First Among Equals

Political intrigue permeates this bestselling novel about four very different men who, after entering British politics in the '60s, spend the next 30 years vying for power until one reaches the pinnacle as prime minister. That the author, a British lord, is himself a politico lends the machinations authenticity--as does, unintentionally, this drastic abridgment. So much dialogue has been removed that the truncation sounds like nonfiction. Indeed, so many personality points are missing that the characters would have no definition at all if it weren't for Martin Jarvis, who vividly portrays the DRAMATIS PERSONAE with the crumbs he finds. The narrative he delivers with his wonted urbanity, authority, and expressiveness. His concluding brief interview with Archer is a superfluous, but nonetheless interesting, extra. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine