Queen's diagonal set
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Description
Book Introduction
Created by the brilliant storyteller Bernard Werber A fierce battle for the future of humanity Bernard Werber, who always surprises and delights readers with his outrageous stories, has returned with his new novel, The Queen's Diagonal. This work depicts the events that unfold as two women clash on the international political stage: Monica, who believes that individual excellence is the driving force behind human progress, and Nicole, who believes that a group that comes together moves history. Who will ultimately triumph? On what path will human progress hinge? Bernard Werber presents two protagonists with diametrically opposed beliefs—the power of the individual versus the power of the collective—as they battle it out across the globe, from the Pentagon to Mecca. This narrative offers a fascinating insight into the modern international situation, offering a profound intellectual thrill. At the same time, the novel also offers the joy of reading, with its precarious battles where victory is always uncertain. |
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index
Queen's diagonal 1
Queen's diagonal 2
Queen's diagonal 2
Detailed image
Into the book
Everyone has a sibling they can call their Nemesis.
This person is not a soul brother, but an enemy of the soul.
The moment they meet, they recognize each other and dedicate their lives to destroying each other.
This is their life.
They subconsciously know that in the process of fighting to bring down their opponents, they will come to realize who they truly are.
Because your worst enemy can become your best teacher.
--- p.65 from volume 1
"It is said that sheep, when they are in a flock, demonstrate intelligence that is much higher than the sum of the intelligence of each individual animal.
Their strength comes from the group.
In "Egregor".
This word, which may sound unfamiliar to you, is derived from the Latin word egregius.
In everyday life, it is used to refer to the herd instinct, or the instinct to form groups.
"Egregor of the flock is their strength."
--- p.24 from volume 1
It seems that today's humanity is also heading towards the edge of a cliff with its eyes closed.
Maybe someone—maybe it's me—needs to step up and help humanity change course and avoid the worst.
Nicole takes a deep breath.
In the end, humanity is nothing more than pawns moving around on a giant chessboard without even knowing what's going on.
--- p.65 from volume 1
Monica stands up and offers to shake hands.
The moment the two girls hold hands, it feels like time stops.
They stare intently at each other, not letting go of the hands they hold.
The moment she senses something strange, Monica pulls the other person towards her and knocks them to the floor.
Then he climbs on top, pins the opponent's arms with his knees to keep them from moving, and then grabs the opponent's slender neck with both hands.
I can feel the veins pulsing in my fingertips.
Monica begins to strangle him with all her might.
--- p.110 from volume 1
What I just wrote down shows the direction in which this world is changing.
It's clear that Bobby Fisher didn't want to be hailed as a king.
I haven't reached the top like Fisher yet, but I'm sure that one day I'll make an impact on the world.
That's because I recognize that one individual can change the course of history.
All you need is the awareness that it is possible.
That's enough.
--- p.125 from volume 1
Nicole O'Connor slowly rises from her chair.
She takes the chessboard out of her suitcase, places it on the table, and arranges the pieces on the board.
Her words move as she recalls the events of the past few days.
The hundred pawns surround one of the enemy's targets.
One black piece disappears from the board.
--- p.221 from volume 1
“… … What if you two were to play a game of chess?
Of course, this is not just a simple game, it is much more than that.
Because it's a matter of people's lives."
--- p.273 from volume 1
“We are people with completely different perspectives on the world.
"She believes that the future belongs to the collective, while I believe that the future belongs to the individual."
---p.57 from Volume 2
Monica's presence here means she's a military strategist, just like me.
Of course, this time too, you are on the opposite side of me.
It is clear that he has changed affiliations and is now working for the American CIA or NSA.
Viktor Kuprienko, unable to contain his curiosity, asks:
"Do you know him?"
“… … We are friends.
"A friend who is "very" close."
--- p.110 from volume 2
As expected, Monica is at a dead end.
He stands there, pressing the bleeding wound on his left leg with one hand and holding a pistol with the other, grimacing in pain.
The hand holding the pistol is shaking violently.
If there was a bullet in it, it would have been fired already.
Two women stare at each other.
Sparks fly from the gaze.
--- p.124 from volume 2
When Yi Sun-sin's army won a great victory in the Battle of Myeongnyang, the morale of the Joseon people greatly increased.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated the remaining Japanese navy again at the Battle of Noryang.
However, in this battle, Yi Sun-sin was killed by an enemy grenade.
After his death, Yi Sun-sin became not only a national hero of Joseon, but also a deified figure for the Japanese navy, who praised his courage and genius as a soldier.
--- p.149 from volume 2
"Do you want to influence history?"
"Yeah, that's right.
I hope my actions will impact as many people as possible.
This incident also aims to arouse collective emotion on a global scale and change the course of history.
That's what motivates my actions."
--- p.164 from volume 2
Nicole O'Connor has had a meteoric rise, achieving success with every project she has planned.
Large-scale operations utilizing crowds and collective fear became her trademark.
She eventually rose to the rank of general and began planning operations that influenced power games between nations.
Finally, I can play chess against the world's biggest leaders.
--- p.209 from volume 2
“We are not mere enemies, we are people on opposite sides.
I loathe and repulse everything you represent: capitalism, plutocracy, corruption, vulgarity, and the selfishness that has become a philosophical climate.
The so-called Western countries are using human rights as a shield to conceal the exploitative system of workers who have been reduced to slavery.
This person is not a soul brother, but an enemy of the soul.
The moment they meet, they recognize each other and dedicate their lives to destroying each other.
This is their life.
They subconsciously know that in the process of fighting to bring down their opponents, they will come to realize who they truly are.
Because your worst enemy can become your best teacher.
--- p.65 from volume 1
"It is said that sheep, when they are in a flock, demonstrate intelligence that is much higher than the sum of the intelligence of each individual animal.
Their strength comes from the group.
In "Egregor".
This word, which may sound unfamiliar to you, is derived from the Latin word egregius.
In everyday life, it is used to refer to the herd instinct, or the instinct to form groups.
"Egregor of the flock is their strength."
--- p.24 from volume 1
It seems that today's humanity is also heading towards the edge of a cliff with its eyes closed.
Maybe someone—maybe it's me—needs to step up and help humanity change course and avoid the worst.
Nicole takes a deep breath.
In the end, humanity is nothing more than pawns moving around on a giant chessboard without even knowing what's going on.
--- p.65 from volume 1
Monica stands up and offers to shake hands.
The moment the two girls hold hands, it feels like time stops.
They stare intently at each other, not letting go of the hands they hold.
The moment she senses something strange, Monica pulls the other person towards her and knocks them to the floor.
Then he climbs on top, pins the opponent's arms with his knees to keep them from moving, and then grabs the opponent's slender neck with both hands.
I can feel the veins pulsing in my fingertips.
Monica begins to strangle him with all her might.
--- p.110 from volume 1
What I just wrote down shows the direction in which this world is changing.
It's clear that Bobby Fisher didn't want to be hailed as a king.
I haven't reached the top like Fisher yet, but I'm sure that one day I'll make an impact on the world.
That's because I recognize that one individual can change the course of history.
All you need is the awareness that it is possible.
That's enough.
--- p.125 from volume 1
Nicole O'Connor slowly rises from her chair.
She takes the chessboard out of her suitcase, places it on the table, and arranges the pieces on the board.
Her words move as she recalls the events of the past few days.
The hundred pawns surround one of the enemy's targets.
One black piece disappears from the board.
--- p.221 from volume 1
“… … What if you two were to play a game of chess?
Of course, this is not just a simple game, it is much more than that.
Because it's a matter of people's lives."
--- p.273 from volume 1
“We are people with completely different perspectives on the world.
"She believes that the future belongs to the collective, while I believe that the future belongs to the individual."
---p.57 from Volume 2
Monica's presence here means she's a military strategist, just like me.
Of course, this time too, you are on the opposite side of me.
It is clear that he has changed affiliations and is now working for the American CIA or NSA.
Viktor Kuprienko, unable to contain his curiosity, asks:
"Do you know him?"
“… … We are friends.
"A friend who is "very" close."
--- p.110 from volume 2
As expected, Monica is at a dead end.
He stands there, pressing the bleeding wound on his left leg with one hand and holding a pistol with the other, grimacing in pain.
The hand holding the pistol is shaking violently.
If there was a bullet in it, it would have been fired already.
Two women stare at each other.
Sparks fly from the gaze.
--- p.124 from volume 2
When Yi Sun-sin's army won a great victory in the Battle of Myeongnyang, the morale of the Joseon people greatly increased.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated the remaining Japanese navy again at the Battle of Noryang.
However, in this battle, Yi Sun-sin was killed by an enemy grenade.
After his death, Yi Sun-sin became not only a national hero of Joseon, but also a deified figure for the Japanese navy, who praised his courage and genius as a soldier.
--- p.149 from volume 2
"Do you want to influence history?"
"Yeah, that's right.
I hope my actions will impact as many people as possible.
This incident also aims to arouse collective emotion on a global scale and change the course of history.
That's what motivates my actions."
--- p.164 from volume 2
Nicole O'Connor has had a meteoric rise, achieving success with every project she has planned.
Large-scale operations utilizing crowds and collective fear became her trademark.
She eventually rose to the rank of general and began planning operations that influenced power games between nations.
Finally, I can play chess against the world's biggest leaders.
--- p.209 from volume 2
“We are not mere enemies, we are people on opposite sides.
I loathe and repulse everything you represent: capitalism, plutocracy, corruption, vulgarity, and the selfishness that has become a philosophical climate.
The so-called Western countries are using human rights as a shield to conceal the exploitative system of workers who have been reduced to slavery.
--- p.267 from volume 2
Publisher's Review
Created by the brilliant storyteller Bernard Werber
A fierce battle for the future of humanity
Bernard Werber, who always surprises and delights readers with his extraordinary stories, has published his new novel, The Queen's Diagonal, through Open Books.
This work deals with the clash between two women on the international political stage: Monica, who believes that individual excellence is the driving force behind human progress, and Nicole, who believes that the power of a united group moves history.
Monica and Nicole are polar opposites in every way except for their shared genius for chess.
The two met fatefully at a chess competition when they were young.
And while Monica, who believes in the power of the individual, plays the game with the strategy of playing alone with the Queen, the strongest piece, and Nicole, who believes in the power of the group, plays the game with the strategy of pressuring with the barrier of the weakest but most numerous pawns, the two instinctively feel that they are soul mates with opposite values and beliefs.
After growing up, Monica joins the democratic American CIA, while Nicole joins the communist Soviet KGB and works as a spy, fighting from the Pentagon to Mecca, both east and west.
The world is a chessboard and the crowd is the pieces.
The meeting of two geniuses who turn every moment into an exquisite game.
These two genius women, who move the world behind the scenes of history without us even knowing, reveal their charm with actions that ordinary people cannot predict.
The world stage where they engage in a fateful showdown is like a chessboard.
Monica and Nicole manipulate international politics behind the scenes, moving people on the giant chessboard that is Earth like queens and pawns in a game of chess.
Amidst major events that shaped world history, including the IRA armed struggle, the Afghanistan War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Iranian nuclear crisis, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Monica and Nicole clash fiercely and engage in a showdown without giving an inch.
The two protagonists sometimes engage in gunfights as field agents and sometimes move history behind the scenes as meticulous strategists, exchanging victories and defeats throughout their lives.
Who will ultimately triumph? Does humanity advance through the power of exceptional individuals, or through the wisdom of the collective? Readers will follow the story, grasping the turbulent course of modern history at a glance, while also savoring the thrill of reading a novel as they witness the unpredictable, close battle between the two.
The power of exceptional individuals vs.
The power of a group working together
Where does the power that leads the world come from?
Although Monica and Nicole are fictional characters in a novel, the clash of beliefs they practice allows us to look at the world we live in through the prism of “individual” and “collective.”
This is where Berber's imagination shines brightly.
The two vividly woven figures give the impression that their sharply opposing values were born in human form.
Monica, who believes in the power of the individual, hates group behavior and feels comfortable when she is alone.
She ends up working for the British MI5 and the American CIA, both Western intelligence agencies with strong faith in individuals.
Conversely, Nicole, who believes in the power of the group, is afraid of being alone and feels a sense of elation when she is with others.
She wants to liberate the masses from the oppression of powerful individuals in the IRA and KGB, both of which are strong-willed factions.
The world situation has always been turbulent, and the subject of this turmoil has always changed.
Although the Cold War era, in which the democratic and communist blocs clashed, has come to an end, the protagonists believe that the struggle between individuals and groups continues in different forms.
Readers will also find themselves weighing Monica and Nicole's beliefs as they read, pondering where the answer to human progress lies.
Looking back on humanity's present within this framework, our perspective on the countless conflicts and confrontations occurring around the world may become clearer.
Above all, Berber's skill in seamlessly weaving together the two female characters' bold and exhilarating performances with key scenes from modern history once again demonstrates that his specialty lies in captivating suspense and the fun of ingenious storytelling.
A word from the translator
The main characters, Nicole and Monica, are polar opposites in every way except for their shared genius for chess.
Nicole, who fears being alone and suffers from autophobia, believes that the driving force behind history is the united group, while Monica, who suffers from anthrophobia and hates humanity itself, believes that the outstanding abilities of individuals are the driving force behind human progress.
(……) They were female James Bonds, and for them life was a game of chess until the very end.
It was refreshing.
A fierce battle for the future of humanity
Bernard Werber, who always surprises and delights readers with his extraordinary stories, has published his new novel, The Queen's Diagonal, through Open Books.
This work deals with the clash between two women on the international political stage: Monica, who believes that individual excellence is the driving force behind human progress, and Nicole, who believes that the power of a united group moves history.
Monica and Nicole are polar opposites in every way except for their shared genius for chess.
The two met fatefully at a chess competition when they were young.
And while Monica, who believes in the power of the individual, plays the game with the strategy of playing alone with the Queen, the strongest piece, and Nicole, who believes in the power of the group, plays the game with the strategy of pressuring with the barrier of the weakest but most numerous pawns, the two instinctively feel that they are soul mates with opposite values and beliefs.
After growing up, Monica joins the democratic American CIA, while Nicole joins the communist Soviet KGB and works as a spy, fighting from the Pentagon to Mecca, both east and west.
The world is a chessboard and the crowd is the pieces.
The meeting of two geniuses who turn every moment into an exquisite game.
These two genius women, who move the world behind the scenes of history without us even knowing, reveal their charm with actions that ordinary people cannot predict.
The world stage where they engage in a fateful showdown is like a chessboard.
Monica and Nicole manipulate international politics behind the scenes, moving people on the giant chessboard that is Earth like queens and pawns in a game of chess.
Amidst major events that shaped world history, including the IRA armed struggle, the Afghanistan War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Iranian nuclear crisis, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Monica and Nicole clash fiercely and engage in a showdown without giving an inch.
The two protagonists sometimes engage in gunfights as field agents and sometimes move history behind the scenes as meticulous strategists, exchanging victories and defeats throughout their lives.
Who will ultimately triumph? Does humanity advance through the power of exceptional individuals, or through the wisdom of the collective? Readers will follow the story, grasping the turbulent course of modern history at a glance, while also savoring the thrill of reading a novel as they witness the unpredictable, close battle between the two.
The power of exceptional individuals vs.
The power of a group working together
Where does the power that leads the world come from?
Although Monica and Nicole are fictional characters in a novel, the clash of beliefs they practice allows us to look at the world we live in through the prism of “individual” and “collective.”
This is where Berber's imagination shines brightly.
The two vividly woven figures give the impression that their sharply opposing values were born in human form.
Monica, who believes in the power of the individual, hates group behavior and feels comfortable when she is alone.
She ends up working for the British MI5 and the American CIA, both Western intelligence agencies with strong faith in individuals.
Conversely, Nicole, who believes in the power of the group, is afraid of being alone and feels a sense of elation when she is with others.
She wants to liberate the masses from the oppression of powerful individuals in the IRA and KGB, both of which are strong-willed factions.
The world situation has always been turbulent, and the subject of this turmoil has always changed.
Although the Cold War era, in which the democratic and communist blocs clashed, has come to an end, the protagonists believe that the struggle between individuals and groups continues in different forms.
Readers will also find themselves weighing Monica and Nicole's beliefs as they read, pondering where the answer to human progress lies.
Looking back on humanity's present within this framework, our perspective on the countless conflicts and confrontations occurring around the world may become clearer.
Above all, Berber's skill in seamlessly weaving together the two female characters' bold and exhilarating performances with key scenes from modern history once again demonstrates that his specialty lies in captivating suspense and the fun of ingenious storytelling.
A word from the translator
The main characters, Nicole and Monica, are polar opposites in every way except for their shared genius for chess.
Nicole, who fears being alone and suffers from autophobia, believes that the driving force behind history is the united group, while Monica, who suffers from anthrophobia and hates humanity itself, believes that the outstanding abilities of individuals are the driving force behind human progress.
(……) They were female James Bonds, and for them life was a game of chess until the very end.
It was refreshing.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: June 25, 2024
- Page count, weight, size: 600 pages | 698g | 120*210*37mm
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