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The Clifton Chronicles denotes a literary series written by British man of letters Jeffrey Archer whose birth name is Jeffrey Howard Archer. Archer, who is a septuagenarian, was born in April 1940. Archer’s birthplace is London upon England. The penman, whose has been incarcerated because of perjury, had a promising but controversial and ill-fated political career. An alumnus of Oxford University, Archer’s bibliography consists of series of books, standalone novels, short stories, several plays, diaries, and children’s books. A voracious scribbler, Archer has penned many books since he plunged into writing in the 1970s. The chronicle the history and lives of the Clifton family from 1920 until its planned ending in 2020, meaning the story of the Clifton family will have spanned an entire century. The books tend not to fit into any specific genre, as, while the deal with historical incidents, there are also tales of love, daring, adventure. Archer has confirmed that the book will contain seven books in total, after initially planning five, after he struggled to tell the story of the Clifton family in only five books.
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Order of The Clifton Chronicles Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Only Time Will Tell | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Sins of the Father | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Best Kept Secret | 2013 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Be Careful What You Wish For | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Mightier Than the Sword | 2015 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Cometh the Hour | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | This Was a Man | 2016 | Description / Buy |
The Clifton Chronicles is one of the three series penned by Jeffrey Archer—the others are Kane & Abel, and his prison diaries. The Clifton Chronicles series comprises of seven major works. There are about 66 editions of the first book in the said series and the first edition was originally published in May 2011, titled Only Time Will Tell; this book is classified under the fiction genre, specifically in the historical fiction sub-genre.
Harry Clifton is the featured protagonist in the Clifton Chronicles series. Harry’s father was reportedly a docker; Harry, a one-time gifted choirboy, was born in a poor background. Harry’s so-called absentee father, Arthur Clifton, presumably died during war; he was brought up by a workaholic mother. A kin wanted Harry to start working in a shipyard after schooling but a scholarship paved the way for Harry’s admittance into a prestigious British school wherein he befriended a certain Giles Barrington. Harry developed romantic feelings towards Giles’ sibling, Emma Barrington, to the chagrin of her father, Hugo Barrington. Later on, Harry attends Oxford before enlisting in the navy as there is a looming war between England and Germany.
The first book in the Clifton Chronicles series of books is Only Time Will tell, which was published in 2011, given a worldwide release thanks to the global popularity of Archer. It introduces the reader to the main character in the Clifton Chronicles, Harry Clifton, who is only a young boy in Bristol when we first meet him in 1919. Harry is apparently on the road to nowhere, following in the footsteps of the other men in his family by working on the docks. That is until Harry’s talented singing voice is discovered. It is then that his mother, Maisie, decides Harry cannot follow in the footsteps of his father and his uncle, and must go to school, complete his education and move on to bigger and better things. As well as this, there is a mystery surrounding who Harry’s real father is. Is it Arthur Clifton, who died during World War I? Or is it another man? As the years pass, Harry must make vital decisions that will affect not only his life, but the lives of those around him.
The second book in the Clifton Chronicles series of books is The Sins of the Father, which was published in 2012. Harry’s past continues to haunt him, even now while he’s serving in the Navy. The story of Harry Clifton (or whatever name he decides to go by now) continues, and he finds himself in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. While in there, he discovers another talent, that of writing, and he chronicles the life of a convict in his book, The Diary of a Convict. On the outside, life continues for Harry’s loved ones, unaware of his new situation. As World War II rages on, the lives of many of the characters will never be the same again.
The Sins of the Father was followed by the third novel in the series, Best Kept Secret, which was released in 2013. It focuses on how our hero, Harry, copes with starting a family. There is a greater focus on politics in Best Kept Secret, as Harry’s world, and that of his friends, is firmly entrenched in Westminster. Away from politics, the drama continues to unfold for Harry and his friends, and it takes us to the more tropical climes of Argentina.
In 2014, Be Careful What You Wish For was published, the fourth books in the Clifton Chronicles series of books. This picks up the story from Best Kept Secret from 1957 until 1964, and continues the themes from the previous three books. In 2015, Mightier Than the Sword was published, the fifth book in the series. And in 2016, the penultimate book in the series, Comes the Hour, was published, almost bringing to an end the saga of the Clifton family.
Clifton Chronicles Awards
In late 2014, Jeffrey Archer was the recipient of International Recognition Award, courtesy of his commendable efforts at advancing the book trade in Ireland.
Clifton Chronicles Books into Movies
Archer’s debut novel, titled Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, has a 1990 TV movie adaptation; starring Ed Begley Jr, Brian Protheroe, Francois-Eric Gendron, and Nicholas Jones who act as Stephen Bradley, James Brigsley, Jean-Pierre Lamanns, and Dr. Robin Oakley. Archer’s 2005 book named False Impression is being adapted into a film titled False Impression by Brian D. Young.
Archer’s book titled Paths of Glory was made into a film titled Everest wherein Tom Hardy is the starring actor, appearing as George Mallory. There is a 2007 TV movie named The Verdict wherein Jeffrey Archer starred, appearing as himself. The program has five episodes and first aired in February 2007.
Best Clifton Chronicles Books
These are the best three books in the Clifton Chronicles series.
Only Time Will Tell: The first is Only Time Will Tell.
The Sins of the Father: The second book in the series and originally published in 2012. Set during the Second World War, it recounts Harry Clifton’s military service after joining British Navy. A German enemy vessel attacks the ship that Harry is in, killing many military crew.
Luckily, Harry and a few others survive and are rescued by an American passenger ship. Hoping to escape his troublesome past, Harry adopts the name of a fellow crew member who succumbs and ends up suffering dearly because of the offenses associated with that name.
Best Kept Secret: The third novel in the Clifton Chronicles series and initially published in 2013. This is all about family wrangles and vendettas that will be a make or break for Harry Clifton.
Other Book Series You May Like
Readers who liked the Clifton Chronicles series also liked the following series of books. The first is “Agent Micah Dalton” series, a tetralogy authored by David Stone. It features a CIA agent named Micah Dalton who is dispatched to tie up loose ends. The second one is called “Passing Bells” series, a trilogy penned by Phillip Rock. It tells how the Abingdon Pryory residents pick up the pieces after the guns fall silent hot on the heels of the Great War. The third is “Willi Kraus”, authored by Paul Grossman. The protagonist, Willi Kraus, is a crowned war veteran and Weimar-based investigator of Jewish descent.
Clifton Chronicles FAQs
Q: Who writes the Clifton Chronicles?
A: The Clifton Chronicles are written by English auther, and former Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Archer.
Q: What is the first book in the Clifton Chronicles series of book?
A: The first book in the Clifton Chronicles series is Only Time Will Tell, which was published in 2011.
What Is The Next Book in The Clifton Chronicles Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Clifton Chronicles Series. The newest book is This Was a Man and was released on November, 3rd 2016.