of this Earth. Tahra is the character who is able to carry out this incredible feat. The reader will enjoy exploring the author's idea of different planets in both our and other solar systems; Tahra sees new "entities" and meets the ultimate entity, angel like entities, at the very end of the book.
There is also a different part to this novel, one concerning romance. Max is a womanizer, he isn't a character one would expect to be faithful. He does the nasty with several women-partly out of sexual frustration at Tahra's refusal. He repeatedly attempts to secure a relationship, going so far as to offer marriage, to Tahra. Tahra, who is very inexperienced and more mature, repeatedly refuses...she wants more from a partner. Paul is much older than Tahra, two decades to be exact; however, he is much nicer and is drawn to Tahra, despite his relationship with another woman.
The characters vary in their likableness. The reader will most likely enjoy Tahra's character, she is both smart and sweet; however, the reader will not find Max's character nearly as palatable. The plot is unusual, different, and in part, pure science fiction. The reader may have to reread several passages in the book to make absolutely sure he/she understands the concepts acknowledged in the book. This book was a quick read for containing so many chapters, the book would be great for young adult/adult readers who enjoy science fiction with a hint of romance.
