Heaven
Jeffrey Archer
(Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan)
2005 St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0312342179

A Prison Diary Volume III. The final episode of life in prison.

Sr. Associate Reviewer Narayan Radhakrishnan writes:

Love him or hate him, but the fact remains that Jeffrey Archer still is one of England's top thriller writers -- & save for a Ken Follett, John Le Carre & Frederick Forsyth, one of the few to make it big worldwide. The author's life has been more tumultuous, filled with more ups & downs, highs & lows that prompted Michael Crick to title his biography of Jeffrey Archer as Stranger than Fiction.

Picking up the threads of where Purgatory, Vol. II left off, Jeffrey Archer now takes us through his life in North Sea Camp & at Hollesly Bay where he spent his most of his 2 year prison sentence. For those unaware of why this author was sent to prison, please read my review of Prison Diary Vol. I.

As in the previous two volumes, Archer continues his scathing attack against the prison conditions & atrocities committed therein. At the same time he also states that prison reform is the need of the hour & has plenty of suggestions to offer, as one who has experienced it all.

Unlike the first two, Heaven is more voluminous & poignant. Archer has finally rescinded to fate -- the vengeance & despair is noticeably absent herein. He now tries how to make maximum good use of his prison life. His plans for charity & his future: to write a screenplay, more novels, to re-enter social life, albeit as a non-politician, etc., are narrated in rich detail. The author does, however, have a deep fear of how life will be outside prison, & how British society might perceive his return to public life. Will he able to forget (& society forgive) past demons?

If you're looking for an Archer thriller, this is not for you. Jeffrey Archer promises two things: there is gonna be a new collection of short stories in late 2005, tentatively titled Cat Of Nine Tails & a screenplay Mallory: Walking Off The Map.

A good, poignant read & a worthy buy.

Fiction by Jeffrey Archer:
Sons of Fortune
Kane & Abel
The Prodigal Daughter
First Among Equals
As the Crow Flies & many more!
(09/11/05)

Narayan
2005©Narayan Radhakrishnan
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I am a 26 years old lawyer practicing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Along with my legal practice, I have finished post-graduate studies for both Business Law & Human Rights. I am a self proclaimed numero-uno legal thriller lover & am the proud owner of all of Grisham's & Turow's novels. I enjoy John Mortimer's Rumpole & relish an occasional Martini & a rare Scot(ch)t-oline with a Patterson on the side.

My work A FICTION OF LAW is now about 500 pages in length & features 500 lawyer authors & 2000 legal thrillers covering a 300 year period - inclusive of entries from the USA, UK, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East etc. Still in search of a publisher.
www.keralatourism.org