The Pillars of the Earth

Overview

"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 is a beloved favorite of countless readers, standing as a testament to Follett's unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal.

A spellbinding epic set in twelfth-century England, 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.

Editorial Reviews

With this book, Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner, escaping the narrow genre of suspense thrillers to take credit for a historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere and detail and memorable characterization. Set in 12th-century England, the narrative concerns the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge. The ambitions of three men merge, conflict and collide through four decades during which social and political upheaval and the internal politics of the church affect the progress of the cathedral and the fortunes of the protagonists. The insightful portrayals of an idealistic master builder, a pious, dogmatic but compassionate prior and an unscrupulous, ruthless bishop are balanced by those of a trio of independent, resourceful women (one of them quite loathesome) who can stand on their own as memorable characters in any genre. Beginning with a mystery that casts its shadow on ensuing events, the narrative is a seesaw of tension in which circumstances change with shocking but true-to-life unpredictability. Follett's impeccable pacing builds suspense in a balanced narrative that offers action, intrigue, violence and passion as well as the step-by-step description of an edifice rising in slow stages, its progress tied to the vicissitudes of fortune and the permutations of evolving architectural style. Follett's depiction of the precarious balance of power between monarchy and religion in the Middle Ages, and of the effects of social upheavals and the forces of nature (storms, famines) on political events; his ability to convey the fine points of architecture so that the cathedral becomes clearly visualized in the reader's mind; and above all, his portrayals of the enduring human emotions of ambition, greed, bravery, dedication, revenge and love, result in a highly engrossing narrative. Manipulating a complex plot in which the characters interact against a broad canvas of medieval life, Follett has written a novel that entertains, instructs and satisfies on a grand scale. 400,000 first printing; $400,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild main dual selection; author tour.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
-- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.

Author Information

Bio of Ken Follett

Well known as a writer of international best sellers, Ken Follett was born in Wales and began his career as a newspaper reporter in Wales and in London. His first bestselling novel, The Eye of the Needle, won the Edgar Award and was adapted as a film starring Kate Nelligan and Donald Sutherland. He followed this success with four more bestselling thrillers - Triple, The Key to Rebecca, The Man from St Petersburg, and Lay Down with Lions. His novel, Pillars of the Earth, departed from the thriller genre and was on the New York Times bestseller list for 18 weeks. It also reached the number one position on lists in Canada, Great Britain, and Italy, and was on Germany's bestseller list for six years. He followed Pillars of the Earth with Night over Water, A Dangerous Fortune, and A Place Called Freedom, before returning to the writing of thrillers with The Third Twin, a scorching suspense novel. Miniseries rights to this book were sold to CBS for $1,400,000. The series, starring Kelly McGillis and Larry Hagman, was broadcast in November of 1997. In November of 1998, Follett published The Hammer of Eden, another suspense story. Ken Follett is married to Barbara Follett, who is the Member of Parliament for Stevenage in Hertfordshire. He is a lover of Shakespeare and an amateur musician who plays bass guitar in a band called Damn Right I Got the Blues. He is also chair of the National Year of Reading 1998-99, a British government initiative to raise literacy levels, president of the Dyslexia Institute, and a council member of the National Literacy Trust.

Customer Reviews

• Just finished after reading World without End

  Posted February 12, 2008 by tarryj, VA

  My second book by this author, and I'm hooked. I'm just curious of the origin of the title, which is still a mystery to me. World without end is a quote in the Bible, for eternity.

• Pillars of the Earth

  Posted March 07, 2008 by bryan.guzek, Scituate, MA

  This book is awesome. I'm about 4/5 of the way through it and have't hit a dull spot yet. I cannot recomment this book enough. I will be checking out Follett's other books also. I think this one would make a good movie also.

• 

  Posted March 12, 2008 by jb, MS

  Perhaps the best story of love and life I have ever read. You find yourself cheering the heroes and cursing the "bad guys". I could not put it down.

• 

  Posted May 07, 2008 by adkins6, Illinois

  I usually don't have time for a novel of this size, but WOW so worth the time. The characters are so fascinating and very easy to identify with. I have started on "World Without End" and it seems to be just as well written!

• Raw, but Addicting.

  Posted December 13, 2008 by Wade, Arlington

  hard not to love this book. Some gratuitous violence, but an absolute incredible story of human character and the victory over difficult circumstances.

• Fantastic book

  Posted January 02, 2009 by DJ, Winchester, CA

  I loved every page of this book. The characters were well developed and you felt like you lived in the books pages with them. I was sad when I turned the last page.

• A Must Read!

  Posted January 07, 2009 by Puck Chaser, Locust Valley

  A beautifully written and captivating epic set in the middle ages. It is a love story, spanning several generations, and it is rich in historical and architectural details of cathedral construction, as well as the politics and hierarchy of feudal England and the Catholic Church. While the story starts out slow, it evolves into a fascinating tale. This is an enjoyable book that is difficult to put down!

• Amazing read

  Posted February 01, 2009 by Michelle, Fresno, Ca

  This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It is very long but keeps the reader in suspense from the very start. I am currently reading it for the third time and it seems to get better every time. I recommend this book to people all the time and have yet to disappoint anyone.

• 'spellbinding epic' says the Overview. Absolutely true!

  Posted March 24, 2009 by Kate, Las Vegas

  Very, very, rarely do I take the time to write reviews on anything, but this book deserves it. It is a wonderful story, masterfully told. Buy it. You'll enjoy it. An interest in history, religion or architecture are not pre-requisites for enjoyment (although if you are passionate about these topics, doubtless you'll enjoy the book even more).

• extraordinary

  Posted April 03, 2009 by bookworm, Toronto

  If you like contemporary stories set in a place like home, then you won't like this book. However, if you're interested in human nature and how it never changes...then you will love this book. A remarkable achievement. This is an epic story told in the best tradition - you never know what is going to happen next. Action packed, no dull moments.

• Wonderful!!!

  Posted April 03, 2009 by Lorrie, Aiken, SC

  From Tom to Jack, you can see the cathedral through their eyes. Your are able to feel just as Aleina when reading this novel. I am hooked!!! I plan to read more by this author.

• Better than anticipated!

  Posted April 04, 2009 by KJ, Fresno, CA

  This is normally not a book I might have picked up. But, after reading so many amazing reviews, I decided that the intimidation of the novel was worth it. This book is so intricate and filled with historical elements, yet it holds you the entire length. There was hardly a moment when I wasn't reading or thinking about the story. I highly recommend this book, even if you're only remotely interested in historical fiction.

• Wonderful book!

  Posted April 19, 2009 by Michelle, St. Louis Missouri

  As large as this novel is I did not want it to end. I enjoyed every page and it is now definitely on my top ten all time favorite books. It is easy to recommend this to everyone.

• The best book I've ever read!

  Posted May 21, 2009 by Pam, Brentwood

  I loved this book so much, it was sad for me when I reached the last page, not because the ending was sad but because I had come the end of the story.

• I was glued to the book the past two weeks...

  Posted May 28, 2009 by Jorge Jimenez, Chantilly, VA

  This books grips you from the beginning from the introduction of the characters, weaving their lives together and showing their life passions. It stirred my emotions and feelings for each of the characters, almost making me wish I could get into the story myself! Very satisfying read that went by really fast even for me, since I don't consider myself an avid reader.

• Can't put it down!

  Posted July 28, 2009 by Dayna, Arnold, MO

  This book is fabulous! And, it's a great thing to have it on my Sony Reader so that I don't have to carry around this heavy book! This is a MUST read! I don't think it matters if you have a favorite genre; you will enjoy this book!

• A masterpiece about the power of human perseverance, beyond death and evil

  Posted August 03, 2009 by Josafat, Everett, WA

  This is a master work of historical fiction that walked me through the lives of characters that I came to love and whose struggle of power, passion, and lifelong dreams, took them to unexpected heights of human accomplishment. Several lives are tangled by one man's dream to build a cathedral, and they all weave in and out of each other in twist after twist that left me breathless each time. The richness of detail in the building of an amazing cathedral matches the level of detail with which the author brings these characters to life, so that you can hear their voices, feel their pain, and echo their longing. A must-read. Don't be afraid of the 2000 pages (I was at first) because they fly by under your eyes as the stories unfold.

• I Loved It

  Posted September 01, 2009 by Paul, Calgary

  I loved It

• A classic!

  Posted September 24, 2009 by tmm, Lake City

  This book reads like a movie in my mind. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. It is very well written and looks into life in medieval times as if I was there experiencing it myself. That is why I say it reads like a movie. The story is told in a way that brings the characters to life. Excellent book.

• FANTASTIC!!!!

  Posted October 05, 2009 by PLaw, Upland

  I could not stop reading this book! Over 2,000 pages in 4 days. Fantastic story!

Additional Info

Imprint

Penguin Group, Inc.

Filesize

2.46 MB

Number of Pages

973

eBook ISBN

9781429580403