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Postern Of Fate

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Mar 09 at 3:17 p.m. GMT

I finished the book today and I really enjoyed it, I ncan't understand why people say it is the weakest of the Tommy and Tuppence books (For me 'BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMB is the weakest book), I don't usually like books which mention previous books in a series buit I didn't mind in this case as it seemed apt, I got confused in the occassional part but I put that down to tiredness, On another website someone complained that \Tommy and Tuppence were always mentioning that they were old but that was because THEY WERE OLD and to some extent they were reminiscing about the olfd times, Whemn I finish all the Agatha Christie books I will read all the Tommy and Tuppence books again, I can't say that about all the Poirots or Non-series books, (So far I have been lucky with Miss Marple) but next time I will read the Tommy and Tuppence books in order and then get the full pleasure out of them. What do other people think? Why is this book considered the weakest?  

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notguilty 07 Nov 11 at 8:19 p.m. GMT

Finishing a book is just a degree of commitment.  I finish every book I start.  It is now a habit.  Quite questionable on fiction but more useful in non-fiction.  Particularly when reading 19th and 18th century writers.  (Talk about wordiness.  Did if you ever read Boswell's biography on Dr. Johnson?  Whew.)  But, I do agree with you, it is a "hollow achievement".

Personally, I believe reading, regardless if it's fiction or non-fiction, assists in making a person more cosmopolitan and symmetrical.  Again, I have to agree with you, M. Poirot and Ms. Marples are also my favorite Dame Agatha's detectives.  I have not read another Tommy & Tuppence story since Postern of Fate.  They are on the reading list though.  Hopefully the other Tommy & Tuppence stories will be better.  (I can't see them being worse.)  And thankfully, there doesn't seem to be too many of them. 

brendamonks 02 Nov 11 at 5:47 p.m. GMT

I simply cannot understand when readers say a book is terrible. Why bother to continue to the finish ??!! After all if I start any book (fiction or non-fiction) and can't get into the plot/story or am not enjoying it then I stop reading. I can understand to a certain degree that Agatha Christie fans wish to say "I've read ALL her books" but if there's no pleasure it's rather a hollow achievement surely. I fully appreciate and totally respect the fact that Tommy_A_Jones appears to have read the majority of her novels and T&T; are his favourites but it's very much a matter of personal choice as to which best suit any reader. As I have previously commented T&T; are, in fact, my least liked and I much prefer Miss Marple and Poirot. We all have our own opinions and that's what's so good about this web site.The opportunity to let others read/hear our reviews.

notguilty 02 Nov 11 at 4:34 p.m. GMT

Thank you for the heads up on Endless Night, Death Comes as the End and Appointment with Death.  I already read Passenger to Frankfurt and agree with you but still believe that Postern of Fate was worse.  I plan to read all of Dame Agatha's books, really, just so I can have the bragging rights that I did.  Now I will have to prepare myself before reading those you listed.

Other books I found wanting were Elephants Can Remember, They Came to Baghdad and Destination Unknown.  All these poor writings have in common are, excessive words, needless (trivial) details, which have nothing to do with the story and questionable plots. 

Most of Dame Agatha's books (by far) are superb.  But when she wrote a bad book, well, I don't think it could be possible to write a worse one.  I had an easier time reading St Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theological.  After reading my first bad Dame Agatha, I was quite surprised how awlful it was.

Tommy_A_Jones 28 Oct 11 at 1:51 p.m. GMT

There are Far worse books than this one which I admit has its problems but is not too bad, Try Reading Passenger to Frankfurt, Endless Night, Death Comes As The End and Appointment With Death you will see they are MUCH WORSE I think Agatha Christie is closing a Chapter with Postern of Fate giving T&T an ending whereby they can reminisce a bit. 

notguilty 27 Oct 11 at 8:25 p.m. GMT

Horrible book.  Not only is this the worse Dame Agatha book I have read, but it is one of the worse books I have ever read.  Very wordy and repetitious.  Was it necessary for us to read about Tuppence rummaging through a mass of children's books and knowing which ones she read and her opinion of those she did read?  How did that add to the story?  More than once, while reading this abuse of English words, I strongly considered not finishing.  I honestly just didn't care about the ending.  This is the first "Tommy & Tuppence" book I have read, and still the only one.  I found the characters to be sooooo annoying, that it has deterred me from reading their other stories.  For what it's worth, very strongly not recommended. 

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Jun 11 at 5:13 p.m. GMT

I wish now I could get hold of Originals so I could see how they differ, I thought in 4.50 From Paddington Miss Marples ankles were described as China Blue but when I re-read it in another Copy I found I was mistaken but now I wonder if that bit was changed

johnwaynefreak 09 Dec 10 at 3:52 p.m. GMT

dannypost

It bothers me greatly also how different publishers keep making 'improvements' on her other books, even today.

What improvements are you thinking of? In the UK, I can only think of the Ten Little etc. etc. changes. Is this something that goes on in other countries?

Number3 05 Dec 10 at 2:03 p.m. GMT

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I finished "Postern" yesterday.  I rather enjoyed it.

I liked how it was a kind of continuation of "Passenger To Frankfurt." 

With all the references to other stories it was a big good-bye to all of the T & T fans.

Number3 03 Dec 10 at 8:28 p.m. GMT

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I started it yesterday and I am rather enjoying it so far.  I am looking forward to when they actually find out what happens to Mary Jordan.

dannypost 03 Dec 10 at 10:51 a.m. GMT

I was wondering: does anyone know if Postern of Fate will be re-released in its original version? When the manuscript went on auction at Sotheby's some years ago, they said the original story differed greatly and was far better than the one released. That it suffered greatly from poor editing. I would really love for it to be restored.

It bothers me greatly also how different publishers keep making 'improvements' on her other books, even today. They shouldn't touch the originals.

Tommy_A_Jones 01 May 09 at 2:46 p.m. GMT

I'm sorrry you found it unreadable, apart from it being a bit boring in a couple of places and it sort of tailing off at the end I loved the book

squatty 17 Apr 09 at 5:52 p.m. GMT

I found it unreadable I'm afraid. Im not Tommy and Tuppence's greatest fan but all those meandering conversations drove me to sleep. I swear there were a couple of occassions where AC forgot which character was speaking and characters ended up speaking to themselves. I know AC was very protective of her work but surely her editors should have stepped in and sorted out some of the dreadful inconsistencies.

The bit mentioned above where Tuppence spends an age going through books in the library is similar to another tedious passage in The Clocks when Poirot talks at length about detective fiction.

go_leafs_nation 17 Apr 09 at 2:29 p.m. GMT

Postern of Fate is definately one of AC's weakest ever novels, and without a doubt the weakest of ther T&T series. The timeline incosistencies stuck out a mile, but also, when rereading it, I noticed that Agatha's writing had this really rambling nature to it. She was nearing 80, and I can see why she stopped writing books- she was starting to lose her touch at masterful writing. Also, this is the only time in ACs novels where the solution is not fair to the reader; there is no way you can fairly figure out the solution.

Give me By the Pricking of My Thumbs or N or M? any day over this.

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Apr 09 at 2:25 p.m. GMT

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Hello Mole, Nice to have you back. I quite agree discotea, I got the impression Agatha started writing it and then realised as she had set the initial Crime so far in the past she was unable to live up to the Brilliant synopsis and excellent beginning of the book which I am sad to say led to the books unsatisfactory resolution but I still think it is better than 'By The Pricking of My Thumbs which is the only previous Novel with Tommy and Tuppence not mentioned in this book as far as I can see. (I don't include PIC as I feel it is a book of short stories even though it starts with them being set a task which they finish at the end of the book.  

discoteca 06 Apr 09 at 1:11 a.m. GMT

I adore Tommy and Tuppence, there is a real warmth to the novels often missing in Poirot. Postern Of Fate is no exception to this, but I'm afraid I too find it highly disappoiting plot-wise. Yes, there are the seeds of a good idea in there, but there is literally no denouement to the "plot" - it all just grinds to a halt. Disappointing, but not as roundly awful as its reputation would suggest.

TheMole 05 Apr 09 at 2:19 p.m. GMT

Hello winne! I've missed you too!

And hi silvey!

I haven't read "Postern of Fate" yet but I have always wanted to: it has such an interesting synopsis.

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Apr 09 at 2:13 p.m. GMT

Yes Silver, that would be brilliant.

thesilverdoe62442 03 Apr 09 at 12:51 p.m. GMT

I've missed you too! Hope you're well!  I'll tell Moley to pop in too, shall I?

Tommy_A_Jones 02 Apr 09 at 2:26 p.m. GMT

Hello Silver, How have you been? I have missed Moley and you.

thesilverdoe62442 02 Apr 09 at 2:01 p.m. GMT

Hi, winne! Hope you havent forgotten me!

Bowie, I had never thought of it like that! That way the book goes from *sigh* to awesome!