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The Clifton Chronicles #5

По-силно от меча

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Хрониката за Барингтън и Клифтън продължава да се заплита, а предизвикателствата пред двете семейства изглеждат безкрайни.
„Бъкингам" се отправя на първото си плаване през Атлантическия океан, когато изведнъж на борда избухва бомба. Ема Клифтън обмисля дали да не се откаже от поста си след атаката срещу кораба, а всички нейни врагове, сред които и самата лейди Вирджиния, правят всичко по силите си да „подкрепят" Ема в решението ѝ да се оттегли. Хари от своя страна рискува живота си в битка за оневиняването на негов руски колега писател, който е затворен в Сибир заради написването на книга за Сталин. Синът на Хари и Ема си създава име в сферата на финансите, но проблемите и неочакваните обрати в любовния му живот поставят отношенията с приятелката му Саманта на изпитание. Политическата кариера на Джайлс Барингтън е заплашена от Алекс Фишър, а изходът от това съперничество изглежда все по-неясен.
„По-силно от меча" умело заплита съдбите на всички герои. Въпросът е кои от тях ще успеят да се измъкнат от мрежата от лъжи, измами и предателства.

13 pages, Audiobook

First published February 24, 2015

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About the author

Jeffrey Archer

448 books11.3k followers
Jeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.

He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).

Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.

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13,601 (40%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,034 reviews
Profile Image for Wendy.
560 reviews18 followers
March 20, 2015
Mightier than the Sword

Aaahhhhhhh!!! I just want to yell NO, please don't end the book yet! I actually did yell. I don't think that I can wait another year to find out what happens. This series is wonderful and engaging, I couldn't put it down. The only time I wasn't reading was when I fell asleep reading. Jeffrey Archer is a great storyteller but this series is by far the best he has ever written.
Profile Image for Patrice Hoffman.
555 reviews269 followers
February 24, 2015
I am a huge Jeffrey Archer fan ever since discovering Kane & Abel. There's a way he weaves a story that keeps readers glued to the pages. We become invested in the characters, the themes of good and bad, and the hopes that being honorable will pay off rewardingly. Having laid out my disclaimer and letting those reading this review know that yes, I am a fan, I am still hoping that my honesty will be honorable and neither Archer or his fans will stone me too bad when I give my honest opinion.

When word got out that Mightier Than the Sword was soon to be released, I rushed to try and get any copy I could get. Thanks to Netgalley I didn't have to wait long. This is the 5th book in the Clifton Chronicles. It begins where Be Careful What You Wish For leaves off. For those who haven't read that book, you may want to look away and finish that book before reading this review. In the nick of time, the bomb that threatened the maiden voyage of MV Buckingham is taken care of all that remains is making sure there is no panic and the bomb is kept secret.

As the book progresses through the years, the usual suspects pop up such as Lady Virginia Fenwick and Major Alex Fisher coupled with some new enemies focused on new plots. It seems like the Clifton family can't go anywhere without creating an enemy which is pretty ironic because they are genuinely good people. This is where I grow tired of this series. It's getting to be tired and repetitive that there is someone plotting against this family.

Because I'm familiar with Archer's writing I don't expect any grand literary journey but rather just plain old good storytelling. With this in mind, I was surprised that I struggled through the first half of this book. It was not as engaging as other Archer titles have been for me in the past. Thankfully, the book turned around and I became engrossed with Mightier Than the Sword. Trying to guess what obstacles the Clifton's will face entices me to read on. Yes it was imperative to see how Sebastian fairs with his lady Samantha or if Emma will remain the chairman of Barrington Shipping.

Ultimately, this series can't be over. It ends jarringly. The ending is so abrupt that I wondered if I was given a faulty copy from Netgalley. Archer, you clever, clever man. Although I wasn't over the moon about Mightier Than the Sword it serves its purpose in moving the Clifton story forward while maintaining it's hold on fans of the series. I look forward to the next installment. Until then...

Copy provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley
Profile Image for Kerri.
1,023 reviews474 followers
July 10, 2019
That cliffhanger! Every book ends with such a cliffhanger! I find it infuriating but irresistible - I must know what happens! I'm keen to start the next one as soon as possible, just so my mind can rest! Luckily I have a copy all ready to go -- I was prepared this time!

This is the fifth book, so any mention of plot risks giving away pretty significant details if you aren't familiar with the series, or else simply won't make sense. So all I'll say is I love these characters, have loved all five books so far and can't wait to read the final two.

Also, I utterly despise Lady Virginia Fenwick. She's worse than Hugo Barrington, which is saying something.
Profile Image for Jim.
581 reviews98 followers
August 2, 2020
The soap opera that is the lives of the Clifton's and the Barrington's continues in this fifth entry in the Clifton Chronicles. There are the same friends we have met over the course of the series … Harry Clifton, his wife Emma, their son Sebastian, and Sir Giles Barrington. And there are the villains who are the enemies of the Clifton's and the Barrington's. Lady Fenwick, Alex Fisher and most recently Adrian Sloane.

This story opens where Be Careful What You Wish For left off. MV Buckingham's maiden voyage and a IRA bombing. Barrington Shipping tries to hush it up and there are those who are calling Emma's resignation as chairperson.

Harry learns that he has been elected as the new president of English PEN and launches a campaign for the release of Anatoly Babakov, a Russian dissident author languishing away in a gulag in Siberia. Which does not make Harry many friends in Russia.

Things seem to be going very well for Sebastian. He is making a name for himself at Farthing's Bank in London and he proposes to the beautiful Samantha, the young American. But will success go to his head? Will it change him?

Sir Giles Barrington's political life is going to encounter plenty of upheaval after a visit to East Berlin and a new challenge from his old nemesis Major Alex Fisher. Could Giles be looking for a new job?

I opened this review by calling this story a soap opera and that is how I see it. In fact the whole series is a soap opera. But, Jeffrey Archer does a good job of hooking the reader. You love our heroes … Harry, Emma, Sebastian, and Giles. And you despise the villains … Alex Fisher, Lady Fenwick. The author weaves an engaging story and always leaves you with a cliffhanger that makes you anxious to see what happens next. The same is true here. One of the characters we have met will not be returning in Cometh the Hour. Which one? What happened? And what are the consequences? Because you know there will be consequences!
March 5, 2015
Absolutely waste of money and time Jeffry Archer is making mockery of readers who trust him to provide them a memorable book. But as this old arrogant has no story just few events which is getting prolonged and with no intention to end. I guess better JA should retire as it is not now fun anymore. So guys unless you want to delve into never ending soap opera and eventually start hating this guy for taking you for granted
Profile Image for Anusha.
96 reviews15 followers
September 21, 2019
What was in the damn letter????!!!!!!!!!!

Another Jeffrey Archer success👌🏼👌🏼
Profile Image for ☮Karen.
1,614 reviews8 followers
July 28, 2019
I do like this series very much and try to read one of the books every summer. Just finished this on audio and the next one is available from the library so will probably jump into that one fairly quickly since this book ended practically in the middle of a sentence. Archer always ends these books with a cliffhanger but this is getting ridiculous. It seemed like this book could almost be skipped as very little plot progression was made and many of the balls thrown up into the air here have yet to come down.
Profile Image for Sandysbookaday .
2,231 reviews2,237 followers
December 13, 2015
In this, #5 of the Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer ups the pace of the plot to great effect.

Harry Clifton is an author on a crusade. As President of the English PEN society, he is determined to be the catalyst for the Russians freeing jailed author Anatoly Babakov.

Emma Clifton, chairperson of Barringtons, is facing challenges on all sides, within the boardroom following the hushed up IRA bombing of their ship on its maiden voyage; and without from her brother Giles ex-wife Lady Virginia Fenwick who is determined to see Emma brought down.

Sebastian has been elected to the board and has proposed to girlfriend Samantha, but will she be able to live with his ambitions and the lengths he is prepared to go to attain them?

And Sir Giles Barrington's political and personal lives are both in disarray.

After the slower pace of the previous volume in this series, Be Careful What You Wish For, this one is a runaway read! I can't wait for the next in the series, Cometh the Hour, to be published next year.

Profile Image for Rohit Enghakat.
248 reviews67 followers
August 8, 2018
As usual Archer comes up with a wonderful tale in his fifth instalment of the Clifton Chronicles. There are numerous twists and turns with political and courtroom dramas thrown in. This was more enjoyable than the earlier book. You fall in love with the characters of Emma Clifton, Cedric Hardcastle and Bob Bingham and hate the characters of Lady Fenwick and Alex Fisher. These characters are well etched out including Harry and Seb Clifton.

Will now take a break from the Clifton series for a while before I pick up the next one. The worst thing about the series is each book has a cliffhanger of a climax and you are eager to pick up the next one in the series. Thank goodness, I waited until all the books in the series were published before I bought them one by one.
Profile Image for Gary.
2,734 reviews396 followers
February 19, 2022
This is the fifth book in ‘The Clifton Chronicle’ series by author Jeffrey Archer. This series is so consistently good and the more I read the more I can truly imagine the characters.

The series now enters the 1960’s and Clifton’s and the Barrington’s face new battles. Emma Clifton is dealing with the aftermath of an IRA bomb on board the Barrington’s flagship MV Buckingham and the future of her family’s shipping business. While Emma is putting all her efforts into saving the future of the business Lady Virginia Fenwick is planning and scheming her downfall.
Her husband Harry has a new focus, he is determined to do everything possible to free a fellow author imprisoned in Siberia, at any cost.

This series continues twisting and turning as we learn more about the characters.
Profile Image for Raymond .
67 reviews53 followers
May 4, 2024
Another pretty enjoyable read of the Clifton Chronicles from Jeffrey Archer. The writing style of this book is very similar to the previous ones of this series. There’s lots of fast pace sharp dialogue, very interesting subplots, & a fascinating cliffhanger in the end of the novel. I can’t wait to find out what the verdict is of the trial again Emma Barrington…
Profile Image for Ionia.
1,459 reviews67 followers
February 24, 2015
This is a difficult one to review. Whilst I love Jeffrey Archer's books and I came away from this happy that I took the time to read it, I honestly thought it was a bit predictable and not the best in the series.

This book, in my opinion, was more of a fill in than anything else. We find out some interesting things that were previously unmentioned, but I didn't really feel like this story was anything all that new or impressive. I suppose in the course of the series you have to have a book or two that just explain and tie things together, and I think this was it.

The writing was still solid and the characters as realistic and well thought as always, but I just didn't love this one.

It wasn't bad and if you have read the rest of the series then you will undoubtedly want to read this one too, but do yourself a favour and don't start with this book. Definitely not a standalone novel.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Dana Ilie.
405 reviews385 followers
May 24, 2021
MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD describes how the British dealt with Russia during the days when East and West Berlin were divided by a wall, when Checkpoint Charlie offered a gateway to western freedoms. The story in The Clifton Chronicles is told within a short timeframe in the 1960s, but across a wide panorama of conflicting ideologies. Labour vs. Conservative politics, gentry vs. commoners, and freedom vs. imprisonment all become important aspects of the novel, the themes of which are skillfully played out in the words penned here.
Profile Image for Manisha.
514 reviews95 followers
March 28, 2018
There is nothing new to add here from my previous reviews. The story goes on, and there are still quite a few twists and turns. And of course, Archer has to end the story with a cliff-hanger.

I have one negative comment for this series. It’s dragging. Most of what I read are just fillers, which you notice more when you have a large TBR pile like I do. If this is, however, the only book series you’ll be reading and you take your time with it, I’m sure it will be a fulfilling story for you.

Personally though, I wish this was a five book series because I really see no point in dragging out things that are somewhat predictable.

Having said that, I still enjoy his writing. It’s not as good as it used to be, but there is a flicker of familiarity in there that reminds me of my childhood. So, yes, I will keep reading. I just hope that the conclusion is amazing.
Profile Image for Tracy.
618 reviews49 followers
August 31, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I gasped at the end and ran for book 6!!!

Thank goodness book 6 is already out. If I had to wait a full year before knowing what happened I would've had a problem with that.... Lucky for me I already have it!

I do not think you could read this as a stand alone book. Far too much has happened in this series that you wouldn't be tracking with interrelationships of the characters and what everyone is up to.

But...the series is fabulous and I highly recommend it!!
May 30, 2015
1. They should add a recap page.
2. Urgh... That cliffhanger. Again.
3. It's a classic Archer.

This book made me wish that I had only started this series once all the books had been published. The wait is torturous.
Profile Image for Ria.
509 reviews70 followers
December 16, 2022
i got it for free, it's book number 5 from a 7 book series... not for me. i was bored. will not continue. shocker i know
Profile Image for Julie.
1,074 reviews16 followers
May 11, 2020
A couple things about this series baffle me. I had to go back and check the family tree that is in the beginning of the book. Yup...Maisie is still alive and again as in the last book, no mention of her??? You would think at some of the family functions she would be invited. Also, this series started out being based on Giles and Henry's friendship. It is obvious they still see each other quite often and you KNOW if that is the case they would be better then ever best friends still and this friendship is longer part of the series. These are 2 of the main reasons I really liked the series to begin with. I only have a couple more books to go and will finish as I DO have to find out what the letter says!
Profile Image for Adelaide Silva.
1,165 reviews53 followers
May 10, 2017
4,5* Archer consegue ser maquiavélico e ardiloso na trama desta saga. Não dou as 5* pelo suspense em que fico 😡
Profile Image for Vani Kaushal.
Author 3 books272 followers
March 27, 2015
The master story teller has done it yet again. Jeffrey Archer's 'Mightier than the Sword', a fifth in the Clifton Chronicles is warm and engaging. From the moment you hold the book in your hand and read the first few pages, it draws you into the world of Harry Clifton and the people around him, keeping you hooked till the very end, leaving the story with a cliffhanger, and the reader wanting (crying and screaming) for more. I cannot say whether the author has been innovative enough as far as the plot goes, since haven't read all of his books in this series, but this one left me hankering for more.

Now for the story: Harry Clifton is caught in an imbroglio while trying to get a banned manuscript published. The said work belongs to a Russian writer, Anatoly Babakov, who as it turns out, has written about the life of Josef Stalin. What is about this manuscript that the Russians fear it so? Will Harry be successful in his attempt to get it published even as the last copy of the work is destroyed before him? If that's not all, his wife Emma Clifton nee Barrington, Chairman of Barrington Shipping, must face up to tough enemies in her Board of Directors who want her out and go as far as to press charges against her for libel and slander, her key contender none other than her brother's ex-wife, Lady Virginia Fenwick. Harry's son, Sebastian Clifton has lost his girl to another man because of his own foolishness and is now trying to claim her back. Will he, won't he? This even as Harry's brother-in-law, Giles Barrington is up against his political rivals trying to contest and win elections from Bristol Docklands, his key constituency. In a strange twist of fate, his chances have improved, but you never know. The novel is strewn with interesting characters, mostly vile, who are always plotting and planning to bring the Cliftons and the Barringtons down and on their knees. Archer weaves together stories of all these people into this wonderful piece, bringing it all together in a court room battle and leaving it there at an inconclusive end. One year of wait before the reader knows what happens. I totally enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Anne Stern.
3 reviews
February 27, 2015
Time to wrap up this long, dragged out saga. Put us out of our misery...really, now a book six? Feeling like Archer is milking us for every penny and the story lines are becoming repetitive and less interesting. Archer is good 'beach' reading but so many superior authors give a whole lot more bang for our bucks. The Clifton Chronicles really should have consisted of three well written books instead of dragging on to a sixth book. If there is a seventh, I will NOT BUY IT!
Archer's earlier novels were more engrossing but, yeah, I got sucked in by the first two in this series and now I have had enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
638 reviews36 followers
January 31, 2015
I received an ARC from Goodreads. I was very excited to win this copy. I couldn't put it down. Each character has something going on that keeps you hooked. It is book 5 of the Clifton Chronicles, But I liked it as a stand alone. No spoilers from me, the book is too good.
Profile Image for Ana.
550 reviews111 followers
February 18, 2020
Estou cada vez mais aficionada desta série! Não é um livro que se lê... devora-se!!
Continuamos a seguir as histórias dos Clifton e dos Barrington e de todos os inimigos e malfeitores que os querem prejudicar, sempre com uma intriga muito bem urdida, muita acção e um final carregado de suspense!
Impossível não adorar!
Profile Image for Matt.
4,057 reviews12.9k followers
March 16, 2015
Archer builds on his heptalogy with a fifth volume that does not disappoint. When the story ended, the IRA had set a bomb to explode aboard the MV Buckingham, its explosion rocking the vessel. The reader soon learns that the explosion took place overboard and the damage only minimal. Emma Clifton and the rest of the board of Barrington Shipping must handle the situation and keep the public from learning of the terrorist plot. Emma struggles at the helm of Barrington, with some on the board calling for her immediate dismissal as chairman, especially as many passengers begin to question the story offered up. Even with her son, Sebastian, on the board, Emma's day may be numbered, thanks to an old nemesis. Not to wither in the shadows, Harry Clifton has been elected president of English PEN, allowing him a strong voice to call for the release of fellow author, Anatoly Babakov, held in a Siberian gulag for writing a raw and uncensored novel about Joseph Stalin. Harry will risk it all, including his own life, to free this man and protect free speech at any cost. The ever-evolving Giles Barrington is firmly rooted in the House of Commons and has a seat in the Cabinet. However, a moment of weakness while in East Germany costs him everything, and leaves the door wide open for his long-time nemesis, Major Alex Fisher, to challenge him for his seat during General Election. Plotting to bring down the Cliftons and Barringtons, Fisher continues to work with Lady Virginia Fenwick and a new member of the trifecta to dismantle the family, one member at a time. Sebastian presents a strong second generation in the novel, wrestling to keep his personal relationship with his girlfriend, Sam, from deteriorating. Sebastian has climbed his way up in the banking industry, but shows a cut-throat side when doing business. Archer brings the novel to its climax with two legal battles that could have major implications for everyone involved in the series. Not to stray from his usual style, Archer presents set of cliffhangers lure the writer in and sate them for the inevitable wait until the next instalment hits bookstands.

Captivating seems like such an understatement for this series, in which Archer keeps finding new ways to pull the reader in and beg for more information on the Cliftons and Barringtons. Archer appears able to juggle the many storylines he's create and gives them the much needed attention to allow each character to flourish. As characters cross paths and intertwine, the story branches off repeatedly and only gets better. This is classic Jeffrey Archer!

And now we wait! I chose to devour the first five novels consecutively, which entertained me thoroughly. However, once the rush began, I could not stop the momentum and now am dangling on the edge, waiting to see what Archer will do, along with millions of other fans. Alas, I will be as patient as I can, searching for nuggets of information about the penultimate novel.

Kudos, Lord Archer for another stellar piece of work. I am truly eager to see what next you have for readers and curse the time it takes to get a book through to publication.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Stefe.
502 reviews3 followers
March 16, 2015
Whilst I've enjoyed some of Jeffrey Archer's earlier books, I think he has strung this series out too long. Very predictable. The Barringtons can do no wrong and always come out on top. I've only continued reading this series because I borrow the books from the library. There is no way I would pay for them.
Profile Image for Tim.
2,283 reviews244 followers
April 11, 2015
This excellent story is nearly ruined by its weak, less than stellar end. The only thing worse than courtroom dialogue are two, including one without finish. For these reasons, two star reduction earned. 6 of 10 stars
Profile Image for Donna.
4,148 reviews111 followers
March 23, 2015
This is the fifth book in the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer. I'm not sure what more I can say about Jeffrey Archer and this series, that I haven't already said. I am hopelessly drawn to them both.

I enjoyed reading this book. It isn't just the story I liked, but I loved the writing and have really come to know the characters. They seem like distant family.

In my review of the 4th novel, I commented on how everything always turns out so perfectly for Harry and his family. That is still mostly true in this one, but there were some bitter elements that haven't had the sweet half added yet. The author is setting things up for yet the next book of the series. He knows how to lead us a long.
Profile Image for Nina Draganova.
1,068 reviews63 followers
September 24, 2018
Не мога да си кривя душата, че семейство Клифтън ми станаха много близки и симпатични. Радвам се , че има още 2 книги които остават да прочета.
Е, естествено има някои неща , които започнаха да се повтарят , други които не са ми толкова интересни, но някак ме увлича тази история и не мога да спра.
Майсторът си е майстор, безспорен талант е автора.
Profile Image for Toni Osborne.
1,473 reviews46 followers
July 25, 2020
The Clifton Chronicles book # 5

This is the fifth novel in The Clifton Chronicles series could be accessible as a stand-alone story although to have a better feel of what’s going on it is by far better to read it in sequence otherwise you may find yourself wanting to see what had happened previously. And if you have read the previous novel “Be Careful What You Wish For” you will remember it ended in a major cliff hanger....But as a great storyteller, Mr. Archer thought of his newbies and thankfully volume 5 begins with repeating the final chapter of the last book.

Like the other entries in this series this story is an episodic adventure following a large cast of diverse characters and their political, romantic and financial machinations. It covers the tumultuous years from 1964 through 1970.

“Mightier Than the Swords” is a real page-turner that starts with a bang. The IRA sets of a bomb during MV Buckingham’s maiden voyage across the Atlantic. From then on cover-up with more cover-up, more machinations trump more machination, back stabbing over back stabbing, lies on top of lies...you name it. Of course, we see much of the same struggles of the families as they face off again with old foes. I couldn’t put this story down, definitely an engaging one.

We also have a new plotline in the quest to publish a biography of Stalin that is now behind the iron Curtain and once again Mr. Archer leaves this riveting saga with a cliff-hanger.

Another runaway read written by a master. I am so addicted to this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,034 reviews

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