• The Pillars of the Earth

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 40 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (34,750 ratings)

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The Pillars of the Earth  By  cover art

The Pillars of the Earth

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's summary

The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.

A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of 12th century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.

©1989 Ken Follett (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Critic reviews

"Follett is a master." (The Washington Post)

"A historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere and detail and memorable characterization." (Publishers Weekly)

Featured Article: The Best Historical Fiction Audiobooks


Often based on real people, events, and scenarios, historical fiction gives us the opportunity to learn about worlds and times we will never experience while introducing fascinating characters and stories set in their midst. Sometimes, the genre can even give us a peek into hidden storylines that routinely go unmentioned in traditional history books, showing us that those of ages past are perhaps not so different from ourselves.

What listeners say about The Pillars of the Earth

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    26,275
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  • 3 Stars
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just a great book to listen to<br />

this boom is a great story and was just a fun book to listen to

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A must read for anyone interested in medieval history

A Beautiful book. Fabulous characters. Amazing story line. Ken Follet is a genius. Loved it.

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Buy this book!

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A true epic. Ken Follette crafts a beautiful story. John Lee infuses life into the characters and story masterfully. His subtle change in tone for each character enables the listener to get lost in the story. You will start with the intention of listening for a few minutes here and there and find yourself listening for hours on end. Far and away the best audiobook I have every heard when you take into the account the combination of the author and the narrator.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, great narrater, great Characters.

I've read a lot of review and there were a few responses about 40 hrs being too long.
The other point of view....
I have fibromyalgia and spent most of my days in bed bored to death. So when I find a book that has a good story, and a great narrater what a pleasure it is to listen to and makes the days not quit so long.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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awesome story well written and well narrated

awesome story well written and well narrated. the ending closed the circle nicely but a bit un-epic.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic

I had never even heard of this book before now, but I am so glad that I bought it. It's a great epic adventure where good vs. evil is shown through the greater works of mankind.

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Excellent Listen

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a very good book....but particularly enjoyable to listen to. John Lee does a fabulous job and I truly became lost in the story.

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awesome

simply one of the best books i have ever read.. the characters were true to life and the story was well paced

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Read First

Make sure you pick this up prior to listening to "World without end". What a series!

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Wonderful story

Where does The Pillars of the Earth rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I was highly impressed with this story. Everything, from the plot and the characters to the narration, was well thought out and beautifully told. I enjoy long books that give you a deep understanding of the people within, and "Pillars of the Earth" does just that.

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