The Eleventh Commandment

Rating:
Summary: Fun read with a pace that picks up at the end
Review: When I started this book, I thought it was going too slow, and it was a bit predictable. Then toward the middle the plot got more convoluted which is the way I like it. Archer is a fairly good writer, and obviously has enough experience within this diplomatic community to know or be able to get information on what is going on. It was a surprise to me to find out Archer is British, and writing about American groups. Occasionally I wonder if these groups such as the CIA, FBI, and England's own similar groups are as morally ambiguous as Archer and people like Tom Clancy indicate they are. If so, maybe the media and public ought to get more involved in policing these groups. However, this was an enjoyable and quick read. I plan to read more of his work in the future. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Rating:
Summary: The Twelfth Commandment is to read it!!
Review: First book I read of Jeffrey Archers'. From that point I went on to read 5 others. Archer shows diversity as an author as this novel is a spy thriller like A Matter of Honour. Very good story.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Enthralling
Review: I'm a 16 year old Australian reader and this being the first Jeffery Archer book that I have read I found it totally entertaining. Since then I have purchased A Matter Of Honner and As The Crow Flies, I found them just as thrilling as The Eleventh Commandment. I have also had all of my Jeffery Archer books signed by Jeffery.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Thriller
Review: This book by Jeffrey Archer (my favorite author) is an unbelievable page-turner that has suspense along with a good storyline. It's hard to put down...

Rating:
Summary: Definite Recomendation
Review: This was my first Jeffrey Archer book, but won't be my last. Plenty of plot twists and a great story make this a page turner. I could actually see the movie being played out in my head. I recomend this one to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Exellent
Review: A lot of twists and turns. This is my first book by Jeffrey Archer, and won't be the last. The story is a little far-fetched but certainly keeps your interest. If you like suspence and action I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Global Politics at It's Best
Review: Connor Fitzgerald is a hit-man for the CIA. After icing a (drug lord) prospective presidential candidate in Columbia he is detailed to Russia for another mission.

Does the president know about this mission or is this a plan by the director of the CIA to get ahead (I won't spoil the plot).

This is a great book. It will keep you in suspense from the word go. I read this book in one afternoon while relaxing with my kids by the pool.

This book is a must read. If you havn't read anything by Mr. Archer (This was my first), let me recommend this title as your first.

If you like authors such as Tom Clancy, you will like this book.

Rating:
Summary: Absurd story
Review: This is the first book I read from Jeffrey Archer. After hearing good things about him, I thought I should try one of his books, and opted for this one. It was a mistake.

While some of the characters are interesting, the plot is insanly stupid and absurd. It is so far-fetched and not believable, that I ended up reading it through without much interest. The story has the hero, Connor, who is a CIA agent, on a mission in Russia where he is just abandoned by the Agency. And from there on, it is just blah, blah, and blah, and blah, blah blah. Numerous times, I could hear myself say "Ah come on! Give me a break!". It is that ridiculous.

On the other hand, Jeffrey Archer is a very popular authour, so he must do something right? A lot of people will tell you how great a story-teller this authour is, and I will have to agree. This book is like a movie and it is fast paced. So this is a positive aspect of 'The Eleventh Commandment'. That it is short is another one.

With that said, I would not recommend this book unless you are a loyal Jeffrey Archer fan. I will probably try another book from him one of these days, because I'm sure it is not his best. And if, like me, you are new to Jeffrey Archer, then skip this one!

Rating:
Summary: The Eleventh Commandment
Review: This was my first Jeffrey Archer novel. I will certainly read others. This was fast paced with several unexpected twists.

Rating:
Summary: Very average spy thriller
Review: There is nothing remotely new about the premise of this spy thriller - hero becomes outcast, must defeat powerful CIA head and nationalist neo-communist Russian head of state to save life and country. It is a quick read (large print and few pages) but ultimately has a very routine ending made unsatisfying by numerous plot errors.

First of all, the idea that a war hero who was awarded the Medal of Honor before the whole nation could become a top clandestine agent of a super secret section of the CIA is just absurd: such fame and notoriety would be an unacceptable characteristic for an intelligence agent. Next, the book did not seem like it was well researched, but, (as was the case) appeared to have been written by a non-American. A CIA director who couldn't be removed by the president - again, how absurd. CIA agents given the choice of retirement or transfer to the Cleveland or Milwaukee offices - Archer has his American intelligence agencies confused and is perhaps thinking of the FBI; the CIA does not maintain stations throughout the country, as it is prohibited by law from operating domestically.

The plot involving the junior Romanov (don't all spy thrillers involving Russia try to introduce a character who is a descendant of the czars?) colluding with the Russian president, then trying to betray the president, was just implausible. Ditto with the forced resignation of the rogue CIA director - certainly she would have been prosecuted,not sent free to run for the Senate. Finally, why was Fitzgerald using as a new identity the name of his wife's ex-college boyfriend (who was presumably still alive)? I wonder how large publishers can employ such obtuse editors who cannot even recognize and remedy such obvious flaws in a book.

There are dozens of late 1990's spy thrillers out there that have the same plot revolving around an ultranationalist coming to power in Russia and this one is just a stereotype of this genre. It makes fast reading, but this book is more of a 300 page cliche than a respectable work of fiction.