Fall of Giants

Book One of the Century Trilogy

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 30 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Fall of Giants is Ken Follett's magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits…. Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House…. Two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution…. Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London….

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the 20th century, changing themselves—and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

Exclusive interview: Ken Follett and John Lee Talk about Fall of Giants.

©2010 Kevin Follett (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A big Book, Follett''s hugely ambitious saga is a sweeping success. Ken Follett has hit another one out of the park with the initial installment of the hugely ambitious Century Trilogy. His fans will rejoice at the richness, complexity, historical sweep and simmering lust in a saga spanning the years 1911 to 1923." ( Newark Star Ledger)

"A dark novel, motivated by an unsparing view of human nature and a clear-eyed scrutiny of an ideal peace. It is not the least of Follett''s feats that the reader finishes this near 1000-page book intrigued and wanting more." ( Chicago Sun-Times)

"[Follett] meticulously reconstructs an era and leads us through the follies and occasional heroics of its protagonists real and imaginary. He is masterly in conveyers so much drama and historical information so vividly...Grippingly told, and readable to the end." ( New York Times Book Review)

A book that entertains and informs....wow

I truly enjoyed this work and best of all, learned much about the world we now live in.
This is a wonderfully told history, which if one can only step back, seems to be repeating itself today.
This book educates, entertains and may be used by the reader to get a more complete understanding of the what, when, where and why of so many events that our history books seem to only offer in bullet points.
Womens suffrage, Russian Revolution, Americas war with Mexico and oh yes, World War 1. I now understand how a World War could start over something as simple as one small country offending another small country. A very good Book.

Can't Wait for the Next Book!

This is one of the most balanced treatments of world events immediately before, during, and after WWI. Definitely not the way we learned it in our Cold War era history classes. (Germans were totally to blame, Bolsheviks were evil incarnate, etc.) The characters were engaging and believable and, while a work of fiction, there was enough well-researched fact to add to the understanding of this comparatively overlooked period of 20th century history and how it set the stage for the Great Depression, as well as WWII and the Cold War. It actually got me looking up and reading more about the era. Overall, I think John Lee's narration was very good, though I do think he needs to work on his "American" accent for the U.S. characters a bit. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

great story

Follett once again proves he is a great story teller. Not sure how much is true but assume most of it is, but it doesn't matter, it is just a great story.

Beyond Amazing

Perfection in reading! Ken Follet is a Rock Star writer! The narrator
Dan Stevens voice is so wonderful it can put you right there in the room with all the characters!

Superb!

Wow I've become such a Ken Follet fan. This book is a lovely historical novel with enough sex and intrigue for the modern sot. I learned stuff I didn't know about WWI, and I actually became interested in WWI . The story is well written with a plethera of characters, including women figures which, being a woman myself, I must admit I enjoy reading about more; maybe I just tend to care more about the female characters. If you love Ken Follet it's a must read - and if you love historical novels, don't let your apathy towards WWI keep you away, you'll enjoy regardless.

Great Story, Ruined by the Narration

Ken Follett's earlier works aren't my cup of tea but since "Pillars of the Earth", I'm hooked. Trouble is, listening to John Lee to read these sagas is like water torture. His sing song delivery is so annoying it's hard to focus on the book. It's a shame because he has a beautiful sounding voice but literally delivers 5-6 syllables at a time, over and over and OVER in a repetitive pattern like a nursery rhyme. To make it worse, not only does he pause rhythmically but delivers each short phrase sing-song going up at the end of each Ken Follett's story (pause) is so wonderful (pause) I hate to listen (pause) to an abridged version (pause) but don't know (pause) if I can take (pause) Lee's reading (pause) anymore (pause). I have to keep stopping (pause) See how annoying. I suffered through "Pillars" and "WWE", eventually listening to the abridged versions afterward just to get the bad taste out of my ears. What a shame to ruin these wonderful books with less than equal reading.

Great Read

I bought this primarily because I loved Pillars of the Earth and it's sequel. I didn't expect to enjoy Fall of Giants as much as those books but I was pleasantly surprised. He is able to effortlessly blend the stories of the characters in the novel allowing you to really become engaged in each of their lives and struggles. Can't wait for the next one!

Thank you Mr. Follett!

Words can not express what this story gave me. Do yourself a favor and listen to this story by John Lee, a true Narrator. The history lesson itself was worth the wonderful adventure the listener is brought into. I can not wait for the next book and to gain some more knowledge of our own history.

WWI adventure

I found some of the characters long and overdrawn with KF's WWI trilogy. I'm a tad disappointed that the American and Marines of WWI were not mentioned in the fighting scenes as they did make a huge contribution (but that's my take). I want to see Ken write a little bit more 'happily ever after' to his story lines. The disappointments in his books tend to be exhausting. Good listen, tho!

Freaking Great

I cannot express just how imperative it is that you listen to this book. Wow!