• 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)

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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
    132
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

Captivating from start to finish

I wish this story could go on and on. When listening I felt as if I were aging with the characters. This is a very well written novel and the reading is one of the best I have listened to.

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

compelling story mired by constant sexual abuse

elephant in the room? This book has a lot of rape, and detailed depictions of it. This would have been a 5 star book without it. there no way to get around it. it made listening to this book an extremely difficult chore at times.

otherwise, it was a good story and well told. the narrator was very good.

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

Greatest book!

Read it years agon and now I listened to it enthralled! Can’t wait to listen to the next two books in the series.

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

Awesome Book

I usually read and listen to thrillers and spy novels. This book is completely different. And yet, I was captivated from the moment it started. All of the characters are interesting and well developed and the story is very interesting. One of the best books I've ever listened to. John Lee is the perfect narrator for this story

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

Must listen to

Awesome book. The narrator kept you wanting to hear more. Very captivating story I would recommend this book to friends.

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

Very well done

Would you listen to The Pillars of the Earth again? Why?

I will listen to it again because its a work worth reading multiple times.

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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

Purely Amazing!

I have now completed this book twice and it is still my all time favorite book. I get so connected with the characters and their life just takes over my brain. Stunning work! Now I'm off to World without End for the second time! Happy listening.... you.won't be disappointed.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Narration!

This was a fantastic and intriguing story! I stayed awake for three nights in a row, because I could not bring myself to stop listening. This has got to be Ken Follet's best work by far. John Lee is definitely my favorite narrator. It really makes a difference for the listener.

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

Politics, church, ego, poverty and survival.

This was a long but well written and entertaining book. I took a deep breath when I invested my time and credit, but I felt compelled and encouraged by the reviews. The story offers a nice glimpse into the era and offers up a nice texture to their passage in time. It has the good, the bad and the ugly characters that each in their own way use to negotiate survival and serve their purpose in life. I dedicated time and attention to the book with ease and am now considering other Ken Follett books.

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

Wonderful book, top preformance!

The story by Ken Follett is an enchanting, wonderful story. one of those books you don't want to put down. I found myself listening at any possible moment, sometimes through work... the performance by John Lee is also great - this is probably the best listen I purchased up to date!

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