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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
The 5th part of the Clifton Chronicles was the best one so far. The first book was good, but the 2nd, 3rd and 4th were pretty predictable. This one was better. The story moved ahead and was interesting too. Overall a good book.
Yes, Archer spins a good yarn. But this series, IMHO, should have ended at 4 books. Not sure I even want to finish out the series, when books 6 and 7 are published.
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
his was an audio book for me, and the first book I "read" in the series (or any Jeffrey Archer), so I was not already invested in the characters, something that I think would've helped. I was still interested in the story, though it was a bit predictable.
Of the 4 books I've read in this series, the first and this 4th are my favorites. I've probably read about 15 books by Jeffrey Archer at this point, and I am still constantly amazed at how well he weaves together multiple storylines. You can always sense a subtle connection in the underlying plot no matter which character and which scenario, but it's never too light or too obvious. Once again there was a very interesting mix of historical references and insights to legal proceedings in different countries. I have to admit that the ending really caught me off guard this time though, but I suppose that's another sign of a good story. I highly recommend this series. The Clifton family featured certainly endures quite a bit of drama, but their actions and reactions are all fairly believable and the story moves at a great pace to keep it interesting.
Almost as good the Follett books but not as heavy.
*4 Stars
As usual Jeffrey Archer does not disappoint in the way he weaves a story. I am in so much suspense after the ending.
He really does Cliff hangers and makes you want to pick up the next book in the series.
Looking at where the Clifton Chronicles started and where the story has reached the 5th book in, it really is no wonder that he is such a brilliant author
I feel sad that there are only 2 books remaining in this series.
As usual Jeffrey Archer does not disappoint in the way he weaves a story. I am in so much suspense after the ending.
He really does Cliff hangers and makes you want to pick up the next book in the series.
Looking at where the Clifton Chronicles started and where the story has reached the 5th book in, it really is no wonder that he is such a brilliant author
I feel sad that there are only 2 books remaining in this series.
It took me some time to realize about books what I had realized about movies some years before. I have to talk about that in my review. Firstly, I cannot enjoy the literary and the genre bending books that are heralded as true books and true art. Secondly, I'm finding it tougher to get good books that are serial, formulaic, addicting, cloying, unambitious, and illusory. I would have happily spent the rest of my life and spend 7 hours a day reading such books. Take the way Mightier than the Sword ended. it not only ended on a cliffhanger, but also revealed a double agent in the last line of the book. That takes talent to pull off, but to succeed with its readership, it has to give the illusion that the plot of the book is not a perfunctory retelling of its very predecessors.
It takes real skill to write a book such as this. Many literary artists cannot hatch a thriller or a mystery to save their lives. What I have believed, between Be Careful What You Wish For and Mightier than The Sword, was that there could be higher returns on investing in reading books, if you're a discerning, if not picky and fastidious, reader. Armed with this belief, I abandoned my comfort zone, my 'lieu de predilection', namely the cozy mystery genre, and went in search of books in other genres. What I had not noticed, was the reason for my cozy mysteries to being more and more disappointing to me, was the fact that simultaneously, all of them were nearing the 15th or 20th installments. And so an entire batch of authors was giving me work that was creatively bankrupt and sportively on the ropes.
Mightier than the Sword is the 5th book in a 7 book series. It did something that many readers will not like. It started with a bang and then nothing happened for a few chapters. This was something I could appreciate. The writing, to make use of a word that I used to employ a lot - but not so much these days - is crisp. But it's a bit all stale and as futile as a struggle to get rid of a straitjacket you're in. Fighting faint ennui is like fighting sleepiness while reading the knights' tournament results in Le Morte D'Arthur.
I guess you can debate that nothing is wrong with Mightier Than The Sword, given that I've rated it 3 stars. That I did. I always rate a book on the enjoyment - diminishing returns nonetheless - it procures me, and I like to be honest. But there are two things that frustrate me. a) It's as difficult for someone like me to write this book as easy as it was for Jeffrey Archer to. b) It could have been so much better, fresher, to do something slightly different, to tweak the usual twists in the book, without breaking in a sweat. That's what's deplorable. The writers always do the least possible bit of creative work. And...it's the only type of book that I can enjoy. Which is why as a reader I've decided that the crust I'm clutching is not buttered on any side, and I'm going to use my time more diversely, sometimes more creatively, than I do right now. I believe it will make of me a better person. And a better reader.
It takes real skill to write a book such as this. Many literary artists cannot hatch a thriller or a mystery to save their lives. What I have believed, between Be Careful What You Wish For and Mightier than The Sword, was that there could be higher returns on investing in reading books, if you're a discerning, if not picky and fastidious, reader. Armed with this belief, I abandoned my comfort zone, my 'lieu de predilection', namely the cozy mystery genre, and went in search of books in other genres. What I had not noticed, was the reason for my cozy mysteries to being more and more disappointing to me, was the fact that simultaneously, all of them were nearing the 15th or 20th installments. And so an entire batch of authors was giving me work that was creatively bankrupt and sportively on the ropes.
Mightier than the Sword is the 5th book in a 7 book series. It did something that many readers will not like. It started with a bang and then nothing happened for a few chapters. This was something I could appreciate. The writing, to make use of a word that I used to employ a lot - but not so much these days - is crisp. But it's a bit all stale and as futile as a struggle to get rid of a straitjacket you're in. Fighting faint ennui is like fighting sleepiness while reading the knights' tournament results in Le Morte D'Arthur.
I guess you can debate that nothing is wrong with Mightier Than The Sword, given that I've rated it 3 stars. That I did. I always rate a book on the enjoyment - diminishing returns nonetheless - it procures me, and I like to be honest. But there are two things that frustrate me. a) It's as difficult for someone like me to write this book as easy as it was for Jeffrey Archer to. b) It could have been so much better, fresher, to do something slightly different, to tweak the usual twists in the book, without breaking in a sweat. That's what's deplorable. The writers always do the least possible bit of creative work. And...it's the only type of book that I can enjoy. Which is why as a reader I've decided that the crust I'm clutching is not buttered on any side, and I'm going to use my time more diversely, sometimes more creatively, than I do right now. I believe it will make of me a better person. And a better reader.
A very interesting addition to this series, spanning the globe from America to England to Russia. It covers a shorter amount of time than some of the other books in the series. There is usually a big cliff-hanger at the end of each book; and while there is one again with this book, it's not quite as big as the others. It will be interesting to see how the author wraps up the lives of the Clifton/Barrington families in the next 2 books that finish out this series.
This is # 5 in the Clifton Chronicles and it's still a good series. This one gets a bit bogged down and I'm glad I was listening to it rather than reading it. The middle moves pretty slowly but as usual the end will leave you hanging.