This is the sequel to "Pillars of the Earth." It's set 200 years after that original book but is very similar in terms of plot and especially character. Every main character from "Pillars" has their parallel in this book: the intelligent, noble builder; the feisty, born-before-her-time love interest; the evil, corrupt nobleman who rapes and pillages his way into power. It gets to the point where you start to wonder why you're bothering reading it. There's absolutely nothing new here.

Like "Pillars," this one starts with a "mystery" that goes nowhere. When the big revelation comes, I was left thinking, "That's it?"

I enjoyed the parts about the Plague but could have done without the lesbian nuns and the numerous rape scenes (especially the scenes where the woman being raped starts to enjoy it. Talk about offensive!).

And once again, an aggressive editor would have done wonders. 1,000 pages is just a bit much, especially when the entire thing is a retread of the original anyway.

I read and loved the first Kiingsbridge novel Pillars of Earth. This novel takes place in the same town 200 years later. Follet has created another true masterpiece here. Over 1000 pages long and yet I still did not want it to end. I find his writing to be exquisite, his characterizations to be complex and real, and his story pacing to be non-stop. His novels will appeal to fantasy fans, history fans, and all fans of great fiction. I truly loved this novel and highly recommend it.

Another sweeping epic involving the village of Kingsbridge!

Can't wait for the third in this trilogy to arrive (out some time this year!). For anyone interested in starting this trilogy, I would say that you are not required to read The Pillars of the Earth before reading this. Although they centre around the fictional town of Kingsbridge, they take place centuries apart, and very little knowledge from Pillars is needed for World Without End.

I drew my own parallels while reading. Here's what I saw:

Fourteenth century life resembles twenty-first century life in many ways. Mainly, social hierarchy is structured in a similar manner. Usually men hold positions of power; poor people often remain poor and subservient to the ruling class, and the powerful often earn more wealth at the expense of the poor.

I couldn't help but view Ralph to be very similar to Donald Trump in terms of his personality, his intelligence (or lack-thereof), and his style of rule. Throughout the tale, Ralph holds decade-long grudges against old rivals (Wulfric, namely) and even goes out of his way to ensure laws are created simply to punish this one man, with complete disregard of how it effects the rest of the people in the land. Sound familiar? He lacks emotional intelligence and is often outwitted by the people around him (Caris - a woman, which makes it even better - comes to mind) which he is too proud to admit, and which he covers up with an aggressive and tantrum-like attitude. I sometimes felt the only things that set Ralph and Trump apart were a few hundred years and a Twitter account. Of course, Follett wrote this novel well before Trump, but that's why good storytelling is so powerful - if done well, it has relevance for generations.

One thing I found interesting was the eventual rise and success of Caris. Initially, it seems as though nothing good can come of her life. Then, because of her own hard work, natural intelligence, and good nature, she rises to the top and becomes Prioress of Kingsbridge. However, even then, there are some powers that she is not allowed to wield simply because she is a woman. She holds a seat of power, but is still looked down upon by some (men, mostly) and it is always more challenging for her to hold the clout that is rightfully hers. I think this is interesting because it bears resemblance to life today. Woman often need to work twice as hard to reach a male-dominated position of power, and when they do, are often underappreciated.

George R.R. Martin is notorious for killing his characters, but Ken Follett also deserves such notoriety. In this novel, it was common for the first page of a chapter to announce the deaths of characters who were substantial at some point in the plot.

Something also of note, which also occurred in The Pillars of the Earth, is that Follett tends to leave some characters entirely forgotten. Certain men or women that appear early on and play significant roles end up disappearing for either a long period and show up later briefly alive or dead, or they are never spoken about again. I'm not sure why this is...perhaps Follett himself creates stories so long he forgets to bring them back into the story later on for continuity's sake?

One thing to gripe about: Ken Follett has a fascination with calling a man's penis his 'prick.' It's so annoying to me for some reason. It's a penis. A dick. A c*ck. Even a member. It should never be a 'prick,' in my mind. I feel that the word 'prick' is used often as a derivative to not sound so repetitive. But it should be omitted no less, it's just a terribly used synonym. Also the romantic scenes are sub par.

I would rate this somewhere between 4 and 5 stars (Goodreads, give us more star rating options!). On the whole, an immersive experience and enjoyable read.

n  —El hombre que prepara ungüentos y medicinas se llama boticario, pero una mujer que hace lo mismo se arriesga a que la llamen bruja.n

[ 3.5 / 5 ☆ ]

Seguimos con la saga de Kingsbridge de nuestro amigo Ken Follett. Un mudo sin fin se corona como el libro más largo, con una extensión de casi 1.800 páginas en su formato digital. Un reto, sin duda, que a mí me ha tomado más de mes y medio pero que a pesar de todo, ha supuesto una montaña rusa a lo largo de su lectura.

Algo que me gustó mucho de su predecesor, Los pilares de la tierra es que Follett no permite que el lector se aburra. Constantemente pasan cosas y los personajes parecen no tener un respiro. Además, el villano de la primera novela, William, está sumamente bien construido y los personajes protagónicos suscitan interés hagan lo que hagan. Sin embargo, aquí en ese sentido Un mudo sin fin se ha quedado atrás.

Fácilmente la novela necesita de unas 400 o 500 páginas para arrancar, lo cual es una barbaridad desde el punto de vista de la cantidad, no tanto referido al porcentaje total de la misma (entorno al 25%). Pero aun así, son 500 páginas que te tienes que comer con patatas intentando comprender a dónde vamos. Porque, si bien Los pilares de la tierra tenía como meta final la construcción de la catedral, aquí, ¿qué?

Merthin y Caris han sido los personajes que han llevado el peso de la historia fundamentalmente y no es hasta la aparición de la peste bubónica que realmente me han interesado sus vidas. Sus idas y venidas románticas me la han traído al pairo -hablando en plata-, igual que me ha dado exactamente igual la vida de Gwenda y Wulfric, entre otras cosas porque hasta que llegué al 30 o 35% de la novela no me enteré de quién era quién, y eso para mí ha sido bastante incómodo, porque ya no sabía de quién estábamos hablando. Sinceramente, albergaba esperanzas con el villano escogido para esta historia, Ralph, pero ni siquiera él ha calado como sí lo hizo William, lo cual le ha restado muchísimo interés a la historia, porque para mi gusto es un personaje a medio hacer, a caballo entre ser bueno e intentar emular ser malo.

En general, me parece que todo lo que era bueno en Los pilares de la tierra aquí le han dado la vuelta para intentar dar, en Un mudo sin fin una perspectiva distinta de los mismos cargos en la misma ciudad: un clero malvado, un obispo majete, una cofradía gremial buena, pero mantenemos al conde de Shiring siendo bueno, hasta que al final aparece otro que se vuelve malo como lo fue en el anterior libro. No sé. Creo que la estrategia no ha llegado a funcionar. Y por descontado, le sobran unos cuantos cientos de páginas.

Voy a seguir leyendo la saga, eso sí. Con esperanzas de que la cosa vaya un poco hacia arriba, o se mantenga, al menos.

La storia del priorato di Kingsbridge e di alcuni dei suoi abitanti due secoli dopo gli eventi narrati ne I pilastri della terra a partire dal 1° novembre del 1327 per arrivare al 1361, seguendo le vicende di quattro ragazzini attraverso le varie fasi della vita e la Storia con la S maiuscola. Sono infatti gli anni in cui in tutta Europa imperversa la peste, e una di quei quattro ragazzini, Caris, vorrebbe diventare medico, anche se si dovrà scontrare con un mondo in cui la medicina è esercitata solo dagli uomini, in particolar modo da frati ignoranti e contrari a ogni innovazione e, soprattutto, pronti a tacciare di stregoneria chiunque non la pensi come loro e cerchi rimedi alternativi alla preghiera o ai salassi per curare le malattie.
Merthin, come Jack il costruttore - di cui è discendente, a quanto pare - viene mandato dal padre - un barone impoverito che è costretto a diventare converso del priorato - a fare da apprendista al mastro costruttore Elfric. Merthin ha grandi ambizioni e, soprattutto, una mente da grande architetto, al contrario di Elfric, con cui si scontrerà per vari motivi.
Suo fratello minore Ralph, invece, viene mandato a fare da scudiero al Conte Roland.
Gwenda è la figlia di un uomo che vive di espedienti e che ha insegnato ai figli fin da piccoli a borseggiare i ricchi mercanti di Kingsbridge. Gwenda è stanca di vivere così e vorrebbe lavorare onestamente.
I quattro ragazzi si trovano ad assistere a un evento nella foresta che segnerà le loro vite: l'amicizia tra Caris e Gwenda, l'amore tra Caris e Merthin e una vita di violenza per Ralph, che riuscirà a sfuggire più volte alla forca per pura fortuna, e che continuerà l'ascesa nella nobiltà fino a diventare conte malgrado tutto, come William Hmleigh ne I pilastri della terra.
In effetti, ci sono molte somiglianze tra i personaggi del primo romanzo della serie e questo, come se la storia facesse il suo corso e poi ricominciasse daccapo.

Set two centuries after Pillars of the Earth, the people of Kingsbridge are at it again. The cathedral built in Pillars is in disrepair after part of the roof caved in, the bridge collapsed, and the prior is dead. Also, the constant maneuvering continues...

So, I fell into a trap with this one. After devouring Dinocalypse Now in a morning, my girlfriend asked if I managed to read an entire book in four hours. I said I had and she slammed me with this, saying it shouldn't take me more than a few days. Sighing, before I knew it, I was engrossed and asking her if Ralph was going to be the asshole rapist bully in this one. I still hate that Will Hamleigh!

Much like Pillars of the Earth, World Without End follows the lives of a number of characters; Merthin the carpenter, his brother Ralph the squire, a poor girl named Gwenda, Wulfric the laborer, Godwyn the monk, and several others. As I predicted, Ralph was the asshole rapist of the book. What a nun mugger that guy was!

As with Pillars of the Earth, twists abound and the 14th century is not a good place to be a woman. Hell, it doesn't sound like that great of a place to be a man either, but the women get the short end of the stick for the most part. There's just as much scheming as in the first book and just as many people making decisions that would later bite them in the ass.

While World Without End happens years later, it very much picks up the style and flavor of The Pillars of the Earth. So much that it's very nearly the same book with slightly different characters. As near as I can tell, Follett's master plot generator goes something like this:

1. Things are going good
2. A problem arises
3. Problem solved, leading to unforeseen results
4. Goto 1

It's still a fun read that messes with your emotions but some of the magic is gone once you catch the rhythm of the plot. Kind of like how M. Night Shyamalan's movies aren't as fun once you start trying to figure out what the big twist is going to be as soon as the movie starts. It was exhausting to read at times, not because of the prose, which is breezy and accessible, but because of plot twists every 6.5 pages. It doesn't really build toward anything besides the next iteration of the good guys getting screwed over and the bad guys having good things happen to them.

Since it's hard to review a book of this size without revealing too much, here are some closing points:
1. The late 1300's were just as rape-y as the 1100's of the first book.
2. I wanted to smack Merthin silly. Then again, we men tend to do stupid things when sex is on the table. Or bed, floor, car hood, etc...
3. Godwyn, though one of the good guys at the beginning, is still a tool.
4. Accusing women of being a witch is some serious shit.
5. Ken Follett and George R.R. Martin both went to the school of screwing over characters as much as possible.
6. Getting flayed would suck.
7. The blurb mentions the Black Death but it doesn't make an appearance until after the halfway mark.
8. Every time someone mentioned the bishop, I thought of a certain Monty Python sketch.
9. My favorite line was "Sleeping next to her was like lying with a dead cow."

Three stars. I think I'm Folletted out for the time being.

Iskreno rečeno nemam puno šta da kažem o ovoj knjizi a što nisam reko o prethodnoj. Jeste da imamo nove likove i nove dogadjaje plus period dešavanja je drugačiji ali sve ostalo je na istom nivou. Odlično pisanje sa puno detalja o vremenskom periodu gde dobijamo naznake o početku stogodišnjeg rata kao i efekat koji je kuga imala na svet. Brrrr.

Ostalo je standardno puno muke, zlobe, bola, nepravde sa povremenim bljeskovima dobrote i sreće.

Sve u svemu odlična knjiga ali samo za fanove prethodne. Kome se ona nije svidela zbog spore i repetativne radnje razvučene na previše strana pa njemu se neće ni ova svideti. Meni dobro dodje da bi rekao da mi je drago što ne živim u tom vremenu nego ovom našem :P

Follet conjures up another masterpiece with World Without End, as he achieves near-nirvana by writing a spellbinding story that is captivating from page 1 until 1000!

I was just a lonely lad, ignorant to the brilliance of Ken Follett until my father suggested I read Pillars of the Earth. My world just about shattered!! ‘Pillars’ is easily one of my top 5 fav books of all times! In ‘Pillars’, we see Follett’s genius shine on: the story is so captivating, with strong willed characters and narrative that was so unique yet so simple, that I instantly fell in love! Starting this sophomore’ series World Without End, gave me some butterflies due to such high expectation and the hope of another home-run. After reading it, the verdict was unanimous:

World Without End is an absolute masterclass in storytelling, character development, imagination and a tale of the unbound human spirit! Ultimately World Without End is at its bare essence a story of love.


Follett revisits the city of ‘Kingsbridge’ about 200 years after we last encountered it at ‘Pillars’. As much as Pillars was a well-crafted story about the ‘building of a cathedral’ and the creation of the city as a religious powerhouse, World Without End encompasses a more global tone involving accurate historical events of the epoch and surrounding Europe. There’s not much Follett is unwilling to touch, as vast range topics of greed, monastic abuse, love, war and death are widely seen in the writing.


Kingsbridge


Follet’s writing style is direct and unadorned, leading to a brilliant and powerful way to convey human emotions! The simplicity of Follett’s narrative is possibly his most unique and powerful attribute. His prose is quite effective, his characterization is absolutely incredible! When he creates an evil character, we as readers develop almost a ‘visceral’ reaction to them!! A perfect example is the most evil character called ‘Ralph’! Follett goes to the extremes to depict this evil, unscrupulous character that will do almost anything to fulfill his aspirations of power and nobility. In fact, Ralph does not shy away from raping innocent females, killing woman and children and lying incessantly to ascend in the hierarchical food chain! Truthfully, I fucking hated Ralph and cringed everytime he got away with murder! This reaction is exactly what Follett achieves with the power of his words.


-“ Ralph.. had killed many people, women as well as men..he had killed nuns in France..he hesitated, but suddenly it seemed terrible to stick a knife into the warm body of someone he had embraced and slept with, the woman who had borne his child”


The story in World Without End is very expansive, and spans decades, and we concentrate on a handful of unique and vastly entertaining characters. Again, heavy focus is geared towards monastic life and the ‘priory’ of monks, with the added difference of a ‘nunnery’ that is added to Kingsbridge. Remarkable and unforgettable characters include the wildly egocentric and power hungry ‘prior’ of Kingsbridge Godwyn, the powerful ‘earl of the Shiring’, the head nun Mother Cecilia and many others. But without exception, the full narrative places Merthin a young ‘builder’ his love interest, Caris at the core of the tale. Follett spins his ‘webs’ masterfully as he tells the love story of both Merthin and Caris, and how their lives seem to congeal and split apart. We take third POV when following Merthin and Caris, as their story feels organic at every corner.


Caris & Merthin

The last worthy point of reference is how Follett incorporates real historical facts to augment the narrative and make the story so interesting. At the peak of 14th century Europe, the ‘bulbonic plague’ ravaged most of the continent. In fact, Europe experienced the most deadly disease outbreak in history when the Black Death hit in 1347, killing a third of the human population! Follett uses this accurate historical event, as it shapes the lives of most resident of Kingsbridge, and ultimately affects every character in the book. The results are astounding and downright terrifying.


'Black Plague


World Without End is another epic slam dunk in the the saga of the ‘Kingsbridge’ series. Follett creates another masterpiece that is wildly accurate to the historical time, as he tells a tale that is fascinating, with memorable characters!

5 Stars

WORLD WITHOUT END BY KEN FOLLETT: There are books that you read, with vaguely interesting stories, that sometimes within less than a month have been forgotten, ignored, barely recollected except for title, author and a minor recall of plot. Then there are books that change your mind on life, that give you a thrill as you read them and think about how much you’re loving to read this particular book, and how it’s making such an impression on you, and how you’re going to remember it for a long part of your life. I don’t need to tell you which kind of book World Without End is. I’m also not going to give you a formal, regurgitated plot summary that you can find in just about any review of this book. I am however going to try to convince you why you should read this book with the intention that it will have the same pivotal impression on you as it did on me.

While I have never been a fan or proponent of the seemingly omnipotent Oprah and her book club, she nevertheless has the power to make a considerable number of Americans do, and more importantly, read whatever she tells them. In January of this year, Oprah nominated Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth for her book club and overnight people of all different kinds, and of unexpected types, picked up this lofty paperback tome set in the Middle Ages and documenting the fascinating building of a giant cathedral with immense architectural detail. It’s one of my favorite books, and to see so many people buying it and reading it made me happy. Naturally, once these people got to the last page of Pillars of the Earth, and assuming they enjoyed it as much as Oprah said they would, they would then turn to World Without End. Follett’s new book has been labeled as the sequel of Pillars of the Earth, which is not exactly correct, for none of the original characters are in the new book, and it is set in a later period, however it involves descendants of the main family in Pillars of the Earth, and there is the memory and impression left by characters both in historical record and physical form, such as the cathedral. But World Without End takes many giants leaps further forward as a deeper and more complex book than Pillars of the Earth ever did, equivalent to an ant making its way along a path, while a person looks down upon the ant as they walk by. Perspective is the key here, and if one has some knowledge of the fourteenth century, one will enjoy the book all the more.

Don’t look for the good guys to always win out, and the bad guys to fail in World Without End because, like real life, this world does not reward those who do good and punish those who do bad; it’s a harsh world that gives more opportunity to the survivors of the fittest. You must also remember that this is the fourteenth century, the time of the peasant and noble, a time where class distinction was at the most severe and was a defining character of every person. Though while there is all this suffering, one cannot help but think at some point it must get better for the characters you like, and worse for the characters you hate, and this is after all a novel, but don’t expect Follett to do anything you might predict.

The fourteenth century had a lot going on throughout Europe, and what makes World Without End an incredible novel, is that Follett uses the monumental and catastrophic events in microcosm focused on couple of small towns in England. There was a cooling of temperatures, which led to crop failure and starvation for many peasants, known as the Great Famine; coupled with this was the uprising of peasants against their noble overlords, who had subjugated and oppressed them for so long, known as the Peasant’s Revolt. There was the growing guild system, where anyone wanting to become skilled in a trade would have to be invited to become a member of a guild. Then there was horrific plague that was estimated to wipe out half the population of Europe, known as the Black Death. There was also the moving of the papacy from Rome to Avignon, France, which created a fission in the Christian faith and led to questioning and critique of the absolute religion. Finally there was the seemingly never ending Hundred Years War.

Follett skillfully uses these events in World Without End, weighing in at 1024 pages, but never overtly calls out any of them for what they are, partly because a lot of the terms and names for the events were not yet in existence, and because he seeks to be less overt and obvious, but to have these events occur in most cases beyond the scope of these small towns, to be events occurring far away that have little importance and effect on the citizens of the town – much like the Iraq War is for the American people today. At least this seems the case at first, and then the subliminal effects come into play, where men head off to war, craftsmen have to fight to get into guilds, peasants are suffering and in some cases starving, the church is overbearing in its control and being questioned, and finally with the arrival of the plague, the people’s lives and the towns are changed forever.

World Without End takes you on a journey through the fourteenth century, but not via a history lesson, but in the important and complex lives of some ordinary townspeople of varying classes, their loves and losses, their hopes and dreams, their despair and suffering. It’s a moving and some might say depressing book, but as I mentioned, the fourteenth century was a tumultuous time to say the least. But when you get to the last page, you’ll wish it had never happened, you’ll wish for more story, for more characters, you’ll wish to remember this incredible story for a long time.

FOOTNOTE: Just as World Without End has 1024 pages, conveniently (and maybe with a little effort on my part) these review has 1024 words.

For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.

After a lengthy hiatus Ken Follett returns to the series with a second epic tome, (if you pardon the pun) building on the Kingsbridge Cathedral theme laid out in Pillars of the Earth. It is now the mid-1300s, two centuries after Tom Builder, Jack, Aliena, and Prior Phillip helped shape this community. Their presence is felt through ancestral breadcrumbs and mentioned throughout the complex narrative that seeks to breathe new life into Kingsbridge. The narrative develops early with the emergence of four children in the forest: Gwenda, Merthin, Philemon, and Caris. These four come from their distinct social, economic, and ancestral ties to Kingsbridgeons of old, but whose appearance will prove important throughout the book. While hiding, the children witness the torture of a knight, Thomas Langley, who is able to escape, but not before burying a secret document, which might be the reason he has been chased and tortured. Langley seeks to enter the priory and become a monk, where he will be protected from the outside world and able to devote himself to a new life. With the Cathedral casting a daunting shadow on the town, the economic stability of Kingsbridge seems less stable, as the Fleece Fair may suffer without a new bridge to transport much needed items from outside. The town of Shiring might profit, though locals are not yet ready to admit defeat and put off any construction for the time being. That gamble is foreboding, as there is chaos when the bridge does collapse and hundreds are caught on it, killing them in various forms. The Priory must take action, but the need for a new Prior takes precedence. Politics meets religion in this election as barters and bribes see young Godwyn assume the role, whose iron-fist is supported by his controlling mother. The new bridge commences, but not only after thorough examination and potential architectural analysis is done. Saving a few coins over stability becomes a strong issue, though the symbolic nature of the bridge, connecting economic stability to the town that seeks to link itself to new life, becomes apparent throughout the narrative. As time passes, those aforementioned children grow as well, finding themselves looking to take on trades or turn to the Church for solace. It is here that the drama of the novel builds and social interactions turn to lust and sexual dominance. Forbidden love is tested and sexual control is exerted, sometimes against the will of one participant. Much is asked about that document that Thomas Langley hid away, but there is more on the horizon to keep the locals concerned. After a time away, Merthin returns with an ominous gift from abroad, leaving Kingsbridge under the cloud of plague. No one is entirely safe and, like the bridge, many perish. Families are decimated and yet Prior Godwyn espouses that this is an Act of God, forcing some to swallow the hard pill of religious retribution. Follett illustrates this well throughout, as the sobering clash of complete devotion to God is weighted against the early understanding of disease transmission. Will prayer save you, or might precautions prevent infection? Even as Kingsbridge suffers, the Cathedral stands firm, though there is a need to revisit its foundations, at least in part. The symbolism of a renewed strengthening of part of its body parallels nicely with the constant rejuvenation of the populace and those who can trace their ancestral lines from the early founders of the town. Plague and general injury fuels a discussion about building a new hospital to treat the injured in one location and isolate those who are contagious in another, though this becomes a new religious and political discussion. What awaits Kingsbridge on the horizon is anyone’s guess, but there is surely no stagnancy when it comes to dramatic development, as scores of plots emerge throughout. Follett has emerged to develop another stunning piece that adds to the drama of his opening novel, yet leaves much room for further development, answered with the most recent (and final?) instalment in the Kingsbridge saga. Fans of Pillars will likely enjoy this piece, though there is still a need for patience and determination to sift through a much more character-developing based piece, which sees a generational development, rather than that of a stone structure. Highly recommended for those who have time and interest in a slowly evolving narrative.

After admitting that he was out of his comfort zone with the opening novel, Follett continues tilling the soil with this an amazing series. Equally as epic in its development and final delivery, Follett is forced to use scores of characters to flesh out the story he wishes to present. Moving the story ahead two centuries, the characters will all differ from those found in Pillars, though the lineage that is mentioned and some of the mere characteristics of those featured herein allows the reader to feel a strong connection to all involved. Certainly, there will be some names who grace the story throughout and others who play their smaller roles to support, though the thread is not lost in the narrative. The four children who emerge from the beginning all branch out and develop their own lives, but it is impossible for the reader not to trace their growth (physical, emotional, and social) through the time period of this story. Love, death, rape, and domination all feature significantly and no character is kept completely protected from these themes. While Kingsbridge Cathedral stands strong in the background, readers are able to draw parallels between its development and the new architectural piece, the Bridge, that keeps all aspects of the town occupied. Politics seeps in as council and the Priory weigh in on the issue, forcing the higher-ups to also issue their own decrees. The symbolism of the experience is not lost on the attentive reader, though the political and economic arguments differ slightly. Kingsbridge is no longer a speck on the map, though it is still a developing community, receiving scant attention at times. As plague swept across the continent, Kingsbridge must suffer alone and find its own footing, but exemplifies resilience in the face of disaster. Follett is clear to instil these themes throughout, no matter the narrative twists presented. Again, some have criticised the book for being too long or too detailed, going so far as to inject the words “thick” and “monotonous” into their comments. I acknowledge these issues, but counter that this is not the type of novel that can be both rich and brief. Follett has surely taken a massive chunk and must process it, leaving only the most dedicated to synthesise it. There is no shame in admitting that the book is not for everyone, but those who are able to patiently remain enthralled, many gifts shall be granted. Follett has a purpose for taking the reader on this journey, particularly since he did such a wonderful job with the opening novel. I applaud that this is not a novel meant to appeal to the masses, for there seems to be an inherent dedication required before committing to the journey back to Kingsbridge. There is still much to be seen and more generations to come, their lives shaped by the firmly rooted cathedral, priory, bridge, and so much more. Follett has so much to offer and the journey is one that has me extremely excited.

Kudos, Mr. Follett, for returning to this piece and building on its greatness. I am pleased to have been able to come back and read this again, fulfilling a reading challenge requirement, but also reminding myself why I love this type of story.

This book fulfills Equinox I (A Book for All Seasons) Book Challenge for Topic #1: A Book set 500+ Years Ago

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Ken Follett and the Kingsbridge series are on there way to being all time favorites for me. Pillars of The Earth was a top 10 of the year book for me and I'm pretty sure this one will be as well. The characters and their journey's are so incredibly compelling. It doesn't even matter if the plot is thin or nonexistent because the real plot is what happens to the people you are following. You live and die with their every triumph and tragedy (there's far more of the latter though), and you can't look away. There are characters in here you will love and ones that are beyond despicable that would be right at home in A Song Of Ice and Fire. Add to that the backdrop of the Black Death and you have a narrative that puts those characters in peril at every step. This book was over 1000 pages and I was never bored. I definitely recommend this to anyone who has read and enjoyed Pillars or just enjoys historical fiction generally.

The second in the seemingly endless series of historical novels about the fictional hamlet of Kingsbridge is, like the first book, just an excuse to explore the life and times of rural England at a given time in the past. This time around, we're immersed in the 14th Century so we have a front row seat to the Hundred Years' War (including the Battle of Crecy) and the Black Plague, which is a bit unsettling as we find ourselves currently immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the characters are distant relatives of the characters in the first book in the series - The Pillars of the Earth - and some of the events of that book are referenced in this book, however it is not necessary to read that book before reading this one. Like the first book, the plot and characters are still somewhat flimsy but they are a bit more fleshed out this time around, and some of their mannerisms and actions are probably more suited to our time period and not their own, but it's all good fun if you don't take it too seriously.