EVEN BETTER THAN "PILLARS OF THE EARTH"

books:


	• World Without End Ken Follett Dutton Adult, 2007 - 1024 pages average customer review:based on 341 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

EVEN BETTER THAN "PILLARS OF THE EARTH"

I just finished this incredible book and am sorry that I did; it was like saying goodbye to family. I have read all of Ken Follett's books, and this was unquestionably the best!! He is a great writer, storyteller, and historian. I have several favorite writers, but Mr. Follett has far outstripped them all. I will not discuss any parts of this saga except to say that though I read "Pillars of the Earth" when it was first in print years ago, it is absolutely not necessary for the enjoyment of this marvelous book! I also researched Follett's historical background, and he has precisely captured the period and the actual events. THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES TO ESCAPE INTO A GOOD BOOK!!! I do not know how Mr. Follett does it. BRAVO!

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Good Read... somewhat formulaic

Follett does a good job in this sequel and if you liked the first book then be sure and read this one.

A couple of points.

The strength of this book, like the first, is the interesting details that give the reader a real sense of "being there" in a time long past. It is not so much the human interaction, Follett's characters are probably more "modern" than "medieval" when you get right down to it, but the staging carries the day. It is a delight to pick up a tidbit such as the common currency being a "florin" because minted coins from England were not prevalent at the time. Gaining a sense of the life of a peasant as they struggled for existence and yearned for respect provides other such joys. Good stuff.

In this book Follett falls back on a "stock" figures - there is the "free thinking woman" and the churlish, sadistic oaf of a knight, as well as the brilliant innovator, etc. Religious figures in this book are not as balanced as in the first. Here the "true saints" aren't very important and the hypocrites are everywhere. As with the first book, Follett tends to let his characters accomplish too much and thereby strains their credability. The heroine Caris not only transforms industry by introducing an indigenous scarlet dye, she also revolutionizes medical care in a time of plague. Similar statements can be made about the male lead in his building accomplishments as well as his business acumen.

But, front to back, the story, though some what predictable, draws you in and there are some spots that genuinely sparkle. When a character, Wulfric turns to his wife after she interferes with his intent to kill a man, he tells her... "by doing that you proved that you understand neither me nor your father!" Since her father was a genuine cad and Wulfric is essentially noble - that line opens up an entire different spectrum in Follett's character developments. You have to read the book to understand what I mean but there are several instances like that which give added dimensions to what could otherwise have been fairly shallow characterizations.

Follett has proven himself to be more than a detective story hack. Good Job.

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What a marvelous book!

World Without End exceeded my expectations. The story takes place two centuries after its predecessor, Pillars of the Earth. The location is the same, the village of Kingsbridge, in England. Mr. Follet has created marvelous, believable characters to carry his story of building bridges, romances, serfdom, and the horror of the Plague. Like Pillars of the Earth, I was again sorry to finally read the last pages of this remarkable book.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Ken Follett has 90 million readers worldwide. The Pillars of the Earth is his bestselling book of all time. Now, eighteen years after the publication of The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett has written the most anticipated sequel of the year-World Without End. Unabridged edition read by John Lee

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