Only Time Will Tell

The Clifton Chronicles, Book 1

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: Roger Allam, Emilia Fox

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

From the internationally bestselling author Jeffrey Archer comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in the ambitious Clifton Chronicles series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.

The epic tale of Harry Clifton's life begins in 1920, with the words "I was told that my father was killed in the war." A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he's left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys' school, and his life will never be the same again.

As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?

This introductory novel in Archer's engrossing series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler's Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes listeners on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the listener nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

©2011 Jeffrey Archer (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Archer delivers another page-turning, heart-stopping saga, with delightful twists, and a surprise ending… readers will surely wait for the next with bated breath.” —Publishers Weekly

“General readers as well as Archer fans will enjoy this unforgettable tale, which abounds with cliff-hangers that propel its intriguing and intricate plot.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“What appears at the outset to be a straightforward coming-of-age tale becomes, by the end, a saga of power, betrayal, and bitter hatred. The novel ends on a deliberately dark note, setting the stage for the sequel…An outstanding effort from a reliable veteran.” —Booklist (starred Review)

Engaging Story Well Told

Would you consider the audio edition of Only Time Will Tell to be better than the print version?

I don't know but I would expect this is so. The readers are British and terrific with various accents.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Only Time Will Tell?

I liked it all. I guess the worst moment was when I feared Harry Clifton would die.

What about Roger Allam and Emelia Fox ???s performance did you like?

Their voices and their intonations. Very interesting... never boring.

Any additional comments?

I cannot wait for the subsequent Chronicles and I will get them all from Audible.

Left me wanting more

Storyline was easy to follow Characters were well described. Ordered the 2nd novel instantly. Loved the accents

Addictive storyteller, outstanding narration.

Mr. Archer is just a great teller of tales. His heroes and heroines, in this case autobiographical, are so engaging and charismatic I became hopelessly addicted to the series.

The same can be said of the villain. he a tragically bad seed from a family of outstanding good character, nobility and wealth. He reminds me of several of Follet's villains in Pillars of the Earth and Dangerous Fortune.

The intricate British cast system is brilliantly exposed as it provides much of the series' theme.

The performance is, in a word, brilliant.

Spellbinding

Archer never disappoints. Was unable to stop listening. Loved all the characters. Could not have predicted the end. Had to purchase the second book in the series immediately.

Great listen

Great story, great narration, great cliff hanger, great plot! Can't wait to continue the story.

Great book to start a new series.

What did you love best about Only Time Will Tell?

Learning more in detail about English school system and Oxford and Cambridge.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Harry Clifton, so many interesting facets to his life

Which scene was your favorite?

New York City harbor - ending on a suspensful note.

Wonderful!

What did you love best about Only Time Will Tell?

Absolutely everything. The narration was fantastic.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I can't pick just one. My favorites were Old Jack, Maisie and of course, Harry.

What about Roger Allam and Emilia Fox ’s performance did you like?

Their voices were perfect and so were their accents. I loved every minute of it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't want to give it away but it involves the cafe.

Any additional comments?

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. It took me longer to finish than agreed, since I am only able to listen during my 45 minute commute (though sometimes I left early and sat in the car longer than usual). This was not a book I would have purchased, on my own, but I am extremely glad I came across it. I will definitely be purchasing the rest of the series.

can't wait for volume 2

hat to think how long we have to wait to hear more about Harry CLifton

Slow to start, but overall a terrific book!!

This book starts off painfully slow. There seems to be nothing eventful or entertaining for the first 4 to 6 hours; BUT, hang in there.

This book reminds me of a Ken Follett novel in a lot of ways - which is a good thing as I am a big fan of Follet. There is good character development and if you keep in mind that Archer intends to make this a five book series, I think you'll find it acceptable he takes so long to develop the characters - of course if long and involved is not your style, you'll probably want to skip this one.

Overall, I am getting the feeling this may end up being one of my favorite series of novels. I have listened to Archer novels before and have liked them all so far.

With respect to narration, I'm not a big fan of multiple readers, and if I judge the end product, I don't think Emelia Fox added any value to the production by reading the lead female character; however, she was not a distraction. They both delivered a fine performance - Roger Allam is especially good.

I highly recommended this one, it has the potential to be a great series of books!!

A really good read. Almost but not quite excellent

Any additional comments?

I couldn't stop listening to this book with keen enjoyment and kept going back over passages to make sure I'd gotten the full sense of it. That's the good news. This is serious fiction--almost. Where it falls short, I think, is trading off a deep sense of character complexity in favor of strongly delineating which side of the good/bad divide they are meant to be seen as standing on. So, well worth listening to but falls short of the hopes ot inspires.