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When Eight Bells Toll
Alistair MacLean Book Review

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Plot Summary of When Eight Bells Toll
"British secret agent Phillip Calvert battles modern-day pirates as searches for hijacked bullion ships in the Scottish Highlands.

He is aided (and hindered) in his quest by fellow secret agent Hunslett, aging spymaster Uncle Arthur and former actress Charlotte Skouros. But his requests for help from the local community are constantly thwarted. What is the secret the citizens of Torbay are hiding, and what has it to do with a Greek shipping tycoon and his mysterious associates.

British secret agent Phillip Calvert battles modern-day pirates as searches for hijacked bullion ships in the Scottish Highlands.

He is aided (and hindered) in his quest by fellow secret agent Hunslett, aging spymaster Uncle Arthur and former actress Charlotte Skouros. But his requests for help from the local community are constantly thwarted. What is the secret the citizens of Torbay are hiding, and what has it to do with a Greek shipping tycoon and his mysterious associates."

Scott Crawford, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of When Eight Bells Toll
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story: - 1960's-1970's
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Water adventure Yes
Water: - pirate attack!
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - spy
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - British
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
The antagonists are: - gangs
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Water? Yes
Water: - sail boat - swimming on - scuba under - drowning
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths? - 5-7
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to When Eight Bells Toll
Jaws by Peter Benchley
The Captains Marshall: A Promise of Freedom by Catherine R. Donaldson
Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
The Length of the World by Charley Brindley
The Amateur by Robert Littell


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Alistair MacLean Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
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