The Fourth Estate is much like Kane & Abel, Archer's most successful book. In fact, its almost a carbon copy of the great novel. Its weakness, and its sole difference from Kane & Abel, comes in the poor character development of the supporting cast, with the exception of the adversaries. The book is a fascinating, intereting read, and goes by very quickly. It is at times amazing and at times ridiculous, combining to form an uneven, but highly entertaining read