Seven Point Eight: The First Chronicle

7.8 #1

by Marie Harbon

Seven Point The First Chronicle kick starts a seven part series. 
BRAND NEW EDITION!

If you had special abilities to travel out of body, where would you go? How far could you go? What would secret organisations do with these abilities? 

Tahra had a troubled childhood being different, but she always knew she was destined for something special. Her abilities manifested at a young age but when Max Richardson brings her to London to undertake psychic contracts at his research facility, her life changes irrevocably. However, her true power becomes apparent on meeting physicist, Dr. Paul Eldridge, and she becomes an integral part of his ground-breaking project. What they discover challenges their understanding of the universe, yet this is only the beginning...

Written in the style of a TV series, Seven Point Eight draws together psychic powers, parallel dimensions, time travel, past lives, ancient wisdom, quantum physics, drama, romance and conspiracy in a soap opera for the soul.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Ebooks, Young Adult, Paranormal, Amazon, Fiction

456 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Marie Harbon is a British speculative fiction writer who likes to dabble with themes of epic proportions. She loves to create character driven fiction and finds the human race both fascinating and frustrating. Her books have underlying spiritual themes and range from science fiction to dystopians, and from paranormal fantasies to high octane adventures.

In the past, she has been a fitness instructor and college lecturer, but now she focuses on teaching English as a foreign language, writing and editing. She currently lives in Spain although she has also resided in The Czech Republic and Slovakia, where she taught English and travelled around Europe.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intelligent, unique and intensely detailed, Marie Harbon’s SEVEN POINT EIGHT: THE FIRST CHRONICLE is quite a reading experience. Filled with deeply detailed characters, strange experiences and will leave readers asking themselves, “could this be?”

Peppered with personalities that live in excess, from drugs to sex to what they study, this is a reading journey not to be taken lightly, so rest up and prepare to be bombarded from all directions with some pretty intriguing ideas, from science to life.

I found that this may have been too much mental work for me today in its chaotic presentation and I just couldn’t fall in love with all aspects, even though this IS well-written, just not my cup of tea!

I received a complimentary copy from Books Go Social! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Series: 7.8 - Book 1
Publisher: Magnetic Lion Productions; 3 edition (November 10, 2013)
Publication Date: November 10, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction
Print Length: 432 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Point Eight is a wild sci-fi ride, courtesy of author Marie Harbon. I contacted Marie a long time ago (I’m so sorry for the delay Marie!) in response to her request for reviewers which was kindly put out by Kate at Reads, Reviews & Recommends back in August. My review copy was provided free of charge by the author.

As I have no doubt mentioned once or twice before (teehee), I LOVE science fiction. I especially love science fiction written by women – which is often in short supply. So when I saw that Marie had a “volume 1” (hooray, a series!) book about quantum physics and the mysterious number – the eponymous 7.8 – that underpins all the mysteries of the universe, I was immediately intrigued. I read the sample on Amazon.com and knew it’d be one I’d enjoy.

And I was right.

Yay, me!

Seven Point Eight is a great big bear of a book in the best possible way. It weighs in at a pleasantly substantial 460+ pages – and every page is chock-a-block full of quantum theory, wildly idiosyncratic characters, out-of-body experiences, weird occurrences, and loose ends, all of which are tied together with a fanciful yet plausible conception of the grand unifying theory underlying the world around us. Oh yeah, and there’s some sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll thrown in for kicks.

Hooray, she said!

There are some slightly confusing elements. There are a few characters introduced – and heavily involved – in the initial chapters that then disappear for much of the remainder of the book. The narrative shifts between third person and first person throughout the course of the story, and the narrator-journal dichotomy sometimes required a paragraph/two before I caught up on the shift. Without the textual cues – the first person portions are in regular print, the third in italics – I would have found them much more confusing because the shifts in perspective sometimes occur with the same characters, mid-situation.

The story is a cliff-hanger in the best possible way. You are thrown a curve ball at the end that serves as a great set-up for the next installment in the chronicle. When I first reached the end, the curve threw me; in hindsight, I realize it was alluded to ever so slightly in earlier sections of the book, through events/explanations whose importance was understated at the time. These allusions only heightened my suspense and left me with a greater “hmm, where WILL it go next?!” sense than I originally had – a very good thing, to my mind.

Now I just have to wait for the next book… Grr. Argh.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A physicist, Paul Eldridge goes to work for Max Richardson. Before going to work for Max, Paul worked at a university teaching physics. Max has hired for Paul to research what he the human soul is. Max hires people with special talents such as telepaths, mediums, psychics and remote viewers. Paul will be working with these people. Paul ends up with one remote viewer, Tahra to first explore the solar system as he has always thought it was a much safer option than going in a rocket ship. He was also curious about the planets. Max has Paul build a special machine for Tahra and a team of people for the answers Max wants to get for his bosses.

It is a book that combines science and fantasy. The story engaged me so that I thought about what would happen next. It also made me wonder about what is being learned about the planets in our solar system. The story has romance, science, fantasy, mythology and a hidden mystery. It’s is the first book of a series. The ending is a cliffhanger!

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Kereesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

***A thank you to Darcus Murray from Starcrossed for allowing me to obtain a copy through their giveaway***

Seven Point Eight is a scifi novel about the use of psychic powers in order to transcend not only physical but worldly boundaries. At its core, however, Seven Point Eight is about people, and the community of people within this novel who use their powers at the expense of their own lives to discover and explore the world around them. Spanning decades of time, switching between multiple POVs, and leaving just enough hints as to where the story is going next, Seven Point Eight is really the beginning of a chronicle of adventures spanning space, time, and multiple dimensions.

Reading Seven Point Eight was a challenge for me. I think the problem with my experience with the novel was that while I remained interested in the plot, the world, and all the fun scifi stuff that was going on, I could not get past its execution, and, sadly, that's what stopped me from actually being able to connect with the characters, or get inside the world the author had created.

Concept alone, Seven Point Eight is wonderful. Its quite original, and there's an obvious amount of planning and creating that's gone on behind the world and the science (Holy DEAR FREAKING GOD THE SCIENCE!) the author used as a foundation to fun psychic powers stuff she's playing with. And I liked that. I really liked that. I thought it was interesting the way the author was able to pull in historically events, psychic experiments, and even shamanism into this novel, and make it into something I, at the very least, hadn't seen before. And, though I have to admit I found the knowledge the author brought into play daunting, I never got too confused with the concepts she was talking about.

But, and this is where reading Seven Point Eight became challenging, while I enjoyed the amount of dedicated research and information the author gave us regarding the science part of her novel, the research side to the different decades and times she was talking about turned me off. Maybe it's because I'm a history major, but whenever I was introduced to a span of time that not only talked about the worldly events, but the cultural (films and music) part of that time, I felt jarred and out of place. I don't know if it was just me, I don't even know if other readers experienced this, but for me it just didn't flow with the novel, and it was one of the aspects of Seven Point Eight that prevented me from getting into the world the author had created.

In terms of the plot and characters, I both liked and disliked different parts/people of each. The plot is a very slow build-up, allowing us to see the progression of the group of psychics who are working on the project, and the project itself as Paul (our main character for the majority of the novel) slowly discovers the ways in which to use the psychic abilities of the Institute. Later on, the plot picks up once Tahra becomes involved in the experiments, and things get really rolling. For me, I wasn't utterly entranced by the slow build-up at the beginning of the novel. I'm an action girl, sadly, and the slow beginning didn't grab my attention the way the plot did later on. Of course, that could be because Tahra was my favorite character, and once she showed up I got a bit more consumed by what was happening.

The characters were a bit of a mixed bag for me. The two I really enjoyed reading about were Tahra, and Ava, but sadly both of them were either introduced later in the story or had only small parts to play (Ava in this case). I liked Paul, and everyone else enough, but never felt the connection I had with Tahra and Ava. The one character I absolutely could not stand was Max, which I think is understandable because he's an absolute ass not exactly the greatest guy. I also don't think I was happy about the characters especially because of the love triangle at the heart of the novel. (I won't spoil, so don't worry). It's a personal issue, but I'm not a fan of relationships between older (and I mean OLDER) men and young women. Don't ask me why, but it irks me for some reason.

Aside from all this, I'd like to mention the writing style, which I think was part of the reason why I couldn't enjoy this novel as much as I wanted to. And I'm sorry, but I can't really pin down why it bothered me while reading it. I'm not sure if it was too technical, too dry, or something else, but I just couldn't get into the writing style. For some reason I just couldn't connect with it, and it jarred me out of the book at moments as odd as that sounds. This could be because of, as I've mentioned, the references to cultural and historical events throughout the novel, I'm not sure, but I thought I should mention it to explain why I just couldn't get into the book.

All in all, Seven Point Eight is a very creative and interesting approach to the science fiction genre. It's got a very intriguing storyline that plays with multiple worlds and times with a group of equally intriguing characters. And while I couldn't get into the novel as much as I wanted to, I still am interested in finding out what happens next, and how the author is going to bring all the pieces she's laid out together. 2.5/5

[Paul DiBara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be rated: For Mature Readers Only. It contains several sexually explicit passages that it could easily have done without - or at least handled more sensitively.

Neither should the reader expect to feel satisfied at the conclusion of this rather lengthy work. It is a prequel that leaves the reader unsatisfied as, I suppose is the whole intent.

Having offered these criticisms it has some redeeming qualities. The story line is intriguing. The main character is, Tahra, a young Indian-English girl coming of age and discovering she has unique abilities but doesn't know what to do about them. Her father is overbearing and seeks, at all costs, to have his daughter married and living the life of a traditional Islamic wife, fully subservient to her husband. But she is brilliant and very ambitious and will do what has to be done to escape her father's plan.

Her apparent savior, a playboy and wealthy businessman and scientist, Max discovers and manages to bribe the father with money and promises to see that Tahra is educated but in a way that will safeguard her morals.

From this point her nontraditional education which focuses on her special ability to project her consciousness beyond her body and even the planet. One of Max's assistants, Paul, has designed a program perfectly suited to expand and enhance her talents. Tahro and the much older scientist and technician, Paul develop a powerful working and loving relationship.

Paul and Max have different goals. While Max is a businessman first an foremost, Paul's goal is to understand the meaning of life and consciousness. Tahra's abilities advance well beyond her innate talent of projecting her consciousness and with the genius of Paul's vision she begins to cross even dimensional barriers to the point where she suddenly begins to maintain a physical presence and even interact with alien beings.

With the help of Paul's machines she also has the power to take other variously talented peers with her. Her uniqueness is such that she learns that she is a special 'being' who has undergone numerous reincarnations in the past, but to what end she not told even by the end of the book.

Many unanswered questions remain by the books conclusion leaving the reader intrigued and mystified.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

My original post & review here: http://dreamreads.blogspot.com/2011/1...

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blurb:
Seven Point Eight: The most powerful number in the universe. The number that connects everything.


A physicist begins a quest to measure the soul but soon finds himself drawn into the world of the enigmatic Max Richardson, where research is sold to the military at the highest bid. However, he soon discovers another purpose when an extremely talented young psychic enters his life. He devises a project and builds a team to stretch the frontiers of exploration, only to make a reality-shattering discovery… The First Chronicle is the beginning of a 5 part epic which follows the spiritual and emotional journey of five people; their quest to understand the universe and our place within it. Along the way, they address the fundamental questions we all seek answers to: why are we here? What is the purpose of the universe? Is there a God? Quantum physics meets spirituality in a tale which begins in the 1940s, unfolds during the 1960s; an era of social and spiritual transformation and reaches its conclusion in the modern age. It interweaves the human dramas of love, betrayal, bitterness and above all, courage in a world where everyone must face their own dark shadow.


This novel is truly something different. Crossing decades and entering the murky waters of psychological powers and "fringe" science, Harbon has brought us a quest of some of life's toughest questions and made them her own. We begin our journey in the "roaring" forties and watch the tale unfold right up to the present day and meet an wonderful array of colourful characters who will delight and enchant the reader. This is only the first installment in what looks to be a stellar 5 part series and definitely one that is worth checking out. The plot will not only make you question in some respects your own beliefs, but have you theorizing on plenty of "what-ifs" and "maybes". The narrative does switch between third and first person, but in this case it has worked and adds an extra dimension to the story.


The Science stands on its own as a character and although some of the passages I found a little tough going; it shows the depth and quality of research on Harbon's part to bring the story to life. (Bear in mind this is coming from the girl who used to spend half of science class just trying to light the damn Bunsen burner let alone trying to remember which chemical was which- so you may not struggle at all ) And for those of you who can't do without a little dose of the romantic, there's a little something extra for you too. All in all this is the kind of novel to stretch the mind as it wraps you up and whisks you away on its adventure. So what are you waiting for? Go grab yourself a copy!


Seven Point Eight- The First Chronicle- Marie Harbon
ISBN:9781461072485
www.marieharbon.com

[Ella Medler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Point Eight surprised me, confused me, and then opened my mind. I am so glad it found its way onto my kindle. A word of warning: this is not a quick read and if you’re after Hollywood style action, gore and car chases, you’ll have to look somewhere else. If you need a fast-paced book to take your mind off your train journey or simply don’t want to think, this book is not for you.

I’m finding it hard to categorise this novel, mostly because it wouldn’t easily fit anywhere. It has a strong sci-fi undercurrent, but the characters live and interact in a normal way, in what we would perceive as the real world. Having said that, there are paranormal, fantastical threads combined with a highly imaginative take on scientific experimentation. Honestly, at the beginning I thought the author must have come from a scientific background, because of the terms used, the concepts explained and the ease of twisting all these yarns into the story.

The beginning is slow, but persevere and you will find a huge amount of satisfaction. The main plot centres around the age-old wish for acquiring some proof about the existence of the human soul, but that soon transgresses into the realm of non-physical exploration. Yes, they are big words, but even bigger ideas.

Have you ever read a story and thought ‘that’s exactly what’s going through my mind, only I’ve never managed to put it into words before’? No, me neither. Until now. Seven Point Eight is the sort of book that will poke you into thinking, and not just ‘what’s for dinner’, but the sort of deep thought modern humans have forgotten how to do. Let me give you an example. On the subject of time, a human being is told ‘You require it to function in your world, because you require a limited view of reality to survive.’ Think about it. As human beings, we are limited — not because we cannot think wider, but because we won’t. We’ve created our own limitations. The concept of time, the concept of space… we’re even trying to define infinity.

I have taken so much out of this book, I won’t ever forget it. Marie Harbon has an intelligent voice and Seven Point Eight is a cleverly written book. Ok, so it could have done with a little editing, and the secondary plot never did meet the main, but this is just book one of a series. I certainly want to see where the story goes. I need this sort of enlightening read, because it reminds me to slow down and gives me the chance to grow.

An intellectual read, but one that is accessible to anyone willing to open their minds, Seven Point Eight is well-deserving of a five star rating. Now on to the sequel…

[kimyunalesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Collette Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well-researched and very interesting read. While sci-fi is not my usual genre, I was completely caught up in this story as soon as it got underway. It begins with a bit of a science lesson, but in the process it sets the tone for Paul and his overwhelming desire to use his knowledge to advance science. By the end of the story, we see how powerful that drive really is. When Paul Eldridge is approached by the mysterious and wealthy Max Richardson, their lives become a web of research, friendship, mistrust, betrayal and admiration that add just the right amount of drama to the story. It culminates with the arrival of Tahra, the powerful psychic who is pursued by Max while she is pursuing Paul, and you are so caught up in the love triangle you can only hope she ends up choosing the man who loves her for who she is rather than what she can do for him.

Others have already commented on the length of the novel. I did not find it too long at all, for there was a lot of information to absorb. While the action took some time to arrive, the steady pace was again fitting for the tone of the story to be set. There is some summary in the story, where the main characters keep a journal. While not always necessary, it did help to allow for the decades to pass quickly. There is a lot of mystery in this story - for instance, who is Ava, her family and the other children the investigator is collecting information on? How are they connected to Max, Tahra and Paul? Considering their lives are set in the 1980s while the former three act out their research in the 60s, you know they are connected, but how? All of this information you suspect will come to light in the subsequent installments, and you are left with your curiosity peaked in just the right way. For a realistic sci-fi novel with just enough drama to keep you turning pages, look no further. This was a mind-opening, very interesting and imaginative read!

[Anastasia Pergakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Bill Thibadeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a licensed professional engineer so I have a strong math and science background. That is perhaps a negative because this book is a ethereal paranormal romp through space. The physical boundaries of science are ignored to fit the premise of this book. I must congratulate the author for her research into the sciences and physics in particular. She was able to interweave the physical and cerebral sciences into a compatible story. Who knows, maybe a few centuries in the future will prove the author to have been clairvoyant.

The writing style varies. I found the story to be very entertaining when it involved the primary characters, Tahara, Paul, and Max. The same is not true of the secondary characters. The story seems to be written in secondary character segments that give equal weights between the characters. I can only surmise that the secondary characters will become bigger players in the next four installments of the chronicle. That would be OK if the entire chronicle was complete thus allowing the reader to read through the work in its entirety.

At times I was very into the story. Other times it left me wondering what I was reading. I really gave it 3.5 stars because it will appeal to a particular genre of science fiction readers. I think the story would benefit from downsizing as it was far too wordy at times.

[Darcus Murray · Rating 2 out of 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?

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say I became totally immersed in this story and read it in two days. Metaphysics and science blended masterfully to create visually stunning imagery. Science and metaphysics run parallel in this book and makes you question your beliefs. Sometimes, intellectual books just put me off but this book was nothing like I had envisioned as I started reading it. Egyptian gods and goddesses appear in this book as well as other theological figures. Shamanism was introduced in this book and I found myself mesmerized. Shamanism is a subject that is near and dear to me and I liked how it was brought across in this book. There is also romance and passion for the romantic readers.

If you are seeker of metaphysical knowledge but still have a bit of skepticism, this is the book for you.

I give this book 5 stars and anxiously await the next installments of the series for the visual tapestry and the ability to make me test my boundaries of thinking.

[Karen Sherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great plot, well written, packed with physics but not too hard to follow. References to events and songs of the era allowed you to keep track of the timeline (as it jumps all over the place). It has more than a cliff hanger, it feels like it just stops mid sentence and leaves you trying to work out how all the pieces are going to fit together. Would have dropped it to 3.5 stars as there was a little too much time spent on sci fi description at the end but left it at 4 as the characters were so great!! Can't wait for the next book...

[Black Queen]

Nice book review on the the book, I really enjoyed it..and can't wait to read it!!:)

[Krizia Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. The first part was a bit dragging. I do not understand most of the terms or concepts used. Answers will not be given in this book, there will be no closure given.

[Craig Childs · Rating 2 out of 5]

“When you project your consciousness, you slip into theta wave state… The precise frequency at which your consciousness leaves your body is seven point eight hertz.”

“In the past, we have crossed over to your dimension, yet not every human could see us. Consciousness must vibrate at the primeval number, and those that could resonate at this frequency were regarded on your world as divine as the gods themselves.”

“Science would like to destroy God, but I believe it’s possible to prove the existence of the human soul, to comprehend consciousness and to unite quantum reality with the realm of mysticism.”

Paul is a quantum physicist studying the effects of electromagnetic forces on human bodies in postwar London. He theorizes that the same elemental force that prevents an atom from collapsing into itself is also responsible for what we perceive as consciousness…

Max heads a shadowy scientific research organization with deep pockets and dangerous ambitions…

Tahra is a half-Iranian, half-English beauty who demonstrates powers of ESP and astral projection…

Ava is trying to find her biological family in 1988. She is plagued by strange visions and a dangerous stalker…

This 2011 debut novel by Marie Harbon-Gruchelska is ambitious, its characters engaging. It has a throwback vibe, very much in the genre-spanning vein of the stories Heinlein, Clarke, and Van Vogt were writing in the 1940’s. Starting with quantum theory as its basis, the book gradually constructs a milieu wherein time travel, parallel dimensions, astral projection, aliens, reincarnation, and Egyptian mythology can all coexist.

Because self-awareness stems from electromagnetic impulses, this also allows the possibility that any body in the solar system that generates an electromagnetic field, such as a planet or a star, may also be, in some sense, sentient.

It is obvious the author is imaginative and talented. However, this is a journeyman effort, not a final product. It is a self-published novel by a first-time writer, and it has the flaws of a first book. Too many cliches. Too much exposition. Subplots that never pay off. A cliffhanger ending.

The story does not need to span fifty years and two generations of characters. The central ideas and conflicts could have been related in 250 pages and taken place over the course of weeks or months.

Some passages are awkward. For every exciting scene or conversation, readers also have to wade through muddled paragraphs like this:

“The place amplified her sense of being watched and every fissure, every crack in its stone structure seemed to haunt her, harboring some presence or aftershock. Walls appeared to have stark, non-human faces. Corridors seemed active with amorphous people passing through as if traversing a busy high street, even though the corridors were, in fact, empty. Light possessed a cosmic waltz of its own, dancing a cosmic waltz with the dark shadows.”

A note on the various editions: This novel was originally published in 2011 (this is the edition I purchased), then revised in 2017 (this is the edition I read thanks to Amazon’s automated updates). The author published a third edition in 2025 as Seven Point Eight: Beyond by K. M. Gruchelska.

A sequel is promised in November 2025.

[Danae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of these books where it would be great for tv, but if you are reading it and relying on your imagination you need a little more information. There were too many characters and I got lost on who was who between the transitions. The whole 10 % that I read was all tell and no show to the point I got so frustrated that I had to make myself stop before I said something I was going to regret. Also, I was starting to feel uncomfortable with the sex scene in the book like why was needed? What purpose does it show?
2 out of 5 stars

[Destiny Bridwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. The search for the human soul. That is very intense. This is the first part of a five part series and it is kind of hard hitting for a first book. The research and science they are doing with psychics and mediums is overwhelming at times. I feeling this book is about be awakened to information and knowledge long lost to people of the world. I think that is why I like to learn something new each day. This book has me wondering about a lot of things. There are a lot of emotions in these pages.

[Loves To Dive · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Using the vision of science, Seven Point Eight takes the reader on a journey through time spanning the 1940s when science was breaking new and glorious boundaries, through the wild and free sixties, and up to the modern age as seen through the eyes of three main characters: Max Richardson – the mastermind behind a number of “think tanks”, Dr. Paul Eldridge, brilliant young professor of quantum physics, and Tahra Mamoun. A beautiful woman with the exotic mixture of an English mother and Persian father, Tahra has the ability to project her mind to different places. These three different, yet oddly interrelated individuals, will meet and come together in an experiment that will set the world of physics and space into a tailspin. Along the way, each will have questions about their own humanity and the answers may not be what they expect.

Written mostly in first person narrative, the story leads us through time with a combination of diary entries and real time narratives given mostly by Max and Paul in the forties. Tahra joins them in the sixties, with chapters interspersed throughout told by characters from the 80s. The first part of the book gives us a lesson in quantum physics that can get technical, a little confusing, and I’ll admit I skipped over most of it. The underlying theme to Seven Point Eight is the question of whether there is indeed life outside our planet, and if there is such a thing as the human soul. The author manages to bring these two themes together under the guise of science and by making it a quest for Paul to discover the answer.

This is an extremely character driven book with a host of many varied and unusual people to get to know, possibly too many to keep up with at times. Max Richardson is a bit of a puppet master; he has many irons in many fires and is perceived to be just slightly on the shady side. He was hard to get to know and even harder to like, I’m not sure if this was by design or an accident on the author’s part, but I found him to be one of the most compelling of all the characters.

Dr. Paul Eldridge was an odd mix of scientist and philosopher; he believes completely in the truth of science, yet also questions the theory that there just might be a higher meaning to life. He is all about finding the answers and sometimes lets his pursuit of those answers get in the way of what is right and wrong. If there is a good guy in this book, I suppose Paul would be him but, like Max, he wasn’t always the easiest person to like. Tahra is a beautiful young woman who was raised in an odd mixture of strict Muslim and the coming of age morals of the sixties. For one raised as she was, she comes across as extremely self-centered and manipulative. I suppose I was meant to like her but I have to admit, she got on my nerves, and I never could build any kind of affinity for her.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I could have done without the lectures in quantum physics and science, but I easily skipped over them, and don’t think I lost anything about the feel of the book by doing so. There was a huge cast of characters, since this is meant to be an epic tale stretching out over a number of books that might work out in the end, but for this first book it felt a little overwhelming. I would have liked to have gotten to know more about some of the secondary characters but there just wasn’t time. There are a number of editing errors that should have been caught, they didn’t take away from the story, but they are there.

The jumping from one time to another was the biggest issue for me, I would get settled into one time period and bam, off I’d go to another time. This is never an easy thing for an author to pull off, when done properly it can be fun, not so much here, it was just confusing. I never get the reason for the 80s sections, although I’m pretty sure they are a set up for future books, I felt they took away from the story being told in this one. All my issues aside, this is a compelling story that, while at times difficult to read, did keep me interested and wondering what the future for Max, Paul, Tahra and company holds.

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

[Majanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog

In Seven Point Eight, we are introduced to a unique concept brought up of alternate realities centered on obsessive love.


As humans, we are always questioning our existence. We refuse to believe what can't be backed by evidence, so Seven Point Eight is an intriguing read for the fact that in a fictional way tries to create a way to explain the mystery. Dr. Paul Eldridge a highly-talented scientist is hired by Max Richardson who has all the resources Dr. Eldridge can need to feed his his interest in finding the unknowns of the world. Max introduces Paul to indulgences as well. It is soon that Max’s influence changes Dr. Eldridge in not an entirely good way. Just as Paul, gets used to his position as Max’s personal scientist there is an introduction of a world of psychics that Max personally finds from around the world and collects. Max not only is an entrepreneur but he searches for the mystery of life and existence. His array of psychics he uses to uncover secrets to help out the government of England to avoid dangers and predict world-centered issues. Psychics are well adapted to foretell and abstract all types of information. Max takes in one of the most powerful psychics yet, a girl, by the name of Tahra. She might be the key to unlocking a secret frequency that will allow them to see other worlds in space with very intriguing methods. The problem may not be how hard it is to unlock the key to the world’s mystery but the dangers it brings. Just another problem is that Tahra is a big distraction to not only Paul but very much to Max. She has managed to capture the attention of them both with her charismatic personality and exotic appearance. In the novel we see Tahra, Paul, and Max’s struggle through their complex relationships.
The high dangers lie more at times in that Dr. Eldridge, Max, and Tahra want to push the limits of research and discovery which as anyone knows is a dangerous line to walk on.


Seven Point Eight has a very intricate story which has a very pleasant pace to it. The novel is split into various point of views of characters in which some are more dominant than others. Even so, it isn’t disorienting in any way. Seven Point Eight is the first in a series. This being the 'First Chronicle'. It ends with an open ending to be picked up by its next Chronicle. This is a book that has a wide-reaching, intellectual exuding voice. It's a very impressive science fiction novel with romance anyone should pick up.
Overall: Amazing read!
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, Human Nature, Young Adult, Alternate Realities/Dimensions, Strong Sexual Scenes, Adult, Fantasy

[Kate Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read this review and others like it check out my site www.ufreviews.com

Ultimately this book has a great concept. It's very science fiction at it's core, that someone can find a way to project themselves to other parts of the world and then later, realizing they can do it to places as far away as other planets. There are other species if you will in the book, once again another science fiction element, and one done quite nicely. I didn't feel like anything was to contrived or didn't fit with the story.

As with most science fiction books there is almost always an element of science that the author portrays to the reader, to explain how the mechanics of the world the story takes place. I felt like in this book the author did a pretty good job explaining everything on a level that was decently easy to grasp even if you didn't do so well in high school physics.

That being said there were some confusion issues within the book. There were several times where I felt I had to go back and reread a couple of passages to makes sure I understood what was going on. I think it was partly a case of too much going on too quickly and partly a case of moving timelines. While the author does make an obvious effort to try and make it as easy as possible for readers to understand what is going on and when, I felt that sometimes it fell a little short.

There is also a romanic element in this book, one I very much appreciated, mainly because it added variety to the situations and kept the book from becoming to one directional. That being said I found Tahra to be way more likable than Max. There relationship felt rather forced by Max through much of the book. And when you add in Paul I have to say that while he is more likable as a character his situation makes things precarious at best.

Overall, I think this is a really intriguing concept, and it was decently executed by the author. I think there are a lot of elements which may have made it more difficult to make everything super easy for the reader to pick up on. I think if you like science fiction then this book should be a nice read for you, especially if you like a little romance in your science fiction.

[Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Point Eight is a great science fiction book about mind control. It's written in first person narration with a combination of journal entries and current time narrative. The author takes you to many different time periods with a variety of characters in each one.

This isn't a book for you if you want a book to read to take your mind off of things. You need complete attention and focus to comprehend everything. If you skip ahead you'll be confused since you travel from one place to another so quickly.

The first characters you are introduced to are Ava and her sister. Both Ava and her sister see things differently, some might even call them hallucinations. Later you're introduced to Ava's cousin, Sam who see's dead people.

Then suddenly you will be taken back in time. You meet Max, Tahra, and Paul who are involved in a project, that studies their consciousness projecting to another area of the world.

Max is a womanizer who you would never expect to be monogamous in a relationship. He gets around with many different woman, sometimes just because Tahra won't give it up to him. He even goes to the extent of asking her hand in marriage, but she still refuses. Tahra is also pursued by Max, who is twenty years older than her, but treats her better. Another complication to being with Max, is he's already in a relationship with someone else.

It sure does seem like the author went through a lot of research to be able to write a book about space and science. It's amazing how she integrates both into a series of novels. Reading through you'll find she invokes you to question deeper meanings to life. I do have to admit, I didn't need as many lectures in science and physics. What I didn't know, I ended up looking up. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing since it took my attention away from reading the book.

Ms. Harbon has a way with words that puts all your questions into words that can be vocalized and understood. You can understand her perfectly and she clearly has a great talent for writing science fiction novels. She definitely makes me crave more from this story line and I cannot wait until I start the next book.

[Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Point Eight is a great science fiction book about mind control. It's written in first person narration with a combination of journal entries and current time narrative. The author takes you to many different time periods with a variety of characters in each one.

This isn't a book for you if you want a book to read to take your mind off of things. You need complete attention and focus to comprehend everything. If you skip ahead you'll be confused since you travel from one place to another so quickly.

The first characters you are introduced to are Ava and her sister. Both Ava and her sister see things differently, some might even call them hallucinations. Later you're introduced to Ava's cousin, Sam who see's dead people.

Then suddenly you will be taken back in time. You meet Max, Tahra, and Paul who are involved in a project, that studies their consciousness projecting to another area of the world.

Max is a womanizer who you would never expect to be monogamous in a relationship. He gets around with many different woman, sometimes just because Tahra won't give it up to him. He even goes to the extent of asking her hand in marriage, but she still refuses. Tahra is also pursued by Max, who is twenty years older than her, but treats her better. Another complication to being with Max, is he's already in a relationship with someone else.

It sure does seem like the author went through a lot of research to be able to write a book about space and science. It's amazing how she integrates both into a series of novels. Reading through you'll find she invokes you to question deeper meanings to life. I do have to admit, I didn't need as many lectures in science and physics. What I didn't know, I ended up looking up. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing since it took my attention away from reading the book.

Ms. Harbon has a way with words that puts all your questions into words that can be vocalized and understood. You can understand her perfectly and she clearly has a great talent for writing science fiction novels. She definitely makes me crave more from this story line and I cannot wait until I start the next book.

[ILoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.co...

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.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long time ago, known as The First Time, individuals understood the Earth, the stars, and everything in between. The truth was the way of life, but over time all this was lost and forgotten, people had lost their ways. They walked almost asleep to the truth. Is it possible that although this may happen we can still remember the memory of everything we ever were? Can we re-connect to all that, again? Is it possible to awake our souls? What is the soul? How can we prove or explain what the soul is and where it exists, or how it exists? A physicist begins the quest to measure the soul. This story is EPIC, in a way that takes you through a VOYAGE of events. Multiple depth-ful concepts interconnecting with one another all surrounding the phenomenon of social and spiritual transformation.

There are some things to consider if you choose to read this book. Aside from the length, which by the way I think it's far lengthier than it needs to be, but that is only my opinion, there are quite a few impressive aspects of this book, many of which made the book very enjoyable for me (even if I did skip a few passages). The best part of this book for me was the background of science and physics and astronomy. I have a passion for these subjects to begin with, so it was easy for me to immerse myself in this book, but I did think that at times it was a little dense. Nonetheless, it is special in that way. You'll be mesmerized by all the things you will end up thinking about in terms of the universe, about the atoms and everything on earth, and most of all the meanings beyond the material forms (including the human form). There is also a conflict between science and spirituality. There is also religion, politics, cultural knowledge and spiritual knowledge of peoples across the globe. This book definitely makes you think about A LOT of things...

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Point Eight: The First Chronicle by Marie Harbon is unlike any other science fiction, paranormal, fantasy I have ever read. It mixes actual historical events which not only help establish the time line, it it is used to help validate the paranormal/science-fiction activities in the book. It also uses actual events to question what we perceive as reality all the while questioning and trying to answer fundamental questions, such as "does my life have a purpose?" Many of the questions asked throughout the story are ones that have been asked throughout time and scientists still try to prove today. Although this part clearly is not unique to only this book only, the way it is presented is. Including extensive talk of physics or should I say quantum physics, which was easy to follow. Clearly the author did extensive research before writing this book.

The main characters were believable and developed in varying degrees. I personally think the author did this on purpose trying to keep a bit of mystery around Tahra and not wanting the reader to know/connect with Max (at least until a later book). Despite this, I really like Tahra and the way she grew as a person throughout the story. Max is the type of guy I love to hate and I have a love-hate relationship with Paul.

Not only is there physics, there is mystery, romance, fantasy, and science fiction which seems like a lot in one story however the way the author mixed it, it resulted in a very interesting read at a nice pace. The balance between everything seems so natural and it never strayed from the plot although there were many twist and turns. I found it very difficult to put the book down.

I recommend it to all who enjoy science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and love stories/triangles.

[Lia Burres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Paul Eldridge was a man that became a professor and would give lectures on Quantum Mechanics. He obtained his doctorate after the loss of his fiance.

As he was giving a lecture, a strange man approached and asked one of the most "impossible to answer" questions. Dr. Eldridge didn't answer him.

Over a year later, after finishing another lecture, the same man appeared in the back of the room after he had finished a lecture with the opportunity of a lifetime. It was an offer that Dr. Paul Eldridge couldn't refuse. It was his destiny to do real research as a scientist.

With Max hiring him, he would make some very unique finds with his research and working with those that have the power of seeing. Their magnetic fields were outrageously high and these were to be studied as well.

What will Dr. Paul Eldridge find himself into? Will he find the extraordinary of finds? What will come of his research?

The book is outlaid with many details. The characters are actually described very vividly along with their lives. You'll be on the edge of your seat with the things that those with the gift of sight show you (even as detailed as they are described)!

The author done a well written book, and very worth the value and read.

The action has be detailed perfectly to vision what is going on like a movie in your mind. If you must, grab a dictionary to learn some of the scientific words that are used within the book. It will help to understand it. You will not have an issue if you love sci-fi type books and movies.

There will be action, sci-fi, romance, lover's spats and even much more.

On a rate of 1-5... certainly a 4. Mostly because I had to use the dictionary to look up what "Quantum Mechanics" is.