Product Description

Francis Urquhart's eventful career as Prime Minister comes to a spectacular end in the final volume in the Francis Urquhart trilogy -- now reissued in a new cover. He schemed his way to power in 'House of Cards' and had a memorable battle of wills with the new king in 'To Play the King'. Now Francis Urquhart is about to take his place in the record books as the longest-serving Prime Minister this century. Yet it seems the public is tiring of him at last, and the movement to force him from power is growing. But Urquhart is not yet ready to be driven from office. If the public demand new blood, that is precisely what he will give them! Francis Urquhart goes out in a blaze of glory in this final volume in the irresistible story of the most memorable politician of the decade.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45714 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 480 pages

Review
'A triumphant return! The best book of the three. The action is unflagging, the characterization razor-sharp, the satirical barbs at politics and politicians unfailingly accurate. Urquhart's last days in Downing Street are as compelling as Mrs Thatcher's. What a brilliant creation F.U. is.' Sunday Telegraph 'Razor-sharp and merciless! One thing is certain: F.U. will be remembered for much longer than the name of many a real Prime Minister.' Daily Mail 'Magnificent! this book has it all.' Sunday Express

About the Author
Michael Dobbs has carved out a unique niche as the country's leading political thriller writer, with a reputation for always being at the right hand of political controversy. In 1979 he was at Mrs Thatcher's side as she took her first step into Downing Street as Prime Minister, and in 1994 John Major appointed him Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. One newspaper described him as 'Westminster's baby-faced hitman'.

Customer Reviews

You might think it dull, I couldn't possibly comment
Andrew Davies admitted he didn't actually read this instalment of the House of Cards trilogy before writing his adaptation for television. Dobbs was understandably miffed, but having waded through it myself I can see Davies' point. The sad fact is that the adaptation, though it treated Dobbs' original with scant respect, nonetheless succeeded in giving the tale the pace, wit and life that its original author was incapable of imparting. Dobbs has a story to tell, but his leaden prose and inability to create character kill what interest it might have had. You may want to read this, as I did, to find out the original denouement (Dobbs gives Urquhart a more heroic end than Davies, but without the latter's devastating ironic twist); but otherwise I'd stick with the DVD.

A typically good read
This was my second Dobbs novel and I remain a very big fan. I read this without reading the first two in the trilogy and I don't think my enjoyment of the book suffered at all.

All the usual ingredients are there - high quality writing, clear back-room knowledge, and characters and a plot which activate and maintain interest.

I would have rated this as a clear 5 star but with the many options Dobbs must have had at his disposal to bid farewell to FU convincingly, I think he chose a rather silly one. In short, he could have spent a little more time with the last few pages.

A Bloody Fine Read!
This was such a good book I just have to read the rest! I only wish that MD had produced more!