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The Pillars of the Earth
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 40 hrs and 56 mins
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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
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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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Too similar
- By Leanne on 2020-10-01
Written by: Ken Follett
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Fall of Giants
- Book One of the Century Trilogy
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 30 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his 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.
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Breathtaking adventure back in time
- By Ashley on 2018-09-20
Written by: Ken Follett
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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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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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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Captivating!
- By Ivonne Leonel de cervantes on 2019-07-08
Written by: Ken Follett
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Eye of the Needle
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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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The best WW2 Spy fiction
- By Stephen Nordquist on 2022-02-19
Written by: Ken Follett
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A Dangerous Fortune
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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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Astounding!
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-05-05
Written by: Ken Follett
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The Name of the Rose
- Written by: Umberto Eco, William Weaver - translator
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Neville Jason, Nicholas Rowe
- Length: 21 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon-- all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity.
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This Fransican brother recommends it!
- By john-paul markides on 2021-01-20
Written by: Umberto Eco, and others
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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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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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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: John Lee
- Length: 30 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his 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.
-
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Breathtaking adventure back in time
- By Ashley on 2018-09-20
Written by: Ken Follett
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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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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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Captivating!
- By Ivonne Leonel de cervantes on 2019-07-08
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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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The best WW2 Spy fiction
- By Stephen Nordquist on 2022-02-19
Written by: Ken Follett
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A Dangerous Fortune
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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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Astounding!
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-05-05
Written by: Ken Follett
-
The Name of the Rose
- Written by: Umberto Eco, William Weaver - translator
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Neville Jason, Nicholas Rowe
- Length: 21 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon-- all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity.
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This Fransican brother recommends it!
- By john-paul markides on 2021-01-20
Written by: Umberto Eco, and others
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Shogun
- The Epic Novel of Japan: The Asian Saga, Book 1
- Written by: James Clavell
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A bold English adventurer; an invincible Japanese warlord; a beautiful woman torn between two ways of life, two ways of love - all brought together in an extraordinary saga of a time and a place aflame with conflict, passion, ambition, lust, and the struggle for power.
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Exemplary Historical Fiction. Great Novel
- By Langer on 2021-02-11
Written by: James Clavell
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A Place Called Freedom
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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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Disappointment
- By Anonymous User on 2018-12-03
Written by: Ken Follett
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Never
- A Novel
- Written by: Ken Follett
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 23 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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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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who wrote this? not Ken Follett for sure
- By nigel holehouse on 2021-11-20
Written by: Ken Follett
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When the Lion Feeds
- The Courtneys, Book 1
- Written by: Wilbur Smith
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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It is the 1870s, and twin brothers Sean and Garrick Courtney are born into the wilds of Natal. They could not be more different, and fate, war and the jealous schemes of a woman are to drive them even further apart. But as history unfolds, a continent is awakening. And on the horizon is the promise of fortune, adventure, destiny and love.... When the Lion Feeds is the best-selling novel that launched Wilbur Smith's stellar career and the first in the riveting saga of the Courtney brothers.
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Was very good book
- By Danny on 2020-03-10
Written by: Wilbur Smith
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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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Story
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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Nearly Typical Follet
- By Maureen on 2021-03-19
Written by: Ken Follett
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North and South
- North and South Trilogy, Book 1
- Written by: John Jakes
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Two strangers, young men from Pennsylvania and South Carolina, meet on the way to West Point.... Thus begins this brilliant novel of antebellum America, spanning three generations and chronicling the lives and loves of two great family dynasties. The Hazards and the Mains are brought together in bonds of friendship and affection that neither jealousy nor violence can shatter - until a storm of events sunders the nation and brings the cataclysm of war!
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Not what I Expected, Yet Ended Up Even Better!
- By Cheech on 2021-08-31
Written by: John Jakes
Publisher's Summary
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.
A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of 12th century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.
What the critics say
"Follett is a master." (The Washington Post)
"A historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere and detail and memorable characterization." (Publishers Weekly)
Editorial Review
When the throne of England is left without an heir, anarchy reigns in 12th century England. In the midst of this political turmoil, the small town of Kingsbridge rises to undertake a massive project: to build a cathedral. Rather than focus on the technical aspects of the development of Gothic architecture, Ken Follett’s historical thriller describes the humans and the historical events which caused the people of medieval Europe to create this multitude of exceedingly expensive structures. Through the eyes of several inhabitants of the town of Kingsbridge, The Pillars of the Earth transports its listeners into a time of conflict, where noblemen and churchmen alike become conspirators and traitors. By the time Ken Follett wrote this historical novel, he had already received several awards for his previous works. Despite the fact that this first installment of the Kingsbridge series was his first non-spy thriller, Follett did not disappoint - The Pillars of the Earth became a best-seller in several countries and was adapted into a miniseries which was nominated for 3 Golden Globes. This audiobook version of the novel brings the intrigue to life thanks to John Lee’s masterful narration, which will keep you captivated for hours.
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What listeners say about The Pillars of the Earth
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Janders
- 2018-01-01
Fascinating
Fully enjoyed this book. I have a long commute and I fall asleep listening to books and couldn’t wait to do both, which is a testament to how good the book is if I can look forward to commuting! Love the history and drama. Well worth reading!
4 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2021-05-14
Audio Glitches
Sad to see Audible letting so many audio errors go un-repaired. I now wonder if I made a mistake in picking Audible for my audiobooks. I normally don’t give reviews, but I feel someone should point this out. This is a great book ruined by sloppy handling by Audible.
2 people found this helpful
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- Caylynn
- 2018-09-20
Excellent!
Wonderful historical novel. Terrific story, interesting characters, great narration.
I had read the book several years ago and listening to the audiobook reminded me of that enjoyable experience. Wonderful to listen to when commuting or relaxing.
Highly recommended.
#Audible1
2 people found this helpful
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- Diana M
- 2018-05-15
Good but overlong
I have no objection to big long books, as a rule; in fact, I quite enjoy them. However, I must say that this one, although largely quite entertaining, accumulated a particular flaw as it lengthened. For some reason, the author seemed to feel that every so often we needed a recap of previous events, so one or another of his characters would fall into a reverie and tell us what had been happening since the beginning of the story. I found it a little annoying at first, but increasingly irritating as it was repeated. My husband suggested that perhaps, like the serial writers of earlier times, the author was being paid by the word.
<spoiler> I also spent nearly the entire book expecting the conniving Waleran to put Ellen on trial for witchcraft, and I still can't imagine why he did not - or why the conspirators didn't just kill her. </spoiler>
I did also begin to weary of the repeated and predictable cycle of crisis/averted/all is well/crisis/etc.
Still, the characters were engaging and I liked how the "good guys" didn't all get along but had some serious conflicts among themselves. And the historical setting was rich and immediate, especially at the end.
I liked the reader, John Lee, although I was puzzled by his pronunciation of "refectory", which he consistently pronounced "ref'ettry". I was prepared to believe it was an older, or more British, pronunciation, but I searched quite a number of dictionaries, including the OED, and could find no other pronunciation than the usual "refec'tory", except a passing mention in the OED that "the stressing re'fectory was at one time somewhat prevalent". In any case, other than that, I found his reading very good indeed. I loved Phillip's Welsh accent, and in general how well Lee managed to provide distinctive voices to the many different characters with mostly quite subtle shifts in his pitch and rhythm.
2 people found this helpful
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- sykorka
- 2020-10-29
Pleasantly surprised
I have read some of the Ken Follett’s spy and thriller books in the past and always linked him to that genre. As an avid reader of historical novels I was pleasantly surprised - the story grabs you and never lets go. I found myself thinking about it and wanting to know more, it was hard to resist pausing the narrative. I am definitely going to buy his remaining three books with a historical theme.
1 person found this helpful
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- David A. Lugo, SJ
- 2019-03-26
Wonderful
This book is a fantastic glimpse into daily life of medieval England. Follett masterfully weaves the political, economic, and religious intrigue of the time with the ordinary ambitions and relations of common life. Lee’s performance, too, is noteworthy, as the characters and story are brought to life.
1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2023-02-06
Good, but so long!
Great narration, kept me interested. But the story was just so long, seemed to never end. Most seemed irrelevant too :(
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- Anna
- 2023-01-24
An epic story
I’ve listened to this twice and I’m sure I’ll return to it again. I love the story and how it spans decades. A story well told and wonderful written.
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- Anonymous User
- 2023-01-20
Excellent story and a great reader!
John Lee is perfect for this book, and he was able to keep the story interesting even though dry bits. The story itself was great however portions of it (around Thomas Becket) felt a little clunky. It almost seemed that Ken Follett added sections to give the story a bit of historical significance.
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- Tim Mabey
- 2023-01-13
Read the book and listened to it again. Epic.
Ken Follett's historical fiction is incredible. I get bored pretty easily but his writing just moved along and creates such incredible worlds.
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- Gina
- 2009-07-25
Epic story to be read by all!
I downloaded this book based on a review by another person who said something about how they couldn't believe a book about a monk trying to build a cathedral could be so interesting. Well they were right!
I just skimmed over some of the reviews here after reading the book and I can't believe some of these people and I read the same book! I personally was never bored with any of the parts. Many times I sat in my car once I got to work, just to hear out the rest of the chapter. Ken Follet is a brilliant writer and really drew me into his characters. I even felt true hatred towards the villains - I would come in from my hour drive home work ranting to my husband how much I hated so and so.
Some reviews here talk about the book being vulgar, that is not true. There are some sexual encounters in this book (some the good kind and others terrible), but they add to the storyline. I personally felt it brought more realism to book, but did not feel like the author overdid the frequency of encounters like some other books do.
I'm traveling to England this month for the first time and thanks to this book I've altered my itinerary in order to visit some cathedrals. I want to marvel at the architecture and imagine the trials and tribulations the builders went through.
I love historical fiction and enjoyed how the author brought in real events (that I could look up) and gave the ordinary people of that time a voice. I could imagine how hard life really was for them and the life and death effects of the decisions and whims of the rulers. I have a better appreciation for their struggles.
The narrator did a fabulous job. Some narrators can ruin a book, but John Lee brought all those characters to life. Sometimes I'd forget it was the same man voicing every character.
I do wish the author had given his comments at the end of the book, not at the beginning. It gave away some of the plot.
314 people found this helpful
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- Judith
- 2007-11-08
Couldn't Take My Buds Out
I thought, whew, 40 hours, but I really enjoyed it. One of those books that keeps you up late.
I liked the way the story moved. My only complaint was the repeaded rapes and the details of step by step sex, which, I personally find boring by most writers, I did >> a couple of times. I'm downloading the sequel now, so that tells the real tale. If you like family and political sagas, you won't be disappointed.
205 people found this helpful
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- Joseph
- 2010-01-09
Good historical setting, but loose story.
I read this when it came out, because I was a graduate student of medieval history at the time, and now I've heard it on audiobook. Some aspects of the work are very impressive, others are rather simplistic pop fiction, but overall it's a rewarding book, and the performance is impressive, considering how long John Lee has to keep your attention with his reading.
The aspect of the book I loved most was the setting and the technical details. It recreates a medieval world, from the economy of the villages to the politics of the monastery, with intricate and impressive detail on the building of the cathedral and the changing architectural styles and challenges. That alone is worth the listen.
The story--as he himself has described it--is a series of melodramas over a couple of generations, some of which take the whole book to develop, some of which are settled as they go, much like a Victor Hugo novel, but without the great writing and complex insight. The tales themselves sound more like 20th century dramas than medieval lives. There are few of the moral dilemmas medieval literature dwells on, and you could just drop the same stories into modern England without much change beyond clothing and settings. Add a few cell phones and IPods, and you're good to go.
Overall, I recommend it. Four stars, because I can't give three and a half. The setting is worth the listen, and the melodramas are emotionally engaging even if not very medieval. It's long pop fiction with a more sophisticated setting. If you want a modern novel in a well-researched medieval setting, this is it. If you want historical fiction that recreates the emotional and intellectual psyche of the time, this is not it. Try Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" for that, I guess.
202 people found this helpful
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- Leslie
- 2013-03-12
It was very hard to get through this one
I am astonished at all the great reviews of this book. I thought it was terrible. The characters are cardboard and cartoonish. The good people are really, really good. The evil people are totally evil. And there is no one in between -- the place real human beings inhabit. The plot consists of an endless series of contrived catastrophes which befall the good people, usually at the hands of the bad people, with no apparent point other than to prolong the book.
The characters do no behave or have world views that are remotely like people of the middle ages. Maybe I'm too picky about this, since my undergraduate degree was in the history of medieval England. But anyone who thinks they are getting a genuine understanding of the medieval world is being sadly misled. For example, there are characters who say they don't believe in God. NO ONE in the middle ages did not believe in God. The entire concept of atheism would have been completely incomprehensible to the medieval mind. The endless talk about all people wanting "freedom" from kings or noble overlords is equally absurd.This kind of thinking comes from the 18th Century Enlightenment. People in the 12th Century just didn't think this way. These characters talk and think like 20th Century Americans, not medieval Europeans.
And, as others have mentioned, the long graphic rape scenes were just disgusting. Certainly a rape scene may be legitimately included in a book for artistic or plot reasons. But Follett goes way overboard. He tosses in multiple graphic rapes, plus an interminable and very graphic bear-beating scene, and a long scene where the bad guys try to stone a cat to death, all of which are completely unnecessary to the plot, and seem to be there simply to satisfy the author's interest in sadism.
Because of the glowing reviews, I kept listening in the hope that it would get better. By the time I realized it was not going to improve, I was so far in that I decided to just finish the thing. I wish I hadn't.
125 people found this helpful
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- CynNC
- 2008-08-12
Captivating
This one sat in my wish list for a couple of months while I debated. The length did not bother me, that was why it ended up in my wish list to begin with ... but was not sure how interesting a story about 13 century cathedral building would be. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!! I have downloaded close to 200 books in the past year and this one and the following "World without End" also by Ken Follett, which I downloaded immediately after this one, are definitely in my top 10 faves. I agree with others that it is a bit heavy on the sex but it was still a wonderfully captivating adventure.
102 people found this helpful
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- Chris Bish
- 2007-12-28
Exceptional Book
The book is a compelling tapestry of colorful tales that together make the building of a cathedral whole cloth. The depiction of medieval life highlighted by the building of the cathedral is riveting and has stimulated me to read the books Follett mentions in the preface that he primarily used as the historical basis of his book.
The plot is never dull as one reader incredibly mentioned. It is loaded with adventure, history, love, cruelty, devotion, moral outrage, fealty; and has as many plot twists as a medieval cathedral has stones.
Other than being a great document about medieval life, Pillars of the Earth is a gripping work of literature.
100 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 2008-04-25
Too vulgar, quit after two rapes
This was my first Follett book and initially I was very impressed; he is a brilliant writer. But after two brutal rape scenes in the first quarter of the book, I decided I had put enough trash in my brain and quit. I guess everything is supposed to be okay today and its cool to let it all hang out in a book, you know, for art's sake, but this turned my stomach and made me feel trashy. If you like brilliant trashy, then this may be the book for you. Apparently from the high ratings, a lot of people are able to overlook the gross vulgarity, or the ones that can't are so offended they try to erase it from their mind and don't write a review. It could have been an extraordinary work.
Also, if you are a believer, you will be offended. He comments in the preface that he is not spiritual. Basically, he mocks faith at every turn as hypocritical. Many people who only know faith from the outside feel that way. This is not the forum for me to debate the merits of faith, but be aware.
96 people found this helpful
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- NEIROL
- 2007-12-28
Great Story
I really enjoyed this story. The characters are rich, you are given a full range of people who could be literary "good-guys" or "bad-guys". Their choices are interesting and the plot is full of turns and even suspense. I would have given this book five starts except a few things bothered me. First the author used quite a bit of foul language in the characters speech. If you are not bothered by four letter words you probably wont notice and enjoy the book just fine. Secondly, to make the antagonist even more sinister the author included several rape scenes with the antagonist enjoying his cruelty. The imaging was disturbing and again, if you are not sensitive to these kinds of scenes it wont be a problem. Over all the story was fantastic and a really interesting read. The book is very long and satisfying. I thought I would get bored but it was great. The reader also does a great job of bringing the different characters to life with different voices.
91 people found this helpful
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- Shaddi
- 2008-01-31
Great Listen except...
I really enjoyed listening to this book and found John Lee's performance to be engaging (as always). Great plot and i would have given it 5 stars except that there are many very explicit rape scenes in this book which were quite disturbing. The first two had a point but the rest were unnecessary in my opinion--I started to wonder if the author had a hidden facination with sexual violence because the rest of the violence in the book were not as explicit. If explicit rape scenes bother you, I wouldn't recommend this book (which is unfortunate because the rest of it is quite good).
63 people found this helpful
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- Cate P
- 2008-05-09
Errr, uhhh!
Most of the forty hours I spent listening to this book I amused myself by planning what I would say about it. It wasn't bad enough to stop, but it's a bit of a slog. The characters are moderately interesting and there's some history, but it's a soap opera - good guys and bad guys duking it out - over and over and over. I kept thinking, "enough already!". Truly, it's one struggle after another, some graphic and disturbing violence. The prose was basic, the story only moderately interesting and very repetitive (ie. the bad guy raped and pillaged his way through the book which got old), and the end didn't ring my cathedral bells. Kind of a set up for the next long book. The one stellar fact is that the narration is outstanding.
53 people found this helpful
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- SL
- 2018-10-27
Oeuvre monumentale
Histoire passionnant du temps des cathédrales, les personnages sont fouillés et l'intrigue est prenante! Le rythme est soutenu, Ken Follett parvient à maintenir une véritable tension, sauf peut-être sur la fin qui accuse qqs longueurs (les 5 dernières heures de l'audiobook). Le narrateur est incroyable, on est totalement immergé dans le récit :)
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- dimitri sonier
- 2017-04-14
J'ai adoré ! I loved it !
Non seulement l'histoire est exceptionnellement prenante mais les personnages du livre sont brillamment interprétés par le narrateur.
Un grand roman. A great novel.