‘When Eight Bells Toll’ Book Review

When Eight Bells Toll is a thriller novel from the master of suspense Alistair MacLean. It is the book I shall review today. Although not one of his more popular works, When Eight Bells Toll clearly highlights some of MacLean’s best skills, as you shall know as you read on. Rest assured, this one entertains. However before we get on with the review, here is a little more about the author.

About the Author:

Alistair MacLean was born in 1922. He grew up in the Scottish Highlands. His father was a Scot minister. In 1941, when he was eighteen years old, he joined the Royal Navy. For two and a half years, he served aboard a cruiser; it later gave him the background and idea to write his first novel, an outstanding documentary of war at sea – the bestseller HMS Ulysses. After World War II, he applied for and received an English Honours degree at Glasgow University, after which he became a school master. In 1983, he received a D.Litt. from the same university.

His writing skills landed him the title of one of the top-ten bestselling authors in the world, and the top selling Briton, by 1970. He is one of the most popular writers of the 20th Century. His most popular novels The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, and Ice Station Zebra have been turned into films. Apart from these, he wrote twenty-five bestsellers which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. Alistair MacLean died in 1987 at his home in Switzerland.

When Eight Bells Toll Book Review:

‘When Eight Bells Toll’ is a 1966 thriller novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. It is set in the remote sea lochs of the West Highlands of Scotland during the Cold War. ‘When Eight Bells Toll’ narrates the adventures of Philip Calvert, a British Treasury agent, who is sent to investigate the hijacking of a shipment of gold bullion. As his investigation proceeds, he discovers that the hijackers are incredibly clever, almost too clever for him.

Calvert is a world-weary and cynical man who has seen a little too much in his life. He is a skilled and resourceful investigator, and soon begins to uncover a web of intrigue and deception woven by the criminals. The hijackers are ruthless and dangerous, and they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

As Calvert gets closer to the truth, he finds himself in danger from all sides. He is pursued by the hijackers, the police, and even his own government. His sense of justice and a promise made to an old Scottish Highlander are all that is there to motivate him. With only an RAF helicopter, Calvert surveys the desolate countryside like a lone eagle hunting for prey. Despite the odds, Philip Calvert decides to see the case through to the end, no matter what the cost.

When Eight Bells Toll is a classic thriller novel that is full of suspense, action, and intrigue. MacLean’s writing, as always, is vivid and atmospheric. He brings the remote Scottish Highlands to life. So beautifully does he describe the settings, that one can feel the cold, salty drizzle, and the bone-penetrating chill of the winds of the Scottish Highlands. And soon after, the melancholy of the place enters the reader and takes a grip of them too. MacLean has developed the characters well. The plot is full of twists and turns. The villains are portrayed so well, that I could even feel the creeping sensation of disgust in my body as I read. Alistair MacLean’s abilities of description are at their best here.

However, there are a couple of minor things that I did not take a fancy to. Firstly, in some places the description becomes a little too vivid. This momentarily distracts the readers and eases the suspense. The plot very clean in terms of its facts. No one steps out of their character, and everything is logically possible. But the action scenes have a touch of the James Bond in them – a little too much luck for the hero.

Nevertheless, if you are an experienced reader of thrillers, you will understand that such elements are natural and mostly forgivable. If you are a fan of thrillers, then you will enjoy When Eight Bells Toll. It is a fast-paced, exciting novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It is must-read for lovers of thrillers.

Outro:

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