Honor Among Thieves [Hardcover]

Jeffrey Archer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1993

Who would pay a billion dollars to humiliate America? The time, 1993. The place, Washington DC. Of the adversaries in the Gulf War, the sole survivor is Saddam Hussein. And Saddam is planning a revenge so diabolical that the United States will be left with no choice but to retaliate ...'A fast-moving intrigue ...a cracking good read. This is the first novel I have read by Jeffrey Archer; it will not be the last' - "Mail on Sunday". 'Back in top form ...Archer's imagination at its most sublime ...an entertaining, pacey page-turner' - "Sunday Times". 'Few are more famous than Archer for keeping the pages turning ...an extravagant romp - possibly his best' - "The Times."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Newly minted CIA and Mossad agents work to undo damage wrought by a Mafia/Iraqi conspiracy in English author Archer's ( As the Crow Flies ; Kane and Abel ) witty, action-filled--if improbable--thriller. Some readers, we suppose, might find quite plausible the idea that the mob has arranged for a ringer to impersonate President Clinton during his first months in office. But here the actor who plays Clinton assumes the role only long enough to swipe the Declaration of Independence. The chase is on as mobsters spirit the manuscript-turned-macguffin off to Iraq, where Saddam has plans to barbeque it for the Fourth of July, live on CNN. Meanwhile, Yale Law professor Scott Bradley goes undercover for the CIA, tracking lovely young Mossad operative Hannah Kopec, likewise on assignment in Paris. It's only a matter of time before the two agents are caught up in each other's arms and, of course, in the race to recapture the Declaration. Beyond the thrills and surprises that Archer's masterful narrative provides, readers will remain aware of the extreme unlikelihood that a scam such as Saddam's could succeed, and that two such neophytes would be thrown in to stop it. This deficit in verisimilitude doesn't detract too much from the novel's entertainment value, however, and some will be amused that Archer himself good-naturedly joins in the criticism by ironically making the accuracy of the spelling of "Brittish" (sic) in the Declaration and its copies central to his plot. 50,000 first printing; major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-It is spring, 1993. Saddam Hussein, in his ongoing desire to humiliate the U.S., arranges for the theft of the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives. His aim is to destroy the document in front of CNN cameras on July 4th for all the world to see, and so destroy the credibility of his arch-enemy. This is the basis of Archer's fast-paced novel. His cast of characters is right out of today's headlines: President Bill Clinton and Saddam Hussein; American CIA agents and agents from Israel's Mossad; the Mafia; and an Irish expert forger. The setting of the novel is equally broad, practically encompassing the globe. The highly improbable plot may strain credibility, but the author more than makes up for this by creating an entertaining adventure.
Pamela B. Rearden, Centreville Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; 1 edition (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060177713
• ISBN-13: 978-0060177713
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,830,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars International intrigue, lots of action in post-Gulf War Iraq, August 11, 2003

By 

Gerald M. Bull "Jerry Bull" (Fairview, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honor Among Thieves (Paperback)

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"!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Flawed, but immense entertainment nevertheless., November 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Honour Among Thieves (Audio Cassette)

This being Archer's first 'action thriller', I was skeptical when I picked up this book as I am used to reading his 'sagas'. 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, hiring an professional, plans to steal the American Declaration of Independence and burn it on international television, thus humilating the American people. The book's 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 (eg.getting into the National Archives during a film shot), the book would make a more lasting impression on the minds of readers. However, despite the flawed storytelling, the book is one juicy slab of entertainment!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Killing, little content, January 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Honor Among Thieves (Paperback)

This book is the worst Archer book I've ever read. Unlike his other novels, with relatively unpredictable endings, this one was obvious from the start. Archer tried to make an action book and failed. The author should stick with plots involving rivalries (see First Among Equals, The Fourth Estate) with fewer characters. With so many characters, none could be developed fully, and Archer only attempts to make two of them more than one-dimensional. Yes, there was action, and lots of death, but little substance. While this book won't prevent me from reading more Archer, it won't be a book I'll ever read again.