Edge of Eternity

The Century Trilogy, Book 3

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 36 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Edge of Eternity is the sweeping, passionate conclusion to Ken Follett's extraordinary historical epic, The Century Trilogy.

Throughout these books, Follett has followed the fortunes of five intertwined families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they make their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the enormous social, political, and economic turmoil of the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution - and rock and roll.

East German teacher Rebecca Hoffman discovers she's been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives. George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedy's Justice Department, and finds himself in the middle not only of the seminal events of the civil rights battle, but a much more personal battle of his own. Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than he'd imagined. Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Khrushchev, becomes a prime agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tania, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw - and into history.

As always with Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. With the hand of a master, he brings us into a world we thought we knew but now will never seem the same again.

©2014 Ken Follett (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[Follett] is a commanding storyteller who has taken on an impossibly large task and accomplished it with passion, intelligence, and skill. Like its predecessors, Edge of Eternity is a solid, rigorously researched work of popular fiction. It's an honest entertainment that brings back vivid, sometimes painful, memories of the not-too-distant past." (The Washington Post)

"Edge of Eternity is as compulsively readable a mighty page-turner as its two predecessors." (The Seattle Times)

"Hugely ambitious, the trilogy serves as a massive history lesson as well as an example of good, old-fashioned storytelling." (The New York Daily News)

Great way to learn history

Where does Edge of Eternity rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best in over 800 books listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Edge of Eternity?

Tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

Wish it would never end!

Very entertaining story, like all of Follett's historical fictions. Although the story went on for a hundred years, I still want more! The only disappointing aspect of the story is that the characters seem to lose their values as concepts liberalism shifts. In the beginning, they seem to be a group of hardy individuals that wouldn't allow politics to govern their values, but insist on their values dictating their politics. But as the American definition of liberal shifts through the 60's and 70's, the characters give up their convictions go with the flow of moral erosion, seemingly to maintain the label of "liberal". Follett tries so hard to vilify conservatives that he misses the fact that the liberal democrats of the beginning of the century have won and become the present day conservatives striving to maintain an ethics in world politics. The story remains interesting, and seemingly accurate.

Sweeping and Amazing

The best book of what was a great trilogy. Sad that it is over! What a fantastic journey through the 20th century. I learned so much more than I did in high school history class.

Best book of the series.

I wish the book was never ending. Great characters. I learned so much history I was not aware of. I was able to relive some events. It's crazy how we don't even think of communism now. Maybe there will be a 4 th book.

the best series ever

the series gives a glimpse into wolds histories most dramatic events. Told in a story which is exciting and understandable. it isn't easy to male sense of the political decisions made over the past 100 years with out getting personal with the decision makers.

excellent book best Trilogy ever!!

I would recommend this book to anybody who enjoys history and good writing about real people

Lived it!

I was concerned that it might not be as good as the Pillars trilogy, but it was! I zipped through them and loved all 3 books.
As a side note, my own grandmother got out of Germany prior to the start of WW2 but the rest were stuck there, and eventually the wall went up and they were in the east. many years later I was there myself when the wall came down, so it was even more facinating to read!!

Enough with the horny dog already

I always enjoy Ken Follett's books. However with this one I was so over the endless references to sex and the chauvenistic descriptions of women's bodies. Sure we are talking about the era of free love but that's not the same as objectification. I don't need to hear lascivious talk about the firmness of a woman's breasts or the tightness of her ass or how much she loved sex to enjoy the story. Ugh.

incredible

This series was an epic adventure and an epic conclusion, what a ride, starting out pre World War 1 and concluding in 2008, highly recommended.

History comes to life

How can I have an MBA but only first truly understand history for the first time through listening to this novel.

Amazing enlightenment.