Book Review: Mightier Than the Sword

I'm so conflicted on Mightier Than the Sword. After loving the first two novels in the Clifton Chronicles I felt there was a major drop off in books three and four. To keep things as simple as possible I didn't understand why this was such a long series. Harry and Emma have always been the draw for me into these novels and as the cast expanded and contracted I just began to lose interest. However since I'm already four books invested I felt like I had to continue my trek into this series.

The good news is, Mightier Than the Sword is a much better novel then books three and four and yet it still isn't anywhere near the drama of the first two. The big issue I have had with this book and the last two are the conflicts. They feel forced. Characters in The Clifton Chronicles are far either good or evil. There's no room for nuance. No grey areas. You have characters you're told to like and others that are the epitome of evil. This makes the story feel a little too clean. 

I've also gotten to the point where I wonder if Harry and Emma are just too good for their own good? There's a scene where Harry follows his conscious to help another and I kept wondering what person would ever do this? And yet for all of its faults, and there are many, I still really enjoyed Mightier Than the Sword. The pacing was much better in this one then the previous two. More happens and what happens seems at least slightly more plausible then the last two books.

I will continue down the windy road that is The Clifton Chronicles. Although I think reading all this Jeffrey Archer makes me excited for what he writes after this series as its starting to get long in the tooth.