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First Among Equals

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 5,063 ratings · 119 reviews

Charles Seymour, second-born son, will never be the earl like his father, but he did inherit his mother's strength-and the will to realize his destiny...Simon Kerslake's father sacrificed everything to make sure his son's dreams come true. Now it is Simon's chance to rise as high as those dreams allow...Ray Gould was born to the back streets but raised with pride-a quality...more

Paperback, 496 pages

Published May 16th 2004 by St. Martin's Paperbacks (first published 1984)

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Aug 07, 2012 Vismay rated it 4 of 5 stars

It happened for a first time indeed that I read a book again that I had left half way through in my tumultuous teens.

‘First Among Equals’ by Jeffrey Archer is not an easy book to read, at least for me. Revolving solely around British politics, I found it a wee bit hard to comprehend and know the exact difference between the Conservative (They are also known as Tories, they sometimes can act like snobs!!) and the Labour party (They are the socialists and support the trade unionists!!), though of...more It happened for a first time indeed that I read a book again that I had left half way through in my tumultuous teens.

‘First Among Equals’ by Jeffrey Archer is not an easy book to read, at least for me. Revolving solely around British politics, I found it a wee bit hard to comprehend and know the exact difference between the Conservative (They are also known as Tories, they sometimes can act like snobs!!) and the Labour party (They are the socialists and support the trade unionists!!), though of course you may think that I am a buffoon for not knowing such basic general knowledge stuff. But slowly and steadily as I began wading my way through the book, I came to understand what was actually happening. I admit that the actual reason of leaving this book half way through in the 9th standard had much to do with my not being able to make head or tail out of the printed letters.

But now, being actually able to complete it (you may see a proud smile on my face right now); I can tell you that this book is indeed worth a read. Not concerning overmuch about the details right now, the plot revolves around the lives of four, ambitious guys, wresting each other to reach the topmost echelon of the government i.e. to be the Prime Minister of England-Simon Kerslake, MP for Coventry Central and later Pucklebridge; Charles Seymour, MP for Sussex Downs; Raymond Gould, MP for Leeds North; and Andrew Fraser, MP for Edinburgh Carlton in the span stretching from 1964 to 1991. Two of these namely Simon and Charles are from the Conservative Party while the other two are from Labour party, though Andrew later moves to Social Democratic.

Now- I must admit I did a Wikipedia search for this one- the exact reason being, in this book these guys actually interacted with the real life characters (Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill and many more). So, my doubt was whether this novel is inspired from the real life stories of four politicians or was it just a fictional account, though of course some of the incidents mentioned actually did happen. The latter part proved to be correct, as the author, drawing from his own hands-on experience in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, infused the characters with necessary soul. Another writer that I can think of, mixing fact and fiction into a lapel-gripping, helluva ride down the torturous path of plots and sub-plots is Dan Brown.

If you have read my critique of ‘In High Places’ by Arthur Hailey, you might know that I had drawn a parallel between the Indian and Canadian democracies. It might not surprise you when I say that, it would be more than just a parallel when I compare the Indian and the English constitution. Though of course in England the Prime Minister’s cabinet has Secretaries (Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Home office) while in India, the Prime Minister’s cabinet has ministers (Defense minister, home minister). The back-benchers come lowest in the hierarchy there, amongst the elected constituents, then you got to be Under Secretary, Minister of State, Secretary or finally the Prime Minister if you have as much talent or determination as these four guys possess. And if you are in the opposition you have Shadow ministers. I don’t know much about the Indian structure as there is a dearth of such politically-motivated novels (or I might not have noticed in the market!) . Plus, it was indeed interesting to know that, the recordings of both the houses, of the sessions that took place were transmitted to the world through radio, and later they were live telecasted on television.

In recent times, we see the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha T.V. channels in India, no doubt following suit…

You might say I am trying to impress you with the smattering of some political tidbits that I now possess through this book…

Maybe you are right, but that doesn’t change the fact that this book is indeed wonderful. Though the murky politics involved has a tendency to shock you.

Those of you who might be frequent watchers of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha channels might come to appreciate the similarity between the two countries’ constitution by this simple statement spoken by the speaker…

“As many as are the opinion say Aye, to the contrary, say No. I think the Ayes have it, the Ayes have it………”(less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was nice long novel (as, I think, most of Archer's novels are) and I learned a great deal about the British Parliamentary system. If we think the USA's congressional system is comvoluted, I must say we don't hold a candle to the Houses of Commons and Lords--the frequency of formations of governments and calls for elections, the age-old rituals, etc. (I am not disparaging the system, I am just saying it's extremely convoluted--but it works, of course.) The four "heroes" aren't always heroic-...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Scooping it Up rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Mary is going to be sad about my rating here. But I must be honest: this book is written by a brit for a british audience. It is about the ins and outs of 4 star politicians in England 60s-80s, and their political system is SO very different from our own with no explanation of what roles are what, what position in government is above or below what, it is a bit dry and confusing.

I thought the author told a very interesting story over the lives of the characters, but managed to do so with poor tr...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Maggie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics

Fortunately I love politics, as I worked in the Australian Federal and State political scene for a number of years, so this book grabbed me by the throat.

It is a great story and reveals how earlier actions by people in public life, no matter how covert, can rebound and have major consequences down the track – even 20 years later.

Archer also captures the fickleness of human nature, how ambition can undermine integrity and how personal jealousies can knock a good man down – no matter how good he i...more

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Apr 05, 2012 قصي بن خليفة rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: english, رواية

يعجبني أسلوب جيفري آرشر وسلاسته في الرواية. ولذا تجد رواياته ممتعة وسهلة القراءة حتى لا تكاد تستطيع تركه قبل أن تنهيه
وهذه الرواية تحكي أحداثاً تتعلق بسباق الرئاسة البريطانية. ولا شك عندي أنك إذا قرأت لجيفري آرشر بأنك ستستفيد علماً ودراية بما يجري عادة وراء الكواليس السياسية ، فهو نفسه كان عضواً في البرلمان البريطاني
وهي رواية ممتعة وذات أحداث متتابعة ترى فيها روح التحدي في هذا السباق ، ولكنها لا ترقَ إلى مستوى أعماله الأخرى

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Jan 29, 2012 Maree rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, historical-fiction, uni

Warning: Do not read this unless you are actually interested in politics!

First Among Equals is an epic saga which follows the lives (including scandals, wives and lies) of four British MP's. The book spans more than 20 years and would be nowhere near as good were it not for Archer's superb writing style.

Charles Seymoure is the ruthless second son of a wealthy Earl and will literally stop at nothing to make No.10 his home. Simon Kerslake is an ambitious "career Conservative" with a loving wife wh...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Aleeeeeza rated it 2 of 5 stars

It took me almost four months to finish this book. FOUR MONTHS! Even then, I skipped a couple of chapters near the end to finally finish it. Don't get me wrong. This book is actually pretty good. But politics? NOT my thing. So it was a mistake just to pick it up. Besides that, Archer's storytelling is top-notch, but the slow pace of this entire-career-of-four-different-men-documenting novel really grated on my nerves. I was skipping lots of pages at times, more interested in the personal lives o...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Wang Han rated it 4 of 5 stars

At beginning the book isn't easy to read, four characters, their family and education background, their respective parties all easily confused readers like me who are not familiar with UK politics.
To be frank, I almost gave up when I finished first two chapters. Two weeks later, I picked up the story from beginning again an started to make notes to help streamline.
The magical part is that once used to the characters in the book, it proves equally hard to resist the book. Archer's classical plo...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Political Junkies of an Anglophile Tilt

Shelves: contemporary, popular-fiction, suspense, fiction, novels

I found this a completely absorbing read from the beginning. I'm not sure what a British reader would make of it, but as an American and admitted anglophile, I found it fascinating to get a look inside Britain's parliamentary system and politics by following four characters who aspire to be the "first among equals"--the Prime Minister. Archer himself was a member of parliament, so there's an authority and sympathy to his depiction of the wheeling and dealing and temptations of the office. The pr...more I found this a completely absorbing read from the beginning. I'm not sure what a British reader would make of it, but as an American and admitted anglophile, I found it fascinating to get a look inside Britain's parliamentary system and politics by following four characters who aspire to be the "first among equals"--the Prime Minister. Archer himself was a member of parliament, so there's an authority and sympathy to his depiction of the wheeling and dealing and temptations of the office. The prologue gives us the background of the four men we'll be following. Blue blood Charles Seymour is the son of an Earl and a Tory, as is self-made man Simon Kerslake. The Scottish Andrew Fraser was born to politics--into a conservative family, but he winds up in the Labour Party. Raymond Gould from Yorkshire, another Labour Party MP, comes from a humble background--but has brilliance and ambition to burn. I definitely had my favorites from the beginning--I certainly found both Simon Kerslake on the Tory side and Andrew Fraser on the Labour side more likable than their rivals. Fraser's story at one point even came close to moving me to tears. Although Gould had his moments and gradually grew on me. And even Seymour turns out to have a redeeming quality and Kerslake and Fraser their flaws and temptations. Several lines in the book were really witty and striking, and I was amused by the political cartoons included in the edition I read. I found watching the four men's tightrope act at the heights of power as suspenseful as any action-laden thriller.

I didn't much like Archer's Kane and Abel, but this book I enjoyed a lot. One thing some readers may find jarring. Though the book follows events until 1991, it was published in 1984, which makes for some goofs when Archer's crystal ball showed cracks. (For one, American President Gary Hart.) I have to admit though--I'm not just an anglophile but a political junkie--one who worked as a campaign staffer and political science was my college major. So I can imagine those less interested in politics might be less entranced.(less)

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Jun 12, 2008 Pirhot rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Sistem pemerintahan parlementer di Inggris menjadi sedikit lebih jelas dibandingkan dalam studi komparatif ketatanegaraan. Karena Archer menjelaskannya secara terperinci, bagaimana seorang anggota Parlemen terpilih, bagaimana seorang pemimpin partai terpilih, apa yang disebut dengan "bangku belakang", pemerintahan yang jatuh-bangun bahkan hanya dalam beberapa bulan, sistem dua partai besar, dan lainnya.

Tentunya akan sedikit kebingungan untuk mengikuti cerita dari Archer. Meski tidak menggunakan...more Sistem pemerintahan parlementer di Inggris menjadi sedikit lebih jelas dibandingkan dalam studi komparatif ketatanegaraan. Karena Archer menjelaskannya secara terperinci, bagaimana seorang anggota Parlemen terpilih, bagaimana seorang pemimpin partai terpilih, apa yang disebut dengan "bangku belakang", pemerintahan yang jatuh-bangun bahkan hanya dalam beberapa bulan, sistem dua partai besar, dan lainnya.

Tentunya akan sedikit kebingungan untuk mengikuti cerita dari Archer. Meski tidak menggunakan alur surrealis yang sering bolak-balik, tetapi mengikuti cerita 4 (empat) tokoh sekaligus, membutuhkan energi yang lebih jika dibandingkan membaca novel biasa. Gw sedikit terbantu karena telah membaca karya Archer "sons of Fortune", yang memiliki karakteristik kurang lebih sama, meski hanya memiliki dua tokoh dalam ceritanya.

Intrik yang dihadirkan dalam novel ini sangatlah banyak, persaingan antar partai, persaingan internal partai, persaingan antar anggota parlemen, pembelotan anggota partai ke partai lain, kebahkan memasuki wilayah pribadi yang sering diikuti dengan ancam mengancam antara satu dengan yang lainnya. Yang membuat menarik, Archer seringkali menuliskan poin yang ingin disampaikan bukan melalui paragraf utama dari sang tokoh, ataupun dialog, tetapi terkadang melalui kutipan dari surat kabar, deskripsi dari seseorang yang sedang melakukan sesuatu, dan berbagai bentuk lainnya. Hal inilah yang membuat gaya bercerita Archer menjadi berbeda jika dibandingkan dengan penulis sejenis.

Novel ini gw baca dari cetakan Indonesia, hasil terbitan Alice Saputra Communications yang didistribusikan oleh Toko Buku Karisma. Kebetulan sebulan lalu atau lebih, gw sedang berjalan-jalan di Bandung Trade Center dan memasuki Toko Buku Karisma, dan buku ini ditempatkan dalam rak diskon, dengan harga yang sangat murah. Gw memutuskan untuk membeli karena tidak bisa menemukan novel karya Archer terbitan Gramedia selain Sons of Fortune. Seperti selayaknya novel-novel lain yang diterbitkan oleh penerbit yang sama, novel ini dirilis dalam dua jilid, sebuah hal yang sudah tidak lazim ditemui pada terbitan novel manapun, kecuali novel yang mentakdirkan dirinya untuk berseri, dan tentu saja, komik.

Terbitan Indonesia yang gw beli merupakan terjemahan dari edisi Inggris, yang memiliki perbedaan fundamental dibandingkan dengan edisi Amerika Serikat (AS). Dalam novel punya gw, Archer menceritakan 4 (empat) tokoh, yaitu Charles Gurney Seymour, Simon Kerslake, Raymond Gould, dan Andrew Fraser. Sedangkan dari beberapa referensi tentang novel ini yang gw baca dari internet, edisi AS hanya menampilkan 3 (tiga) tokoh, minus Andrew Fraser. Dinamika yang dijalani oleh Andrew Fraser dalam edisi Inggris, dibagi untuk beberapa orang dalam edisi AS. Selain itu, akhir cerita juga memiliki perubahan yang sangat berbeda, dimana edisi Inggris menempatkan Raymond Gould sebagai Perdana Menteri, sedangkan AS menjadikan Simon Kerslake untuk posisi yang serupa.

Dalam e-book yang dapatkan untuk novel ini, perbedaan muncul lagi. Charles yang bermarga Seymour dalam novel, menjadi Hampton dalam e-book. Bagian akhir dari novel ini, menjadi prolog dalam e-book meski dipotong sedemikian rupa. Bab “bangku-bangku belakang” dalam novel menceritakan proses awal masuknya kesemua tokoh dalam parlemen, sedangkan dalam e-book Bab ini mengikutsertakan awal kelahiran masing-masing tokoh. Jadi, ketiga edisi ini perlu dibaca untuk bisa mendapatkan komparasi yang lebih baik antara satu dengan lainnya.(less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 28, 2012 Sunglow rated it 4 of 5 stars

An interesting book to read... Mr. Archer made me hate and love all the 4 lead characters at some point or the other. When i picked up this book i thought it might be just another boring book on politics. But this book was not just politics but a complete package of emotions, drama, loyalties and politics. The author never let my interest level drop.

I have to admit i was surprised by Charles's decision. Even though i hated him in the beginning, and did feel he deserved what he got but eventuall...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Ernest rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was one of the greatest insights into the British Parliamentary system that I have read. Archer manages to weave the lives of four individuals together as they travel through politics with a skill that does not crassly portray simplistic good or bad characters, but fleshes them out as fully fledged characters. Archer’s experience evidently aided in constructing this novel, and his respectful insights into the work of parliamentarians should be made compulsory understanding to those who mock...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Kxv added it · review of another edition

Con su habitual estilo de historias que se entremezclan y se solapan en el tiempo, Archer construye una trepidante competencia entre tres diputados británicos, desde la juventud hasta que uno de ellos llega al Número 10 de Downing Street. Traiciones, amenazas, intrigas, luchas a muerte por el poder, un toque femenino de fondo... Todo cabe en este gran best-seller, muy en la línea de "El cuarto poder". Prometo leerme todo Archer.

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Sep 25, 2012 Hye Ri rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you love politics, you must read this book. Jeffrey Archer is the type of author who always includes politics in his works one way or another, more or less based solely on his knowledge and experiences. I read Sons of Fortune first, then First Among Equals and I got totally into politics at that time. His writing style is simple, but the topics and plots are interesting enough to make you turn the pages till the end.

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Apr 24, 2012 David Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this when it was serialised in the Mail on Sunday, then later bought the paperback. The prose is simplistic, the plot nothing dynamic, but its saving grace is the welter of detail about how Parliament works without any party bias (Archer was a Tory MP). I think Archer wsa in no-win situation with the ending, however. It didn't matter which weay he ended the tale, he would have been accused of bias or cowardice.

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Nov 03, 2011 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Entertaining story though it rushed a bit towards the end, and initially remembering which character had which background/political alliance was harder than it should have been.

(This would have been a better holiday read for ebook had there not been so many typographical mistakes which interrupted the flow of reading. I resent having spent money on something that pan macmillan couldn't be bothered to check properly.)

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Mar 23, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-and-suspense

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Aug 21, 2011 Suby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Its a story of 3 men who chose politics as a career way back in early 60s and how their careers progress till early90s when one of them becomes the Prime Minister of England. The pace of the narrative is leisurely. I was impressed most by the fact that corruption of illegal accumulation of wealth was never a part of the agenda of the 3 main characters. Truly impressive.

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Aug 06, 2011 Mya added it

Kudos to the author for keeping me interested enough in the characters to plow through the British politics and finish the book. This book would have received a far higher rating had I (a) had any interest in politics whatsoever and (b) had some inkling of how the British political system worked. Looking forward to reading more of Jeffrey Archer's stuff though.

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Dec 23, 2012 Fan Francis rated it 4 of 5 stars

My favorite writer...guess this novel when it first came out... 1984.... but since I have it in my library... amazing and just fixated with it.... tells about this 4 guys from a young age... ambitious and politically connected one way or another.... the conniving and the industrious are all in it... make a great read as to the British political scene

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Aug 19, 2012 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

A brilliant insider's account of British politics, thinly disguised as fiction. Briskly written, in the manner of potboilers, but the detail is fascinating. Almost as informative as it is entertaining. Archer is scum on two legs, but that very sleaziness is what has gained him the access to publish this firsthand account of political skullduggery.

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Jul 29, 2011 Jayne Charles rated it 4 of 5 stars

I rather liked this slightly soapy tale of political life. Because Archer has been there and done it, the story has a certain authenticity, though I'm sure it has been greatly simplified. I thought the characters were well drawn, avoiding too much stereotyping. The only thing I didn't particularly like was the ending, and the convenient personality transplant of one of the main characters

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Jan 12, 2013 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Among Equals is a really interesting read, it follows the lives of three individuals whose life ambition is to become Prime Minister of England. If you do not know much about British politics a lot may be lost on you or you'll find it particular boring and cumbersome. I however loved every minute of it, not a big fan of politics but Archer gave me something else- suspense, mystery, ambition and characters I couldn't help but love and cheer for.

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Aug 29, 2012 Lori Underhill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you'd like to learn what the British Parliament system of government is like while reading about 3 very different men and their rise to power in said system, this book is for you. When I started it, I thought it would be dry and drab, but Archer hasn't disappointed me yet. I was up into the wee hours many a night because I simply couldn't put the book down.

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Sep 13, 2009 Akshay Ahuja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Its just amazing how Jeffrey Archer weaves the whole novel around the four central characters, while never letting loose his hold on any of the character. Each character is etched very well, and the ending is top notch.
The details of the English Parliament is very insightful and I wondered the amount of research given to it by Jeffrey Archer.
Definitely looking forward to read his other works.

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Jul 21, 2009 Basha1971 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: easy-reading-for-the-beach-etc

Having been sure I'd read all of JAs books, I was surprised to find this one at a vacation house we rented on the Mediterannean. Well, they say to write what you know and Archer knows the British Parliament. I never would have cared to learn all the ins and outs but Jeffey makes learning fun! ;)

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Apr 01, 2013 Kumar Shiva rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Its not a thriller like usual Jeffrey Archers.It also had a pretty drab plot synopsis at the back cover.But its definitely a very good story on the tamashas of politics.The story dragged in the middle but the comic climax made up for it.It should have been a 3 star unless for the dramatic finish.

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Sep 03, 2012 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A good book! Archer tells a very interesting story. His characters are alive and real. He does a good job of creating and maintaining suspense. Because of his time in Commons, he provides a nice insight into British politics ... which I enjoyed.

I recommend this as a good easy read.

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Apr 22, 2012 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mildly confusing only because I don't know much about the British Parliamentary system. I could see how some would not enjoy this book as it's very much a book about politics interrupted by stories of the men involved. I enjoyed it immensely.

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About Jeffrey Archer

Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English author and former politician.

He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, and became a life peer in 1992. His political career, having suffered several controversies, ended after a conviction for perverting the course of justice and his subsequent imprisonment. He is married...more

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