#1 New York Times BestsellerAn Amazon Best Book of 2020A thrilling and addictive new novel–a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth–set in England at the dawn of a new era: the Middle Ages“Just as transporting as [The Pillars of the Earth] . . . A most welcome addition to the Kingsbridge series.” –The Washington PostIt is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh … the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns.
In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder’s life is turned upside down when the only home he’s ever known is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in. . . . A Norman noblewoman marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, but the customs of her husband’s homeland are shockingly different, and as she begins to realize that everyone around her is engaged in a constant, brutal battle for power, it becomes clear that a single misstep could be catastrophic. . . . A monk dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a center of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. And each in turn comes into dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power.
Thirty years ago, Ken Follett published his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Now, Follett’s masterful new prequel The Evening and the Morning takes us on an epic journey into a historical past rich with ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate, that will end where The Pillars of the Earth begins.
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“A monastery is awfully like a big, powerful family: rivalry, jealousy, squabbling, hierarchy – and love. And it’s hard to escape from.”
I’ve always been a huge Ken Follett fan. So though daunted by this 900 page tome, I quickly settled in for the long haul. Foleltt is known for his sweeping tales of historical fiction and epic worldbuilding akin to anything seen in a fantasy novel. His words allow you to step directly into another time witnessing a world they might never otherwise have entered. The Evening and the Morning certainly didn’t disappoint in this aspect, filled with rich detail that crafts the Dark Ages world stone by stone around you as you follow the story.
While this is a prequel to Follett’s bestselling The Pillars of the Earth, it can certainly be read as a standalone as it takes place over one hundred years before. In this tale we meet a boatmaker turned builder, a Norman lady turned Saxon Wife, a Monk turned Prior, a slave turned freewoman, and many others. Something I love about Follett’s work is that he shows all the complexity that makes up humankind. The people in his stories aren’t defined by their lot in life, as nobles may be brought low, peasants may rise of their own merit, and men of God may turn away from all sense of righteousness.
There were, however, a couple weak points in this novel for me. First, was the plot pacing – particularly in the end. I read eagerly through the first three quarters or so, but just as the story reached its nadir, it seemed to peter out a bit. At the “all is lost” moment, rather than feel spurred on to see how matters might resolve, the plot pacing seemed to slow and I began to lose interest in the characters’ wants and goals. The stakes just didn’t seem to be there, and there was an air of defeat that went on for a bit too long, slowing the plot to a snail’s pace. Being so close to the end, I of course soldiered on and can happily say that the book ending was satisfying enough to justify the slog. But this definitely hampered my enjoyment of the last quarter or so.
Second, is that about halfway through I realized that these characters all seemed strangely . . . familiar. For fans of the Pillars of the Earth (or many other Follett books for that matter), you’ll recognize the character of the misunderstood autodidact who remains loyal to the end as well as his noble yet unattainable love interest who is herself forever threatened by a brutish bully. You’ll get an odd sense of deja vu when you encounter the scheming Bishop who never changes his ways and the pious prior who must put aside some of his own principles for the betterment of his flock. Archetypes exist for a reason, but if you’ve read a lot of Follett’s work, I think you’ll quickly find that these bear a bit too close a resemblance to previous iterations.
All in all, it was a beautifully written book and I definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys rich historical fiction and epic medieval worldbuilding. However, if you’ve read a lot of Follett’s work, you may find the repeating character arcs become a bit grating.
This well researched book on early English history will make you glad your ancestors immigrated.
Good, but didn’t love it as much as Pillars of the Earth or World Without End. Characters were not as strong and neither was the story.
I love his writing. I hate when the book ends I always want more.
Great prequel to “Pillars of the Earth” introducing the main characters.
Another winner from Follett. This prequel to The Pillars of the Earth series inspired me to go back and read the other three books I had already read—about 4,000 pages, but well worth it. Masterfully researched with characters that come alive through their very human emotions in a setting that explains development of British life and legacy.
This was the perfect prequel to Follet’s original series. I enjoyed just as much as the first two books and look forward to more of the same!
If you are hooked on history and a big fat wonderful read… get this one. Loved it
Mr. Follet invariably approaches accurate history as a priority in his historic novels and adapts the plot to follow, creating characters and their conflicts within the stream of events, which sometimes stretches the tale a bit, or leads to surface characters. Regardless, his work presents a wonderful way to truly grasp the realities of day-to-day life during those times about which he writes. A very pleasant history lesson.
The best book I’ve read since his other 2 books of the trilogy!
Spellbinding! I couldn’t put it down. The book gives a great glimpse into life in the late 900’s and into the early 1000’s. I felt I had new friends (Ragna and Edgar) who overcome terrible odds against numerous villains. The historical aspect was so interesting, and included Viking raids, agricultural hardships, abuse of women, and evil priests. In reading this book, one becomes immersed in the culture of the time. It also reminds me that there is nothing new under the sun: people are sinful, and some let power and money become their gods, just like today. But good triumphs, and the bad guys get their due. Ken Follett is a master storyteller and makes history come alive.
I just loved this book,I highly recommend this book
At over 800 pages, this is a heavy book in print. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this prequel to ‘Pillars of the Earth’.
Ragna and Edgar are clever, and both are advanced thinkers for their times. While Wilwulf has some redeeming features, his two brothers, Bishop Wynstan, and Wilgulf, are nasty pieces of work, and add complication after difficulty, and problem on top of disaster for the protagonists.
I enjoyed seeing Kingsbridge in its previous incarnation as Dreng’s Ferry grow from a motley huddled group of huts into the beginnings of the town it had become in the sequel. The story also revealed how the church grew its wealth so effectively, and some of the difficulties with competing and sometimes opposite needs that kings had to manage. It wasn’t all palaces and enjoying what taxes could buy. The repeated incursions by Vikings were a major worry, often with devastating consequences for coastal and larger river dwellers. Historical details are fascinating, and an intrinsic aspect of the story.
Numerous secondary characters are interesting and fleshed out enough to make this ‘world’ and the people moving through it feel real.
Highly recommended.
Great read, by a great author. It is a pre-quel to the King’sbridge trilogy ( Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and Column of Fire) begins in 997CE. The characters and story draw you on and Gillette makes you feel like you are right there with them . You can’t put it down, and it’s only 913 pages. The only problem is now I want to read the trilogy again!
Maybe one of his best!!
He is a master at locking your mind into a story.
He makes you feel you are there.
His Kingsbridge series alone makes him one of the finest writers in this century.
Not as good as the first book in this series.
This is an epic novel full of Vikings, power hungry family members, slaves, and monks. It is full of rich history and a tad bit of love thrown in the mix. No one does historical fiction like Ken Follett. He is the master! And this story will have you on the edge of your seat.
I do prefer to listen to Follett’s books. His books are rather large and I have so much to read for my blog. It is just much easier to listen at this time in my life. He also has the best narrator, John Lee. So, even though I was gifted a copy of the ebook, I purchased the audible.
This story captivated me from the start with the Viking raid. And the intensity just did not let up. This is a masterful piece of work!
Need a fabulous historical saga…wow! Grab this one today! It is superb!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Follett is an excellent writer, and this prequel to his trilogy is up to his usual standards. His characters are very interesting, and he brings the start of the second millennium to life in a most realistic way.
Ken Follett does not disappoint. History with wonderful characters. Seemingly unstoppable villainous villains, heroes with good intentions. Many clashes. Historical details. If you are new to Ken Follett, this is a great starting point.
Another glorious read from my very favourite author, Ken Follett. Set in medieval England this 928-page prequel to Pillars of the Earth is rich in history, characters, intrigue, power grabs, and Viking raids. Fabulous! Cheers Lynda L. Lock (Isla Mujeres Mysteries).