The Final Cut

Written by Michael Dobbs

Narrated by Paul Eddington

Francis Urquhart’s eventful career as Prime Minister comes to a spectacular end in the final volume in the Francis Urquhart trilogy – now reissued in a new cover.

He schemed his way to power in ‘House of Cards’ and had a memorable battle of wills with the new king in ‘To Play the King’. Now Francis Urquhart is about to take his place in the record books as the longest-serving Prime Minister this century. Yet it seems the public is tiring of him at last, and the movement to force him from power is growing. But Urquhart is not yet ready to be driven from office. If the public demand new blood, that is precisely what he will give them…

Francis Urquhart goes out in a blaze of glory in this final volume in the irresistible story of the most memorable politician of the decade.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9780007570195

Michael Dobbs

Bestselling author Michael Dobbs was at Mrs Thatcher’s side as she took her first step into Downing Street as Prime Minister and was a key aide to John Major when he was voted out. In between times he was bombed in Brighton, banished from Chequers and blamed for failing to secoure a Blair-Major television debate. He is now one of the country’s leading political commentators.

Reviews for The Final Cut

[myownwoman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

And so begins an epic effort to get underneath the pile of reviews that I have to get off my desk before I read any more - thus adding to the pile I am already drowning under. I have 5 or 6 of these to unload before I give myself permission to read any more. *big breath in*In becoming a mother, I've lost all ability to watch television. I, literally, never see a whole 30 minute sitcom uninterrupted - and when I do see it, I can't hear it because the TV is turned down too low so as to not wake the teething baby. It's a game we play called "Don't Wake The Baby...Or I'll CUT YOU," and we play it every evening starting at 7 or 8. In the rare instance that I could comfortably watch TV, I choose to instead SLEEP. That preference for sleep over all other activities extends to review writing too - says the girl with 5 reviews to write. ANYWAYS, I guess I'm getting around to saying that I haven't seen the Netflix series, and I didn't even KNOW that there was a British miniseries or what-have-you. But I knew the name "House of Cards" from previous exposure and I thought I'd give it a try. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. I can also honestly say that I'm not sure if I could really appreciate the novel's finesse in dealing with the realm of British Parliament - something I know admittedly nothing about. I do know a smidgen about US politics - but more that that, I know about politicians - how scummy, two-faced and scheming these "rule makers" can be in their attempts to influence voters and maintain what little power is allotted to them (while, of course, always trying to grab a hold of just a little bit more. Apparently, US and British politicians have that scheming, power-hungry personality in common. Francis Urquhart is one such man, aspiring to a single moment of greatness before his retirement from politics. He is the Prime Minister's Whip, a behinds the scene man who knows all the secrets - and knows how to use them to get what he wants. He wants power, obviously, as do most narcissistic men of his ilk, and he uses unsavory information to blackmail his colleagues to get what he wants. When the Prime Minister is elected for another term and does not follow through on promises that he has made to Urquhart, Urquhart gets mad. Urquhart gets even. Only, he does so without being noticed. He is a master puppeteer, unseen and unrecognized, behind the scenes, causing well-planned chaos around him. He pokes and prods weaker men to do his bidding, all the while rising in the esteem of others in the parliament. He's the typical wolf in sheep's clothing - a seemingly quiet, respectful older man who lends his assistance and ear to those in need. He delights in each calculated ploy to topple the fragile house of cards. The book follows his rise to power while exploring the lengths to which he will go to assure this ascendancy. I was impressed upon learning that the author sat on Margret Thatcher's Parliament - though I don't know why, as he clearly sets himself up as an author with authority and experience behind him. In other words, dude knows what he's talking about. I enjoyed the book very much. I wasn't such a fan of the ending - though I can't say more without giving away something of a shock or surprise. It didn't ring as true as the rest of the book. It was kind of cheesy and melodramatic, not so real as the rest. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I just may follow up with #2 in the series - though not right away and not super enthusiastically. I just didn't know enough about British Parliament to fully lose myself in the plot.

[anissaannalise-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I never saw the new series but recalled that my father watched the original, so I figured I should get around to this series. Wow! I must say that I very much enjoyed this novel & Francis Urquhart is captivating and seriously petrifying. I was all over the place with Mattie but ended up simply pitying her because she wanted to believe up to the very end. Roger was hapless and pathetic but I still hoped he’d make it but I knew he couldn’t. Mrs Urquhart gets total points for being just about as chilling a person as her husband. They’re perfect for one another. I very much enjoyed this one & have to admit that it’s not often one runs across so memorable a character. I wholly see what all the chatter was about & why an American version of the UK series was done.

This was a fascinating & absorbing read. I wish it were available on Kindle but I’m glad that a raid of the bookshelves at my parent’s had a copy. There was also a copy of To Play the King, so I’ll have to read that soon. I’d recommend this one, definitely.

[philipjhunt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had read Michael Dobbs series on Winston Churchill and enjoyed them very much. Coincidentally, I had recently watched the US remake of 'House of Cards'. Perhaps it was time to read the original story now that my memory of the much earlier BBC version constituted only Urquhart's face and the climactic scene on the rooftop. About half way through the book I realised how much the art of novel writing has matured, along with TV screenwriting, in the last few decades. The idea of the book remains clever, even brilliant, but the contrast between the original plot and the re-interpreting of it in the American series reveals the plot weaknesses of the original. Some measure of suspended belief is required. Rather too much in the case of the original. Could he really get away with it? Surely not. But, for a while, it us fun to believe he did.

[writemoves · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am a huge fan of the current Netflix series House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey. This book is part of a series written by Dobbs witch sparked the Netflix show. The big difference between the book version and the film version is that the book version takes place in England. Francis Urquhart is the Chief Whip of the majority party. Like Frank Underwood (his US variation), who was the House Whip for the Democratic Party, his ambitions and plans were thwarted at the highest levels. Urquhart matches Underwood for evil deeds and manipulation of people for his own ambitious ends. The reader keeps expecting Urquhart to get tripped up. Urquhart screws over his Prime Minister and other candidates who run against him for party leadership. The reader of this book who is also a viewer of the Netflix series will notice a number of similarities in terms of plot and characters. This book was a great joy to read – – highly recommended. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

[wormread · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There is only one word for this book - superb.

[horacewimsey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Francis Urquhart is a real son-of-a-bitch. I was thrown off that the book ends completely opposite the way the BBC production ends. And it's not even explained away in the next book. Still and all, a good thriller. Worth the cost of a paperback.

[eyejaybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This became one of the classic political thrillers and spawned one of the most successful television dramas of the 1990s. Indeed, the television series was so successful that it in turn spawned a new, American version quarter of a century on.At an unspecified point in the 1990s a post-Thatcher Conservative government has just secured re-election, though with a significantly reduced majority. In the immediate aftermath of the election victory, senior members of the party convene to put the finishing touches to their high level plans for the forthcoming term. Francis Urquhart, the party's insanely ambitious Chief Whip hopes for advancement. He is to be disappointed, however, as Prime Minister Henry Collingridge is reluctant to tamper with his Cabinet. This disappointment proves to be the final straw for Urquhart who, at the age of sixty-two, sees his chances of scaling to the highest reaches of the political world receding fast. He is, however, not a man to cross lightly. As the party's Chief Whip he knows all the vulnerabilities of his fellow MPs, and he has the evidence of all manner of their peccadilloes: financial malfeasance, sexual indiscretions and plenty more besides. He also has a finely tuned Machiavellian mind, and the combination proves lethal. He embarks upon a masterful scheme to advance his fortunes, and his front bench colleagues find themselves beset by all sorts of woes.Michael Dobbs had been a member of Margaret Thatcher's inner circle, and had subsequently served as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative party, so he has ample insight into the seedier wheeling and dealing that accompany high politics. The book is gripping, and Urquhart is an appealing protagonist. Scarcely a hero, but he is surprisingly appealing, despite his ruthlessness and complete absence of remorse. It is tempting to suggest that, enjoyable though the story is, it is too far-fetched to be plausible. However, the capacity for seemingly successful politicians to self-destruct, immolated on the pyre of their boundless vanity and misplaced belief in their unassailable rectitude is inexhaustible. Though now m ore than twenty years old,m the novel has scarcely aged at all, and seemed entirely gripping.

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have had this book in my collection for years but have just gotten around to reading it. I saw the dramatization of this book as part I of the House of Cards Trilogy (To Play the King, The Final Cut) on Masterpiece Theater too many years ago and absolutely LOVED the story. Good old FU; you just can't help but love him. Reading this book is a bit like watching a train about to wreck...you don't want to see the inevitable result, but you're sort of glued while things spin out of control. I must say, the end was a bit surprising; I won't give it away, but I wasn't prepared for it. Very highly recommended.

[john257hopper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have been binge watching a number of political satires and dramas on Netflix recently: Yes, Minister; Yes, Prime Minister; The Thick of It; and latterly House of Cards, featuring infighting within a post-Thatcher Conservative government and the rise to power of the manipulative Chief Whip Francis Urquhart. This famous series was broadcast on TV at the same time in November 1990 as in the real world Margaret Thatcher's 11 year premiership was coming to an end as many of her colleagues turned against her and she resigned after a heavy loss of support in a leadership election challenge from Michael Heseltine. The series was based on this novel, presciently written by the author, a Conservative party official, in 1989, after he had been "handbagged" by the Prime Minister during the 1987 general election campaign. I previously read and enjoyed this novel in the early 1990s, but Dobbs has now rewritten it, most notably changing the ending so that Urquhart survives to be Prime Minister in the TV series sequels made in the mid 1990s, which Dobbs also novelised. In fact comparing this version with the original paperback which I still have, there are many other changes, which mostly make the rewrite a tighter narrative. In any case, this remains an excellent novel and a searing study of political and media manipulation.