Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles) (The Clifton Chronicles, 1)

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It was after I overheard the Frob saying to another beak, ‘If Bridport was any brighter, he’d be a half-wit,’ that I knew I didn’t need to look any further for my accomplice. Only Time Will Tell takes a cast of memorable characters from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take his place at Oxford, or join the fight against Hitler s Germany. Set in London in 1988 as Royal fever sweeps the nation, New Scotland Yard are on high alert to protect the most famous family on earth. But my father wouldn’t hear of it, and despite my bursting into controlled tears, they still left me standing on the top step with my younger sister Grace.

Meanwhile in Geneva, a millionaire art collector was pronounced dead more than two months ago, but his lawyer continues to represent a dead client . His father (a dock worker) is killed under mysterious circumstances at work, and his mother struggles to take care of the family, but she is a hard working and determined woman, and she wants Harry to have a better future than to be a dock worker like his father.I still don't know if I want to read the rest of the Clifton-Saga too, because I prefer single novels. Archer was determined to bore us with these stupid and boring characters going to lengths to prove their worth or whatever ! Harry promotes his latest book in America while Giles defends his seat in the House of Commons against a shocking opponent, and in 1957 Harry’s son Sebastian wins a scholarship to Cambridge.

Sounds like a common set up, but here is where it gets really interesting: each section starts with a first person narrative as the first chapter.A moment later my father got up and left the room, without even saying goodbye to Giles and his guests. I was also at St Mary Redcliffe the evening his voice broke, but at the time I didn’t understand why so many heads were turning and some members of the congregation began to whisper among themselves. The family were all staying at our villa in Tuscany that summer when Giles took me to one side and said he needed to ask my advice. In the Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer explores themes of love, loss and betrayal as he takes the reader on an exhilarating journey from the back alleys of Bristol to the teeming streets of New York City and the Gulags of Stalinist Russia.

This book reminded me a little of Downton Abbey and I think readers who enjoyed that series will really enjoy the clifton Chronicles.Spanning the period between the world wars (roughly 1920-1940) and set in Britain, this first book traces Harry’s school career to his likelihood of entering the Navy as it seems war with Hitler is on the horizon. Like I don't know how many times the readers were told that Harry Clifton is smart and poor , smart and poor , I mean we get it in first 5 times but if you keep mentioning it for 50 times , I don't know.

The beautiful part of this was that the overlapping parts focused on the things that THAT character found important or were relevant to that character.

I normally am a little skeptical when people rave like crazy in a review, but I suppose I am now joining their ranks. In Jeffrey Archer's The Prodigal Daughter, the titanic battle between two men obsessed with destroying each other follows on to the next generation. And I get why that is because it is a pretty straight-forward, easily read story about several families, several destinies and several points of view that entwine. Clifton forges ahead to make a name for himself, while living under the shadow of never having met his father.