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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780312997120
ISBN number: 0312997124
Label: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 496
Printing Date: May 16, 2004
Publishing house: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: May 04, 2004
Sale Popularity Level: 58954
Studio: St. Martin's Paperbacks
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Charles Seymour, second-born son, will never be the earl like his father, but he did inherit his mother's strength-and the will to realize his destiny...Simon Kerslake's father sacrificed everything to make sure his son's dreams come true. Now it is Simon's chance to rise as high as those dreams allow...Ray Gould was born to the back streets but raised with pride-a quality matched by a sharp intellect and the desire to attain the impossible...Andrew Fraser was raised by a soccer hero turned politician. Now it's his turn for heroics, whatever the cost.From strangers to rivals, four men embark on a journey for the highest stakes of all-the keys to No. 10 Downing Street. Unfolding over three decades, their honor will be tested, their loyalties betrayed, and their love of family and country challenged. But in a game where there is a very first among equals, only one can triumph.
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Rated by buyers 
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I usually love Archer's novels, but not this one. This one is heavy into the British Parliament. Matter of fact, I learned more about it than I wanted to. Slow read.
Rated by buyers -
Elected to the British Parliament's House of Commons at age 29, Jeffrey Archer was one of the youngest MP's ever (accordingly to Wikipedia, he's the 5th youngest -- for those who care). He served in that role for 5 years, before facing near-bankruptcy as the victim of an investment scheme. He stepped down, turning from politics to writing novels, at which he has been enormously successful. He also remained active in various political roles, such as Deputy Chairman of the conservative party under Margaret Thatcher, and an unsuccessful run for mayor of London in 1999.
Thus, Archer's fluency with British politics is unquestioned and is a subject about which he can write from personal experience.
In "First Among Equals" Archer follows the careers of three vastly different fictional characters as they ascend through the political ranks of the British Parliament, ultimately jockeying for the Prime Minister's office. As the book opens, a ficticious King of England is faced with breaking a tie among votes to see who will be living at #10 Downing Street, and it isn't until the final chapter that we learn of the King's decision. In this instance, the victor was the character that I was personally rooting for, but the outcome was by no means obvious until the final page.
All in all, it was a good book, but it moved rather slowly for my tastes. Since I lived in Canada for 7 years and became reasonably fluent in their parliamentary system (which is almost indistinguishable from the system used in the U.K.), I did not find the book's setting to be particularly difficult to absorb. However, those unfamiliar with the British form of government and its politics will find themselves on a steep learning curve and will likely be either bored or fascinated. I was somewhere in between.
There is no doubt that Archer is an excellent storyteller, and he spins a highly believable yarn here. I simply did not find it to be particularly exciting and have to confess that it was rather difficult to persist to the final pages.
In summary, if you enjoy British politics and want something approaching an insider's view, this one is a keeper. If not, you will be much better served to check out Archer's other books, such as "Kane and Abel" "As the Crow Flies" and "A Matter of Honor." He's an excellent author, but the subject matter here doesn't have the mass appeal of many of his other books.
Rated by buyers -
Lord Archer has done a fine job on an institution that he obviously knows and loves so well- The House of Commons.
While its not up to his usual level, its miles away from its nearest competitor. If you like this then go see the DVD House of Cards.
Rated by buyers -
Larry King has said of Jeffrey Archer, "There isn't a better storyteller alive." One would be hard pressed to find a better reader alive for this story of a fight for power. Martin Jarvis easily inhabits the personas of four men as they parry and jab for the right to live at No. 10 Downing Street.
Listeners are introduced to this quartet gradually as the story unfolds over some thirty years. Charles, a man born to title and privilege; Simon, whose father imbues him with ambition; Ray, not of patrician birth but born with an iron will; and Andrew, a politician cum sports hero.
Archer, a member of the House of Lords, well knows the terrain in which he sets his story, and Martin Jarvis well knows how to deliver it.
- Gail Cooke
Rated by buyers 
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There is the theoretical idea in Westminster Parliamentary systems that all Cabinet ministers are equals, and that the Prime Minister is simply First among Equals, rather than the nearly all-powerful figure most have become (similarly, the Pope as Bishop of Rome is theoretically merely the very first among equals of bishops -- see how that works?).
In fact, the office of the Prime Minister is a powerful position, one that drives many people to do strange and bizarre things in aid of attaining the office. Like the characters in the novel, Jeffrey Archer (now Lord Archer, most recently guest of Her Majesty's prison system) had Prime Ministerial ambitions, too. Unlike many of the characters in this novel, Archer 'settled' for less than the Premeirship earlier in his career, discovering writing as a lucrative and creative outlet, and one that allows him to work out his personal and professional angst in a very unique manner. Much in this novel reflects Archer's own struggles.
The novel is very accurate and true to form in the mechanics and atmosphere of the House of Commons and House of Lords. Having been a Member of Parliament, Archer knew the environment from the inside, and drew realistic scenarios and created realistic characters of such degree that I have required this novel as a text when I've taught British politics.
The major cast of characters -- Seymour, Kerslake, Fraser and Gould -- fit composites of many back-benchers I knew when I worked in Parliament. Unlike the majority of back-benchers, these are men of ambition and ability (alas, somewhat rare combinations in politics in any nation). Each has an eye on the brass ring of No. 10 Downing Street, and each has, at the outset of political careers, an equal chance at success.
A week can be a long time in politics, it has been said, so the span of several decades might as well be an eternity. We see the personal and professional ups and downs of these individuals against a backdrop of real political history from the 1960s forward; this book written in 1984, the 'future' was speculative, but not beyond reason, and still makes for a good read. The careers of the foursome are not linearly upward; true to form of many political careers (including Archer's own), there are near misses and great falls, from which some recover, and others do not.
The ending is an interesting one, again part of Archer's speculative history, hinging upon one event that perhaps he knew well would never in fact happen. However, it is still a believable political event, and given that actual politics is often unbelievable, this novel makes a generous alternative history.
Archer's gift of storytelling is strong, and perhaps best when he is dealing with situations he himself has survived. 'First Among Equals' is one such story.
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