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)

Outstanding!

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

Near the top of the list.

Any additional comments?

As good as the first book in the series. A can't miss purchase. I can hardly wait for the third book.

Great storytelling

Like other Follett books, the story is told in such a way that you can visualize the time period. I was excited that there was a ‘rare’ African American character in the story, then disappointed that her character wasn’t fully developed and wished she had been left out of the story for what it was worth. It was interesting to read how each country came into the war and experience what it must have been like for its citizens of the time.

Loved this book.

I listened to the first book and will listen to the last. This book gave me so much to consider and ponder over. The willingness of so many to risk so much. May we be as heroic and willing to stand against humanity's evils today.

Love this series

Enjoying the series from a history perspective. Well written, great characters, and a sense of how the lives of people during this era were. Makes me feel so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy today (at least in the western world).

History alive

Ken Follett manages, like no other, to tie "black-and white events", all of which I was aware of as separate facts, into a coherent, exciting story and infuse it with life, told through the eyes of five families. He does not try and embellish, he just tells events from a first-hand observers point of view.
He managed to make me see history in a new light and add colour to it.

The reader has a knack for English and American accents. His German could do with a little Hilfe. All in all, I very much like listening to him.

I am very much looking forward to listening to the final part of the Trilogy.

multiple listen book

love historical fiction and love the way Ken Follett creates these world's. John Lee is the perfect narrator for those booms

Another wonderful tale by Ken Follett

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

John Lee and Ken Follett pair up again to create a compelling listen!

Best of the long series of historical fiction.

Better than any other one of the long series of war books. Love the reader. Also like nightingale as well.

As good as the first one

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

Almost at the top. It was a pleasure to listen to it

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lloyd and Daisy were my favorite character to follow

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

As in the first one, John Lee was perfect

The absolute best trilogy!

The absolute best trilogy. I cannot wait to hear the next book. Great characters, great imagery, heart grabbing stories. Well worth the time to listen.