(Originally published 2008, Paperback edition 618 pages)
The characters and plot of Mr. Archer's A Prisoner of Birth are somewhat
predictable. The story took about a hundred pages before the thing got my
undivided attention. It would take a pretty dimwitted individual not to quickly
realize that Danny Cartwright is going to get the girl, his revenge and be
swimming in loot by the end of the story. The good guys are good. The bad guys
are bad. Danny's and Beth's love for each other is unbreakable. Yadda. Yadda.
Yadda. That's okay because besides the author being a very good storyteller, he
does sprinkle in enough tiny mysteries and plot twists to keep the reader
engaged. I especially enjoyed that Mr. Archer makes Danny's ascent and revenge
due not only to his abilities but also because other key characters believed he
got a raw deal and were at his disposal. There was also one nasty piece of work
named Kevin Leach who I wished had had an even larger role in the book. A
Prisoner of Birth isn't great literature, but so what. It's simply a fun,
summer read. That'll do just fine for me.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #303)
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