Rating: 
Summary: Parallel lives
Review: Early on, a character in Sons of Fortune is involved with the plays Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night; actually, he should have been more interested in Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors. Not that the character's life is comic, but like the play, his is a story of being separated at birth from a twin brother. This event sends the two boys on life paths that are as similar as they are different.This type of novel is Jeffrey Archer's forte: a tale of parallel lives, following two characters as their lives intersect and diverge. This worked best in Kane & Abel, although First Among Equals is also good. The Fourth Estate, however, suffers from its lack of likable protagonists. In this book, however, Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport are pleasant enough. That is perhaps this novel's great failing; the characters are never really true adversaries, even in the final part of the book when they are in competition. Instead, they have only one enemy in common, a weaselly rival who is almost completely virtueless but is often inexplicably successful. Fortunately, Archer makes the twins fraternal, not identical, reducing the cliches of them just missing each other or not having anyone else catch on. Unfortunately, the fact that they are related plays little part in the story, and when all is eventually revealed, it is with a thud, not a bang. Despite these flaws, this story still rates a weak four stars. Archer is a skillful writer and he is able to make his story entertaining even if inferior to his other works. This is a novel that may irritate you after you get done reading it, but while you are in the middle, you will be drawn in and have fun. Overall, Archer has written another good book, shallow but still good.
Rating: 
Summary: Sons of Fortune
Review: First, did it ever occur to Mr. Archer of his editor that this book should have been edited for American reading?
The story takes place primarily in Connecticut yet Mr. Archer would have you believe these two fine American young men have never set foot outside of England! How many times did I want to throw this book against the wall when reading phrases like "sacked" or "straight away" or "keen to see"? The overusage of British phrases in a decidedly American backdrop ruined the book for me. Notable case in point: Ralph Eliott issues an insidious brochure on Nat Cartwright and Cartwright (Medal of Honor winner)counters with a description of himself as "Americian Marine" instead of "United States Marine."
I am otherwise an avid Archer fan, having read "Honor "Among Thieves" (excellent) and recently, "The Eleventh Commandment", a real page turner.
I shall not, er..excuse me.., will not give up on Archer but if this sort of thing gives you the "fingernail on the blackboard effect" as it does me, avoid this one and move on.
Barring this blatant flaw, the story was suspect at best and the end laughable.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining read from a great storyteller
Review: I felt compelled to write a review for this after seeing it get canned by almost every other reviewer on this site. Sons of Fortune is an entertaining read which moves quickly from scene to scene. This type of book is Archer's forte, and whilst not being close to Kane and Abel, the all-time Archer classic, it is interesting enough to keep most readers attention. Many here have complained about it being too absurd. I don't read novels to be shown lessons on how life can be lived. I like to read about the impossible. And anyway, nothing could be more fictional than Not a Penny More... , which is my second favourite Archer, if only for its ingenuity. Yes, Archer does resort to tools used in his previous novels, which probably provides the only real negative for die hard fans of his such as myself. However, in none of his 'rivalry' novels has he used the trick of having the rivals help one another out, which provides the real twist to this novel. Jeffrey Archer has never pretended to be a brilliant writer, but he is one hell of a storyteller, and Sons of Fortune only confirms that.
Rating: 
Summary: skimmed through much of it
Review: I had read only one Archer book previously (Kane & Abel) which many reviewers agree is his finest. This one didn't compare. It started out pretty well, but my attention lagged at parts, and the ending was disappointing. I found the suicide of Nat's son pointless. Lucy's relationship with George could have been interesting, but she ends up just saying he's only a friend and gets an abortion. The scene big revelation at the end was a letdown. Many reviewers have pointed out inaccuracies, and I'll mention one no one else has: Archer makes the character of Su Ling half Korean. He correctly points out that Koreans are different than Chinese and Japanese, but obviously did not research authentic Korean names. The names he gives to Korean characters sound more like Chinese. It would have been very simple to look up a few real Korean names. This is just something that annoyed me.
Rating: 
Summary: Bizarre distortion of American politics
Review: I'll skip over the wooden (or should I say leaden?) characters and the improbably swap at birth. I can ignore the anachronisms (Yale coed in the 1960s). I can even overlook minor errors (Officer Cadet School, instead of Officer Candidate School).
This monstrous political novel bizarrely distorts American politics. There apparently was no fact-checking done regarding American politics in this novel of American politics written by an English lord. The competing candidates for the Republican nomination for Connecticut governor endure separate primaries or caucuses in every town in the state, on different dates? Their chances of winning the Republican nomination depend on the Electoral College? Beyond bizarre. Apparently Lord Archer didn't have access to researchers while he wrote this in prison.
Rating:
Summary: Sons of Fortune
Review: Jeffrey Archer remains one of the most riveting story-tellers in contemporary fiction. Although SONS OF FORTUNE may not be another KANE AND ABEL, I was thoroughly enchanted and caught up in this story of Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport. A meddling nurse decides to play God and let one woman who gives birth to twins think one of them has died. She gives the other twin to her employer who has difficulty carrying a baby to full-term. So begins the story of two young boys whose lives parallel each other in remarkable ways through triumphs and tragedies. Nat grows up in his natural parents middle-class lifestyle while Fletcher becomes the heir to a wealthy family's largesse. Their days at boarding school and college are told in such a way that only enhances Archer's reputation as a master storyteller, albeit not so perfect on all factual information. Nat becomes a VietNam hero, Fletcher becomes a community savior. Both have lucrative careers in New York, but are brought back to their hometown in Connecticut. They are propelled into political careers that have them both running for Governor of the state. Meanwhile, an old nemesis of both is murdered and one stands trial while the other defends him. All the while, the reader is breathlessly waiting for the BIG NEWS to be revealed. Will anyone notice the similarities as they stand side by side? Will their innate connection tip anyone off to the true story? Will their lives change dramatically if the truth is ever revealed? Unfortunately, an otherwise great book falters terribly in the final section. Senseless tragedy in each man's family only compounded this reader's frustration. After being dumbstruck at the ending, I can only offer this to those of you who share my feelings at the ending: go back and read the beginning of Chapter 31 and then reread the last paragraph when the mayor TURNS AROUND to face the two candidates. Not perfect, but I still found it well worth reading and totally enjoyable if not a bit let-down by what could have been the most tear-jerking reunion ever, but wasn't.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Story of Twins Separated at Birth
Review: Jeffrey Archer remains one of the most riveting story-tellers in contemporary fiction. Although SONS OF FORTUNE may not be another KANE AND ABEL, I was thoroughly enchanted and caught up in this story of Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport. A meddling nurse decides to play God and let one woman who gives birth to twins think one of them has died. She gives the other twin to her employer who has difficulty carrying a baby to full-term. So begins the story of two young boys whose lives parallel each other in remarkable ways through triumphs and tragedies. Nat grows up in his natural parents middle-class lifestyle while Fletcher becomes the heir to a wealthy family's largesse. Their days at boarding school and college are told in such a way that only enhances Archer's reputation as a master storyteller, albeit not so perfect on all factual information. Nat becomes a VietNam hero, Fletcher becomes a community savior. Both have lucrative careers in New York, but are brought back to their hometown in Connecticut. They are propelled into political careers that have them both running for Governor of the state. Meanwhile, an old nemesis of both is murdered and one stands trial while the other defends him. All the while, the reader is breathlessly waiting for the BIG NEWS to be revealed. Will anyone notice the similarities as they stand side by side? Will their innate connection tip anyone off to the true story? Will their lives change dramatically if the truth is ever revealed? Unfortunately, an otherwise great book falters terribly in the final section. Senseless tragedy in each man's family only compounded this reader's frustration. After being dumbstruck at the ending, I can only offer this to those of you who share my feelings at the ending: go back and read the beginning of Chapter 31 and then reread the last paragraph when the mayor TURNS AROUND to face the two candidates. Not perfect, but I still found it well worth reading and totally enjoyable if not a bit let-down by what could have been the most tear-jerking reunion ever, but wasn't.
Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining weekend read
Review: Sons of Fortune is a good but not great novel from Jeffrey Archer. One night in a Connecticut hospital, two twins are separated unknowingly by a nurse. The story follows the two boys as they grow up through high school, college, their careers, and then their involvement in government. Both characters, Nat and Fletcher, are very well-developed although most other characters are not. The main villain, Ralph Elliot, is really just a stereotype, but he is a character you just love to hate. This is an entertaining story that is a quick read. My main problem with the novel is that much of the numerous plots rely to heavily on coincidence. Also, much of it is fairly predictable. Most readers will be able to tell what is going to happen at the conclusion long before you reach it. Despite all of these things, Sons of Fortune is an entertaining story that is well worth a read if nothing else.
Rating:
Summary: Repeating, repeating and repeating.
Review: The story of the book is about two twins that were separated in the hospital, why or how it doesn't really matters, it also doesn't really matters if they were twins, cousins or friends, when they find out that they were brothers you will be so bore that you will don't care.
The two biographies are the same but in different schools, how many campaigns could anyone write in a book? three, four, five? What happened with JA? How many girls will be pregnant in the last year of college? All of them? They go to college just to have sex? Come on Mr. Archer, this is your first book?
I will not say anything about the end because I don't have enough words to say it.
If you want to read a book of twins read The Hancock Boys by Thomas William Simpson
Rating:
Summary: His worst
Review: This improbable (more like impossible) story is so filled with gaps and poor research it would be laughable even from a first time author. Mr. Archer seems to have no knowledge of how the draft lottery worked (selected by birthdate) as one twin recieves a notice yet the other doesn't, nor how deferements worked. He never bothered to find out the difference between a Warrant Officer and a Commissioned Officer in the US military. He mish mash of time has a college junior starting law school. Then, of course, is his complete ignorance of how either primary elections or a general elaction for Governor works. Perhaps Mr. Archer should invest some of his royalties in a researcher to get at least some of the details right. Other then that the charaters are cardboard and the dialogue mostly childish. This book is a severe disappointment even by Mr. Archer's standards.
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