The Heir [LARGE PRINT] (Hardcover)

by Barbara Taylor Bradford (Author)
Key Phrases: ruined stronghold, enameled white, Grace Rose, Young Edward, Edward Deravenel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Bestseller Bradford (The Ravenscar Dynasty; Voice of the Heart) presents the serviceable second chapter in her Ravenscar trilogy, a dynastic epic spanning the 20th century. In 1918, 14 years after assuming control of the family company, 33-year-old Edward Deravenel has built it into the greatest trading company in the world, with business interests ranging from French wine to Persian oil. Edward is also blessed with the sprawling Ravenscar estate and a son he hopes will eventually take the company helm. However, Edward has enemies on all sides, most notably his treacherous younger brother, George, and jealous wife Elizabeth. Even Edward's trusted youngest brother, Richard, may not be all he seems. A series of scandals threatens to ruin Edward's heirs' claim to the company, though much of the action feels muted. The plot gains much needed direction and momentum after Edward is felled by a heart attack, his two young sons disappear and the company's fate falls on the shoulders of his oldest daughter, Bess. The last third carries the book and makes up for the plodding earlier sections. This isn't one of Bradford's better books, but it should tide over her fans. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
Blockbuster bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford continues her stunning new series featuring the Deravenels--a powerful family whose lives are filled with drama, intrigue, danger, and revenge. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 853 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press Large Print; Large Print edition (December 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739488635
• ISBN-13: 978-1602850866
• ASIN: 1602850860
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.8 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,101,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an impeccable voice performance, December 5, 2007

By	Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: The Heir (Audio CD)

After his splendid performance of the audio edition of The Ravenscar Dynasty who else to give voice to the second in Bradford's trilogy than British actor and playwright John Lee? His delivery is again impeccable as he successfully brings to life a large cast of characters. His voice is deep with a slight British accent - all the better to read these roles with.

Listeners who have felt withdrawal symptoms without a Bradford saga to lose themselves in have shown they're delighted with the trials and tribulations, maladies and machinations of the Deravenel family. Bradford is deft at plotting stories of multi generational families and The Heir is not an exception as the now 33-year-old Edward Deravenel struggles to hold his company together in the midst of an influenza epidemic, and the plotting of brother George. As if this were not enough, he finds no solace or comfort in the arms of his wife Elizabeth.

While Bradford's storyline is unsurprising, it's pure magic for many.

- Gail Cooke

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Plotted, August 21, 2008

By	Carol H. Davis "Heavy Reader" (SC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Heir (Hardcover)

I think that Barbara Taylor Bradford forgot to plan out this story before sat down to write. I normally love her books but this was a big dissapointment. Characters keep dying, some murdered, but there is no resolution and it seems like the remaining characters don't really care to find out what happened. I kept expecting the bad guy to appear and get his just rewards, but it never happened. The story skips huge chunks of time. The characters could be interesting but are never really utilized in any manner. Reread one of the Emma Harte books and save yourself the misery of this one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Practically Verbatim Retelling of Historical Events, August 2, 2008

By	Iris Peterson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Heir (Hardcover)

***Warning, this review may contain spoilers***
Let me first start out by saying that the Ravenscar books are the first BTB books that I have read - from the other reviews I get a sense that these are not her best. I really only bought the Ravenscar series because I live in a foreign country and this series was one of the few that I could get in English; however I wish I had saved my money. Here's the thing: as a previous reviewer stated, these books (set from 1904-1974 or so in England) are based on the events in the 15th and 16th centuries in British royal history - From Edward IV all the way up to Henry VIII; however this is not "loosely" based or even what I would call a "clever twist" - this is basically stealing the plotlines, changing "kingdom" to "company," altering names (slightly), and fast forwarding a few hundred years (which allows for contemporary political commentary like "I think that Winston Churchill/Margaret Thatcher is really going places"). The Heir tries to tackle the reigns of several kings and deal with one of the more complicated periods in British history, which is why I think there is so much time jumping and dying. Plus I'm sorry, but did anyone else emit an audible groan when "Henry Turner" tried to divorce Catherine (of Spanish blood) to marry "Anne Bowles"??? But really the whole novel was like this, as was the previous book in the series, although at least the Ravenscar Dynasty only spanned 10 years. My advice? Unless you want to try to Play Who's Who in British History (e.g. Neville Watkins = Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick) read Allison Weir or Phillippa Gregory or even William Shakespeare to get a better rendition of these particular historical events.