Rating: 
Summary: Atmospheric & well reasearched
Review: I had especially saved "Archangel" as a read during my first-ever trip to Russia, and hats off to Mr. Harris for recreating the country's atmosphere and scenery so brilliantly. "Archangel" is a well-written and dark thriller, the characters come across as extremely believable.The only problem I had with the book is the over-the-top ending which somehow does not fit the pace of the rest of the book. Nevertheless, another great thought-provoking and highly entertaining achievement from Mr. Harris.
Rating: 
Summary: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Review: Pretty disappointing book to read after the phenomenal Fatherland. I was really expecting something to top the latter book on Nazi Germany, but instead, Archangel disappointed!!! It started off ok, in Robert Harris' usual style, and it actually carried me forth to the middle part where we get all excited about the discovery of this book which was supposed to be a diary of some sort related to Stalin. However, the last third of the book was such a farce!!! The whole drawn-out jungle like scene in the depths of Archangel was totally overworked and left me impatient and the ending, though not what I was expecting, and ingenious up to a certain point, did not manage to lift me from the exhaustion incurred from having read the previous section!!! This book had great promise but failed in the end. 4 for the beginning, 5 for the second part, 3/4 for the third and 2 for the end. I wish it had built up rather than the other way round. Still, Harris is a magnificent writer and I look forward to his other offerings.
Rating: 
Summary: Archangel
Review: I would just like to write a short review on Archangel as a consequence of being suprised by the average rating it has already recieved. I thought the book to be excellent. It was not of a genre I would have normally read, I, like many others have been previously put off books of a 'historical' nature, and attempted this book almost by accident. Dont be put off, the book is a fantastic story and deserves better than the 3.5 rating it currently has.
Rating: 
Summary: Lumbering towards disappointment
Review: I sat down on a flight to Chicago, looking forward to demolishing the new Robert Harris. 'Enigma' had been a reasonable read, if a little over done. Sadly, 'Archangel' was hard work. Great concept, and a pretty good initial hook, with Fluke Kelso uncovering this slender link to the hidden memoirs of Stalin. The first fifty or so pages sets up the premise and the story builds with some momentum....but by page 150, it still feels like set up! Harris's style takes a bit of digesting and does not make for a fluid, easy read. His knowledge of history is great and I now feel better briefed on Russia's legend and culture. But his characters are a bit wooden and I never got to connect with Fluke Kelso. The final few chapters do have some pace and some action, but it's more like Rambo than the 'great literary thriller' the cover boasted! Harris can do better and will do better. Harris is a writer worth sticking with - but not if he serves up another of these!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best political mysteries
Review: Harris' Archangel is one of the best political mysteries I have read. The novel explores a horrifying possibility that one of the darkest figures in modern history has offspring. While the preposition is quite far-fetched, Harris manages to bring it to reality. What strikes me in this novel is the way Harris promotes the idea that a monstrous and powereful figure cannot by itself usurp and keep power. It requires an unstable, chaotic society that will not only intall this leader, but also be unable to demolish him/her. In this respect, the book is highly realistic in describing the chaos in Russia. That is what makes it scary too--not the ficitious element of Stalin, but the slight possibility that a person like him might come along and take advantage of the misery and desperation that rule in Russia.
Rating:
Summary: Strong, but not as good as "Fatherland"
Review: First off, for those of you think that "Archangel" is an alternate history in the tradition of Harris' excellent "Fatherland", it's not. This novel is more of a "what if"; an examination of the ripple that one change in history might have. I don't want to discuss the specifics for fear of ruining the plot, but suffice it to say that it involves the politics of modern day Russia. Overall this is a strong novel. Harris once again makes good use of real history to set the tone, and in this case displays an astute take on the political situation in Russia. He wisely recognizes that freedom without prosperity can make people nostaligic for even the most brutal regimes. Furthermore, in its latter stages, "Archangel" serves as a cautionary tale for the dangers of nationalism run amok. So there is a lot of meat to this novel. Unfrotunately, Harris hurries through the last 50 pages or so. Of course, I understand the need to create a sense of urgency and pace to any thriller, but by the end I almost felt like he was just bailing out. There were a lot of different paths that might have led to a more satisfying conclusion. All in all though, "Archangel" is a strong political/thriller, which is let down, but not ruined, by a rather rushed conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff!
Review: This book was really good. It has helped me through life. I owe my life to this book. Rock on bizach's. Jon Eisenhart
Rating:
Summary: A post cold-war, cold-war style trhiller
Review: This is a compelling page-turner that will keep you up at night. If you enjoy cold-war thrillers, Robert Harris has figured out how to bring them back to life in this post cold-war era. This book has an outstanding plot tied to a secret notebook that was supposedly stolen from Stalin on the day that he died. From the moment we learn of this missing notebook (on about page 2) through to the last page, Harris takes us on a wild ride from Moscow through the Northern reaches of what used to be know as The Soviet Union. The story never slows. Harris is a masterful fiction writer. He uses words that paint pictures so vivid that we feel we are with the characters. He weaves historical facts into a wonderful tale that had me reading every free minute over the course of three days. If you are looking for an exciting piece of fiction, don't miss adding this book to your reading list.
Rating:
Summary: Bang! Fizzle! Flop!
Review: When I first began reading Archangel (my first Robert Harris read), I was captivated. The opening scene set by Harris is incredible and really draws you into the story. At first I couldn't put it down. Then, a little over 3/4 of the way in, I couldn't pick it up. Harris blew it by revealing the books mystery too early. Don't get me wrong, all in all, the book was entertaining. The concept behind it is very intriguing. However, all the suspense and action throughout the book is brought to a head too quickly. This leaves a lull between when the books secrets are unlocked and the finish. Harris did manage to script a small twist in the end, but it was a day late and a dollar short. All in all, I would recommend this novel to anyone who is into historical/alternate reality type novels. It is interesting and reads very well. However, be prepared to be slightly disappointed at the end.
Rating:
Summary: From Russia Without Tears
Review: An almost-un-putable down book that just oozes atmosphere. I learnt more about Russia in the few enjoyable days I spent with this book than a lifetime and many Russian relations (including Grandparents) had ever given me. For the first time, I now have an authentic "feel" for this enigmatic country. The plot got a little too imaginative for my liking near the end but the writing throughout is so professional, tight and captivating that this little discrepancy was forgiven, as, holding my breath, I hung on to the final page. Thanks Robert Harris, I'm now starting out on your other novels.
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