On the heels of the international bestseller Only Time Will Tell, Jeffrey Archer picks up the sweeping story of the Clifton Chronicles….
Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of long-buried family secrets, and forced to accept that his desire to marry Emma Barrington will never be fulfilled, has joined the Merchant Navy. But his ship is sunk in the Atlantic by a German U-boat, drowning almost the entire crew. An American cruise liner, the SS Kansas Star, rescues a handful of sailors, among them Harry and the third officer, an American named Tom Bradshaw. When Bradshaw dies in the night, Harry seizes on the chance to escape his tangled past and assumes his identity.
But on landing in America, he quickly learns the mistake he has made, when he discovers what is awaiting Bradshaw in New York. Without any way of proving his true identity, Harry Clifton is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape.
The Sins of the Father (The Clifton Chronicles)
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for Only Time Will Tell
“Archer delivers another page-turning, heart-stopping saga, with delightful twists and a surprise ending… readers will surely wait for the next with bated breath.”
—Publishers Weekly
“What appears at the outset to be a straightforward coming-of-age tale becomes, by the end, a saga of power, betrayal, and bitter hatred… An outstanding effort from a reliable veteran.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“I was utterly hooked. It was an absurdly enjoyable read.”
—Daily Telegraph (London)
More Praise for Jeffrey Archer
“Archer can make you wring your hands in anguish and guffaw out loud, all on the same page, and he does in these fifteen ingenious stories.”
—Star-Ledger (New Jersey) on And Thereby Hangs a Tale
“A compelling read…The pace never flags.”
—Newsday (New York) on A Prisoner of Birth
“One of the top-ten storytellers in the world.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Archer is a master entertainer.”
—Time
From the Back Cover
A sweeping multi-generational saga of fate, fortune, and redemption, the Clifton Chronicles continue in the latest epic masterwork from international bestselling author
JEFFREY ARCHER
It is only days before Britain declares war on Germany. Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of a familyscandal, and realizinghe can never marry Emma Barrington, has joined the Merchant Navy. Whena German U-boat sinks his ship, Harry and a handful of sailors are rescued by the SS Kansas Star, among them an American named Tom Bradshaw. That night, when Bradshaw dies, Harry seizes a chance to bury his past—by assumingthe man’s identity.
“[A] PAGE-TURNING, HEART-STOPPING SAGA.”—Publishers Weekly
When Harry lands in America, he is arrested for the murder of Tom Bradshaw’s brother.Alone, accused,and unable to prove his true identity, Harry is now chained to a past that could be worse thanwhat he left behind—butdestined for a futurethat would be greater than he ever dreamed…
“UNFORGETTABLE.”—Library Journal (starred review)
on the Clifton Chronicles’ Only Time Will Tell
--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
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More About the Author
JEFFREY ARCHER has topped the bestseller lists around the world, with sales of over 250 million copies in 97 countries and more than 37 languages, of his sixteen novels (including Kane & Abel - now on its 93rd reprint, A Prisoner of Birth and Paths of Glory), six collections of short stories, three plays, three volumes of his prison diaries, and a Gospel. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (fifteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). His latest project is a five-book series called The Clifton Chronicles - books one, Only Time Will Tell, and two, The Sins of the Father, have both been international bestsellers and book three, Best Kept Secret, will be available in March 2013. Archer is married to Dame Mary Archer DBE, they have two sons, and divide their time between London and Cambridge.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
80 of 86 people found the following review helpful
By BSG
Format:Kindle Edition
** No spoilers here **
Once again Jeffrey Archer has delivered a real page-turner.
There's the usual plot twists that the regular Archer readers will see coming, but from the first page to the last I was hungry for more.
Without giving anything away, the ending sets up the third book in the series nicely.
However those that want to read the book as a "stand alone" should steer clear at this stage - you really need to read "Only Time Will Tell" first, and you're going to have to wait another 12 months for the next installment to clean up the loose ends.
If you enjoyed "Only Time Will Tell" then this book is a worthy follow-up.
Once again Jeffrey Archer has delivered a real page-turner.
There's the usual plot twists that the regular Archer readers will see coming, but from the first page to the last I was hungry for more.
Without giving anything away, the ending sets up the third book in the series nicely.
However those that want to read the book as a "stand alone" should steer clear at this stage - you really need to read "Only Time Will Tell" first, and you're going to have to wait another 12 months for the next installment to clean up the loose ends.
If you enjoyed "Only Time Will Tell" then this book is a worthy follow-up.
50 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
So, why not a great one? Well, firstly it is obviously the middle book in (at least?) a trilogy as you will see by the ending, but that's OK. I do, however, look forward somewhat to what I hope will be the finale! Any longer and we will be approaching an "exploitation" scenario! Firstly, some kudos! It was a nice touch by Mr. Archer for naming a character in the book, after presumably a friend who passed away, and a good guy at that and that's all I'll say. Secondly the book is highly readable, and like other Archer books, one that is hard to put down for mundane stuff like eating and sleeping! However, it does have some relatively big faults! I was somewhat disappointed that 2 of the main characters in the book (I'll not tell you who they are so as not to be a spoiler; you can work it out for yourself) are IMO "short changed" in that one of them literally disappears for 4 years, out of a 6 1/2 year time span for the book, and the other for three, with only a brief explanation over their "missing" years before they appear again, which I found to be very annoying. They disappear for years then pop up for the last few chapters, frankly IMO just to "whet your appetite" for the last book. It seemed to me this was also to keep the book to a "short" 339 pages which is also an annoyance, when you consider the 500-700 page length of most of Mr. Archer's other books! I also dislike this trend among authors of taking a good sized novel and adding a middle book as a "filler" to create a trilogy to extend/increase their revenues and Mr. Archer does that here, and as I said before, this novel is just a bridge to a final one! I find this crassly exploitive of reader's loyalties! At least with an author like Bernard Cornwell, and, for example his series like the "Saxon Stories" and the "Grail Quest", you know upfront that there are more books coming in the series but each one is a separate novel in itself with a hard and satisfying ending that still leaves you really wanting the next chapter/book in the series! At least Mr. Archer, so far, writes all the books himself, unlike other authors, such as James Patterson, who puts his name to some of his co-authored books that I believe are largely written by other authors, who quite frankly would have a hard time getting their ideas published, another pet peeve of mine.
So overall a decent "bridging" book and read but an expensive one (for its length/plot), but hopefully the final one will be much, much better. I think 3 stars is a very fair rating for this book, at best!
So overall a decent "bridging" book and read but an expensive one (for its length/plot), but hopefully the final one will be much, much better. I think 3 stars is a very fair rating for this book, at best!
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By Kodiak
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
While the book features some of the standard Archer twists and turns, the disappointing aspect is that it is not a stand alone epic.
Unlike Kane and Abel and the follow-on Prodigal Daughter, the latter book could stand on its own without you having to have read the former. In this book, although there is no need to have read the first in the trilogy, the conclusion of the book is absent. Rather the the books ends on a "cliff-hanger" moment.
This makes it rather obvious that the book has been written as "the middle child" in the series, and for the more cynical readers is simply a lead in to buy the third publication, when it is released.
Not OK Mr Archer. Your fans support you, the least you could do is write them a story that concludes, rather than an episode in a series.
Unlike Kane and Abel and the follow-on Prodigal Daughter, the latter book could stand on its own without you having to have read the former. In this book, although there is no need to have read the first in the trilogy, the conclusion of the book is absent. Rather the the books ends on a "cliff-hanger" moment.
This makes it rather obvious that the book has been written as "the middle child" in the series, and for the more cynical readers is simply a lead in to buy the third publication, when it is released.
Not OK Mr Archer. Your fans support you, the least you could do is write them a story that concludes, rather than an episode in a series.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy Read
Like everything written by Jeffrey Archer this is also a winner. Easy read, quick flowing narrative. I would like more of the same.
Published 2 days ago by Hannelie du Plessis
5.0 out of 5 stars
The sins of the father
Book was great can not wait to read book number 3 in the series.It was a book you just wanted to go and on.
Published 3 days ago by Marilyn Lakin
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a favourite
I choose this book in error and after reading it, found it too light. I knew what to expect and it did not knock my sox off.
Published 5 days ago by Dottydot
3.0 out of 5 stars
very basic
I liked the first book but this one does not bring a lot. the English is basic, nothing close to littérature. the story I liked but I will not read the next volume.
Published 5 days ago by meyer
4.0 out of 5 stars
At the Core, A Bastard or A Lord?
As a first time Jeffrey Archer reader and fellow author, I really admired his writing style to a point. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Lorna Rainey
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a great story!
As usual Jeffrey Archer has spun such a tale that I have not been able to put down this saga. I can't wait to get to the next book!
Published 6 days ago by Beverley
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Clifton Chronicles is a Great Series!
I think Jeffrey Archer is a great author and I can't wait until his next book is out. He keeps your interest page after page.
Published 7 days ago by Cheryl Chignoli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer
I love most of Jeffrey Archer's books. Some seem more 'male type', but since he is such a good writer I read and enjoy them too. Can't get enough of Archer!
Published 8 days ago by Old Bookworm
4.0 out of 5 stars
great book
Having read the first and second book, i can't wait for the third book to be made available. Looking forward to it.
Published 8 days ago by Evon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great read!
I love Jeffrey Archer books because they hold your attention right from the beginning! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book!
Published 8 days ago by Rita C. Shotwell
