• The Pillars of the Earth

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 40 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (34,691 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
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26,232
  • 4 Stars
    5,893
  • 3 Stars
    1,556
  • 2 Stars
    532
  • 1 Stars
    478
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    21,118
  • 4 Stars
    3,127
  • 3 Stars
    586
  • 2 Stars
    133
  • 1 Stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    19,536
  • 4 Stars
    3,915
  • 3 Stars
    1,029
  • 2 Stars
    341
  • 1 Stars
    283

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely stellar!!!

I can't say enough about how amazing this book is. I was gripped by this story from the get go. However, I was a little concerned that I might not be able to keep the characters straight. But, within the first 50 pages, the story line was so gripping that it was easy to keep the characters straight.
Don't let the length of the book put you off, either Instead, this story line is such a fascinating, page turning, edge of your seat plot that you will be demanding more when you reach the end.
Read this book! You are going to love it!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story. Poor formatting

Loved John Lee's narration and Ken Follet's story. My only problem was getting lost because of the chapter/section format.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Epic

Epic, amazing, fulfilling journey... I'm truly sad that I've reached the end of it and back to reality. A masterpiece

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Epic read

Great book. It started out a little slow, but once it got going I couldn't put it down. The book is extremely long but well worth the time. Highly recommend!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good story

This is a pretty good book. worth the credit.
The characters are well developed. I like the amount of time the book spans.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Totally enjoyed this journey!

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

Yes, For my friends who like an epic journey, I would Highly recommend this.

What did you like best about this story?

I got to know the characters and became part of their lives, totally drawn into the story. Lots of interesting info on churches, the people and about how they lived.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many to pick one!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me angry with some of the characters that were evil, it made me cheer for the kind priest. This book drew out many emotions during the journey through the years.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

love it<br />

didn't wanted to read it at first since it is a bit long, but it was worth it. great audio book not what I've expected

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I can't believe I waited a year to read this book!

The Pillars of the Earth was recommended to me about a year prior to my actually purchasing it. For that, I could kick myself! This is one of my all time favorites, and one I'm recommending to everyone I know! I'm sure I'll be rereading this one time and again!!! This is the best of Ken Follett, and although I already admired his works, now I absolutely admire his mind. It takes a rare gift to conceive of this book and put it to paper! Thank you for sharing, Mr. Follett!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Epic, But...

My only complaint is the graphic depictions of rape and sexuality with underaged characters. I know these things happen, but I don't feel the author should have been so explicit with this subject matter. The thought could have been conveyed without the explicit details. I learned quickly to fast forward through these spots. I would not recommend this book to my family or friends because of those graphic literary depictions. Without that, I think the book was masterful and riveting throughout.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sweeping epic

Great characters and setting/sense of the times. This one just draws you in.

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