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Fall of Giants
- Book One of the Century Trilogy
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 30 hrs and 38 mins
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Fall of Giants
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-
The Evening and the Morning
- Kingsbridge, Book 4
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 24 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 749
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 662
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 662
It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Too similar
- By Leanne on 2020-10-01
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Fall of Giants
- Book One of the Century Trilogy
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Dan Stevens
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18
The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Awesome
- By Michelle Preyde on 2020-09-15
Written by: Ken Follett
-
A Place Called Freedom
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 205
This lush novel, set in 1766 England and America, evokes an era ripe with riot and revolution, from the teeming streets of London to the sprawling grounds of a Virginia plantation. Mack McAsh burns with the desire to escape his life of slavery in Scottish coal mines while Lizzie Hallim is desperate to shed a life of sheltered subjugation to her spineless husband. United in America, their only chance for freedom lies beyond the Western frontier - if they're brave enough to take it.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
Love story, bad narration
- By Janders on 2018-04-27
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Eye of the Needle
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 81
His code name was “The Needle.” He was a German aristocrat of extraordinary intelligence - a master spy with a legacy of violence in his blood, and the object of the most desperate manhunt in history.... But his fate lay in the hands of a young and vulnerable English woman, whose loyalty, if swayed, would assure his freedom - and win the war for the Nazis....
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5 out of 5 stars
-
The best WW2 Spy fiction
- By Stephen Nordquist on 2022-02-19
Written by: Ken Follett
-
A Dangerous Fortune
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 424
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 379
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 379
In 1866, tragedy strikes the exclusive Windfield School when a young student drowns in a mysterious accident. His death and its aftermath initiate a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many lives. From the exclusive men’s clubs and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London’s upper class to the dazzling ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the manipulators of the world’s wealth, one family is splintered by a shared legacy.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Astounding!
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-05-05
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Never
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 23 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 224
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 224
Never is an extraordinary novel, full of heroines and villains, false prophets and elite warriors, jaded politicians and opportunistic revolutionaries. It brims with cautionary wisdom for our times, and delivers a visceral, heart-pounding story that transports listeners to the brink of the unimaginable.
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2 out of 5 stars
-
who wrote this? not Ken Follett for sure
- By nigel holehouse on 2021-11-20
Written by: Ken Follett
-
The Evening and the Morning
- Kingsbridge, Book 4
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 24 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 749
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 662
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 662
It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Too similar
- By Leanne on 2020-10-01
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Fall of Giants
- Book One of the Century Trilogy
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Dan Stevens
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18
The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Awesome
- By Michelle Preyde on 2020-09-15
Written by: Ken Follett
-
A Place Called Freedom
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 205
This lush novel, set in 1766 England and America, evokes an era ripe with riot and revolution, from the teeming streets of London to the sprawling grounds of a Virginia plantation. Mack McAsh burns with the desire to escape his life of slavery in Scottish coal mines while Lizzie Hallim is desperate to shed a life of sheltered subjugation to her spineless husband. United in America, their only chance for freedom lies beyond the Western frontier - if they're brave enough to take it.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Love story, bad narration
- By Janders on 2018-04-27
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Eye of the Needle
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 81
His code name was “The Needle.” He was a German aristocrat of extraordinary intelligence - a master spy with a legacy of violence in his blood, and the object of the most desperate manhunt in history.... But his fate lay in the hands of a young and vulnerable English woman, whose loyalty, if swayed, would assure his freedom - and win the war for the Nazis....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The best WW2 Spy fiction
- By Stephen Nordquist on 2022-02-19
Written by: Ken Follett
-
A Dangerous Fortune
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 424
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 379
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 379
In 1866, tragedy strikes the exclusive Windfield School when a young student drowns in a mysterious accident. His death and its aftermath initiate a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many lives. From the exclusive men’s clubs and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London’s upper class to the dazzling ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the manipulators of the world’s wealth, one family is splintered by a shared legacy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Astounding!
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-05-05
Written by: Ken Follett
-
Never
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 23 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 224
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 224
Never is an extraordinary novel, full of heroines and villains, false prophets and elite warriors, jaded politicians and opportunistic revolutionaries. It brims with cautionary wisdom for our times, and delivers a visceral, heart-pounding story that transports listeners to the brink of the unimaginable.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
who wrote this? not Ken Follett for sure
- By nigel holehouse on 2021-11-20
Written by: Ken Follett
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The Man from St. Petersburg
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 58
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55
His name was Feliks. He came to London to commit a murder that would change history. A master manipulator, he had many weapons at his command, but against him were ranged the whole of the English police, a brilliant and powerful lord, and the young Winston Churchill himself. These odds would have stopped any man in the world - except the man from St. Petersburg.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant
- By Amanda MacDuffee on 2021-04-30
Written by: Ken Follett
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The Key to Rebecca
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Tim Downie
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 54
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55
A brilliant and ruthless Nazi master agent is on the loose in Cairo. His mission is to send Rommel’s advancing army the secrets that will unlock the city’s doors. In all of Cairo, only two people can stop him. One is a down-on-his-luck English officer no one will listen to. The other is a vulnerable young Jewish girl....
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4 out of 5 stars
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Nearly Typical Follet
- By Maureen on 2021-03-19
Written by: Ken Follett
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Hornet Flight
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 61
It's June 1941, and the low point of the war. England throws wave after wave of RAF bombers across the Channel, but somehow the Luftwaffe is able to shoot them down at will. The skies, indeed, the war itself seem to belong to Hitler.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Hornet Flight review
- By JOHN on 2022-06-04
Written by: Ken Follett
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As the Crow Flies
- Written by: Jeffrey Archer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 20 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
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Story5 out of 5 stars 20
When Charlie Trumper inherits the barrow his grandfather used to peddle fruit and vegetables in turn-of-the-century Whitechapel, England, he inherits his enterprising spirit as well. Charlie's deeply held ambition to raise himself out of the poverty of London's East End is destined to be realized, but there are many obstacles to overcome, including a tour of duty at the front in World War I, where he encounters the man who will become his lifelong enemy.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible storyline
- By Deena on 2023-01-01
Written by: Jeffrey Archer
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Jackdaws
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat, Colin Stinton
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 34
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 28
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Story5 out of 5 stars 28
D-Day is approaching. They don’t know where or when, but the Germans know it’ll be soon, and for Felicity "Flick" Clariet, the stakes have never been higher. A senior agent in the ranks of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) responsible for sabotage, Flick has survived to become one of Britain’s most effective operatives in Northern France. She knows that the Germans’ ability to thwart the Allied attack depends upon their lines of communications, and in the days before the invasion, no target is of greater strategic importance than the largest telephone exchange in Europe.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic book
- By Mike on 2023-03-24
Written by: Ken Follett
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Night over Water
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Tom Casaletto
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 84
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 73
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Story4 out of 5 stars 74
On a bright September morning in 1939, two days after Britain declares war on Germany, a group of privileged but desperate people gather in Southhampton to board the largest, most luxurious airliner ever built - the Pan American Clipper - bound for New York.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Very dated
- By Kaye on 2021-08-25
Written by: Ken Follett
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New York
- The Novel
- Written by: Edward Rutherfurd
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 37 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 52
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 46
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
New York is the book that millions of Rutherfurd's American fans have been waiting for. A brilliant mix of romance, war, family drama, and personal triumphs, it gloriously captures the search for freedom and prosperity at the heart of our nation's history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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History through Storytelling
- By Anonymous User on 2023-03-31
Written by: Edward Rutherfurd
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The Pillars of the Earth
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Richard E. Grant
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Captivating!
- By Ivonne Leonel de cervantes on 2019-07-08
Written by: Ken Follett
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Shogun
- The Epic Novel of Japan: The Asian Saga, Book 1
- Written by: James Clavell
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 53 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 512
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 436
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 438
After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen—Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is seventeenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Exemplary Historical Fiction. Great Novel
- By Langer MD on 2021-02-11
Written by: James Clavell
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Lie Down with Lions
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Eric Lincoln, Lary Bradenburg, Donald Brearley, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 10
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 8
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Story4 out of 5 stars 8
Ellis, the American. Jean-Pierre, the Frenchman.... They were two men on opposite sides of the cold war, with a woman torn between them. Together, they formed a triangle of passion and deception, racing from terrorist bombs in Paris to the violence and intrigue of Afghanistan - and on to the moment of truth and a deadly decision for all of them.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Poorly directed and narrated.
- By Janine Boulanger on 2021-12-16
Written by: Ken Follett
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Sarum
- Written by: Edward Rutherfurd
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 53 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
In a novel of extraordinary richness the whole sweep of British civilisation unfolds through the story of one place, Salisbury, from beyond recorded time to the present day. The landscape - as old as time itself - shapes the destinies of the five families....
Written by: Edward Rutherfurd
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Only Time Will Tell
- The Clifton Chronicles, Book 1
- Written by: Jeffrey Archer
- Narrated by: Roger Allam, Emilia Fox
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 83
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 73
The epic tale of Harry Clifton's life begins in 1920, with the words "I was told that my father was killed in the war." A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he's left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys' school, and his life will never be the same again. As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father?
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent - Recommend
- By JKL on 2020-04-22
Written by: Jeffrey Archer
Publisher's Summary
Fall of Giants is Ken Follett's magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.
Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits…. Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House…. Two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution…. Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London….
These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.
In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the 20th century, changing themselves—and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.
What the critics say
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ashley
- 2018-09-20
Breathtaking adventure back in time
This book I struggled to put down...pun intended. I got completely engrossed in the story the Ken Follett wrote surrounding the lives of 5 separate families. It completely surrounds you in their lives daily struggles and events of the time period. I was blown away by the accuracy of events described in relation to recorded events. Taking place in world war one "The great War" for a history buff this was a wonderful experience. Constantly staying awake to listen to just one more chapter engaging until the very end. It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster as you develop feelings for each of the characters described.
For an audio book this was amazingly well read. The narriator had captured each character very well with different voices for each character so you could tell the difference. I enjoyed listening to him and was very easy to understand and visualize what he read. All around I loved this novel/listen and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a historical drama while keeping the integrity of such historical events. The whole series was well written! Ken Follett is amazingly talented and captured war in such an eloquent way. #Audible1
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Angela Douthwright
- 2018-06-07
Great book!
Read this book a long time ago, but I loved liatening to it! Eagerly waiting for my next credit to come on so I can get started on #2!
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nomis
- 2018-06-06
More brilliance from Follett and Lee
if it weren't for Audible, if never have come across Ken Follett. I'm so pleased that I did. this is the second trilogy that I'm starting and it's as good as the first so far. I expect a lot less time between each story, for obvious reasons, so it's quite important on this occasion to actively listen to reach character being developed.
I can't wait for Fitz to fall!
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- John Le Blanc
- 2019-12-15
Always a Fun Read
Appreciably different from the Kingsbridge trilogy. The villains are more nuanced. The epic is more sweeping. For me it got a little slow at times during the war and the Russian revolution. But I like historical fiction because of Ken Follett. I like him best when he dwells on the personal plight and development of each of his characters. And John Lee, the audiobook narrator, is superb as always. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Beverley Bergman
- 2023-05-30
Excellent read!
Excellent book. Excellent reader.
The images of the characters and the times were very vivid.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-02-07
Jaw dropping performance
Beautifully written book and an incredible performance! The best I’ve heard since I started listening to audio books. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mark H
- 2023-01-15
Author’s politics shine through, but well written
An excellent story, obviously based in true events. Authors left leaning politics shine through, but don’t ruin the story.
Narrator is amazing
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie Scott
- 2022-10-19
Ken Follet does not dissapoint!
I haven't read a Follet book in over a decade, and I am so glad I chose this one! rich eloquent story, fantastic narration and smart twists and turns. This pulled me in, I can't wait to listen to the rest of the trilogy!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-08-21
Brilliant, mesmerizing work!
I absolutely loved listening to this book. The story was masterfully written and narrated! The historical relevance is indisputable and the writing was so creatively funny that I had a few too many lol moments, sometimes in inconvenient places.. Starting Winter of the World as soon as I submit this review!
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-07-22
Stereotypical & Dull
Superficial treatment of the events leading to WW1 and the war itself. Fairly dull retelling. Characters are lifeless stereotypes, especially the women. I won't be reading the rest of the series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Louis
- 2010-10-19
Loved it and learned alot.
I must admit that I was put off by the negative reviews I read. I listened to it anyway and loved it. With good characters that I cared about it is a very easy read. What I was amazed at was how little I learned in school about WW1. I think you could easily teach a course based on this book. I went to the internet constantly to learn more about incidents that were mentioned in the book. I could not put it down.
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220 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Keith
- 2010-11-07
Ken Follett and John Lee / Audible's Dream Team
Ken Follet is a master. His books are modern day classics. Well researched and written a joy to experience. John Lee has to be the best Narrator in the business. He could make a dryer instruction manual sound interesting. In Fall of Giants, as in his other works, Lee’s consistency and character distinction are impressive indeed. Where this complex and intertwined story line with numerous characters would have been a disaster in another’s hands in Lee’s capable grasp the story unfolds clearly and beautifully. A book to savor.
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124 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Nxsuarez
- 2010-10-04
As Good As POTE and WWE
Pillars of the Earth was the first novel I downloaded from Audible. I have re-listened to it and World Without End dozens of times and never seem to tire of them. I can see myself doing the same with Fall of Giants. There are many characters in this book because they are necessary in order to give the perspective of all the countries involved in the First World War. I feel the characters are given plenty of depth and like the other two massive tomes, this is certainly another page turner.
I imagines it would take me at least a week to listen to this book, yet I find I'm halfway through the third part after only two days. The purpose of this book is to tell a very complicated story, well enough to keep the reader wanting more. It would be so easy to get bogged down in rhetoric or politics when writing a book like this, yet Follett's writing is clear and concise, without unnecessary embellishments, descriptive enough to captivate readers with its plot and characters. Certainly worth every minute!
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119 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Richard
- 2010-10-03
Very Disappointed
I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth and World Without End and thought John Lee did a great job narrating them. I looked forward to walking my dog every afternoon because that's when I had the time to listen to these wonderful books. I'm a huge fan of Ken Follett so it was with eager anticipation that I endured the plodding speed of my internet connection here in Panama, and plodding is exactly the word to describe Fall of Giants. No one will ever accuse Follett of writing literature but he's generally a consummate story teller. Not this time. It's as if he were writing so that third graders wouldn't have a problem reading this. His characters have all the depth and vibrancy of coloring book characters before children have had a go at them with crayons. I had to go back and listen to parts of POE and WWE to hear John Lee's narration again. All I can attribute his dull rendition of this book to is that Follett didn't give him much to work with. It's a shame, and to say I'm disappointed would be an understatement.
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92 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Florence Nightingale
- 2010-10-22
Great story about World War I
I had been looking for a good story that also explains how WWI came about, and found it in "Fall of Giants, Book 1". This was my first Ken Follett book, and I really enjoyed the way he tells a story and explains history at the same time. It moved right along and didn't get weighed down in elaborate descriptions that take forever to get through. Yet, he describes things well . . . I really had a good picture in my mind of the characters, scenes, etc. It is true that the main characters reconnect with one another throughout the book in ways that are somewhat unbelievable. I was forgiving of Follett for this because he is such a good storyteller. However, I do hope this feedback reaches the author so he can work on improving this one weak point. Despite this, I still give it five stars. In fact, I liked it so much that I read it twice before moving on to a new book!
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76 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Pat
- 2010-10-10
magnificient!
This is a wonderfully plotted and scripted story that tells the tale of the events of the early 20th Century that set the stage for all that followed over that 100-year period. Ken Follett gives us the history as told and illustrated through his great and varied group of characters. Follett's fine writing and the great narration by John Lee entertainingly bring to life a period that is often misinterpreted when looking back through that period. I can hardly wait to see where Follett's characters take us as part 2 leads us into the post-Great War decades.
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61 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- connie
- 2010-10-08
some good social history , but...
I respect that Follet is a great storyteller although I don't like the subjects of his blockbusters and don't enjoy his prose. Because I love the social history of the period of "Fall of Giants," I really wanted to love the novel . My Irish-Canadian "grampa" went down into the mine at the same age and year as Billy - so I was primed to be engaged by the story even if it wasn't great literaure. But this very pedestrian novel is not even as well narrated as I'd expected by John Lee to make up for the writing. I will probably plod on through the others in the series when they appear - but like the present installment, I will save the novels for background to housework, etc., not prime time listening. It's a two star novel with an extra star for good intentions.
Perhaps if I had not just finsihed Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" I could better tolerate Follett's stuff - Powell was prime time listening about the 20th century.
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60 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- 9S
- 2012-02-04
Memorably Epic
Would you listen to Fall of Giants again? Why?
Yes, I will listen again because the book is filled with engaging characters, sweeping history and seamless integration of different characters.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Billy Williams because he is such a good person.
What about John Lee???s performance did you like?
I liked John Lee's ability to give life to the characters in this story.
If you could rename Fall of Giants, what would you call it?
The Rise of the Poor.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Chip Atkinson
- 2011-01-03
Its Worth The Credit
I believe I have read or listened to each one of Follet's many novels. In my opinion, he is one of the best storytellers of the 20th century. This novel is no exception. Well researched and rich in the history of WWI, The Fall of Giants exposed my woeful lack of knowledge of that time period and, in particular, the events leading up to as well the the aftermath of the great conflict which ultimately led to WWII. I loved every minute of this book.
The characters are well developed and engrossing. However, there are always common and extremely shallow themes one finds in virtually all of Follet's fictional works. He is obsessed with sex and always, without exception, reveals his heroes' sex lives as virile and unabashed, while giving his villains deviant and sadistic sexual drives. Also without exception, he presents religious figures, priests in particular, as either gay or pedophiles. In reality, even at the height of the sex scandals involving priests, the guilty ones made up less than 2% of the priestly population. But Follet insists on vilifying anyone and any institution that promotes righteousness.
His extremely liberal political views have yet to taint his novels, but I fear his disdain for more recent prominent conservative figures, (he called Margaret Thatcher one of the world's truly evil leaders on NPR in 1994), will make me uneasy in the final novel of this trilogy.
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36 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- JoAnn
- 2010-10-16
Really enjoyed this book
This was a good listen. I got very involved with the characters and look forward to the next book. Yes sometimes it was predictable and trite but for someone who really loves historical fiction, this was a treat.
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35 people found this helpful