Wednesday 7 March 2012

Jeffrey Archer reigns again...

As the title suggests to give a clear idea, this post is about a review over Jeffrey Archer's inspiring books. As his ardent fans already know, Mr. Archer has just released his sequel to "Only Time will Tell".
This second installment is called 'The Sins of the Father'. obviously, i, being one of his millions of avid readers, immediately placed an order for the book and have received the shipment today. Now it only remains to be seen  how the cliff-hanger of the prequel has been given shape by Mr. Archer's skillful hands... To make it easier and rather than grasp the straws from their middle, i feel it is better to recall the prequel so that the understanding of its sequel will be quite amneble.
"Only Time will Tell" is a gripping narration of Harry Clifton and his life and Mr. Archer has woven a splendid plot of a character with debatable pasts, as only he can... His characters are as pragmatic and imaginable as always. The protagonist of the tale, Harry has a childhood nurtured by his single parent, Maisie Clifton, but doesn't find it disturbing to be raised by only his mother because he eventually finds a Father figure in Old Jack Tar, who is a retired soldier of acclaimed bravery in service to the nation. Harry has a limited outlook for his future due to his Uncle's constant assertions of his landing a job at the dockyard. But unbeknownst to him, other people around have a different opinion for his progressive years.  The gentle and encouraging schoolmaster Mr. Holcombe, is quick to judge Harry as a bright pupil and wishes to show him a path to his future. Miss Monday, the strict and righteous spinster who is the mistress of the local choir too,  also recognizes Harry's talent of a 'singing' voice, thus opening an opportunity to be educated in a higher level of school. Meanwhile, Maisie sacrifices her pleasure for her son's schooling, as she wishes nothing more better than education for him. Her hardships are constantly overcome with a smiling face and happiness in mind for Harry, forming a core part of the plot. Another important aspect is the shadow of Harry's parentage, namely the identity of his father. Learning that his father had already died in the war, Harry begins to doubt the relation to his so-called father. Maisie tries to keep her son in the dark regarding his father's real persona but along with Old Jack and a few other people, knows the real father. As his acquaintance with a certain Giles Barrington grows, Harry begins to suspect Mr. Barrington, coincidentally the head of the shipping company where his father for namesake had been working when he died and who is also Giles' father, of being his own father, too.
At the end of the book, near the beginning of the Second World War, Harry is on the brink of the impact of this war on his own life... The prequel ends as he is arrested after landing shortly on American soil, for a murder that apparently he has not committed...


There are more of his books, a couple that i read some days ago after they were shipped. Both of them are collections of short stories- 'Twelve red herrings' and 'And thereby hangs a tale...', the latter proving to be intriguing as it included a story from India about a Prince and the events revolving his love and subsequent marriage. It's a must-read, as is every one of Mr. Archer's substantial number of books.
I'm now on the verge of completing one of his previous works- "As the Crow flies". I can't resist the temptation of leaving you with a short summary of it. This novel covers the life of a simple East End dweller at the dawn of the twentieth century, Charlie Trumper. Incredibly, his first words of hearing are uttered by his 'Granpa Charlie' whom he was named after. An honest costermonger selling his wares from his barrow labelled, "Trumper's Founded in 1823", Granpa Charlie sows the principles of Charlie's Empire to emerge in the following years and his selfsame Barrow becomes one of the most famous signs because of it's designation to the "Biggest Barrow in the world", to quote Becky, Charlie's wife... As always, Mr. Archer's endearing characters leave me wanting for more as i try to close the pages and sleep late everynight... Even his antagonists- the inevitable snobbish and ever revengeful Trenthams, more particularly, Mrs. Gerald Trentham, the arrogant and 'whatever-i-think-is-correct-and-nobody-can-refute-that' type of woman, raise the rarely seen Loathing and Anger within me. How an old dessipated lady can have so much passion for trying to lift the true allegations over her bastard of a dead son (good riddance and pardon my language but i guarantee that  you would simply think he deserves quite a long string of the choicest expletives than this mild description of his character if you knew more about him...) and in consequence, constantly be at Charlie Trumper's throat, is a wonder to me... Nevertheless, she does get on my nerves. I try to hold up by reminding myself that Mr. Trumper, or rather Sir Charles wont give up at anytime and continue to go from strength to strength after each hind fall....
Below are the Archers that i've read...
P.S. Incase you're wondering about my style of prose having changed again, blame it on Mr. Archer!!
























P.P.S.:  LOVE SKY IS GOING TO BE POSTED SOON!!!! in addition, some manga and anime reviews!!