#1 New York Times BestsellerIn 1989, Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England centered on the building of a cathedral and many of the hundreds of lives it affected. World Without End is its equally irresistible sequel—set two hundred years after The Pillars of the Earth and three hundred years after the … of the Earth and three hundred years after the Kingsbridge prequel, The Evening and the Morning.
World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge, but this sequel stands on its own. This time the men and women of an extraordinary cast of characters find themselves at a crossroads of new ideas—about medicine, commerce, architecture, and justice. In a world where proponents of the old ways fiercely battle those with progressive minds, the intrigue and tension quickly reach a boiling point against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race—the Black Death.
Three years in the writing and nearly eighteen years since its predecessor, World Without End is a “well-researched, beautifully detailed portrait of the late Middle Ages” (The Washington Post) that once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft.
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People were just as wicked, cruel and power-hungry as they are today. It seems some people were just as selfish and self centered and cruel then as now and some were just as caring of others, also.
I love anything written by Ken Follett.
I love reading about Medieval England
Decent history but rambling and Follett’s overuse of contrived sex a bit off-putting and not worthy of him.
Amazing sequel. Looking forward to the third installment.
I had. Read many Ken Follett novels and enjoyed them all. His middles ages trilogy and early 20th century trilogy were very good reads set against history.
One can live through the characters created and the visuals of location and architecture.
Part of a trilogy that is a CLASSIC!! Must read all of Ken Follett! Excellent author, and so enjoyable to read.
It was hard to keep the characters straight. I also thought some parts were a little far-fetched and wondered how historically correct it was.
I loved the characters in this book, and the twists and turns make this one hard to put down!
Loved this book and the two previous ones in the series. Great characters and lots of historical information.
This was a realistic depiction of life before the industrial revolution where the common man was lucky if he could put a meager meal on the table for his family and whose prospects were dim under British Rule.
Good, but not great. Not as satisfying as Pillars of the Earth but in similar vein. Too long and not as intersting.
Great historical fiction!
Very interesting. FLAYED WHILE ALIVE!!! What were these people thinking about? So glad I did not live in the twelve hundreds!
Ken Follett writes with authority about the Middle Ages. His research is authentic and informative. I so enjoyed the “Pillars of the Earth” and this follow up does not disappoint. It is not a short story by any means, but it is a great summer read.
Very well constructed, great historical sweep of that period in England.
Ken Follet’s done it again! Pillars of the Earth – both the book and the mini series –
had me spellbound from start to finish; this continuation of the Kingsbridge saga was equally engaging. Can’t wait to purchase and read the next book in the series..
Page turner…movie doesn’t do it justice.
Loved the book, period theme, I like stories from another time. Hardships, different points of view, prejudices against women and anyone from different classes. Can’t wait for next book.