Paths of Glory (Hardcover)

by Jeffrey Archer (Author) "If you had asked George why he'd begun walking toward the rock, he wouldn't have been able to tell you..." (more)
Key Phrases: general sahib, climbing leader, team tent, Sir Francis, General Bruce, Geoffrey Young (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A real-life mountaineering mystery serves as the springboard for bestseller Archer's abysmal latest. The plot begins promisingly with the body of mountaineer George Mallory discovered on the slopes of Mt. Everest in 1999, possibly having been the first man to have reached the summit. But hopes of an adventurous yarn are soon dashed as the novel becomes a long flashback, offering stock vignettes of Mallory's childhood, Cambridge days and mountaineering adventures. These passages are hampered by phoned-in writing, clumsy attempts at verisimilitude and a notable lack of psychological depth. Along the way, Mallory marries, becomes a father, serves in WWI and finds himself pitted against Australian mountaineer George Finch as a potential leader of Britain's push to conquer Everest. Archer does eventually offer his opinion as to whether Mallory summited Everest, but by that point all but his most devoted fans will have fled the icy crags of this lifeless novel. (Mar.)
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Review

Praise for Jeffrey Archer:

“A dynamite commercial novel … Archer brings it off with panache.”
---The Washington Post on A Prisoner of Birth

“Bestseller Archer pays homage to Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo in this delicious updating of the adventure classic.… The author’s firsthand knowledge of prison life and legal maneuvers help make this a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment.”
---Publishers Weekly on A Prisoner of Birth

“Like other Archer thrillers, the book is compulsively readable.”
---Library Journal on A Prisoner of Birth

“A worthy successor to the still bestselling The Da Vinci Code.”
---Liz Smith, New York Post, on False Impression

“One of the top ten storytellers in the world.”
---Los Angeles Times

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (March 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312539517
• ISBN-13: 978-0312539511
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,958 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 Stars -- Interesting But Easy To Put Down! , March 16, 2009

By	bobbewig (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

(What's this?)

Paths Of Glory is Archer's attempt to fictionalize the story of George Mallory and his dream of being the first person to climb to the top of Mt. Everest. It covers a thirty-two year period ranging from Mallory's childhood to his third attempt to climb Everest in 1924, at age thirty-seven. In real life, it remains a mystery as to whether Mallory ever achieved his goal, as he was last seen four hundred feet from the top. Archer does a decent job in "covering all the bases" of Mallory's life. However, in trying to pack all of the major historical events in his life in just an average length book, Archer, in my opinion, doesn't provide sufficient depth in most of these areas to create a full sense of who Mallory was and what motivated him. Further, Archer provides, at best, only superficial characterizations of the key people in Mallory's life (e.g., his wife, his children, his climbing partners, etc.). Overall, Paths Of Glory is an entertaining read -- particularly if you have an interest in mountain-climbing -- but it is not one that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat to find out what happens next. Given Jeffrey Archer's successful career as a novelist it will not be surprising to find Paths Of Glory on major bestseller lists, although be forewarned that it doesn't deserve to reach the summit of these lists.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mystery of Everest...., March 29, 2009

By	Kate Willard "Realtor" (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Years ago I had watched a fascinating documentary on the discovery of George Mallory's remains on Mt. Everest, so when I came upon this book at my local bookstore I had to read it!. Mallory's final days on Everest have been one of the great unsolved Mysteries of the 20th century. Yes Mallory died on Everest back in 1924, but was it before or after reaching the summit? This is historical fiction in which Archer brings George Mallory, and those surrounding him, to life. Though fiction it was easy to see that the author had done his research. As in all good historical fiction the author does not cheat on the facts while taking us into the soul of the subject. Speaking of historical fiction that takes you into the souls of its subject's I do recommend "Misfits Country."

20 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This was an extraordinary read, March 7, 2009

By	Kathleen Wagner "*Mitakuye Oyasin or We are A... (SWPA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

(What's this?)

The story of George Leigh Mallory, a novel based on history. I had never been drawn to read about Mr Mallory prior to this. I had never read anything by Jeffrey Archer either. For some reason, when given the opportunity to read this book, I enthusiastically took it.

The story begins when George Mallory was a child living in his fathers house. His father was a conservative clergyman of limited means who wanted to provide the best possible life for his three children. For George, this included the best education he could manage.

From a young age, Gorge showed a lack of fear, and a love of climbing. His father encouraged his sons sense of adventure, even to the point of accompanying him on ever more rigorous climbs, at least accompanying his as best he could. This trust and encouragement surely contributed to the self confident young man George became.

During his years at school, he knew that his mountain climbing had to take a backseat to his education, and so it did. TO his satisfaction, there were others who shared his interests, thus enabling him to continue with what brought joy to his life, scaling mountains.

I became so invested in the people portrayed in this book, I had a hard time putting it down. I had a vague and passing knowledge of Mallory and his Everest climbs, but nothing more than that. After reading about his life and family, as well as his dreams. I am searching for more information on this clearly incredible man.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read, or is interested in mountaineering. I will be reading more books by this author very soon, as well as more books about George Mallory and Everest. A book that inspires a new interest is the very best kind of book.