All too obviously, it is the aftermath of Watergate that has inspired this deadeningly long-winded political adventure story [Full Disclosure]. Like earlier masters of the genre, John Erlichman and Spiro Agnew, Mr. Safire has built a central character out of parts of recently rejected presidents, surrounded his hero with a type-cast set of aides, and fleshed out his novel with indiscriminate doses of intrigue, corruption, hunger for power, violence and sex.

Charles Wheeler, "Heads That Go Bump," in The Times Literary Supplement (© Times Newspapers Ltd. (London) 1977; reproduced from The Times Literary Supplement by permission), October 7, 1977, p. 1135.