The Fourth Estate

We hear much of how the media of the world is controlled by the hands of a few men. THis fictionalized account of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwells fight over the worlds media empires will help all those interested in how the media operates in the world today(or more precisely in the 1990s). This book is also a superb read, it combines the flair of real life with the fictionlized account of the private affairs of two great men, both of whom a flawed. A great character study. By far it is Archers best work.

To those who have read Kane & Abel, The Fourth Estate is a bit of deja vu. The plot is essentially the same. Two men - one a refugee from a war, the other an Ivy League-educated millionaire get pitted against each other and will not cease until the other man is driven out of business. The action is rivetting and makes the book a compelling page-turner. The book is actually based on real-life characters, and a few real incidents too. Readers will find it tough not to see the similarity between Keith Townsend and Rupert Murdoch. The way the story is woven is also reminiscent of Kane & Abel, however the book does not sag one wee bit in action. I assign five stars to this book because that's the maximum!

Jeffrey Archer is one of those authors - the kind that people love to hate. He writes fiction that requires no real thinking to get through, just a great sense of wanting to be entertained.In the Fourth Estate, Archer describes the lives of two ficticious (although clearly based on some well-known real life moguls) newspaper barons. He explains their differing beginnings (one humble, one rich) and intersperses this with the story of a battle to win a business empire.The story is every part the cliche "page turner", especially towards the end, when the climactic chapters and the way they build up a great sense of suspense is testament to the enjoyable experience you have reading this book.This was my first Jeffrey Archer novel that I'd read - if you're in the same position it's a great place to start.

Seldom have enjoyed a book as much in which the main character was not female!!!! The major players in this story are at once, charming, repulsive, admirable and dispicable. Always kept me guessing. The plot exceedingly well laid as it plays across world history. My first Archer novel, definitely not my last.

At last, Archer brings us back to the classic man-against-man novel, as in his successful "Kane and Abel". This is a must-read novel, full of wonderful character development, clever, yet manipulative story lines and riveting endings at each chapter. From the opening chapter the reader is totally immersed in the two main characters -- Armstrong and Townsend, from two completely different backgrounds. Their lives seem lifelike, and not plastic and phony, like many authors characters. The reader becomes emotionally attached to one of the charcters, and cheers for their favorite one, right until the bitter end. The plot twists are so remarkable, and riveting, it is easy to read 200+ pages in one sitting! One wonders how Archer continually comes up with such brilliant ideas. The only bad thing about this 750 page novel was reading the last chapter. If only all novels were this excellent