The Power

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The Power, the book Ive read over 8 times... - Rated
My review is not going to be as professional as what other reviewers come out with but as a person who's read this book over 8 times in two different languages i think i am the record holder. I like the plot, the story telling skills and the fact that every detail is explained. by half way through the book you are right there thinking with the characters to find the solution to this adventure and trust me you will not drop the book until you've finished it.

A better Forbes novel - worth a read - Rated
A Colin Forbes novel. You may already know the score when it comes to his books; you either loathe them as underdeveloped, badly written low-grade thrillers, or you recognise all those factors and love them despite their (many) flaws. I am in the latter camp, as are quite a surprising number of other readers if the “His New Bestseller” tag-lines on some of the novels are to be believed. His books are a matter of taste, but in recent times they have undoubtedly become much weaker than his first iterations. It is telling that the Sunday Mirror quote proclaiming he “has no equal” has been on his covers since the early eighties…

This particular book, “The Power”, however is not one of the later failures. I loved this story, though I will admit that the first time around I listened to it (unabridged) on tape, which I have found is often the best way to “read” a Forbes novel, as when a narrator reads the often ludicrous speech you can concentrate more on what is said rather than on how any editor could not demand a rewrite or at the least slit their wrists with the manuscript. “The Power” of the title more or less refers to the well-known quote of absolute power corrupting absolutely, and sees Tweed and his band of Secret Intelligence Service employees tramping through the classiest hotels of Europe and other countries as usual in their attempts to discover the mastermind behind a massacre in England and the truth behind the mysterious Unit 1, who are terrorising the rest of the world.

Very familiar to Forbes readers. Not surprising considering it IS the same plot as most of his other books. Yet despite his awful speech and often ridiculously underdeveloped prose, Forbes can still spin a tale of intrigue and drama; his set-piece moments of drama are always tense and exciting. In fact, it’s when he is writing uninterrupted prose that his true talents show through – something which is sadly not too present in his later novels.

But as I’ve made clear already, I like this book a lot. It has more of a serious edge to it than many almost farcical plots Forbes has concocted. There is brutal murder, there are assassins, there are femmes fatale, though which is the true danger is always only revealed at the end…and you simply will not guess Forbes before he’s ready to reveal all. Though badly written and everything else that critics use to slam Colin Forbes’s books, he can still keep that mystery and interest. Suspend your natural criticisms, and please just try to read the book as he wants you to. It is possible and well worth the effort in the long run.

A very Poor Novel - Rated
The first couple of pages of 'The Power' are intriguing and promise to develop into a gripping thriller. However, after that it is downhill all the way. This is possibly one of the worst books that I have ever read. The characters are paper thin. The dialogue is mundane and pedestrian. The development of the plot is juvenile, it reminds me of the universal baddies such as Smersh from the Man from U.N.C.L.E. The 'stage whisper' comments from the characters explaining the significance of particular plot developments are insulting to the readers intelligence.

For a far more credible, readable and enjoyable thriller read Stephen Leather.