Die Stunde der Fälscher

by Jeffrey Archer, Lore Straßl (Translator)

Mit "Die Stunde der Fälscher" legt der Engländer Jeffrey Archer einen Polit-Thriller vor, in dem Saddam Hussein die Vergeltung für den verlorenen Golfkrieg plant. Was er mit militärischen Mitteln nicht geschafft hat, will er nun mit einer symbolischen Tat erreichen: den Präsidenten von Washington zu demütigen. Er heuert in den USA ein Team an, dessen Aufgabe es ist, für ihn die Unabhängigkeitsurkunde von 1776 zu entwenden und durch eine fast perfekte Kopie zu ersetzen. Am 4. Juli, dem amerikanischen Nationalfeiertag, soll das Original vor den Augen der Weltöffentlichkeit verbrannt werden.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

447 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Jeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.

He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).

Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.

Reviews

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

He leído varios libros de Jeffrey Archer y estoy cada vez más convencido que me gusto mucho su tipo de escritura y como puede transformar algo tan complejo como el conflicto entre Clinton y Hussein en una novela la cual todos somos capaces de entender.
Dicho esto, en la novela hay distintos tipos de perosnajes, los cuales todos tienen su rol importante y no hay un solo protagonisgta claro y eso hace la novela más dispersa en un muy buen sentido.
También, me doy cuenta que disfruto un libro cuando busco información extra por mi cuenta. Por ejemplo, en la última parte todo pasa en Irak. Archer nombró unos pueblos y los busqué en Google Maps y sí existen. Estos detalles hacen que me interese más por la historia y también por los lugares en los cuales se desarrolla la trama. Totalmente recomendable.

[Anushka · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first full-length Jeffrey Archer novel (other one was Quiver Full of Arrows , his short-story collection) and I am mightily impressed, I must say.
This book falls in "my-type" category. All that crime, conspiracy and stuff falls in my most favorite genre and Honor Among Thieves was a treat to read.
Jam-packed with action from the first page itself, it had an immensely engaging plot which made it hard for me to put the book down. Now I am sure that I'll never have to blink twice to buy a Jeffrey Archer book when I see it.
I am officially, a part of the fan-club. :D

[W · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is as silly as the cock and bull yarn by George W.Bush and Tony Blair that Saddam Hussein was piling up weapons of mass destruction.

Easily Archer's worst book.Published before the second Gulf War.To get even with the US for the first Gulf War,Saddam steals the original copy of the Declaration of Independence and plans to tear it up.

Now if only Archer won't use real life figures in his fiction,that would be a good thing.

Ridiculous.(1 star,and even that is generous).

[Lance Lasalle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this in a day and a half during a time when I was hospitalized for thrombosis and....

My God. Absolutely the most, the worst, the terriblest, comically bad book I've ever had the pleasure of reading all the way to the end of.

In order get back at the USA for the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein steals the original copy of the Declaration of Independence: THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, fellow Americans? The one with Thomas Jefferson's decaying DNA on it!! Outraged, aren't you? horrified at the very thought, I'm sure. The infamy!!!


His evil plan? To tear it up on LIVE TV. Despair, O US of A! Gnash thy teeth and tear out thine hairs from the very roots for thou hast been bested!!

In the wake of the decade long WAr of Iraq, I guess there is a sweet sentimetality in viewing the cartoon villain of Saddam Husein during the Clinton era. Life was so much simpler then, wasn't it? Remember when we were the good guys, the winners of the Cold War, the benevolent empire...?(sigh)

Archer's understanding of the nature of American nationalism is about as nuanced and accurate as Roland Emmerich's.

At least I"ll never make the mistake of reading Jeffrey Archer again.

[Faizan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I think, the thriller is not my type.

[J.J. Overton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into this book at present. I’ve put it aside until a later date. Picked up Ann Cleeves’ The Seagull instead. It is atmospheric right from the first page. That’s what I need at present. Must add it to the ‘My Books’ shelf now.
Best,
JJ

[Shamila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learnt more about the American Declaration of Independence rather than I would have from any book on history, among other things. A good thriller from start to the end, although I saw some twists coming a few pages before, with the exception of the "explosive" one at the end. Archer never disappoints.

[Gerald Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and suspenseful and I love it!

[Elizabeth Strand · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot of this book is ridiculous.

[Arun Divakar · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I were to pick out one interesting observation that I have made of Jeffrey Archer over the years, it would be his undoubtably good sense in crafting entertainers. Archer never bothers with creating incredibly detailed characters or plot lines that challenge your intellect. He goes in for racy and swashbuckling thrill rides which begin and end with a lot of pomp & splendor.

If memory serves me right, Archer was one of the first authors whom I read after graduating from Hardy Boys when I was a child. I have been through quite a few of his books & it had been a while since I tried him out. I am glad I did pick up this one. There are no surprises and nothing to make you sit back & think. Yes, the good guys win over the evil guys. Yes, the good guys are too good to be true & the evil guys undoubtedly stink. Yes, your protagonist who is said to be untested in the field performs much better than a field commander under pressure and so forth. But it isn't fair to this book if I were to dissect it & show you its innards in the light of logic for the simple reason that this was not what was expected of this book.

A lot of things have changed in the world of now than it was in the world of this tale. Giants have fallen & far more sinister threats have since then raised their heads but it still was a pretty interesting tale. Good old Archer at his best !

[Karen Rufus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A good thriller which captured my imagination and held my interest from the first page right through to the last page. Jeffrey Archer is a great storyteller and I enjoy his style of writing. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but he's certainly mine!

[Akintunde · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the usual fashion of Mr Archer, honour among thieves is a rollercoaster of thrilling suspense.
The story has a great plot but it was all too superficial and lacked depth.
There were a number of unbelievable scenarios but of course, it is a work of fiction and imaginative capabilities.
Though all these didn't take away from the thrilling purpose of the story.

[Mansuriah Hassan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fast moving story. The background details are accurate. The story was set in some very stressful times. I feel that some points have been exaggerated but on the typical of that era. I was skeptical when I picked up this book as I am used to read Jeffrey Archer's saga. However, I must say that all the doubts I had about the book were banished once I had read the first chapter. The book's villain is the inevitable Saddam Hussein, who plans to steal the American Declaration of Independence and burn it on international television, with the intention to humiliate the American people.

The hero is the unlikely teacher at college, who teams up with a former agent of some sort who is bent on killing Saddam. Though not his most memorable or realistic novels, it still is a very entertaining ride. Perhaps if the plots had been made more plausible, such as getting into the National Archives during a film shot, the book would make a more lasting impression on the minds of readers.

This book will be liked by readers who enjoy complicated international conspiracies. It will be liked by those who enjoy American history. It has action, suspense, and human drama.

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jeffrey Archer may be a "name" author, but being a "name" does not mean your works are touched with brilliance every time.

Archer's plot for this novel is nothing short of wildly contrived. Saddam Hussein wants revenge for the Gulf War, but, instead of staging a terrorist attack against an American target, he hires some American thugs to steal... The Declaration of Independence? Yep.

Why does Saddam want to pull off the Mother of All Robberies? He wants to publicly burn the sacred document.

Things spiral downhill from there, with Archer seeming to delight in giving the villains all the advantages and breaks, and the good guys nothing but trouble. "National Treasure" is a more creative "heist" story involving the Declaration of Independence than "Honor Among Thieves" is.

[Dils AB · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe because I am wary of anything that puts Mossad operative in a good light. Especially one who is hell bent on a revenge path. But even if the operative is of another nationality I would hate it.

Of course she would be a supermodel. Of course she would be oh so clever in so many things, but oh so gullible when it comes to the heart. It may was not meant that way, but I found the woman character portrayal here is insulting.

I hate Scott rosy outlook even when he is a spies. I despised it even more that everybody around him died ( the middle eastern as I may add ) but he still lives. It is just such a white thing to do!

I was so enraged about all this that I can't enjoy the book.This one is just so maddening.

[Edmond Gagnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had some difficulty getting into this one. Maybe it was the number of characters and difficult Arabic names I had to remember. Or maybe it was because I was busy writing and let it sit too long between readings.
Either way, the plot had all the essential elements I like in a book, with a number of predictable twists. I'm torn between three and four stars.
It was the first Jeffrey Archer novel I've read, and I did like the book, so I gave it four.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love when I pick up a book that doesn't let me put it down. Though I did have to get a good night's sleep somewhere in the middle - apparently I'm not as young as I used to be. Great organized crime plot, mildly predictable, but satisfyingly gripping writing anyway. A great palate-cleanser from the heavier reading I've been doing.

[Stratos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κλασική γραφή Αρτσερ. Μεταξύ μας τώρα δεν θυμάμαι την υπόθεση! Να το ξαναδιαβάσω βέβαια, αλλά πότε; Γιατί Θεέ μας έδωσες 24 μόνο ώρες την ημέρα;

[Tex · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you get when you cross a former supermodel turned Mossad agent, a Constitutional law professor from Yale turned part time CIA operative, a mafia crime family, and the former Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein? You get the Jeffrey Archer novel "Honour Among Thieves".

Set two years after the Gulf War and in the early days of the Clinton administration Saddam Hussein has unleashed a cunning plan to humiliate the United States.

One part cunning heist story, one part cunning recovery mission Archer tries to weave a tightly wound plot with all the twists and turns of his previous works. I say "tries" as this book didn't live up to the masterful storytelling standards that he has set. Don't get me wrong, it's a good story, but it just didn't deliver for me. Some of the plot lines were either a little predictable, a little bit ridiculous, or just a little too convenient. I found I wasn't really afforded the time to develop any empathy for the main characters (and their were quite a few of them) so in some ways I found I didn't really care when something potentially untoward happened to them.

While not one of his better books I have read worse in my time. This is definitely a book to read over a rainy weekend when you had originally planned to do something outdoors - not as much fun but still better than sitting around doing nothing.

"Honour Among Thieves" gets 3 cunning plans out of five.

[Ayesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

A disappointment. The book's pace only became enjoyable for me after the halfway point. Before that, it was simply bearable. The plot had so much potential, but Archer seems to drone on and on, which takes focus away from major, value-adding events. How I wish I could've been more impressed by my first Jeffery Archer novel.

[Sehrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragged a bit in the middle and very much reminded me of Argo.

[Paritosh Vyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 9 in 2025 so far for me.
One more masterpiece by Jeffrey Archer.
Actually, you do not need to discuss the book when it is written by him.

[S Mandal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeffery Archer is a master at storytelling !!
However, it wasn't enough to keep him out of jail tho.

[Gerry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous book, very difficult to put down. Jeffrey Archer has an amazing imagination!

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

International intrigue, lots of action in post-Gulf War Iraq...

This was our first exposure to Jeff Archer, who's skill with complex international plot development reminds one a little of Tom Clancy without the high tech stuff. The main theme is that shortly after Clinton replaces Bush, Saddam Hussein pays $100M to a mob-related group to steal the American Declaration of Independence. A Yale professor (and our hero) Scott Bradley, gets his desire for a field assignment with the CIA to get it back. Thereafter, most of the action is in Iraq, and before it's over Bradley teams up with an Israeli female spook (and falls in love while he's at it!), as well as some other American diehards from the CIA, who build a complex plan to steal back the precious parchment and avoid Hussein's planned humiliation of a Fourth of July burning on national TV. Does he succeed in time?

We suspect Archer stayed up nights scheming his double and triple crosses -- we totally lost track of the real document long before the whole story unfolded. Much of the horror of Suddam's regime is spelled out in gory detail, and not all the good guys escape horrid fates. Meanwhile, some decent Iraqi people risk their lives to help the American's cause.

Modest suspense, a few characters we wanted to win, good against evil, and even some humor along the way kept us entertained throughout. Archer's writing may not captivate everyone, but we were impressed enough to try another of his stories some day. This one trips the meter at "good but not great"!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I must admit to being a real fan of Jeffrey Archer's writing, if not his politics or morals. I was very generously given this book by Kimberley so many thanks to her.

The plot is quite a simple on in that Saddam Hussein, in an effort to embarrass the American Government hires a criminal gang to steal the 'Declaration of Independance' and the CIA's efforts to steal it back. And others has stated it had the feel of either a Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancey novel without all the high-tech wizardry, a real plus in my book.

The plot idea was quite original and well thought out.There were some real goodies and baddies for you to cheer or boo depending on your outlook. The fact that there was little high-tech gadgetry and therefore the story relied more on good penmanship were all bonuses. However, on the down side there was little character development and nor did the characters particularily, perhaps because the basic plot was just too unbelievable, and I unfortunately had worked out the final twist some time before the end which did little to add to my overall enjoyment.

In summary this was a reasonable read with a fast paced, page turning plot but not IMHO one of Archer's best and as such not one which will live long in the memory.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed other books by Archer, but Honor Among Thieves was just plain silly. Aside from several gaping plot inconsistencies that I couldn't look past, the "twist" was exasperatingly obvious.

But let's go back for a moment to one of the incongruous plot points that most annoyed me. You have Hannah, a Mossad agent, who falls in love with Harvard professor and James Bond wannabe Scott Bradley. Bradley is a Christian American. He did work abroad in the Middle East, and presumably became fluent in Arabic, but Arabic is not Hebrew. Nowhere does it say that he spoke Hebrew. Yet we are to believe that Hannah thought he was an Israeli Mossad agent? Are we really to believe that a Mossad agent meets another Mossad agent and speaks to him only in a second language? That, of course, makes absolutely no sense.

The story ends with a plot twist that was anything but, forcing me to expend considerable effort in reigning in my reactionary eye rolling.

I reserve my one star ratings for books that I think are absolute dreck. This did have its entertaining moments. If goodreads allowed for decimals, I would have given it 1.5 stars.

[Gehan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This got the third star only because the plot was so well thought of, detailed and completely outrageous and outlandish. Otherwise, Archer's characters are cheesy and cliched. The romance is utterly useless, feeling completely wooden. No believable adult woman (a Mossad agent, no less), bursts into tears screaming "I love you, I love you!!", no matter what the situation. Also, I can't understand why Archer has to potray both the young women in this book as sex starved man-eaters. Of course our heroine is an Israeli model who becomes a Mossad agent, and our hero is a stud who both these women immediately want to sleep with, despite the fact that he's a professor.

I take it back, I'm giving it only two stars.

[Rowena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Page turner, yes. In fact, this was a pretty good read until I got to the HMTT (or whatever acronym was for the super duper, go fast, go anywhere over any terrain, million dollar truck) was introduced.

Spoiler!!!!





If you have a truck that will go 120 mph, will climb mountains, eat up deserts and do all the other great things Lord Archer explains it can do, and which was totally plausible, why on earth would you take it to pieces and bury it in exchange for an old, pink Cadillac which the gallant hero and his helpers then take to pieces, carry in pieces across the Iraq desert, reassemble by hand (taking about 20 minutes to do so)....

[Verona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I love American history and taught my 5th graders all about the Declaration of Independence, to honor it and respect it. I have been to Washington, DC, and seen how it is stored with its decending into its vault. I can't imagine how it could really be stolen, but found it this story fascinating and patriotic. Jeffrey Archer is a wonderful storyteller. I would like to read more of his books.