Archer cuts to the chase with Kane and Abel

Former Tory grandee trims 8,000 words from novel that made his name but was derided by critics

CRITICS once likened his writing style to “a Christmas round-robin from a friend no one likes”, and Jeffrey Archer has now taken note by deciding to revisit his earlier prose.

The former Conservative grandee, once had ambitions to be prime minister, and admits he ended up doing what he was “second best at”, but says he is now a “better craftsman”.

Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare has now revised his career-making 1979 novel Kane and Abel.

The one-time Tory deputy chairman performed surgery on the 500-page epic, removing vestigial prose from the weighty volume, with the trimmeddown version soon to be re-released for the novel’s 40th anniversary.

Lord Archer, 79, whose books incensed the literati but have sold millions of copies around the world, told assembled fans in London he had managed to cut thousands of words without a single change in the plot.

“About 10 years ago, I decided to rewrite it,” he said. “It ended up 8,000 words shorter, but absolutely no change to the story. I guess after 30 years, you’re a better craftsman.”

Archer’s novel, which has sold more than 30million copies worldwide, was criticised for “Lego-like characterisation” and “woeful dialogue” by one Telegraph writer.

“Are critics important? they are,” said the peer.

“The truth is, in the end, the public decides. The public always decides in

Of course the end.” He added: “I like to believe more people have read Kane and Abel than War and Peace.”

The author said he was resigned to a writer’s life after falling from political favour. However, he said he was taught a few lessons in iron discipline from Margaret Thatcher during his time in politics, and he maintains an assiduous writing regime.

His novels have reached a global audience, but met with critical disapproval, and Lord Archer confessed writing was not his first career choice.

“I didn’t have a clue I would end my life as a writer,” he said. “I was fairly confident that I would be prime minister, and that failed. I fulfilled the Proustian theory that we all end up doing what we’re second best at.”

While trimming down his most famous work, he did not feel he had to overhaul its language, and believes his literary output is safe from the censure of retrospective political correctness, although he fears some of the writers he most admires may not be spared.

“I’m aware of (Ian) Fleming and his attitude to women.

“You have to keep an eye on it, otherwise you will get 100 emails telling you what an awful man you are. I haven’t had to go back to change anything.” Lord Archer, who works through numerous handwritten drafts of every new novel, continues to write relentlessly and has named his principal motivation as “fear of death”.

“I’m frightened of not working,” he said. “I’m used to not writing in the breaks between books. I now write every single day. I’m frightened of slowing down.”

Lord Archer spoke to writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth at a book signing in Hatchards bookshop in London, for the 40th anniversary edition of Kane and Abel.