A Prisoner of Birth

by Jeffrey Archer

International bestseller and master storyteller Jeffrey Archer is at the very top of his game in this story of fate and fortune, redemption and revenge.

If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson the day before, or the day after, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the four prosecution witnesses are a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm's history, who is going to believe his side of the story?

Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped.

However, Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge, and Beth's relentless quest to pursue justice, which ends up with all four fighting for their lives.

Thus begins Jeffrey Archer's most powerful novel since Kane and Abel, with a cast of characters that will remain with you long after you've turned the last page.

And if that is not enough, prepare for an ending that will shock even the most ardent of Archer's fans.

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

510 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2008

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

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story held me prisoner for hours!

It’s surprising that some authors/critics attempt to undermine Archer’s talent. His vocabulary is too simple, they say. Plot sequence is entirely too linear, they say. What they don’t understand is that he is foremost a STORYTELLER with the innate, almost intuitive, manner of weaving believable characters, relatable dialogue, and most importantly, outstanding plots.

Someone once said that a brilliant mind is known by its ability to communicate a complicated subject matter in a simple manner and without losing the essence.

This is what Archer does. Consistently. Through numerous number one bestsellers, and 270 million copies sold to date.

This book is yet another example of his talent and well-honed craft. Hats off.

[Carol Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I felt like a 13 year old reading the final installment of Harry Potter. Other than bathroom breaks and a quick dinner, I did not put this book down. Jeffrey Archer is a master with characters, twists and storys within storys. I am going to write a novel like this as soon as I can!

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aren't we all?

Q:
“- My lord, if a man cannot express his honestly held views in the Central Criminal Court, perhaps you can advise me where else he is free to state that which he believes to be the truth?” (c)

Truly beatiful language, empowering scenery and ending. I especially loved that the plot was very neat, overly so - are there really that many lookalikes in reality, who cares? I loved this book and it covers evrything.
The author instantly became my favourite, I definitely will read his other books.

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the most well written book to which I've given a 1. It's also the first one star rating I've given to Jeffrey Archer. If you searched the words 'go to' in my dictionary, you'll find a picture of Archer. That's no longer true. More than the first half of the book had some merit, but it was only about build up, promise, and expectation. All three undercut, broken, and betrayed, respectively. If a restaurant makes you wait for so long that you're not faint of hunger but bored, impatient, and surly, do you feel satisfied in any way when a bunch of tripe is served to you? Of course(no pun intended) not; that is not sweetening the deal.

This modern imagining of The Count Of Monte Christo is by contrast more barbaric than the original. The manner in which Beth's(the new Mercedes) and Danny's(Edmond)critical reunion is not depicted at all, is not a device or technique of the writer, but an admission that he doesn't have the talent or daring to write a true emotional scene that if pulled off, could have earned deserved plaudits for Archer. I almost forgot to mention how my ability to suspend disbelief snapped when reading this. I now know why so many book aficionados despise Archer...he has little respect for his readers. For me he's a very good storyteller, but he must have been stoned when planning for A Prisoner of Birth. How ironical it is that a story of an impostor is itself an impostor to Dumas pere's work.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an interview included in my edition of this book, James Archer (born 1940) said that this novel is a contemporary retelling of Alexander Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo. Since I have not read yet the said classic book, I checked its synopsis in Wikipedia. It seems that Archer did a good job by using the plot but making it current by putting his personal touch on it.

Among the different literary genres, I must admit that suspense thriller and romance are my least favorites. I love reading read fiction, classics, memoirs and children's. Sometimes, I also pick up books belonging to sci-fi, young adult, travel, and history but I rarely read suspense thriller and romance. I think the main reason is that these two follow certain formulas and the author should only inject the plot, characters, milieu, conflicts, climax, denouement and conclusion. One cannot deviate from the formula since readers who go to the bookstore know what they want. As examples, in suspense thriller, the issue must be resolved in the end while in romance, the boy and the girl should end up together. In other words, they should have T"happy" endings.

In fact, among the 500 novels I've read, I've only read: Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and The Lost Symbol;Ken Folett's The Eye of the Needle, Hornet's Nest and Whiteout; John Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From Cold; Ian Fleming's Casino Royale; Vince Flynn's Protect and Defend; John Grisham's The Appeal and Robert Ludlum's The Ambler Warning.

For me, among all of those, A Prisoner of Birth is one of the best, maybe comparable to those works by Le Carre and Fleming. Archer is definitely better than Flynn, Ludlum and Grisham. Archer is said to be the British equivalent of the American Grisham. I do not agree with this. For me, Archer is better than Grisham.

Danny Cartwright is an illiterate man who is about to get married to Beth Wilson. However, on the night of Danny's proposal to Beth, a drunk military man Spencer Craig kills Beth's brother Bernie Wilson who is with the couple on that night. Spencer is with his 3 other friends who are all influential and the court gives weight on their testimonies in favor of Spencer. So even if Danny is innocent, the jury gives him a guilty verdict: imprisonment of 22 years. In prison, Danny meets his lookalike Nicholas Moncrieff who is an ex-soldier and an only scion of a rich businessman. Nicholas taught Danny on how to read, write and act like him. However, Nicholas is killed by a fellow prisoner and this gives opportunity for Danny to pretend to be Nicholas and see the outside world as a free man earlier than the completion of his sentence. What follows is how he takes revenge over the 4 men who has wronged him and his fiancee.

Very engaging, detailed court scenes. I have not been into an actual court hearing so I appreciated how Archer depicted in details the court drama. The prison scenes are likewise very realistic and in the same interview, Archer said that he based everything on his own experienced. Archer was also imprisoned in 2001-2003 for perjury and perverting the course of justice. (Source: Wikipedia) My only question are there still illiterate people in London?. I mean, in the Philippines, which is a third-world country, illiterates seem to be too few that in my 46 years in the country, I only met one no-read, no-write person so far.

Other than this, this novel is highly recommended for all suspense-thriller fans. If you love Grisham, I am telling you: Archer is better.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo set in contemporary times. I was engaged by the story and the plot moved at a quick pace. 

I haven't read the original so I can't tell how faithful it is, but I knew it was about a wrongfully-accused man that is sent to prison and manages to get out and seek revenge.

Good writing and I kept turning those pages (figuratively since I listened to the audiobook)

Things I liked:
- It's a retelling of a classic novel
- Moves at a fast pace
- Dialogue keeps the reader engaged

[Namratha · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a friend very rightly put it…’A Prisoner of Birth’ has all the makings of a Bollywood Masala Movie.

Danny Cartwright, a humble East-End mechanic has just proposed to his childhood sweet heart Beth. He decides to celebrate by treating his fiancée and best-friend Bernie Wilson (who also happens to be Beth’s brother) at an upmarket bar ‘The Dunlop Arms’. Also present at the bar, are a drunken party of four men, who started passing lewd comments at Beth and raise Bernie’s ire. Despite Danny’s protests, the two parties decide to take the fight out into a back-alley..and what follows is something that changes Danny’s life forever.

Danny is charged with the murder of Bernie……a crime he never committed. Despite the best efforts of his able lawyer, the young and relatively untried Alex Redmayne ……Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years at the maximum-security Belmarsh Prison. After all who would take the word of a grubby mechanic over a stalwart quartet of an upcoming barrister, a leading actor, a member of the aristocrat and the youngest partner of an established firm?

Danny’s long sentence is made bearable due to his two cell mates: Sir Nicholas Moncrieff, who looks and behaves more like an officer than an inmate. And running-more-true-to-form, the rough and rugged, heavily-built Big Al. Nicholas bears a startling resemblance to Danny and herein lies the crux. When Nick is accidentally murdered, just a few weeks before his release…Danny (with careful mechanisations by Big Al) walks out a free man…as Nicholas Moncrieff. "Act like Nick.Think like Danny." Constantly keeping this in mind……Danny launches into an intricate and well-planned revenge.

A page-turner with certain implausible points. Look-alike Nicholas Moncrieff seemed to be aware from the beginning that his identity was for the sole-purpose of being used to prove Danny’s innocence. He trained him in all the niceties and etiquettes which a Moncrieff should exhibit in genteel society. He educated Danny and even conveniently maintained well-transcribed diaries which proved to be valuable evidence in the later trials. A post-Belmarsh Danny appears to lead a charmed life. All the people he hopes to have on his side, unflinchingly accept that he is indeed Sir Nicholas Moncrieff, never once cross-checking the fact.

While Danny Cartwright is a likeable hero, his transformation from the wronged East-Ender to a polished and articulate businessman is a little too good to be true.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed the cast of supporting characters: Big Al, Alex Redmayne’s father; rt. Hon. Sir Matthew Redmayne KCMG QC, who handles Danny’s case in the end…and ofcourse, the wise Scottish solicitor Mr.Fraser Munro.

I particularly liked the miniscule speech Mr.Munro gives towards the end of his testimony: “I have discovered with advancing years that few things are entirely black or white, but more often different shades of grey. I can best sum it up, My Lord, by saying that it was an honour to have served Sir Nicholas Moncrieff and it has been a privilege to work with Mr.Cartwright. They are both oaks, even if they were planted in different forests. But then, m’lord, we all suffer in our different ways from being prisoners of birth”.

In all, an interesting saga with an Indian tadka...

[W · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is Archer's version of The Count of Monte Cristo. It made him return to the top of the bestseller lists. It was influenced by Archer's own time in prison.

The setting,appropriately is Belmarsh prison where Archer spent the initial twenty two days of his incarceration. The protagonist is sentenced to spend twenty two years there,for a crime he did not commit.

I was not too impressed with this story.
It is a ridiculous plot,full
of loopholes and improbable ideas. One person is shown to impersonate another in every single detail.No suspicions are aroused.

It takes absurdity to a whole new level.
One has to suspend disbelief to read this one.

[Valerie Book Valkyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Count of Monte Christo Stars rounded up to 5 Argent Storytelling Stars
by virtue of a Most Satisfying Ending™ .

Many people, including the author himself (according to 1 gr reviewer), claim this is a modern retelling of The Count of Monte Christo. Yes, it does share the same general trope in that it is a story about a wrongfully accused man that is sent to prison then manages to get out and seek revenge.
However, to simply label it as a "modern retelling" undercuts Archer's honed skill as a master story teller & argent writer!

Highly recommend 💛🧚‍♀️🙋🏼.

Thoroughly enjoyed this read as a Co-challenger in the 2nd Annual Long Books Challenge and am content to clear it off my shelf to the local LFL for someone else to (hopefully) enjoy!

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a page turner. I thought the premise of this Archer novel, however, was truly ludicrous. I felt the main plot surrounding a mistaken identity of prisoners was as ridiculous it comes. With that being said, this novel had very great suspense & a pretty good courtroom drama at the end. If a reader could accept the outrageous storyline, then this book could a very fun & interesting read.

[TheBookWarren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ (round ⬇️) — Archer might be a somewhat controversial & to some, pompous author. However, here he has written a certifiable career best work that simply has to be recognised. A prisoner of birth is a wonderfully engaging, satisfying novel. His time in prison undoubtedly strengthens the authenticity of much of the novel, and his open discussion that it was inspired by and in fact an attempt at topping Dumas’ epic The Count of Monte Cristo. This is not as good as the aforementioned, but it is a great read that for me, could have easily been a five-star novel bar the one big plot hole I personally just could never get past. Mistaken identity is one thing, however what occurs here just feels like in order to enjoy the novel your constantly batting away a giant insect buzzing at your face whilst your taking the dog for a walk.

Jeffrey Archer’s A Prisoner of Birth is a contemporary riff on the classic revenge tale, with echoes of Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo reverberating throughout its intricate, well paced plot. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, blending courtroom drama, prison intrigue & a slow-burning pursuit of justice that culminates in deeply satisfying twists. While not without its occasional implausibilities, the novel remains a gripping exploration of morality, resilience, and retribution.

The title, A Prisoner of Birth, is a deliberate nod to the concept of determinism—an acknowledgment of how the circumstances of our birth shape the trajectories of our lives. Danny Cartwright, the protagonist, is ensnared by societal prejudices and the criminal machinations of the elite. Born into working-class East London, Danny’s life spirals into chaos when he is falsely accused of murder. Here, Archer deftly dissects the classist underpinnings of the British judicial system, juxtaposing Danny’s integrity with the moral depravity of his accusers, whom are of a ‘higher’ standing of society.

Revenge is the pack-leading theme here & much like Dumas’ Edmond Dantès, Danny undergoes a metamorphosis while imprisoned. With the help of a motley crew of inmates, including the delightfully erudite Sir Nicholas Moncrieff, Danny hones his intellect, cultivates his patience, and engineers an audacious plan to reclaim his life. Archer employs a plethora of labyrinthine plot twists to keep readers on edge, and while some verge on the melodramatic, they’re undeniably entertaining.

The novel excels in its exploration of identity and reinvention. Danny’s transformation is not merely physical but also existential, as he adopts the ethos of his late benefactor to infiltrate the aristocracy and dismantle his enemies. The interplay between fate and agency is particularly compelling—Archer suggests that while we may be born into cages, our will to transcend them defines our humanity.

Despite the novel’s high stakes & jostle between character building slow but powerful passages and then an often relentless pace throughout other passages, Archer’s prose occasionally veers into the prosaic & can yet can also extremely powerful. Nonetheless, the narrative’s momentum compensates for these lapses. The final act delivers a catharsis reminiscent of the best revenge sagas, underscoring the enduring appeal of justice achieved through ingenuity & perseverance by what is inherently ‘good’.

A Prisoner of Birth is a richly woven narrative that interrogates the inequities of class and the redemptive power of vengeance. Fans of Dumas will revel in its homage, while newcomers will find a thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is compulsively readable. Archer is a very good writer — irrespective of how you may feel about him & this is an excellent retelling of Dumas’ classic in a modern setting, that ultimately just falls short of being a modern classic!

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most enjoyable audiobooks I've listened to all year. I suppose it reminded me of this author's Clifton Chronicles which I also love on audio. Similarities would be the theme of a poor young man trying to get out from under the thumb(s) of the rich. Same guy going to prison for something he didn't do, leaving behind his fiancé, at one point refusing to communicate with her again. Now, the more I think about it, the more similarities I see; yet this story stands on its own two feet.

Even if you've never read Archer before, this should be an enjoyable read. Lots of legal twists (the best one I did see coming) and then I do like books that focus on revenge, sweet revenge.

Following the book was a Q/A with the author in which he revealed that reading The Count of Monte Cristo gave him insight on how to get someone out of prison and what would be required plot points to enable one to seek revenge. Pretty fascinating.

[Tahani Shihab · Rating 5 out of 5]

رواية جميلة. فقد حبس الكاتب أنفاسي لساعات وأيام إلي أن أنهيتها. بالرغم من عدد صفحاتها الكثيرة، إلا أن هذه الرواية تأسر القارئ بأحداثها المتلاحقة. رواية عن الحب والانتقام والقهر والألم من الظلم . رواية معاصرة لرواية الكونت دي مونت كريستو، إلا أن أحداثها مختلفة تمامًا.


اقتباسات

“في السجن يتوقف الوقت ويتوقف المد والجزر بالنسبة لكل سجين”.

“الانتقام صنف من الطعام من الأفضل أن يقدم باردا”.

“لماذا يجب على الأبناء أن يدفعوا ثمن أخطاء لم يرتكبوها هم، ولا حتى ارتكبها آباؤهم؟”.

“سيدي القاضي، ألا نعاني جميعًا بطرق مختلفة أننا سجناء ظروف نشأتنا”.

“سيدي القاضي، إن لم يستطع الإنسان أن يعرب عما يعتقده من آراء ووجهات نظر بصراحة ونزاهة في المحكمة الجنائية المركزية، فلعلك تستطيع أن تخبرني بأي مكان آخر يجد فيه حرية التعبير عن الحقيقة”.

ويبقى الإيمان والأمل والإحسان، ثلاثتهم؛ ولكن أعظمهم مقامًا الإحسان”.

جيفري آرشير.

[Tariq Alferis · Rating 5 out of 5]

.كل يوم نكتشف ان عالم الكتب كبير جدا ، حتي لو كنت تعتقد انه عندك فكرة عن كاتب الأروع ..وانه مش حايجي حد ممكن ينافس حد في مكان ثاني "تبقي عبيط واقرع وزمباوي كمان "
جيفري ارتشر الكاتب الي سمعت بيه من اسبوع مع انه كنت متفرج علي فيلم المقتبس من رواية الأفضل
"الإخوة الأعداء "

القصة
هذه القصة داني كارترايت الذي كان في المكان الخطآ والوقت الخطآ ونتهي بيه المطاف في السجن لجريمة لم يرتكبها ، كما تستمر القصة حتي يصبح صديقا لزملائه في الزنزانته الذين يعتقدون انه فعلا برئ ، بعد ان قتل احد زملائه في الزنزانة ، انتهي الامر ان يستغل داني تلك الحادثة ويخرج من السجن بشخصية صديقه المقتول "نيك" واكماله لخطة قضاء علي القتلي الذين كان سبب في دخوله السجن وقتل اعز اصدقائه .

الجزء الاكبر من الرواية حول كيفية محاولة داني تطهير اسمه والسعي في الحصول علي قتلة الجريمة
التي ارتكبوها

السرد سريع ، الاحداث مرتبطة ، عبقرية ، ممتع جدا

جيفري ارتشر ، كاتب مدهش ، لايرتبط اسم جيفري مع الملل ابدا …"شئ شئ ماتفهم شئ "

لو كنت من محبي دان بروان ، ستيفين كينغ …اكيد حايعجبك البارون ارتشر ..

[Vikalp Trivedi · Rating 2 out of 5]

'A Prisoner Of Birth' by Jeffrey Archer is a modern retelling of the classic 'The Count Of Monte Christo' . The book follows story of a man who is wrongly convicted and now willing to extract revenge .

Sadly I have to say that I found this book the weakest among the books I read by Archer . It seemed that Jeffrey Archer ran out of ideas while writing this novel ( A look alike prisoner , seriously ) . Many of the incedents in the novel are needlessly put and these incedentes slows down the pace of the story . This was the slowest moving story by Archer I have ever read .

The book is divided into five parts and in these parts almost every chapter has many weakly built characters and many loopholes . The one thing that I liked about Jeffrey Archer was stout character building but this novel is full of lame characters . Even the character of protagonist was not well built . All other characters were appearing over long intervals .

Overall A Weak Book .
2 Stars .

[Neale Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this I was a bit annoyed that it felt like The Count of Monte Christo.

Then, when Archer made reference to that story, I was annoyed even more as it's one of my favourite stories.

Copycat!!!

I then checked the similarities between the two stories online, only to find out that A Prisoner of Birth, was in fact, a retelling! Silly me.

So, I put my loyalty aside and carried on. And on. And on. Only to discover that it was a beautiful retelling, in true Archer style. Pure class. Thrilling. Page turning brilliance.

[Cititor Necunoscut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inceputul a fost slab si parca regretam ca am inceput-o, dar ce turnura au luat evenimentele! Cartea devine din ce in ce mai buna pe masura ce inaintezi si la sfarsit iti pare rau ca s-a terminat.

[Carie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A (loosely based) modern day retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo.

This story was fun but I didn't think it was particularly well written and the story was too long.

[Hadeer Khaled · Rating 2 out of 5]

هذه حكاية كُتِبتْ لقتل الوقت، ربما كنتَ في طريق سفر طويل، أو في عيادة الطبيب و أمامك الكثير من المرضى حتى يأتيَ دورك، أو مريضًا راقدًا أغلب الوقت و تحتاج إلى شخصيات ذات قصة طويلة، و لكن أن تكون قارئًا يأمل بعضًا من المتعة الأدبية، فلا، قصة الانتقام التقليدية التي نقرأها في الروايات الكلاسيكية و نشاهدها في الأفلام مرارًا و تكرارًا.

ما المميز هنا؟ ربما الفكرة كانت في صياغة هذه الحكاية المألوفة، فالرواية تنقسم إلى خمسة أجزاء و كل جزء يعرض الأحداث التي آلتْ إليها حياة داني الهادئة المسالمة بعد اتهامه ظلمًا بقتل صديق عمره بيرني، القصة من الناحية الأخلاقية كانت مكتملة و تشعر أن الكاتب أراد أن يرسم بكلماته لوحة عن العدالة الإلهية التي جلعتني أقرأ الرواية و أنا نافدة الصبر للن��اية، و لكن لم أرَ أي موهبة في اللغة و لا في الأسلوب و لا حتى في توضيح الكثير من النقاط، لم أتفاعل مع كل شخصية و لم أشعر بحبكة تربط خيوط هذا العمل الضخم.

و بالنسبة للترجمة، فأودّ أن أطالب المترجم بعدم تكرار هذه التجربة و أن يقلع عن هذه المهنة لإني كنت أشعر بتشتت كبير و جمود في المعنى يُذكّرني بترجمة ( Google ) المثيرة للضحك، و دار النشر التي لم تُكلف نفسها في تعيين مُصحح لغوي، الأخطاء النحوية و الإملائية و الأسلوبية كانت كابوسًا استمر طيلة سبعمائة صفحة! طبعة سيئة لأقصى حد و لا أنصح بها بتاتًا.

تمت.

١٠ أغسطس ٢٠١٩

[Nagesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well its hard to meet the readers' expectations if your first few books are "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less", "Kane and Abel" & "As the Crow Flies".

I felt that though the plot is not something that would make one say ... wow! now that's a new one.

Its a slight parallel of the first book mentioned above from his early days as well as "The Count of Monte Cristo" (As Archer himself agrees in many of his interviews)

What I liked most is the pace at which the story runs. Probably that is why it is still readable though the plot and the climax are more or less on par (or below!) expectation from a master story teller like Jeffrey Archer.

The best sub plot of the novel, for me, was the one concerning JAPANESE KNOTWEED.

You can read this book on a weekend journey!

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, at my first Jeffrey Archer… what a great read! An updating of the 'Count of Monte Cristo' set in, and around modern London, Edinburgh and Geneva. Danny Cartwright proposes to his girlfriend Beth, in a Chelsea bar, when four toffs walk in, one of whom has the hots for Beth. Their lives are never the same again as tragedy ensues and a huge miscarriage of justice takes place. A well written, gripping, and for lack of a better word - exciting novel. 8 out of 12

[Eddie Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid story. Sterotypical characters, clichés - despite the main character being told not to use them - and no real depth to anyone.

But having said all that, I still read 500 pages and enjoyed it, so he must be doing something right.

And now my Archer readathon comes to a close for the time being.

[Egybookmaster Kottp]

الرائع جيفري أرتشر في احد كتبة الاربعه المترجمة للعربيه
أكثر ما يتمكن منة الكاتب هو قدرتة علي الحكي و نسج التفاصيل الصغيرة الكثيرة ليترك لك لغز هنا و موقف صادم هناك و صدفة تغير مجري الاحداث في جزء آخر
يتشابة بالفعل احد اعمده الروايه الرئيسية مع رائعه الكسندر دوماس الكونت دي مونت كريستو الا ان سجين بالميلاد تكاد تكون النسخة المحدثة منها في عالم اليوم لكن هذا لا يقلل علي الاطلاق من متعه الروايه
يعرف جيفري ارتشر كيف يجعلك ملتصقا بمقعدك و تواصل القراءه و يعرف كيف يجعلك تنتهي من قراءه ما كتب في اقل وقت ممكن
بقي ان نقول ان للكاتب روايه اخري شهيره للغايه هي Kane & ِِAppel
ترجمت للعربيه باسم " الاخوه الاعداء " موجوده في قائمة اكثر الكتب مبيعا في التاريخ
بالنسبة لاصدقائي و رواد المكتبة عندي يقع الخلاف الدائم ايهما اجمل سجين بالميلاد ام الاخوه الاعداء ؟
اميل في الاغلب للاخيرة مع شديد الاعجاب بالاولي

[Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un best-seller del montón en el que no he encontrado ningún giro inesperado y no me refiero a que sean giros “malos”, es que son inexistentes. La trama principal del libro recuerda al argumento de un conocido clásico, el desencadenante y lo poco que puede llegar a considerarse sorprendente es casi seguro que ya lo has leído o visto en algún otro libro del género (o incluso película) si estás familiarizado con este tipo de novelas, no hay nada medianamente original.

El estilo del autor es a veces algo simplón y el desarrollo de la trama da la sensación de estar muy guionizado, parece una historia de manual, con una estructura muy similar a otras tantas. No quiero decir con esto que no me gusten los best-seller (de hecho me encanta Dan Brown y disfruto mucho leyendo sus libros, aunque repita el mismo patrón en sus historias) pero es que me ha parecido todo tan preparado que queda muy forzado y en ocasiones poco creíble.

No es que considere la lectura de El impostor una pérdida total de tiempo, puede llegar a resultar entretenido pero se acerca más a una película de domingo por la tarde, fácilmente olvidable, que a un libro que vaya a recordar de aquí a un tiempo. No entiendo la puntuación tan alta que tiene.

[Raven and Beez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on blog!!



It is a great book with absolutely no place for errors. A plot that makes you go 'ooh!' and 'aah!' A must read book for those who prefer crime-mystery novels and for the people out there who think it's boring to read about the court proceedings, trust me this book will make you want to learn the law.

Alex Redmayne was my favourite side character because he is a lawyer and I have always had a liking for lawyers who are smart, handsome and prefer to do anything to help prevail justice over wrong. I rate it a 4.7 for the most mind boggling ending ever.

Lots of love and pasta,
Raven

[✨Susan✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern parallel to, The Count of Monte Cristo, done in a much shorter timeline. Jeffrey Archer did a great job of creating a story line that was interesting and characters that were compelling. I enjoyed the writing and the drama very much, it was suspenseful even though predictable. If you have read, The Count of Monte Cristo, this book has enough creative twists to keep it engrossing, if not, your going to love every oscillating turn.

[Jonathan K (Max Outlier) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story and the pace also. Jeffrey is a gifted author that creates characters we can relate with and still manages to throw a surprise ending in also. Well done and I'm quite sure others will enjoy his work also.

[Giota Kariofilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πέντε αστέρια....
Πέντε αστέρια είναι λίγα για το βιβλίο που διάβασα.
Είναι ίσως το καλύτερο βιβλίο του Jeffrey Archer που έχω διαβάσει μέχρι τώρα.
Παρότι το μέγεθος του (605 σελίδες) δεν με κούρασε καθόλου τόσο η πλοκή όσο και οι ευρηματικοί του χαρακτήρες.
Ο Αrcher είναι από εκείνους του συγγραφείς που ξέρουν πώς να φτιάχνουν μισητούς κακούς αλλά και συμπαθεστατους καλούς. Τους αγαπάς και τους θυμάσαι όμως όλους. Ακόμα και αυτόν που έπαιξε έναν μικρό ρόλο στην έκβαση της ιστορίας.
Έξυπνο, γρήγορο και πραγματικά πολύ ενδιαφέρον. Σε πολλά σημεία συγκινήθηκα , έκλαψα, θύμωσα αλλά και χαμογέλασα.
Ένα βιβλίο που σε καθηλώνει από την πρώτη ως την τελευταία του σελίδα.
Μια δικαστική πλάνη που οδηγεί έναν αθώο στην φυλακή για 22 χρόνια, τέσσερις άνθρωποι που κατάστρεψαν το μέλλον του, ένας δικηγόρος που πιστεύει στην αθωότητα του και πολεμά με όλες τους τις δυνάμεις και μια κοπέλα που βλέπει τα όνειρα της να μην γίνονται πραγματικότητα να σταθεί σαν σύζυγός στο πλευρό του άντρα που αγαπά, συνθέτουν ένα απίστευτα εξαιρετικό δικαστικό, κοινωνικό και ευφυέστατο μυθιστόρημα με ανατροπές που σε εκπλήσσουν.

[Mook Woramon · Rating 5 out of 5]

สนุกมากกกกกกกกกกกกกก
โดดเด่นเรื่องกระบวนการทางกฏหมาย กระบวนการศาล ชิงไหว ชิงพริบ หักเหลี่ยม เฉือนคม ไม่มีใครยอมใครจนหยดสุดท้าย

คนแปลก็แปลดีไม่สะดุดเลย สำนวนภาษาตอนว่าความก็ดูแพรวพราว มีชั้นเชิงไม่ธรรมดา

เรื่องย่อคร่าวๆ เแดนนี่กับเบธคู่หมั้นไปฉลองการขอแต่งงานโดยมีพี่ชายของเบธไปด้วย
ที่ร้านเหล้าเบธโดนเครกทนายหนุ่มอนาคตไกลพูดจาลวนลาม พี่ชายเบธโกรธมาก ทั้งคู่ทะเลาะกัน เครกแทงพี่ชายเบธตาย เครกโทรเรียกตำรวจที่รู้จักกันมาช่วยและโทษว่าแดนนี่เป็นคนร้าย
เมื่อเรื่องถึงกระบวนการศาลแดนนี่ไม่สามารถแก้ต่างได้ เนื่องจากอีกฝ่ายเตรียมการมาอย่างดี แดนนี่ต้องติดคุก อเล็กซ์ทนายของแดนนี่พยายามช่วยทุกทาง ระหว่างแดนนี่อยู่ในคุกได้เจอเพื่อนสนิทชื่อนิคท่ีช่วยสอนทุกอย่าง ทั้งสอนหนังสือ สอนปรับตัวให้อยู่ในคุกและเชื่อว่าแดนนี่บริสุทธิ์
นิคโดนฆ่าตายในคุก แดนนี่ออกจากคุกและสวนรอยเป็นนิค กระบวนการล้างแค้นเริ่มต้น ทั้งตัวเครกและเพื่อนโดนวางหมากตลบหลังกันถ้วนหน้า เครกจึงวางแผนเปิดโปงแดนนี่จนมีเรื่องได้ขึ้นศาลอีกครั้ง ความบริสุทธิ์ใของแดนนี่จึงได้รับการพิสูจน์ในที่สุด

อ่านช่วงแรกจะแค้นใจแทนแดนนี่มากที่โดนใส่ร้าย ไม่มีใครเชื่อจนต้องติดคุก พอช่วงหลังนี่สะใจตอนเอาคืนมาก ทั้งทางธุรกิจข ทั้งทางกฏหมาย เชือดเฉือนกันสุดฤทธิ์ วางไม่ลงตั้งแต่หน้าแรกยันหน้าสุดท้าย

[Evdoxia Kolydaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πρώτη αναγνωστική εμπειρία με τον Αρτσερ, και σίγουρα όχι η τελευταία....