I first picked up Jeffrey Archer’s ‘Only time will tell’ in 2010 because he was visiting Bangalore and was signing copies as a promotional act. I laughed at all of his jokes and found him very hilarious and refreshing. I also found out that this book was the first in a 5-book series, and he intended to release one every year. My boyfriend joked that he would be alive to finish the series! (Of course, this comment comes from a man who has prayed for GRRM’s health over the years).
He came back to Bangalore in 2012 to promote his 3rd Clifton Chronicles book, ‘Best kept secret’. He also made the same jokes from 2010, and I still laughed even though I knew it wasn’t funny. I was more keen on getting a photograph with the man, and I had a better camera this time around.
In 2014, the husband (who was also the boyfriend from 2010) went to the other side of town to get the 5th Clifton Chronicles book ‘Mightier than the sword’ signed in my absence. The queues were just as long despite Jeffrey Archer making the same jokes.
It’s 2017, and I’m just perusing the last book of the Clifton Chronicles. The books, just like his jokes at the book-signing events have remained unappetisingly bland. It’s a big challenge to decide to write a series over 7-years. Archer has forgotten to pay attention to the fact that a 10 year old in 2010 would be a 17 year old young adult and might not find much beyond nostalgia in the 7th Clifton Chronicles book.
I’m pained to say that Jeffrey Archer has peddled mediocre fiction over 7-years which could have been spent writing better fiction. I’m only reading the books because I hate reading half-stories and it seems to me that Archer may have written them with the same attitude. The Clifton Chronicles, I’m afraid have not aged like wine over the past 7 years.
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