Although Mr. Archer is a New York Times bestselling author, this book falls far short of his abilities. The characters are one-dimensional and their conversations are stilted and forced. In many places the book reads more like a report you would have expected the FBI agent to have written than a piece of entertaining fiction.
I initially wondered what time setting the book was in, and see by the publish date that it was written in the late 1970′s, then re-released in the mid 80′s which explains somewhat the rather glaring absence of any mention of the technology we take for granted in today’s world. Mr. Archer evidently didn’t understand the implications of even the mobile phones of the day as his agents possess none in their vehicles — even the top official, Director of FBI, H.A.L. Tyson.
I’m not sure that if I had read this book when it was hot off the presses if I would have come away with any better opinion of it, but it definitely does not stand the test of time with regards to much of the world as it was that I remember from those times.
The plot line is one that might could be used today with some freshening of details and a complete re-write of the characters and their dialog. You couldn’t use the sniper’s vehicle as today’s FBI is more analytical about scenarios that would put the President in position for assassination than Mr. Archer gives them credit for in the ’70′s.
I’m afraid, though that this particular book needs to go into that long night of books that possess so little of the character of their day that they are not timeless and are oh so forgettable.
Shall We Tell The President? by Jeffrey Archer
Published by St. Martin’s Press 1977 & 1985
ISBN: 0-312-9335107
