#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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Can’t wait for the next in series. Big fan of this author.
Books like this make me happy there are multiple books to tell the story. Hated to have it end.
Very rich characters.
A fitting sequel to Pillars of the Earth, and thoroughly entertaining even in the face of high expectations created by that novel and by all of Follett’s other terrific novels. May interest women more because of its strong female characters.
Unbelievably talented writer able to build a realistic true to the time period story
that sucks you in and doesn’t let go.
This series is my favorite of all time, can’t wait for 3rd installment. Sad when it ended.
Stunning in its scope. As good as casual reading can get!
Fascinating reading…..beautifully developed characters.
I’m enjoying thinking of how my life would be if I lived in this time period.
Have read this several times and am looking forward to book 3 in the series. always find something more in it each time. Characters so well-drawn you get angry for them, feel sad for them, go through every incident along side them. Worth reading and when you get to the end, starting again!
Two hundred years later and the story continues. A wonderful read!
A very long read, but worth it. Got a great taste of what life was like in the Middle Ages.
I read this book a number of years ago & enjoyed it very much. It is fiction, but a realistic portrayal of life in that era.
Anything by Follett is readable – He never disappoints!
Although an older novel it is terrific especially for those that enjoy history. You just have to be willing to invest a LOT of time since it’s a very loooonnnnngggg book!
I like historical fiction
Excellent ! Ken Follett certainly does his research and Loved this book. I was sorry when I finished it. I’m looking forward to his next book. This is a must read for anyone who loves history.
If you loved Pillars of the Earth, this is the book that follows . It’s a hundred stories in one book. Mr. Follett weaves his tale around his characters like no other! Looking forward to the third book next month!
Continuing story of characters in Pillars of the Earth. I fell in love with the story!
With characters who become real people and a plot that is action-filled and supported with historical background, this book was one that I couldn’t put down and was sorry when it ended. I have preordered the next one in the series. The first one in the series, Pillars of the Earth, is one of my all time favorites, and I will reread it while waiting for the next one. You really can’t go wrong with any Ken Follett book.