#1 New York Times Bestseller Oprah's Book Club Selection The "extraordinary . . . monumental masterpiece" ( Booklist ) that changed the course of Ken Follett's already phenomenal career--and begins where its prequel, The Evening and the Morning , ended. "Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner," extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth . A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and ...
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#1 New York Times Bestseller Oprah's Book Club Selection The "extraordinary . . . monumental masterpiece" ( Booklist ) that changed the course of Ken Follett's already phenomenal career--and begins where its prequel, The Evening and the Morning , ended. "Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner," extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth . A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and gripping humanity. Today, it stands as a testament to Follett's unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal. 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 twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.
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Nothing to complain about, fast delivery at very good price.
Janis
Mar 1, 2013
Pillars of the Earth
Great story, highly recommend the book and also the mini series, which is excellent.
Joel S
Dec 6, 2012
Ho-Hum Follett
I bought this book because of an attractive review by someone I won't pay much attention to in future. 'Pillars' does have its charms, but it ain't literature, in my opinion. It makes me think of Louis L'Amour, although it's a bit more pretentious and doesn't grip the reader quite so tightly. The book is about as long as War And Peace, and that invites comparisons between the two, which is hardly to Follett's advantage. Don't come here for depth and philosophy or for a "ripping good story" of adventure and/or action.
"So if you feel that way, Joel, why are you reading it?" Well it's hard to say. I started it and I don't like not finishing a book I've started, especially when it's not full of ungrammatical gibberish. 'Pillars' has been well edited - the grammar and prose style are quite good, so that it doesn't offend the intelligence of the reader. On the other hand, it doesn't satisfy whatever it is that makes me want to read a major book. I'm not a snob -- I do read L'Amour and mystery books -- but this book doesn't live up to its pretensions, in my opinion.
jigr16ch
Feb 25, 2012
Long adventure into the past
Loved the book and the characters, but its a long tale!
J C
Feb 16, 2012
A real find!
I borrowed this book from my granddaughter and read it inside of a week. It really was one of those books I found hard to put down, leading to lots of late nights.
Follet manages to keep the story going at a pace - I always wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The fact that I learned a fair bit about that particular period of English history was a bonus.
I loved this book so much that I bought a copy of it for my husband, who is now enjoying it.
