Product Description

The sequel to Ken Follett’s best-selling Pillars of the Earth (1989) is equally compelling—and equally long. World moves the action from the 12th to the 14th century, following the descendants of the earlier book’s main characters and continuing its use of architectural details as a way to explore themes of change and continuity. Critics praised the novel’s intricately constructed plot, lively pace, and overall exuberance, if at times the complex subplots overwhelm the main theme of stasis versus change. While some reviewers criticized Follett’s characters for being no more than pawns of larger forces, most agreed with the Washington Post’s assessment that "the ups and downs of [the characters’] lives are so well engineered that their lack of dimension isn’t a major problem." Though engaging on most levels, World and its 1,000 pages may be best suited for patient readers who don’t mind a book seemingly without end.
Copyright 2008 Bookmarks Publishing LLC

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #231630 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-09
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .2 pounds
• Binding: Audio CD

From Publishers Weekly
Eighteen years after Pillars of the Earth weighed in with almost 1,000 pages of juicy historical fiction about the construction of a 12th-century cathedral in Kingsbridge, England, bestseller Follett returns to 14th-century Kingsbridge with an equally weighty tome that deftly braids the fate of several of the offspring of Pillars' families with such momentous events of the era as the Black Death and the wars with France. Four children, who will become a peasant's wife, a knight, a builder and a nun, share a traumatic experience that will affect each of them differently as their lives play out from 1327 to 1361. Follett studs the narrative with gems of unexpected information such as the English nobility's multilingual training and the builder's technique for carrying heavy, awkward objects. While the novel lacks the thematic unity of Pillars, readers will be captivated by the four well-drawn central characters as they prove heroic, depraved, resourceful or mean. Fans of Follett's previous medieval epic will be well rewarded. (Oct.)
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From AudioFile
John Lee gives a breathtaking performance of FollettÕs sequel to PILLARS OF THE EARTH. Two hundred years have passed, and fourteenth-century Kingsbridge is now a prosperous town, with its cathedral and priory still a central force. As the novel follows its four main characters from 1327 to 1361, medieval English life is slowly and thoroughly revealed. Lee gives stunning portraits of change-resistant churchmen, the hardships and superstitions of peasant life, the inequities of corrupt noblemen, and the grotesqueries of the Black Death. While creating wholly credible major and minor characters, Lee delivers FollettÕs intricate plots and subplots, making each detail fascinating, from medieval medicine and bridge-building to the surprisingly powerful role of women. Even after 36 CDs, listeners will be sorry to see this book end. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
This book is a big event. In 1989 Follett published what was to become one of his most popular novels, The Pillars of the Earth, a historical epic about the construction of an English cathedral, set in the twelfth century. Now, 18 years later and with several intervening best-sellers to his credit, Follett presents his eager fans with a sequel to Pillars. According to publicity material, he spent three years writing it, and it shows, because this an amazingly well-researched, intricately plotted, richly detailed novel that, while long in pages, never sprawls or flags. It is set in the same English cathedral town as Pillars, some two centuries later, and has as its primary characters the descendants of the major characters that appeared in the previous book. Follett's technique is to follow the lives of four individuals who have varying goals in life and, in the process, build a comprehensive tapestry of medieval English life—an especially important background thread being the horrible natural disaster of that era, the black plague. Follet has complete mastery over his material, and the result is a novel destined for the best-seller lists. Hooper, Brad