Mightier than the Sword

Publisher's Summary

Jeffrey Archer's sweeping tale of the Clifton family advances to the late 1960s.

Harry Clifton is more successful than ever as a novelist, and has just been elected president of PEN Britain. He learns of a writer in Russia whose memoir of life inside Stalin's palace has landed the writer in prison for life, his book taken off shelves and destroyed. Harry becomes obsessed with freeing the writer and telling his story. His wife Emma, meanwhile is the chair of Barringtons Shipping, having escaped a plot to destroy their company by bombing one of their luxury liners, and now the company is thriving. But old villains remain determined in their efforts to bring down both Emma and her family.

From Major Alex Fisher to his friend and ally Mrs. Virginia Fenwick, Emma will have to use every tool she has to save them. Their son Sebastian's banking career means everything to him, but is he willing to give up Samantha, the love of his life, in pursuit of his success? Once again, in the hands of our age's most masterful storyteller, the lives of the Clifton family will have listeners mesmerized.

©2015 Jeffrey Archer (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Better Then the Last Two

I'm so conflicted on Mightier Than the Sword. After loving the first two novels in the Clifton Chronicles I felt there was a major drop off in books three and four. To keep things as simple as possible I didn't understand why this was such a long series. Harry and Emma have always been the draw for me into these novels and as the cast expanded and contracted I just began to lose interest. However since I'm already four books invested I felt like I had to continue my trek into this series.

The good news is, Mightier Than the Sword is a much better novel then books three and four and yet it still isn't anywhere near the drama of the first two. The big issue I have had with this book and the last two are the conflicts. They feel forced. Characters in The Clifton Chronicles are far either good or evil. There's no room for nuance. No grey areas. You have characters you're told to like and others that are the epitome of evil. This makes the story feel a little too clean.

I've also gotten to the point where I wonder if Harry and Emma are just too good for their own good? There's a scene where Harry follows his conscious to help another and I kept wondering what person would ever do this? And yet for all of its faults, and there are many, I still really enjoyed Mightier Than the Sword. The pacing was much better in this one then the previous two. More happens and what happens seems at least slightly more plausible then the last two books.

I will continue down the windy road that is The Clifton Chronicles. Although I think reading all this Jeffrey Archer makes me excited for what he writes after this series as its starting to get long in the tooth.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Jeffrey Archer's Shameless!!!

The Clinton Chronicles are addictive and as formula driven as a PBS/BBC costume-drama epic. They sprawl over decades of the Clinton family’s astonishing ability to survive the wiles of bad… bad… bad… villains who are unspeakably evil.. evil… EVIL…

Each volume carefully (some might quibble and say.. “tediously”) creates a new peril sure to destroy this loving, plucky, and noble tribe only to end in… in… a cliff hanger that demands the next book in the series to reveal. &^&%#!!

Yep, Jeffery Archer’s shameless. His characters have the depth and complexity of a Marvel Comic Book, and his plots seem driven by Snidely Whiplash menacing poor Nell who he’s lashed to the tracks.

And yet, I’ve listened to five of them now… Only Time Will Tell, The Sins of the Fathers, Best Kept Secret, Be Careful What You Wish For, and Mightier than the Sword. Each of these were already available on Audible so they could be purchased and enjoyed as one long tale. I recall giggling smugly when I understood his cliff hanger stunts, realizing that I’d not have to wait a year until the next one arrived: Unlike the poor addicted fools who discovered them one at a time as they were originally published.

And then I cursed at the end of Mightier than the Sword to realize that now I was in the cue of addled Archer addicts waiting to see how the family’d escape this latest threat. I HATE IT!

My advice, don’t start this series until you are sure Archer’s written the end to it. BEWARE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE! Archer will shamelessly diddle with you.

BTW, Alex Jennings creates the ensemble with a wily power that compliments Archer's.

16 of 19 people found this review helpful

Wow! Wow! Just WOW! Wonderful book.

This book begins with literally almost a bang and doesn't stop from that point on. At the conclusion I had to say ... "Really Jeffrey Archer. You just left me hanging!" He HAS to finish the book quickly, just has to. This is by far the best of the Clifton Chronicles. From start to finish the reader simply can't put the book down. And at least there is one more to the series. I will hate to see them end. Great job from a great author! I rarely give a book 5 stars, but this one got it instantly.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Wonderful book!

What made the experience of listening to Mightier than the Sword the most enjoyable?

All of it. Great plot, great narrator, couldn't be better

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This is of course an ongoing story but yes it was intriguing

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending

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

There were many but revealing them would spoil the book for other readers

Any additional comments?

I love this series. This book is as good if not better than the earlier books. Can't wait for the next one. Best seller!! Thank you Jeffrey Archer.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Narrator good. Book not so much

I found this book to be very hard to get in to but I managed to start enjoying it. Then it ended rather abruptly in an unsatisfactory manner. Wasn't worth my time.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

A must read series!

For those who have not read the the first 5 books of the wonderful Clifton Chronicles series, you have a real treat waiting for you. But beware, the novels MUST be read in order because each builds upon the last. The series by British author Jeffrey Archer follows Harry Clifton and his family, friends and enemies from Clifton's early childhood until...well we really do not know because the series is ongoing with Book 6, Cometh the Hour, being released on Feb. 23, 2016. If the series stops at 7 novels, as most now seem to expect, there will be approximately 90 hours of listening to complete the entire series.

Mightier Than the Sword is the first novel in the series that did not end with the uncertainty of a potential catastrophe which is unresolved until the next book.

Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller. I suspect this series will be read as a classic for the next several hundred years. No matter ones genres of preference, the Clifton Chronicles are must reading.

Alex Jennings narrates all of the audiobooks in the series. His narration is simply perfect.

Of all of my reviews I consider my recommendation of this series to be the strongest. It is spellbinding!

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Left hanging once again!

I have enjoyed the Clifton Chrinicles immensely. The only part I don't enjoy is being left hanging until the next book is written. I'm not sure I can wait til next year to find out who wins Emma's trial, the reaction to the Babikof book, if Jiles marries Kristina, and if Seb is able to win back Sam!! Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller and I'm so glad I stumbled on this series!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Close But No Cigar

Very slow first half but with the usual excellent writing of Archer. Ending of book very disappointing. Good narration throughout.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

It's a love/hate relationship ...

Every year I anxiously wait to find out what is happening with the Clifton family. Every year I hope the book will go on forever. Love this series. Hate waiting for the next installment.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Satisfied feeling of conclusion missing.

I listened to the whole story only to find that it just stopped - no "conclusion" at all. Disappointing! I realize in continuing books the reader should anticipate the next book, but we should feel a sense of satisfaction for having read THIS book.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful