A Prisoner of Birth

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: Roger Allam

Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

International bestseller and master storyteller Jeffrey Archer returns with a tale of fate and fortune, redemption and revenge with A Prisoner of Birth.

Danny Cartwright and Spencer Craig never should have met. One evening, Danny, an East End cockney who works as a garage mechanic, takes his fianceé up to the West End to celebrate their engagement. He crosses the path of Spencer Craig, a West End barrister posed to be the youngest Queen's Counsel of his generation.

A few hours later Danny is arrested for murder and later is sentenced to twenty-two years in prison, thanks to irrefutable testimony from Spencer, the prosecution's main witness.

Danny spends the next few years in a high-security prison while Spencer Craig's career as a lawyer goes straight up. All the while Danny plans to escape and wreak his revenge.

Thus begins Jeffrey Archer's poignant novel of deception, hatred and vengeance, in which only one of them can finally triumph while the other will spend the rest of his days in jail. But which one will triumph? This suspenseful novel takes the listener through so many twists and turns that no one will guess the ending, even the most ardent of Archer's many, many fans.

©2008 Jeffrey Archer (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“There's no better person to narrate this 21st-century adventure than Roger Allam…Allam narrates the multiple layers and numerous characters of this complex plot with alacrity. His reading, together with the story's ending, will leave listeners fulfilled.” —AudioFile

“...Roger Allam gives an award-worthy performance in this crisply paced production.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Narrator Roger Allam pumps this story up considerably by enhancing each character with engrossing vocal interpretations. He does a terrific job subtly morphing Danny's East-End accent into an upper-crust West-End one.... Every character in the story draws you in but there's a old Scottish lawyer and a venerable British defense barrister that'll have you cheering.” —Tom Alderman, The Huffington Post

Terrible

I don't get it. So many reviewers like this unimaginative book.It's just a bad rework of a good book, "The Count of Monte Cristo" This is the ONLY book that I could not bring myself to finish. I even started it over from the beginning to try and like this junk.

His best since before he went to prison

I have enjoyed reading Jeffrey Archer for many years, even as a teenager before he was an MP and then sent to prison. His previous book (the Art one involving the 9/11 crashes) was merely so-so, and for a while his books have been merely enjoyable - but this one is FANTASTIC! a total return to form. If you have never read him, this really is a great place to start. Great characters, A long awaited justice served, high court drama, intrigue, villainy, and machinations. The characterization of Prisoners and their environemt is particularly vivid.

5 Stars - Wonderful!

This is a great story that keeps you hooked from the beginning all the way to an exciting conclusion. I've been an Audible member for over a couple of years and normally don't take the time to write a review. However, this book was one of my favorites I have listened to over the past couple of years. I felt compelled to let anyone know that is searching for a great story -- I believe you will be very happy with this choice.

Read Dumas instead

At least the author freely admits lifting from Dumas. If you've read The Count of Monte Cristo, you've read the far superior version of this story. Don't bother.

Very Entertaining

I really enjoyed this book. It was a solid story throughout and kept you interested in the main protagonist, Danny Cartwright. I really enjoyed the narrator as well. His different accents and his fine characterizations kept the story interesting for this listener. It has also made me want to read/listen to the Count of Monte Cristo again, as this is what Sir Archer says he based his plot on.

Fun, Predictable Fluff

First of all, complaining that the book is too close to The Count of Monte Cristo is unfair. The book is meant to be a modern retelling of the same story. For those who missed it, he references that book and its author, Dumas, multiple times. He talks about the book in the interview at the end of the book. If you do not want to retread the Count of Monte Cristo, stay away. It probably should be mentioned in the publisher's description, but saying that the author is ripping off or stealing the plot is unfair. He is trying to say how that story might work today.

I enjoyed the book, but I was never surprised. I predicted all but half of one twist. However, that did not bother me. It's like a good summer movie. You know where it is going, so you just kick back and enjoy the ride.

You people can't be serious.

What a bore. Unless you want to spend 10 chapters in a make believe English jail don't waste your time. I just feel that this would be a good short story. Revenge... who cares ... more importantly how to get revenge for this book.

Can't believe this book was so highly rated!!!

It was highly predictable, too good to be true nonsense. I'm sorry but it's typical of Archer's recent works.

Where's the editor?!?!?!?!?

This is a really good story, and it's pretty well written. But it's 4 times as long as it should be. A tightening up by an editor would have made this move like a thriller. Quelle dommage!

embarassing

It is difficult to believe Archer would gave the gall to compare this to Monte Cristo. This is a bad book.