The Eleventh Commandment - Softcover

Archer, Jeffrey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061013315 ISBN 13: 9780061013317

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1999

Synopsis

The Eleventh Commandment.

Connor Fitzgerald is a professional's professional. Holder of the Medal of Honor. Devoted family man. Servant of his country. CIA assassin. Days before his retirement from the Company, Fitzgerald comes face to face with an enemy who, for the first time, even he cannot handle--his own boss, Helen Dexter, Director of the CIA.

Thou Shalt Not Be Caught.

But Dexter's stranglehold on the agency is threatened by a power greater than her own, and her only hope is to destroy Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a new threat to national security is emerging: a ruthless hardline Russian president who is determined to force a military confrontation between the two superpowers. It's up to the intrepid Fitzgerald to pull off his most daring mission yet--save the world.and his own life.

About this title

Review

Former MP and prospective Mayor of London Jeffrey Archer's latest offering is an ambitious international thriller of expansive scope, a tale of espionage, intrigue and suspense at the very highest echelons of power. Archer wastes no time diving into his rollercoaster of a plot; we are introduced to our hero, Connor Fitzgerald, "the CIA's most deadly weapon", as he completes his mission--to assassinate a presidential candidate in Colombia. The far-reaching consequences of his act are not immediately apparent as he makes his way back to a loving wife and daughter and his life of "normality"--as far as they are concerned he is an insurance specialist--but in his inimitable style, Archer drives the plot along at speed, never lingering for longer than necessary as we are introduced to a succession of characters of great stature, ranging from the President of the United States to his headstrong CIA director and a new, extremist president in Russia. As the plot develops, Connor becomes ensnared in a political intrigue which will see him have to draw on all his wits and resourcefulness as he struggles for self-preservation and the safety of the free world as we know it.

One might assume that, given Archer's proximity to genuine political power for much of his life, he would be in a position to bring a greater realism to his story of high-stakes political manoeuvring than other authors without his experience. He certainly encourages this belief on his page of acknowledgements, which includes a former director of the CIA and FBI and a U.S. National Security Advisor. However, readers anticipating evidence of any great insight into this world should prepare to be disappointed--this is not where the strength of the book lies, although there are some nice touches, and a certain suspension of disbelief is necessary to get the best out of it. Mind you, one doesn't doubt that Archer's eleventh commandment, "Thou shalt not be caught", is a maxim many politicians and power-brokers, himself included, have lived their lives by. Where he does succeed, though, is in story-telling, with a relentless plot and the creation of a sympathetic, if barely plausible, central character capable of drawing readers in and carrying them, thrill-a-minute, to a dramatic, surprising and ultimately satisfying conclusion. --Alisdair Bowles

Review

Praise for international bestselling author""

JEFFREY ARCHER

"One of the top ten storytellers in the world." --"Los Angeles Times"

"There isn't a better storyteller alive." --Larry King""

"Archer plots with skill, and keeps you turning the pages." --"The Boston Globe"

"Cunning plots, silken style.... Archer plays a cat-and-mouse game with the reader." --"The New York Times"

"Archer is a master entertainer." --"Time"

"A storyteller in the class of Alexandre Dumas...unsurpassed skill." --"Washington Post"

And his novels and short story collections

ONLY TIME WILL TELL

"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)

"By the time you make it to the last page, the drama of Harry Clifton's young life takes the reader to the edge of the cliff, where they must hang until the next Clifton Chronicle."
--"Sunday Telegraph"

Praise for international bestselling author""

JEFFREY ARCHER

And his novels and short story collections

ONLY TIME WILL TELL

General readers as well as Archer fans will enjoy this unforgettable tale, which abounds with cliff-hangers that propel its intriguing and intricate plot.

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."

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."

Praise for international bestselling author

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 on ONLY TIME WILL TELL"

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) on ONLY TIME WILL TELL"

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), on Only Time Will Tell"

By the time you make it to the last page, the drama of Harry Clifton's young life takes the reader to the edge of the cliff, where they must hang until the next Clifton Chronicle. "Sunday Telegraph on ONLY TIME WILL TELL""

"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 on ONLY TIME WILL TELL

"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) on ONLY TIME WILL TELL

"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), on Only Time Will Tell

"By the time you make it to the last page, the drama of Harry Clifton's young life takes the reader to the edge of the cliff, where they must hang until the next Clifton Chronicle." --Sunday Telegraph on ONLY TIME WILL TELL

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061013315
• ISBN 13: 9780061013317
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 432