Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read
Review: Jeffrey Archer is one of those authors - the kind that people love to hate. He writes fiction that requires no real thinking to get through, just a great sense of wanting to be entertained.In the Fourth Estate, Archer describes the lives of two ficticious (although clearly based on some well-known real life moguls) newspaper barons. He explains their differing beginnings (one humble, one rich) and intersperses this with the story of a battle to win a business empire. The story is every part the cliche "page turner", especially towards the end, when the climactic chapters and the way they build up a great sense of suspense is testament to the enjoyable experience you have reading this book. This was my first Jeffrey Archer novel that I'd read - if you're in the same position it's a great place to start.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read summer vacation book!
Review: At last, Archer brings us back to the classic man-against-man novel, as in his successful "Kane and Abel". This is a must-read novel, full of wonderful character development, clever, yet manipulative story lines and riveting endings at each chapter.From the opening chapter the reader is totally immersed in the two main characters -- Armstrong and Townsend, from two completely different backgrounds. Their lives seem lifelike, and not plastic and phony, like many authors characters. The reader becomes emotionally attached to one of the charcters, and cheers for their favorite one, right until the bitter end. The plot twists are so remarkable, and riveting, it is easy to read 200+ pages in one sitting! One wonders how Archer continually comes up with such brilliant ideas. The only bad thing about this 750 page novel was reading the last chapter. If only all novels were this excellent
Rating: 
Summary: Dreadful Drivel
Review: This book is an incredible waste of time. Two amoral main characters do not make for an interesting read. Archer goes on at imponderable length to describe the lives of these two slugs passing as kings of the publishing industry. Do not waste your time or money reading this pile of crap.
Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: The best part of the novel is the early life of Lubji and Keith. They are really charming characters as young boys, but then they turn into disgusting adults. What I like most about Archer's books is the richness in cultural content. I can say that I learned more details about British culture from these novels than I could have done from any other source. I also learned to read and write English through Archer's books. Whenever I write a piece of text or speak in English I can't help making use of phrases and ideas I read in the Fourth Estate, As the Crow Flies, the Prodigal Daughter and all these books. I've even started to write my own stories following his style which I hope to publish someday. I think Archer should write the biography of a real-world leader like Helmut Kohl (rise and fall), Pope John Paul II or tycoon Bill Gates.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read summer vacation book!
Review: At last, Archer brings us back to the classic man-against-man novel, as in his successful "Kane and Abel". This is a must-read novel, full of wonderful character development, clever, yet manipulative story lines and riveting endings at each chapter.
From the opening chapter the reader is totally immersed in the two main characters -- Armstrong and Townsend, from two completely different backgrounds. Their lives seem lifelike, and not plastic and phony, like many authors characters. The reader becomes emotionally attached to one of the charcters, and cheers for their favorite one, right until the bitter end. The plot twists are so remarkable, and riveting, it is easy to read 200+ pages in one sitting! One wonders how Archer continually comes up with such brilliant ideas. The only bad thing about this 750 page novel was reading the last chapter. If only all novels were this excellent
Rating: 
Summary: Heard the taped version of THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Review: THE FOURTH ESTATE by Jeffrey Archer (author of KANE & ABEL, one of my favorite novels of all time) . . .this tale again involves two men . . . though from different backgrounds, they stand face-to-face in an attempt to beat each other and control the biggest media empire in the world . . . I was interested in the stories
of their respective childhoods; by the time they reached middle age, however, I had lost interest in what happened to either of them . . . the ending also did little for me.
Rating:
Summary: A Novel of Deception and Greed
Review: The backdrop for this novel is the greed for power and money found in the world of mass media conglomerates. It seems the primary motivation of the characters is greed and a lust for more whether its power or prestige. I'm not convinced that this book makes anyone think any original thoughts. It seems to be a basic plot that was not that difficult to originate.
Rating:
Summary: Great work, of interest today
Review: We hear much of how the media of the world is controlled by the hands of a few men. THis fictionalized account of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwells fight over the worlds media empires will help all those interested in how the media operates in the world today(or more precisely in the 1990s). This book is also a superb read, it combines the flair of real life with the fictionlized account of the private affairs of two great men, both of whom a flawed. A great character study. By far it is Archers best work.
Rating:
Summary: run of the mill and a big waste of time
Review: One of the insipid novels I regret having laid hands upon.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read
Review: To those who have read Kane & Abel, The Fourth Estate is a bit of deja vu. The plot is essentially the same. Two men - one a refugee from a war, the other an Ivy League-educated millionaire get pitted against each other and will not cease until the other man is driven out of business. The action is rivetting and makes the book a compelling page-turner. The book is actually based on real-life characters, and a few real incidents too. Readers will find it tough not to see the similarity between Keith Townsend and Rupert Murdoch. The way the story is woven is also reminiscent of Kane & Abel, however the book does not sag one wee bit in action. I assign five stars to this book because that's the maximum!
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