Sons of Fortune

Words cannot express my great joy at finishing this book, or my great sorrow at finishing this book. Every one I have read has made me feel this way, but this is the best. With the usual twisty ending that leaves you wondering whether to laugh or cry, with the usual feeling that there will be a long wait until the next book comes out, Mr. Archer has done it again. If you have not read this one yet, run, do not walk, to your local book vendor and get it. You will LOVE it.

I found this book to be quite interesting, the interaction of two families and the way they were brought together. It started from birth and went through to adulthood so covered a wide range of events.

The author, Jeffrey Archer, is a good storyteller and this 2003 novel is enjoyable light reading. Buy it here if it is available as an inexpensive used book. I bought it used on the store for $.01, plus $3.99 shipping. That is the maximum you should pay. Do not spend the $8.99 for a new or a Kindle version. 'Tain't worth that much.

Archer wrote a similar novel about two brothers destined to collide in "Kane and Abel." This one is much the same - brothers separated at birth, etc. Other reviewers here have commented on the many inconsistencies and absurd premises that the reader must accept as part of "suspension of disbelief." One area that was especially annoying to me was the errors about military life. Nat, one of our hero brothers in the book, serves bravely in Vietnam and even wins the Medal of Honor. Somehow, though, Nat does this as a 19-year-old captain. Although technically lawful, teenaged captains were unheard of long before the Vietnam War years, the same as now. But OK, we can suspend disbelief on that. But it gets worse. For example, the author titles the young Nat at the same time with the ranks of "captain" and simultaneously "warrant officer." After reading for a while, one can see that Archer thinks captain is a rank, but that "warrant officer" is a duty. Not a big deal? No, not really, but the book is full of such silliness. A colonel fond of Nat arranges for him to be awarded an Army college scholarship and fellowship with full captain's pay for six years of study and no other duties. A pretty good deal, eh? Especially because at the end of those years, Nat will be automatically discharged without obligation. This is ridiculous. The military does send a number of highly selected personnel to college or graduate school under full pay, but such personnel incur a substantial service obligation at the end of their studies.

And so it goes. You will find many ridiculous coincidences and highly improbable events in the book on your own as you read it. Maybe these flaws will not spoil the novel for you. And yes, I admit that despite the many absurd premises, the novel is enjoyable light reading and a fair bargain... that is, if you buy it at $.01 plus $3.99 for shipping. But don't pay more.

Jeffrey Archer is a well-established English author, who has written such bestsellers as Kane and Abel and Honor Among Thieves, but his latest addition to the publishing world, Sons of Fortune, fails in many ways; maybe it is because he wrote it under the duress of incarceration?

For about a year now Archer has spent his time in prison because he was essentially embezzling money as a member of the House of Lords. In that time he has written and produced a play pleading his innocence, and has written this book. It is about two brothers (as many of Archer's books are), but they do not know they are brothers, separated at birth due to the apparent stupidity and gullibility of the medical industry, as well as the necessity of one nurse to look good. The result is these two brothers aspire to be politicians and eventually run for governor against each other, even though they are unaware that they are twins.

And this thin and coincidence-filled plot is not all that is wrong with this book. The two characters simply excel in every possible way: doing great at school, getting the girls they want, getting the positions they want, and getting recognized for their brilliance, to the extent that it becomes sickening.

Sons of Fortune is a book that deserves to be set with the likes of those written by Danielle Steel and James Patterson, to be read by those who seek very little out of a book, but simply to divert themselves from their inane lives.

Originally published on April 21st, 2003 ©Alex C. Telander.

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Sons of Fortune was Jeffrey Archer's first novel published after his release from prison on a perjury charge. Fans who might have been concerned that the author's time behind bars might adversely affect his storytelling ability needn't have worried; the book is classic Jeffrey Archer, an epic tale of political, financial, and relational intrigue set against the tumultuous backdrop of America in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.

The story follows two boys--twins--who are separated at birth and grow up in very different circumstances. One lives with his birth parents, a poor couple who make sacrifice after sacrifice to ensure that their son has every possible advantage. The other grows up with wealthy parents who lavish him with material blessings while not neglecting to instill in him the value of a strong moral character. The narrative's point of view switches between the two parallel stories for the entire book, providing the reader with a broad picture of life in mid-to-late-twentieth-century America.

As one might expect in a story about twins, the boys make similar choices at key moments in their lives, though the outcomes of their decisions are often very different. Both are interested in politics from a young age, though one finds success while the other falls victim to a devious opponent who continues to plague him throughout his life. One falls in love as a boy and marries his childhood sweetheart, while the other falls in and out of love with a variety of women. One is accepted to Yale, while the other is drafted and shipped off to Vietnam. Both make early friendships that help shape them as individuals, and both seem committed to doing the right thing in every situation.

Inevitably, the lives of the two unsuspecting brothers intersect when they each decide to mount a campaign for governor of Connecticut and end up running against each other. But as both work individually to shape the future, they cannot escape the past, and when the truth is finally revealed, the consequences are farther-reaching than either could have imagined.

Sons of Fortune is a lengthy book filled with fun anecdotes from the two men's lives and several moving moments, but its effectiveness is reduced by an overreaching scope, as the book seems to be at least four stories in one. Part political thriller, part campus romance, part courtroom drama, and part a novel of corporate intrigue, the book begins to drag about halfway through. Despite this, Archer nicely weaves his story into the political and social climate of America's "growing-up years," and as always builds his characters in a very lifelike and relational manner. The dramatic ending will bother some readers who would prefer more closure after investing the time necessary to read more than 500 pages.

There is some objectionable content, most notably of a sexual nature as one of the brothers falls prey to society's abandonment of moral standards in the 1960s and '70s, but it is not explicit. For the most part the book upholds integrity and a kind of secular righteousness as both brothers become men of principle and in general succeed on the merits of their character.

Overall, while perhaps not in the same class as Kane & Abel, the book is good escapist fiction and will be enjoyed by Jeffrey Archer fans who are willing to overlook a bit of plot rambling and can enjoy the story for what it is.

I've been a longtime fan of Jeffrey Archer . . . his KANE AND
ABEL has always been one of my favorite novels (a real page-turner, subsequently turned into an equally fine TV mini-series) . . . in addition, his short story collections have often entertained me.
But Archer's latest, SONS OF FORTUNE, disappoints . . . part
of the reason is that the premise--twins separated at birth--has
been been done before, often with better results . . . there is
nothing very original here, and you can predict much of what
is going to happen long before it does.
So to shake things up a bit, Archer throws in far too many
subplots . . . also, I didn't care very much for any of the
characters . . . the ending was poor, too . . . it hinted at
a sequel, but if there is one, I'm certainly not going to
rush out to buy it.
Only the dialogue managed to keep my attention . . . there
were a few well-written parts; among them:
"Su Ling," she said quietly. "Su Ling, if I promise never to try and seduce you until after I've asked for your hand in marriage, sought your father's permission, produced a ring, booked the church, and had the banns read, will you at least let me take you to dinner?"
Nat waited for the laughter to die down, before he said, "I fell in love with Su Ling the moment I saw her, a feeling that was clearly not reciprocated, but then, as I've already explained, I'm blessed with my father's good looks. And so let me end by inviting you all to our golden wedding anniversary on July 11, 2024." He paused. "Only wimps and those who dare to die in between will be excused attendance." He raised his glass. "To my wife, Su Ling."
Also, I was able to find the following two bits of advice that
can be used in a variety of situations:
" . . .  and don't forget to talk to every student you come
across--you remember the routine, 'Hi, my name is Nat Cartwright, and I'm running for president, and I hope I can rely on your support.' Then listen to what they have to say, because if they believe you're interested in their views, you have a far better chance of their support."
"Thank you, Mrs. Townsend," said Fletcher, whose father had once
told him never to forget a secretary's name-after all, they spend more time with the boss than his wife ever does.   

This is an well crafted, well researched novel by the master storyteller Lord Jeffrey Archer that I decided to read immediately because of its special interest to me. It is a tale of destiny and fortune that spans the last half of the twentienth century, and is fast paced and foreboding. It is set in Connecticut, with the birth of two twins who are separated at birth and raised in disparate circumstances by parents who are unaware of the switch which occurred in the hospital nursery. (Of course, the reader's knowledge of the situation and desire to to see how the resultant issues are finally resolved is one of the compelling aspects of the book.)
Nathaniel Cartwright grows up with his middle class parents, an insurance salesman and schoolteacher. They all believe that his twin brother Peter died shortly after birth. Meanwhile, only two individuals are aware of the fact that the baby who leaves the hospital as Fletcher Andrew Davenport, son of a millionaire and major benefactor of the hospital, is in reality Peter Cartwright. We follow their lives as they grow up in CT.
Nat wins a scholarship to Taft, meets his lifelong friend Tom Russell, attends the University of Connecticut and eventually serves in Vietnam. Also, while at Taft Nat first opposes Ralph Elliot for school president, whose cunning and manipulative ways will influence both Nat's and Fletcher's lives in unforeseen ways. Meanwhile, Fletcher attends rival Hotchkiss, meets Jimmy Gates, son of a state Senator and eventually goes to Yale and studies law. Their stories seem to alternately move in parallel and then diverge as their fortunes rise and fall. After initial careers in NYC they both return to CT., Nat as a banker and Fletcher as a criminal defense attorney; as befitting a saga of this type they both become devoted husbands and fathers as well. As their careers proceed, it seems inevitable they they will both eventually run for public office.
This is a story that does a very good job of capturing the era. In fact, it is divided into seven books, and the very aptly chosen titles clearly indicate the author's intent for this to be a major literary work - GENESIS, EXODUS, CHRONICLES, ACTS, JUDGES, REVELATION, and NUMBERS. This book is of special interest to me. I was born and raised in CT, won a scholarship to a New England prep school and also attended college There. And now my wife and I once again live there, in close proximity to Taft and Hotchkiss. The narrative rings true to the time and locale. Even the politics are relatively accurate.
It took me a short while to get used to a story written totally in the third party, but after a few chapters I was completely involved. The story moves rapidly and continually between the two protagonists' lives; I almost hesitated to start the book (503 pages, not 400 as indicated), but it read very rapidly. The juxtaposition of the lives is very effective, but be warned, this is story, not a book of personal reflection and psychological insights.
I became increasingly involved, and several of the climactic developments during during the last few sections took me by complete surprise. I was tremendously impressed by the author's ability to weave a tale. If, I had had to guess at my rating with twenty pages to go it probably would have been five stars. Then, total disppointment. The last section seems excruiatingly slow, totally predictable, and completely unsatisfying and unrealistic. It is inexplicable; perhaps Sir Archer felt the story had been so good that the reader would accept a conclusion that basically says life goes on, but that is not the mark of a great story teller.
A few other minor complaints. First, for as meticulous research as was done, it is surprising that two of the towns involved in political events were Ipswich and Chelsea, both of which are in reality in Massachusetts rather than CT. (Any map or atlas would have shown this.) Second, at a crucial point the vote for the two candidates on page 498 is sloppily transposed. Last, the final election scenario is riduculous for 1992, and the consultation regarding the election outcome indicates an utter lack of knowledge of the difference between federal and state authority in elections. (This is too bad since I am quite a political junkie and most of the political background and maneveuring and mind numbing attention to detail of political campaigns was very accurately portrayed.)
So, if you like good stories of a broad sweep, read and enjoy SONS OF FORTUNE. You will be entertained (and surprised), but I suspect that like me you will also feel that the conclusion is an anticlimax. However, perhaps you won't care, especially if you are a confirmed Jeffrey Archer fan.

Jeffrey Archer had squandered his opportunity if he wants to make a comeback after his prison term. While stories of twins separated at birth and unwittingly compete with each other is cliche, there is still scope enough to be explored to make a worthwhile novel. This was not done in Sons of Fortune.
The publisher's extract from the inside fold of the hardcover flap was promising enough - twins separated, falling in love with the same girl yet never meeting until one defends the other in court and both end up running against each other for state governor. Peter Cartwright became Fletcher Andrew Davenport, separated from his brother Nat.
One terribly handled aspect of the novel was the introduction and fade-out of important characters. In the beginning, Ms Nichols, who was hired as nanny prior to Mrs Davenport's delivery, and Mr Davenport, who confirmed the swap, played crucial roles in the development of the story. After a fairly well-done introduction, their characters became inexplicably missing from the later parts, no fade-outs, nothing. This is inconsistent with the roles they took in the beginning, both had high stakes in the deception, and did not do justive to Mr Davenport who was not someone content to be in background without showing some interest in his "son"'s (Flether) future, either with respect to the family-owned pharmaceutical firm he married to or the fact that he and his wife tried very hard to produce an offspring. In contrast, the hopes and expectations of Nat's parents continued to be addressed in the continuing saga.
In terms of character development, the author tried to be fair to both twins, but it was obvious that Nat got the much better end of the deal - scholarship, leading role in Shakespeare's play, the draft service in Vietnam and war hero, and to irreversibly tilt the balance, numerous love affairs in Italy. Fletcher had to make do with patronage from a veteran senator.
The author might have drawn from his past novels on American politics, namely, the Prodigal Daughter. However, Sons of Fortune was much less vicious and dirty, and the villain of the piece, Ralph Elliot, was never given a chance to speak for himself, always being referred to in third party terms. He was hardly a silhoutte, much less a character, another weakness in this novel.
The author did make a tantalising gap in the story, to be filled up later in the novel at "appropriate timing" and supposedly lead to the death of Luke, son of Nat Cartwright. This death was pathetic though, and the complete failure of characterisation in the story - nothing in the story could give justification of Luke's death, unlike the suicide of the son in As the Crow Flies.
The ultimate letdown of the novel was in final resolution of the gubernatorial election between the two brothers. Here, the author repeated practically verbatim what he had written in First Among Equals.
In all fairness, the book, on its own, had some value in being read to idle time away, and deserves more than 1 star. I was going to give this 1.5 stars if I could, but it doesn't really deserve two stars.

Early on, a character in Sons of Fortune is involved with the plays Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night; actually, he should have been more interested in Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors. Not that the character's life is comic, but like the play, his is a story of being separated at birth from a twin brother. This event sends the two boys on life paths that are as similar as they are different.
This type of novel is Jeffrey Archer's forte: a tale of parallel lives, following two characters as their lives intersect and diverge. This worked best in Kane & Abel, although First Among Equals is also good. The Fourth Estate, however, suffers from its lack of likable protagonists. In this book, however, Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport are pleasant enough.
That is perhaps this novel's great failing; the characters are never really true adversaries, even in the final part of the book when they are in competition. Instead, they have only one enemy in common, a weaselly rival who is almost completely virtueless but is often inexplicably successful.
Fortunately, Archer makes the twins fraternal, not identical, reducing the cliches of them just missing each other or not having anyone else catch on. Unfortunately, the fact that they are related plays little part in the story, and when all is eventually revealed, it is with a thud, not a bang.
Despite these flaws, this story still rates a weak four stars. Archer is a skillful writer and he is able to make his story entertaining even if inferior to his other works. This is a novel that may irritate you after you get done reading it, but while you are in the middle, you will be drawn in and have fun. Overall, Archer has written another good book, shallow but still good.

But it coulda' been a better read. I like Jeffery Archer's work, but it seems like he bit off more than he could chew in this one. There was so much stuff happening to so many people that most of it got much shorter shrift than it deserved. Maybe the 400 pages he crammed it on to just weren't enough. It made for a sad lack of depth, given the story's potential, and for a rough and choppy flow, which wounds even the most engaging of stories.
I am an identical twin who lost her twin (in an automobile accident) and have worked in twin loss at a national level in the past, and found that Archer's representation of the twins-separated-at-birth part of this saga doesn't ring quite true for me. Twins bond in utero. I know a true story of a toddler whose twin died at birth, who didn't even know she was a twin yet, who always asked her mother for two of everything: apples, crackers, ice-cream, teacups. I also know that parents of one twin dead-at-birth and one twin survivor bend over backwards to make the dead twin part of their lives, with birthday celebrations which include him, and visits to the cemetery when it's age appropriate. Nat would have been longing and yearning for his twin all of his life. Even if a 1940s repressed and restrained life had allowed him to know nothing more than he simply was a surviving twin, his heart would have often ached for his twin. And Fletcher would have been tormented with mysterious longings of his own. He would have sometimes felt empty, oddly alone and lonely, strangely incomplete and not whole, and would not have been able to name it.
Actually, given the range that Archer attempted in this story, I'm amazed he did as well as he did... which was about a C. Maybe.

Imagine a ridiculous separated at birth beginning, a bunch of coincidental stuff between preppies at Hotchkiss and Taft, young men totally out of place as youth in the late sixties and more anachronisms than any nitpicker could possibly count. Now you can skip the first 200 pages.
After Taft Nick Cartwright, the birth parents' son, goes to UConn, becomes a hero in Viet Nam then a successful currency trader. Fletcher Davenport, the silver spoon parents' son, goes to Yale, Yale Law and a big time NY law firm. The story does generate a modicum of interest when both young men start families, hit some bumps in the road and find their second careers. Nat becomes COO of a struggling bank owned by a family friend. Fletcher follows in his father-in-law's footsteps to the Connecticut State Senate. All the while Ralph Elliot, a totally despicable character who has connived to succeed at the expense of both Nat and Fletcher since prep school days, lurks in the background.
Now a new plot twist as ridiculous as separated at birth: Nat and Fletcher run against each other for governor. This leads to a violent death, an improbable legal alliance and a ridiculous Perry Mason moment in a Connecticut Courtroom. One more climactic incident triggers the inevitable search of birth records and DNA tests. When the thrilling conclusion centers around a recount of the hand ballots in Madison CT, 10,000 registered voters average age 63, you get a pretty good idea how lame this story was.

I felt compelled to write a review for this after seeing it get canned by almost every other reviewer on this site.
Sons of Fortune is an entertaining read which moves quickly from scene to scene. This type of book is Archer's forte, and whilst not being close to Kane and Abel, the all-time Archer classic, it is interesting enough to keep most readers attention. Many here have complained about it being too absurd. I don't read novels to be shown lessons on how life can be lived. I like to read about the impossible. And anyway, nothing could be more fictional than Not a Penny More... , which is my second favourite Archer, if only for its ingenuity.
Yes, Archer does resort to tools used in his previous novels, which probably provides the only real negative for die hard fans of his such as myself. However, in none of his 'rivalry' novels has he used the trick of having the rivals help one another out, which provides the real twist to this novel.
Jeffrey Archer has never pretended to be a brilliant writer, but he is one hell of a storyteller, and Sons of Fortune only confirms that.

(This is based on the British edition of this book, which I expect is almost identical to the American edition.)
I think Jeffrey Archer's best book was his first (Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less) but his other books have been entertaining. Sons of Fortune is much like Kane & Abel, but the two men whose fates are entwined are actually twins, unknown to each other because they were separated at birth without knowledge of the parents. Not plausible, but suspend disbelief for the sake of the story.
The two men's lives are followed from birth, and they run in parallel without ever quite meeting through most of the book. Both go into politics, and eventually compete directly against each other.
The problem that I couldn't get past is the book's completely wrong description of how American elections work (especially the Connecticut gubernatorial primary and general elections). I suppose that Parliamentary elections may work as shown here, but ours don't (and Archer should certainly know it). Most major plot elements in the last third of the book rely on impossible electoral events. The errors aren't small, and can't be overlooked by anyone who's ever seen election results.
Even without the errors, this would be Archer's weakest novel. With the errors, it's almost impossible to finish.

Sons of Fortune rates high on coincidences, low on plot, and high on entertainment value. The book begins with two twins being separated at birth. These brothers, not knowing they are borthers, lead parallel lives, sharing the same friends and living in the same city for most of their lives. Much of the novel is drivel that details the brothers lives at boarding school, in college, and their jobs. Amazingly, they are drawn back to Hartford, Connecticut where they become established businessman. Improbably, they both decide to run for governor, and this is when the coincidences start to pile up. Be warned, if you want your books to have a semblance that they could actually happen, stay away from Sons of Fortune. However, if taken as pure, stupid entertainment, Sons of Fortune can be an enjoyable book, and one that's hard to put down.

Jeffrey Archer remains one of the most riveting story-tellers in contemporary fiction. Although SONS OF FORTUNE may not be another KANE AND ABEL, I was thoroughly enchanted and caught up in this story of Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport.
A meddling nurse decides to play God and let one woman who gives birth to twins think one of them has died. She gives the other twin to her employer who has difficulty carrying a baby to full-term. So begins the story of two young boys whose lives parallel each other in remarkable ways through triumphs and tragedies. Nat grows up in his natural parents middle-class lifestyle while Fletcher becomes the heir to a wealthy family's largesse. Their days at boarding school and college are told in such a way that only enhances Archer's reputation as a master storyteller, albeit not so perfect on all factual information. Nat becomes a VietNam hero, Fletcher becomes a community savior. Both have lucrative careers in New York, but are brought back to their hometown in Connecticut. They are propelled into political careers that have them both running for Governor of the state. Meanwhile, an old nemesis of both is murdered and one stands trial while the other defends him. All the while, the reader is breathlessly waiting for the BIG NEWS to be revealed. Will anyone notice the similarities as they stand side by side? Will their innate connection tip anyone off to the true story? Will their lives change dramatically if the truth is ever revealed?
Unfortunately, an otherwise great book falters terribly in the final section. Senseless tragedy in each man's family only compounded this reader's frustration. After being dumbstruck at the ending, I can only offer this to those of you who share my feelings at the ending: go back and read the beginning of Chapter 31 and then reread the last paragraph when the mayor TURNS AROUND to face the two candidates.
Not perfect, but I still found it well worth reading and totally enjoyable if not a bit let-down by what could have been the most tear-jerking reunion ever, but wasn't.

With Sons of Fortune, Archer spins an intriguing tale of two twin brothers who, through a well-intentioned yet criminal act that remained secret for decades, were separated at birth. Each grows up in worlds that are parallel but different. As the decades pass, Archer takes the brothers through a variety of life experiences that were relevant and important in their day. At the same time, the lives of the brothers inevitably become more and more entwined. Although character development is solid, the story itself gets bogged down in places and leaves huge gaps in time in others. That said, Archer kept me turning the pages. Although this is not among Archer's best, his fans may want to at least give this a chance.

Good read, but excessively annoying. Archer is British writing about two men born, raised, educated in US, but he keeps using English expressions. The boys were having breakfast with tomatoes & mushrooms. Americans, as a general rule, don't do that. He talks about CV, where an American would say resume. Couldn't somebody have helped him by checking? Or did he need the money that badly? If these constant annoyances don't bother you, you might like the book.

Born in Hartford, the twins from Heaven
Separated at birth, it twisted their faith
Success was the only thing they had ever met
One banker, anohter lawyer, but the secret still unmentioned
Will they ever meet or will they never see each other like a two sides of a coin?
Nobody can predict.
Because they are the sons of fortune. Sons of fortune
Well, this poem should sum up the whole book.. all of archer's books have been great and they have always given me satisfaction and pleasure.. so i immediately read the book after it came out.. its a very good book consisting of a magnificent plot and intense drama between the twins.. you always have this ironic question in your mind.. will they ever meet each other?
the book has everything to deliver but this book is definetly not a platinum.. coz of its dissapointing ending.. its more like a hollywood movie that comes out these days

For Jeffrey Archer fans, Sons of Fortune will give the reader a sense of deja vu. Archer tells a story that is reminiscent of other Archer novels. He starts from birth and follows the lives of the central characters through schooling, professional growth, ambitions, family pride and heartache. Were he less talented, the recurring Archer themes would seem redundant and boring. But, Jeffrey Archer tells a good story and Sons of Fortune will please those who enjoyed the Clifton Chronicles. In this epic about two brothers separated from birth, there are two men you will like and cheer for. Unlike Kane and Able, who were arch rivals, the rivalry that develops here is positive and heart warming. I liked the story and will read more of Archer's work. He is a great story teller and has a template that seems to work over and over again.

Archer is one of my favorite authors, but Sons of Fortune is nothing more than Kane and Abel nuked in a microwave. It has none of the emotion or well-drawn out characters that make Archer such an enjoyable author. It has all of the hallmarks of Archer books (two protagonists, a antoganist that stretches back to childhood, lots of women, business takeovers, etc.) with none of the juicy storytelling that allows Archer to rise above being a supermarket-rack novelist. The ending (last few chapters) is entirely implausible, as Archer allows the story to careen out of control. The end of the book turns into a Perry Mason movie. Archer needs to get off the two warring protagonists kick and get back to writing other storylines. A promising start turns into a disappointing finish.

Jeffery Archers book "Sons of Fortune" is about as bad as it can get. I have read a few of this authors novels and though I think none of what I have come across is a masterpiece, they still manage to be page turners and have a little merrit at least. But here, Archer seems to have slapped together a mess and pawned it off on an audience that he has long catered to in an effort seemingly to make a quick buck. Any self respecting author would have considered this as a rough draft and gone in for several more over hauls before publishing it.

What really gets me is that on the inside flap of the hardback edition, this book is said to be about two brothers who are separated at birth and unknowingly run against each other for a political office. So with that in mind, the reader opens up the book and the first few pages read as though they are setting up the stage for events to follow. You know what I mean, If you have read a lot , you will have come across preludes that sketch in a bit of pre-history and then the story starts. Only it goes on for more than a few pages. Pretty soon you realize that you have read over a hundred pages and the story is still catching up to the inside flap of the book. The writing all of the way through is quick, as though Archer is merely filling in a few details. Myself, I started from here to figure out where the story would start and then quickly skimmed through page after page after page. Sorry for the plot spoiler here, but the brothers run against each other for a senate seat and realize they are twins separated at birth only on the very last couple of pages. That is what the book is about. 500 pages of poorly written pre-amble.

This is a horrible horrible book.

Save your time and energy and read something else.

I had read only one Archer book previously (Kane & Abel) which many reviewers agree is his finest. This one didn't compare. It started out pretty well, but my attention lagged at parts, and the ending was disappointing. I found the suicide of Nat's son pointless. Lucy's relationship with George could have been interesting, but she ends up just saying he's only a friend and gets an abortion. The scene big revelation at the end was a letdown. Many reviewers have pointed out inaccuracies, and I'll mention one no one else has: Archer makes the character of Su Ling half Korean. He correctly points out that Koreans are different than Chinese and Japanese, but obviously did not research authentic Korean names. The names he gives to Korean characters sound more like Chinese. It would have been very simple to look up a few real Korean names. This is just something that annoyed me.

The problem with an author like Archer is that he will always be measured up against Kane and Abel and he will always fall short. He desperately tried to make The Fourth Estate another Kane and Abel and failed - it is the same case for Sons of Fortune. Perhaps he is no longer concerned about exploring new literary avenues - perhaps he wishes to stick to his tried and tested formula to guarantee good sales. The book is above-average, which can be expected of Archer. He writes well within his own limitations here - he knows he is no Salman Rushdie. In the end, I would say that the book is worth a read - but don't raise your expectations sky high.

So... This one... Meh... This book... I didn't have high hopes for... This book is well below JA's standards... It was almost as if he wrote an outline and handed it to an underling.... It was... Interesting... It was fun alas very predictable and I hate to use the words but really... A bit tiered and ... Shutter ... trite....

So enjoy Jeffrey Archer books with the complexities of family life. One gets so engrossed in the story that it is always hard to leave it at the end...you want to continue living with the family and see what else unfolds. Thought the twin angle could be interesting and it was.