What do you think?
Rate this book
Harry Jones #2
The Edge Of Madness
Book by Dobbs, Michael
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
36 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dobbs
101 books372 followersMichael Dobbs was born on the same day, in the same hour as Prince Charles in 1948.
He is the son of nurseryman Eric and his wife Eileen Dobbs and was educated at Hertford Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford University. After graduating in 1971 he moved to the United States.
In the USA he attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, which he funded by a job as feature writer for the Boston Globe, where he worked as an editorial assistant and political feature writer from 1971 to 1975.
He graduated in 1975 with an M.A., M.A.L.D., and PhD in nuclear defence studies. His doctoral thesis was published as SALT on the Dragon's Tail. In 2007 he returned to Tufts where he gave the Alumni Salutation.
After gaining his PhD he returned to England and began working in London for the Conservative Party. He was an advisor to the then leader of the Opposition, Margaret Thatcher, from 1977 to 1979 and from 1979 to 1981 he was a Conservative MP speechwriter.
He served as a Government Special Advisor from 1981 to 1986 and he survived the Brighton Bombing in 1984 at the Conservative Party Conference. He was the Conservative Party Chief of Staff from 1986 to 1987.
He was considered a masterful political operator and was called "Westminster’s baby-faced hit man", by The Guardian in 1987. In the John Major government, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1994 to 1995, after which he retired from politics.
Outside of politics, he worked at Saatchi & Saatchi as Deputy Advertising Chairman from 1983 to 1986 and was Director of Worldwide Corporate Communications at the company from 1987 to 1988. He became Deputy Chairman, working directly under Maurice Saatchi from 1988 to 1991.
From 1991 to 1998 he was a columnist for The Mail on Sunday and also wrote column for the Daily Express. From 1998 to 2001 he hosted the current affairs program Despatch Box on BBC television and has also been a radio presenter.
Nowadays he is best known as the bestselling author of 17 novels (up to 2010), such as 'The Turning Point', about Winston Churchill and Guy Burgess, and 'A Family Affair', about the last days of Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street, and also a number of non-fiction works.
His writing career began in 1989 with the publication of 'House of Cards', the first in what would become a trilogy of political thrillers with Francis Urquhart as the central character. 'House of Cards' was followed by 'To Play the King' in 1992 and 'The Final Cut' in 1994.
Each of the three novels was adapted by the BBC into a miniseries and, with Ian Richardson playiing a starring role, the trilogy received a combined 14 BAFTA nominations and two BAFTA wins and was voted the 84th Best British Show in History.
His 2004 novel 'Winston’s War' was shortlisted for the Channel 4 Political Book of the Year Award. He was the winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award for best historical novel in 2008 and in 2001 was shortlisted for the C4 Political Novel of the Year. He has also been a judge of the Whitbread Book of the Year Award and lectures at dozens of literary and fundraising events each year.
Anthony Howard of The Times said “Dobbs is following in a respectable tradition. Shakespeare, Walter Scott, even Tolstoy, all used historical events as the framework for their writings. And, unlike some of their distinguished works, Dobbs's novel is, in fact, astonishingly historically accurate."
He is now a full time writer and divides his time between London and Wiltshire, where he says that he lives near a church and a pub! He is married with four children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
October 2010
He is sometimes confused with American author Michael Dobbs, who is a distant relative of his and also an author of historical books (e.g. "Saboteurs - The Nazi Raid on America").
He is the son of nurseryman Eric and his wife Eileen Dobbs and was educated at Hertford Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford University. After graduating in 1971 he moved to the United States.
In the USA he attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, which he funded by a job as feature writer for the Boston Globe, where he worked as an editorial assistant and political feature writer from 1971 to 1975.
He graduated in 1975 with an M.A., M.A.L.D., and PhD in nuclear defence studies. His doctoral thesis was published as SALT on the Dragon's Tail. In 2007 he returned to Tufts where he gave the Alumni Salutation.
After gaining his PhD he returned to England and began working in London for the Conservative Party. He was an advisor to the then leader of the Opposition, Margaret Thatcher, from 1977 to 1979 and from 1979 to 1981 he was a Conservative MP speechwriter.
He served as a Government Special Advisor from 1981 to 1986 and he survived the Brighton Bombing in 1984 at the Conservative Party Conference. He was the Conservative Party Chief of Staff from 1986 to 1987.
He was considered a masterful political operator and was called "Westminster’s baby-faced hit man", by The Guardian in 1987. In the John Major government, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1994 to 1995, after which he retired from politics.
Outside of politics, he worked at Saatchi & Saatchi as Deputy Advertising Chairman from 1983 to 1986 and was Director of Worldwide Corporate Communications at the company from 1987 to 1988. He became Deputy Chairman, working directly under Maurice Saatchi from 1988 to 1991.
From 1991 to 1998 he was a columnist for The Mail on Sunday and also wrote column for the Daily Express. From 1998 to 2001 he hosted the current affairs program Despatch Box on BBC television and has also been a radio presenter.
Nowadays he is best known as the bestselling author of 17 novels (up to 2010), such as 'The Turning Point', about Winston Churchill and Guy Burgess, and 'A Family Affair', about the last days of Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street, and also a number of non-fiction works.
His writing career began in 1989 with the publication of 'House of Cards', the first in what would become a trilogy of political thrillers with Francis Urquhart as the central character. 'House of Cards' was followed by 'To Play the King' in 1992 and 'The Final Cut' in 1994.
Each of the three novels was adapted by the BBC into a miniseries and, with Ian Richardson playiing a starring role, the trilogy received a combined 14 BAFTA nominations and two BAFTA wins and was voted the 84th Best British Show in History.
His 2004 novel 'Winston’s War' was shortlisted for the Channel 4 Political Book of the Year Award. He was the winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award for best historical novel in 2008 and in 2001 was shortlisted for the C4 Political Novel of the Year. He has also been a judge of the Whitbread Book of the Year Award and lectures at dozens of literary and fundraising events each year.
Anthony Howard of The Times said “Dobbs is following in a respectable tradition. Shakespeare, Walter Scott, even Tolstoy, all used historical events as the framework for their writings. And, unlike some of their distinguished works, Dobbs's novel is, in fact, astonishingly historically accurate."
He is now a full time writer and divides his time between London and Wiltshire, where he says that he lives near a church and a pub! He is married with four children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
October 2010
He is sometimes confused with American author Michael Dobbs, who is a distant relative of his and also an author of historical books (e.g. "Saboteurs - The Nazi Raid on America").
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 12, 2012
This is an easy read and at times has the ability to keep one on the edge of one's seat but... Ah! The but is a big one. The scenario is simple; the British get wind of the threat of cyber war initiated by China. They call a clandestine meeting of the US and Russian presidents to discuss tactics in an isolated Scottish castle. Meanwhile the Chinese have actually initiated said cyber war... edge of seat.
But...
What a pathetic bunch of individuals the politicians are! How lacking in political will, in the ruthlessness that such people must have acquired on the climb up to power! The story becomes a boring talking shop, a round of circuitous arguments that belong in a school staffroom rather than such high-powered venues. The book takes on cliche after cliche until one almost wants to abandon it...
There was so much potential here!
But...
What a pathetic bunch of individuals the politicians are! How lacking in political will, in the ruthlessness that such people must have acquired on the climb up to power! The story becomes a boring talking shop, a round of circuitous arguments that belong in a school staffroom rather than such high-powered venues. The book takes on cliche after cliche until one almost wants to abandon it...
There was so much potential here!
May 11, 2015
Dobbs thrusts Harry Smith back into the fray with another high-octane thriller, filled with politics and intrigue. As the world rests on its laurels, deep within the upper echelon of the Chinese Government a war is in the making. There are no missiles, no guns, and certainly no bombs. Even without active hostages, everyone is at risk; it's a cyber-war. Deep in a Scottish castle, and under a veil of extreme secrecy, the British Prime Minister hosts the US and Russian presidents; a veritable 21st century Potsdam Conference. Trying to determine how to stop a cyber-attack by China, in which everyone is vulnerable because of world reliance on technology, remains at the forefront of the discussion. Each leader has a trusted deputy with them, Harry Smith acting in such a capacity for the PM. When outward acts of violence and military build-up begin appearing on television, the three leaders know they must do something, but remain unsure how to strike at the core and ensure they are successful. As they ponder, a nuclear reactor within the UK is about to make Chernobyl pale in comparison. In these new-age wars, little can be done to stop the aggressors, whose religion is silicon-based with followers facing towards the motherboard.
Dobbs' idea is quite good, as the world still simmers from the ongoing wars with excessive price tags. As the world becomes even more reliant on electronics, it is no stretch to think that those who control the cyber world would have the upper hand. That being said, the approach and delivery of the book leave much to be desired. The characters, with all their political might, seem neutered of any abilities, almost damsels in distress. Even the conversations and plotting seems watered-down and less than believable. The ending not only does a 180 in a matter of pages, but lessens the impact the entire novel built towards. I can only hope that such an approach can be revised by others (or Dobbs) down the road, giving the plot and characters the teeth they so badly need. One interesting side story, though only two books into the series, Dobbs's desire to personalise Queen Elizabeth II is highly humourous. While many see her as a detached monarch, Dobbs paints her in such a way as to be highly compassionate and opinionated. One can only wonder if he has a fan base within Buckingham Palace for this portrayal.
Kudos, Mr. Dobbs for this curious story. I was hooked and intrigued by the theme, but hoped for some stronger character support throughout.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Dobbs' idea is quite good, as the world still simmers from the ongoing wars with excessive price tags. As the world becomes even more reliant on electronics, it is no stretch to think that those who control the cyber world would have the upper hand. That being said, the approach and delivery of the book leave much to be desired. The characters, with all their political might, seem neutered of any abilities, almost damsels in distress. Even the conversations and plotting seems watered-down and less than believable. The ending not only does a 180 in a matter of pages, but lessens the impact the entire novel built towards. I can only hope that such an approach can be revised by others (or Dobbs) down the road, giving the plot and characters the teeth they so badly need. One interesting side story, though only two books into the series, Dobbs's desire to personalise Queen Elizabeth II is highly humourous. While many see her as a detached monarch, Dobbs paints her in such a way as to be highly compassionate and opinionated. One can only wonder if he has a fan base within Buckingham Palace for this portrayal.
Kudos, Mr. Dobbs for this curious story. I was hooked and intrigued by the theme, but hoped for some stronger character support throughout.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
April 28, 2015
Fantastic idea that initially had parallels with 1984 - only to try and be a political thriller = disappointment. The book where everyone is hacking everyone and war is brought on was all set up.
Harry is no Jack Reacher and he came across as a mere country bumpkin who was lucky more than good. Mark was a bit of a war mongering puppet even though he is Prime Minister - very unbelievable.
Convenient ending where someone somewhere stops the steam roller and everyone is saved - - rubbish.
Harry is no Jack Reacher and he came across as a mere country bumpkin who was lucky more than good. Mark was a bit of a war mongering puppet even though he is Prime Minister - very unbelievable.
Convenient ending where someone somewhere stops the steam roller and everyone is saved - - rubbish.
May 25, 2010
It doesn't seem to matter how adamant I am about the subject matter that I just don't like, there just always seems to be "that book" that comes along and shoots all my prejudices out of the water. THE EDGE OF MADNESS is about cyber-war. The threat of annihilation of the free world at the hand of a shadowy threat, hiding behind computer terminals, in darkened rooms, hidden deep in the new Big Bad Evil nation. The nameless, faceless, threat - as the blurb of this book puts it "no guns, no missiles, no vapour trails stretching like accusing fingers across the skies".
THE EDGE OF MADNESS sees an unlikely gathering deep in the wilds of Scotland. The location where the Prime Minister of Britain pulls together the leaders of Russia and the United States when Britain realises that there is a massive cyber-attack being rolled out against all of them. Sending nuclear reactors into meltdown, crippling financial markets, playing with military hardware guidance systems, deep inside medical systems; the threat is all the more terrifying as it is completely faceless, completely silent and seemingly impossible to find or track. There is only this small, highly secretive gathering of these world leaders and their closest advisors between shut-down and survival.
As is the way with these sorts of thrillers it seems to come down to one man to save the day. In this case, Harry Jones - SAS-trained, resourceful, unorthodox, man on the spot.
It's a really interesting premise that's propounded in this book - cyber-attack, one rogue nation (in this case China) against the once unlikely partnership of Britain, Russia and the USA. The scenario is really good - and the evil (in the person of one Chinese General) is ramped right up to the maximum; the good guys hampered by their own petty squabbles and rats in all their ranks. Possibly what is best about the entire nature of the "threat" in this book is that it all seems feasible, even possible. Somehow you can sort of see this one working as the author as laid it out. And that's from somebody who normally finds these sorts of cyber-threat books cause more groans and eye-rolling per page than just about any other sort of thriller.
Unfortunately, the early promise in THE EDGE OF DARKNESS fizzled out rapidly at the end. It was always really really difficult to see how Harry was going to stop this particular evil, deep inside an impenetrable nation, but when the resolution sort of all fudged into a cloud of confusion and fires and rushing around in Scotland, whilst seemingly unconnected events in China sorted everything else out, it was disappointing to say the least.
THE EDGE OF MADNESS sees an unlikely gathering deep in the wilds of Scotland. The location where the Prime Minister of Britain pulls together the leaders of Russia and the United States when Britain realises that there is a massive cyber-attack being rolled out against all of them. Sending nuclear reactors into meltdown, crippling financial markets, playing with military hardware guidance systems, deep inside medical systems; the threat is all the more terrifying as it is completely faceless, completely silent and seemingly impossible to find or track. There is only this small, highly secretive gathering of these world leaders and their closest advisors between shut-down and survival.
As is the way with these sorts of thrillers it seems to come down to one man to save the day. In this case, Harry Jones - SAS-trained, resourceful, unorthodox, man on the spot.
It's a really interesting premise that's propounded in this book - cyber-attack, one rogue nation (in this case China) against the once unlikely partnership of Britain, Russia and the USA. The scenario is really good - and the evil (in the person of one Chinese General) is ramped right up to the maximum; the good guys hampered by their own petty squabbles and rats in all their ranks. Possibly what is best about the entire nature of the "threat" in this book is that it all seems feasible, even possible. Somehow you can sort of see this one working as the author as laid it out. And that's from somebody who normally finds these sorts of cyber-threat books cause more groans and eye-rolling per page than just about any other sort of thriller.
Unfortunately, the early promise in THE EDGE OF DARKNESS fizzled out rapidly at the end. It was always really really difficult to see how Harry was going to stop this particular evil, deep inside an impenetrable nation, but when the resolution sort of all fudged into a cloud of confusion and fires and rushing around in Scotland, whilst seemingly unconnected events in China sorted everything else out, it was disappointing to say the least.
June 19, 2013
Horrible story-telling. Cyber warfare was the theme, but there was no plot. After a couple of dozen pages, Dobbs was completely lost. Buildup was slow, filled with irrelevant dialogue between characters, and the ending one of the most uninteresting I've ever read.. Total waste!
October 21, 2013
Sorry but I did not complete the book because I was not prepared to wait for the plethora of story lines at the beginning to make any sense.
The style of writing for me was too much involvement and intrigue versus own comprehension - maybe I was wrong?
The style of writing for me was too much involvement and intrigue versus own comprehension - maybe I was wrong?
January 25, 2009
Nice idea, horrible execution
September 30, 2013
Formulaic, clichéd stereotyped characters and pretty implausible in places. Not one of my favourite Dobbs books.
October 2, 2023
This wasn’t what I expected from reading the back cover. Although now having seen what else the author has written I guess I should have expected more political intrigue and less dystopian post-cyber warfare wastelands.
It was perfectly readable though and the setting in rural Scotland was well-written.
It was perfectly readable though and the setting in rural Scotland was well-written.
January 28, 2021
A book about cyber-war.
Interesting, usually I don't read these kinds of book that involves war or politics but the author did its job of giving it a lot of twist and turns that aroused my curiosity level.
Interesting, usually I don't read these kinds of book that involves war or politics but the author did its job of giving it a lot of twist and turns that aroused my curiosity level.
April 2, 2019
Unmistakenly Dobbs
Full of twists. Surpriss all the way through. A veŕy good setting and à twist in the tail. Very enjoyable.
Full of twists. Surpriss all the way through. A veŕy good setting and à twist in the tail. Very enjoyable.
September 14, 2019
Un libro senza senso, forse il peggiore che abbia mai letto .
February 8, 2021
Disappointing – I thought it sounded quite good when I read the preview but very poorly written
November 8, 2021
I love Micheal Dobb's books. Probably more so, because he read mine and liked it.
January 17, 2022
A bit far fetched but enjoyable enough. Read it in a day but at several points I did have to suspend disbelief. Hard to believe all MPs lives are as exciting as this.
February 14, 2024
Fast-paced international political thriller
February 4, 2025
It's not the system we have to fear, it's the people who control it, who bend and twist everything to their own purpose.
February 17, 2017
I gave up this book half way through as I could not be bothered to waste my time reading anymore of the tosh. The story supposes that the Chinese intend to bring the West and Russia to their knees by a sustained cyber attack which is going to knock out all computers in the countries attacked and in the words of oneof the protagonists 'take the world back to the feudal system'. I have nothing against disaster scenarios, provided they are based on at least a modicum of fact. This idea is just stupid. For a start, the Chinese leaders are nothing like the technocrats that now rule the country in their neat dark suits. The leader is, for heaven's sake, called 'Mao (not Tse-Tung however). I am sure those leaders are fully aware that is totally not in the interests of their country to desptroy the West. They have an economy growing by the year which is sustained by the sale of goods of all kinds to the West. It would be cutting off their noses to spite their face to destroy the West and I am sure that they are as aware of that as I am. Not a good book.
August 4, 2019
Dopo tre letture impegnative e di grande soddisfazione, ci stava un purissimo thrillerone da spiaggia: la scelta è caduta su Michael Dobbs e sul suo Attacco dalla Cina, secondo romanzo che vede protagonista l’ex SAS Harry Jones già decisivo in Il giorno dei Lord, che mi aveva piuttosto convinto.
Avevamo lasciato Dobbs, celebre ai più per aver dato vita alla serie romanzesca House of Cards - intrigante almeno quanto quella tv - alle prese con un romanzo in cui i cattivi erano esponenti del terrorismo islamico, e l’attacco era stato portato nel cuore delle istituzioni inglesi con armi convenzionali. In questa sua nuova avventura, Harry James (da una posizione ahimè lungamente defilata) deve contribuire a disinnescare un attacco cyber di portata mondiale proveniente dall’estremo oriente.
Romanzo perfetto per l’ombrellone ma a mio parere con qualche pecca (di cui evidentissima nel finale). Non mi impedirà di lasciarmi sedurre dal prossimo, nuovamente in riva al mare.
Avevamo lasciato Dobbs, celebre ai più per aver dato vita alla serie romanzesca House of Cards - intrigante almeno quanto quella tv - alle prese con un romanzo in cui i cattivi erano esponenti del terrorismo islamico, e l’attacco era stato portato nel cuore delle istituzioni inglesi con armi convenzionali. In questa sua nuova avventura, Harry James (da una posizione ahimè lungamente defilata) deve contribuire a disinnescare un attacco cyber di portata mondiale proveniente dall’estremo oriente.
Romanzo perfetto per l’ombrellone ma a mio parere con qualche pecca (di cui evidentissima nel finale). Non mi impedirà di lasciarmi sedurre dal prossimo, nuovamente in riva al mare.
July 20, 2015
I stumbled upon the Harry Jones series about two years ago and have been reading them in a non chronological pattern. Have now read them all bar the first in the series. This is the second in the series and whilst not as good, in my opinion, as the later books, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable romp.
With his insight to the workings on the world of politics, Michael Dobbs, may use his imagination to spice things up, but I reckon his novels are not without a strong element of truth.
Ray Smillie
With his insight to the workings on the world of politics, Michael Dobbs, may use his imagination to spice things up, but I reckon his novels are not without a strong element of truth.
Ray Smillie
December 14, 2015
Page-turning thriller. The Tony Blair-like Prime Minister gathers the American and Russian leaders to a secret meeting in a Scottish castle. The ensuing novel is then a mix of country-house mystery and the threat of international cyber-attack which came across as all too frighteningly possible. Taking with a pinch of salt that world leaders could shake off their minders, I found this an engrossing mix of character and an exposure of how very vulnerable the world is to cyber attack.
Read
August 6, 2011A quick read. Builds on the last novel and expands trhe Harry Jones character. An interesting romp which could have been improved with more detail about the plotters and their activities, and a bit less about Harry and the American president. Nevertheless, whilst I feel that Michael Dobbs was better in "FU" territory, this was a a good read with some credible tenets to the plot.
October 24, 2011
The concept behind the book was good - Chinese govt backed hackers throwing the western world into chaos through nefarious manipulation. The characters in the story tended to be a little too stereotypical for me. I enjoyed the book but I felt it could've been much more interesting with just a little more thought.
January 5, 2012
A functional in slightly dull political thriller about the start of world war three, the planning of which takes place in a small house in Scotland. Far fetched and technically inaccurate, the book still manages to swing the odd twist and the ending redeems the plodding middle section. Not terrible, not great.
Read
January 4, 2014This book is a good page turner with an engaging plot line and the writer is easy to read which I like. The length of the novel is probably not aligned to the subject matter dealt with, being too short; and the ending is quite quick and uninteresting and somewhat disappointing after the build up. However it was a nice quick read and entertaining.
July 30, 2016
I am a fan of Dobbs and while the premise for this story was a bright idea, probably even more relevant today, the ending seemed rushed and contradictory. I was also dissatisfied with Russian connection.
I still think there is plenty of scope for Harry, an interesting hero who's adventures I will continue to follow.
I still think there is plenty of scope for Harry, an interesting hero who's adventures I will continue to follow.
December 18, 2010
very good, not the best, but gripping in parts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2012
IT WAS OK
September 16, 2013
Loved the fact that the author actually left the juicy bit for the ending. I'm not into politics, but this one had me wanting to read more. Glad the ending was good !! Hooray for great endings !
April 27, 2014
Ending was a bit 'meh'.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews