This review is from my POV as an author, so easily skip over it if you will: Unlike most of Dick Francis' novels, the action in 10 lb Penalty spans years rather than weeks and months. This is of interest when you consider story structure. In other of his novels, say Reflex for instance, the plot is linear and uninterrupted by passages of time. Ageing jockey (mid-30s)falls off a horse and begins to consider what to do with the rest of his life. There are twin, intertwined plots, the one dealing with family/personal matters and the other with the death of a photographer who may or may not have been a blackmailer and may or may not have been murdered...the salient point being that events chug along to an eventful and satisfying climax as they so often do in Dick Francis novels. But 10 lb Penalty can be said to be structured as a complete novel with a novella tacked on. Readers might question whether this is a completely satisfying way to structure a murder mystery thriller, and well they might. As a writer, I was interested to see how Francis handled the transitions from one period of time to another. You see, the 1st complete story, the novel, ends about 2/3 of the way through the book and the author then has to segway through several years to get to the novella. An odd and interesting story structure, to be sure, and instead of the usual blathering praise, the critics, while generous, were less gushing. For me, I found the exercise instructional: perhaps you know how critics and teachers always insist on authors "showing" the story instead of "telling" it. Well, this is one novel where, at key junctures I could feel the story being told. Instructional because the advice is so easy to say, but so difficult to follow. And encouraging to see that even a master writer like Francis can be forced to fall back on "telling" when trapped between a genre that demands immediacy and a plot line that has a need to lay out the passage of the years.

After reading quite a few of Dick Francis' books and with the pattern well established this one book came as a bit of a surprise, but sadly not in the positive way. It is like he is trying a new approach and it doesn't work. Don't get me wrong, ninety percent is still the same trusted pattern, but there are strange gaps in the story, tens of pages where there is nothing exciting going on even in the background, and the narrator is suddenly somewhat outside the main story rather than in it. Furthermore people behave even less logical than usual.

So if you like Dick Francis novels, pick one of the others before this one.

Rating - two stars: "It was ok".

I love all of Dick Francis's books. He died a few years ago and his son Felix has taken over writing. I think he's doing pretty well. This was written by Dick himself several years ago, and I'm not sure how I missed it. Seventeen year old Ben who's into steeplechase is asked by his father to help him run for parliamentary office. Lots of info about how elections work in England as well as info about horseracing insurance companies. The characters are what make Francis's books so wonderful and he doesn't disappoint. I recommend this book!

Racing related thrillers - Ben Juliard, plans to spend his "gap year" as an amateur steeplechase jockey. His benevolent but disapproving father, George, arranges for Ben to be fired, however, to help him win a by-election to replace a deceased member of Parliament. George has designs on Disraeli's greasy pole and wants Ben to be "a sort of substitute wife. To come with me in public. To be terribly nice to people." Despite determined enemies (the ambitious widow of the dead legislator, her "eminence grise" adviser and a sleazy reporter out for dirt on anyone), and three possible attacks on the Juliards (shooting, car sabotage, arson), George prevails in the vote. Five years later, he's a popular cabinet minister (for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), while Ben has found happiness working in racing insurance and as a successful steeplechaser. A cabinet crisis makes George a leading contender for prime minister, and Ben worries that the unknown previous assailants will try again.

3 stars only because of all of the accomplishments of the 17 year old son of the man running for parliament. He has won awards for skiing, rifle marksmanship, and had 2 or 3 wins as an amateur jockey, plus he is a math wizard. His father is headhunted for an MP position that someone else has his eye on and will stop at nothing to obtain

Another thoroughly entertaining, quick read tale, chosen to cheer me after one that was a bit of a slog. Virtually no recollection of the first time I read it, which is one of the reasons I've begun a re-read of many of the later-acquired one.

Even though I'm a middle aged woman, Dick Francis amazing talent can draw me into the world of an 18 year old young man, feel symapathetic and be completely invested in the character. He's that good!

Not quite as good as his other books.

I chose this book because I have read several other books by Dick Francis years ago, enjoyed them. Either I have moved on from this particular author, or this story just didn't measure up to his other books.

Very enjoyable light reading typical of a Dick Francis book. Of course horse racing is involved but not the main focus. A not so successful amatuer jockey is convinced by his father to help him run for Parliament. There is extreme opposition and attempted murder. The book is typical of this writer, a very enjoyable read without too much complexity.

I really enjoyed this book. Dick Francis really knows how top spin a yarn and keep you interested. Is it great literature? Probably not. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and can recommend it highly for a enjoyable read.

Race to the (political) finish line

Well I’ve got to say, I was very pleasantly surprised by this book as it isn’t something I would normally have read but they way that Dick Francis has combined the world of racing with the world of politics is absolutely amazing. I for one will definitely be reading his other books. Happy reading everyone.

17 year-old Benedict Juliard desperately wants to be a jockey, he loves the speed of the horses, their power over fences and their fierce loyalty. Those dreams are rudely shattered when the father he barely knows decides to enter politics and needs him. He quickly learns to smile, and shake hands with the voting public. What he wasn't prepared for were slanderous news reporters and photographers, genuinely hateful opponents masked by smiles, and attempted murder.