Winter of the World

The Century Trilogy, Book 2

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 31 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Picking up where Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary Century Trilogy, left off, Winter of the World follows its five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - through a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the great dramas of World War II, and into the beginning of the long Cold War.

Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until daring to commit a deed of great courage and heartbreak...

American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific...

English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight communism just as hard as fascism...

Daisy Peshkov, a driven social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.

©2012 Ken Follett (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Gripping....powerful." (The New York Times)

"[Follett] is so good at plotting a story, even one that takes on such a complex topic such as the World War II era. That's what makes Winter of the World so hard to put down. You want to know what happens next." (The Associated Press)

"A consistently compelling portrait of a world in crisis." (The Washington Post)

Another excellent book!

Ken Follett tells personable tales of what really happened in history, amidst the storyline of characters he has imagined. I so enjoy your stories, Mr. Follett! Thank you.

John Lee is a master of voices and accents....Sir, you are so talented and delightful to listen to. Thank you!

Wonderful Second Book

What did you love best about Winter of the World?

I loved the characters, the storyline. I literally couldn't stop listening to this and am very sad that I will have to wait for the next book.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

John Lee does a wonderful job with all of the different characters and accents. If I had one criticism, it would be his rendition of Daisy. He reads her like a low brow woman from New Jersey, when she is meant to be a Buffalo socialite. The accent he gives her is not relatable or believable to me, but otherwise he does an amazing job with all of the voices.

Another Ken Follet Treasure

What made the experience of listening to Winter of the World the most enjoyable?

The immense skill and craftsmanship of the author of telling a story so spell binding that it is remembered for years. Historical accuracy is spellbinding.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cannot sngle out just one.

Which scene was your favorite?

Panzer battle scenes.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but it is way to long

Any additional comments?

This is the best bargan I ever got from audible.

Just as good as book one

Book 1 was awesome and book 2 did not disappoint. So, so, so glad I listened to it. : )

An Excellent Continuation!

As with Follett's Pillars of the Earth, I really fell in love with the characters in the first installment of this trilogy Fall of Giants. So, I was really worried when Follett said that the sequel, Winter of the World, would deal more with their offspring than the original characters themselves. I was pleasantly surprised to see how masterfully he wove his preceding cast of characters into the tableau with the new set. It was an excellent continuation of the saga.

Some will complain that Follett glosses over many of the aspects and atrocities of WWII, and, indeed, he does little more than dipping the readers' toes into the holocaust. However, as Follet's goal is not education but entertainment, and considering the vast amount of writing that has already been done on the topic, I would say that Follett did an excellent job of protraying the flavor and feel of the age without belaboring facts that are already well known to any semi-educated reader.

All-in-all an excellent listen from an accomplished Author and a wonderful Narrator!

5 Star in every category! So good!

This trilogy is incredible I haven't turned on my TV in over a month. I can't wait to start the 3rd book! Ken Follett is a favorite of mine. I love the way he puts the true history into his books ! Highly recommended!!

I just can't get enough

I cannot get enough of this story and of this narrator, John Lee.

First, the story is so captivating, Picking up a few years after where War of the Worlds(Book1) left off, Winter of the world continues to follow the families you already know so well. Happy, sad, funny and miserable, this book carried me through the range of emotions. Even after hours and hours and hours of listening, when it ended, I was so disappointed and just dying for more. Maybe I will just have to listen to it again.

The narrator, John Lee, is MASTERFUL!!! He gives a unique voice to each character in a way that is so impressive and really drew me into the story even more. I have LOVED everything he has done. Love him!

Pulls History Together and You Are There!

Book 1 was most fantastic and Book 2 just continues. I love the use of language and how history is served up on a timeline. I am not a "connoisseur" of fine literature so take this review with that in mind. I enjoyed both books, am waiting for the 3rd - history came alive for me - I could "see" how so many events correlated and became the springboard for further events - more than in Social Studies Class!

Riveting novel of WWII

Would you listen to Winter of the World again? Why?

Yes. I learned so much history. The story wound through the history was very captivating and plausible.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Winter of the World?

Hard to single out any one section.

Which character – as performed by John Lee – was your favorite?

Some of the characters would be hard to find as a favorite. They were so evil. John Lee is amazing with his accents. I guess Maude would be my favorite. I even backed up to see if he had brought in a female to read her parts.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Stealing the batle plan.

History at its best

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

At the top of the list.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters were believable!

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked most of the story. Although I know most of the historical background I still enjoyed listening.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

I've read most of Follett's books so this was the first time I listen to his story. It was quite enjoyable!