The Final Cut (House of Cards, 3)

Was pretty mad to find out that the book cover didn’t come with the book. And this book without the cover isn’t anything pretty to look at. Other than that, quick speed, good price, and overall good transaction. Thank you.

I have now read all 3 books in the series and found each to be very well written and a look at politics as both enervating and cruel depending on ones point of view.An author like a Michael Dobbs puts you into the heart of the system and doesn’t let go.

What do you want me to say? If you have been following FU you will see just what a bastard he is..this is the final book of the House of cards trilogy..a great read but not without having read books 1 &2..they all tie together nicely. Go on , dont be shy, get it. I'm not usually wrong in my recommendations !

Having been a huge fan of the PBS House of Cards trilogy on cable television, VHS, then DVD, since its first airing, I decided I had to own the DVD trilogy for myself. Then I really got interested in author Michael Dobbs, and wanted to see for myself how the original written word translated into the screen versions I've enjoyed so much. I was not disappointed. Though the book and the screenplay different in detail (but what adaptation doesn't...) I truly enjoyed reading the Dobbs original. This is brilliant writing!

I very much enjoyed the writing with all three books in the series. My rating is based on what I feel was a disjointed conclusion. The jumping back and forth between Cyprus and London was confusing at times and challenged keeping keeping the parallel story lines clear in their relevance. The last pages of the book pulled it all together with an expected, but well-written conclusion.

Compared to the other books in the trilogy this was a hard read.There were so many characters to keep track of. The ending was a complete surprise.

Good but not up to the first 2 bolsa of The House of Cards triology.

A great ending for a marvelous trilogy about sex, power, and politics in the UK!

Read this book in 2011, and its the 3rd and final episode of the Francis Urquhart trilogy.Francis Urquhart, after his confrontation with the King, now firmly control again as Prime Minister.But the years are taking their toll on the longest serving Prime Minister, but his enemies are calling for him to retire because its time for change.Determined to hang on to power, simply because he's not ready to retire or driven from office, he will give the public a new revived administration.Even if blood needs to be shed, from his Cabinet critics or from the Island of Cyprus, so be it, he will show the world that he's still a Prime Minister to be reckoned with.In the end he'll show that his personality is about love and vulnerability, but most of all its about ruthlessness towards and in his dealings with his critics, and so in the end he will risk everything to get his name in the record books, and whether he will succeed or not remains to be seen, but the name of Francis Urquhart will certainly not be forgotten.Highly recommended, because this 3rd and final part is a fitting end to this entertaining trilogy, and that's why I like to call this book: "A Very Satisfying Conclusion"!

Having meant to read, 'House of Cards,' for some time, I decided to continue and complete the trilogy. 'The Final Cut,' is the third book in the Francis Urquhart trilogy and, after a detour to the palace in book two, we are back in the world of Westminster. By this book, Urquhart has been Prime Minister for many years, with shades of Thatcher - the PM who first inspired this series.As Urquhart will find, for politicians there are crises and scandals, lurking in every corner. For the PM, his secrets, or one of them, lies in Cyprus, during his time in the army in 1956. His instigation of a cover up, a war crime, will come to haunt him. In the corridors of power there are sugestions and rumours - Urquart has gone on too long, a new leader is needed. 'None of knew when the time had come to go,' Urquart says of a planned statue of Thatcher, for once, failing to see the danger himself.This has some fun, political drama. A politician crosses the floor of the house. The Cabinet are viewed, somewhat sarcastically by Urquart, as the Pretorian Guard, who appear more like bewildered sheep. There is betrayal, intrigue and an interesting view of political loyalty. However, clinging to power is never quite as interesting as trying to reach it. Still, this has been an interesting read and I am pleased that I finally got around to it.

The final installment of the 'Hose of Cards' trilogy by Michael Dobbs has lost none of the verve, vitality or venom of the first two. It continues to follow Francis Urquhart, now shortly before achieving the honorific of longest serving modern PM, through crises both domestic and international - Cyprus being the specific issue in this book.There are quite some new characters in addition to some old acquaintances and the mix is suitably dark, ruthless and ambitious. Overall the story is well paced throughout and it is definitely a book you will try to devour as quickly as possible - it should have no trouble drawing you in - if you liked the first two, that is. It could also be enjoyed as a stand-alone volume but some of the background of the first two books of the trilogy is helpful for a fuller understanding.The Kindle edition unfortunately comes with too many spelling mistakes, which seem to have happened during the conversion (rns turning into ms and the like) but in my opinion these are not distracting enough to cost the book the fifth star.Overall, if you enjoy reading political thrillers, there are few writers more accomplished, knowledgeable and darkly funny than Michael Dobbs and 'The Final Cut' is certainly an effort par for the course, when it comes to his writing.

This is the final instalment of the author's House of Cards trilogy of novels and TV series. In power for 11 years, Francis Urquhart's remaining ambition is to exceed the length of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. He attempts to secure his legacy by bringing peace between Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus, needless to say with own his background motives. However, he has his own dark secrets from his time on the island as a young British army officer. When it unravels, he loses support from his colleagues. The resolution of the Cyprus crisis is handled dramatically and occupies a greater place in the narrative than it does in the TV series. Urquhart's own decline and fall unfold in a rather different way and herein lies my main concern with this book - Tom Makepeace's march on London and the scenes in Trafalgar Square are more reminiscent of an East European velvet revolution than being a credible outcome within the context of British politics. Though even in death, Urquhart has the last laugh. Urquhart and his wife (here renamed again) are much deeper characters than on TV - while still manipulative and appalling, they are much more three dimensional and, behind closed doors, much more uncertain and lacking in confidence than they are on screen. As a piece of drama, I would have to say the TV series is better, though as with its predecessors, this is a much better written political thriller than those by many other authors.

The last book in the trilogy was a great final act. What is great about all the books is how they are very different stories set around politics and this concluding one was very fitting. Was it the best one you might think that I couldn't possibly comment!