Sign of the Eight

Two messengers, six allies, one fight for survival! A gateway to a world of the past, of vanished names, hopes and dreams has opened in the depths of the Black Forest. Two messengers from the immense sunken realms of time, Tristan and Martha, used to be lovers, now sworn enemies. They have come together to fight one final, decisive battle, but they must search the Black Forest to find six comrades-in-arms. Ultimately, five fighters for doom and three fighters for preservation will face each other. And the battle of the eight will continue until only one of them is left and the fate of humanity is sealed.

About the Author :
"Benjamin Lebert has published a total of seven novels since he was 16, including his debut, sensational bestseller Crazy, which was made into a feature film. The author is a founding member of the Lübeck literary meeting initiated by nobel prize winning author Günter Grass The Tin Drum. Benjamin Lebert grew up in Freiburg im Breisgau and has been familiar with the myths and legends of the Black Forest since childhood. He lives with his family in Hamburg, Germany.

Review :
The battle of the Eight is about to start, and two old enemies must face off in the final battle between good and evil, life and death. Tristan Nightsworn and Martha von Falkenstein once were warriors, allies, and lovers who fought side by side against a common enemy in the Fifth Crusade, until betrayal tore them apart. Eight hundred years later, they once again come to life, emerging from the depths of Germany's Black Forest. Now leaders on two different sides of a brewing war, each must co-opt allies to their side--Martha on the side of good, and Tristan on the side of doom. Eight fighters in total must be aligned to fight the final battle to decide the fate of the world. Martha's chosen warriors are troubled teens, while Tristan is surrounded by a serial killer and a neo-Nazi, among others. But before they can fight, they must find the two fabled swords, Xanas and Aurin, the blades needed to seal the end. Originally published in Germany, this violent, dark stand-alone fantasy features a fast-paced plot with underdeveloped worldbuilding that is vaguely religious. The omniscient narration follows every character, major and minor, with a distance in tone that prevents emotional connection with the protagonists as the story hurriedly builds up to an anticlimactic, unsatisfying ending. Most characters are adults who are assumed White excepting a Black teenage girl from an immigrant family from Mali.-- "Kirkus Reviews"