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)

Very well done

I rolled right into this after the first, what makes it amazing is that the background of world events is historically accurate, people are so cruel. The book does a great job of relaying our history with a human face. Amazing work of interlacing the Soviets, Germans, U.S,, and British, I now understand how Eastern Europe division came about.

Just as good if not better than Fall of the Giants

The first book of this series was amazing, and I liked this one even more! It really helped me understand the history of that era. Ken Follett is a great storyteller. I appreciated the fact that he toned down the intimate scenes a bit. I still was able to feel the emotion of the moment, but to me it's better the way he wrote them in this book. The story line picks up where the last one left off. I recommend reading the Fall of the Giants first. And John Lee is an amazing narrator. He does such a great job with all of the various accents and characters.

Historically Riveting

Love John Lee as the narrator. The character development is so intricate and interwoven. The storyline is unbelievable that you can't put the book down.

A great tale

This isn't "literature," but it's a a darn good tale. Even better than darn good. Though the characters don't have great depth, they are mostly icons rather than real people, they are interesting. The plot soars, dives and twists against a historical background. As an American it's interesting to get a British perspective (along with other European) on WWII.
Though there are more than a few overly convient coincidences, the plot is very enjoyable and hard to turn away from.

I throughly enjoyed this book, as well as the first in the series. This one is slightly better than the first, but not by much. It was good enough that I'm already looking forward to next.

The reader did a fine job, though I think he made some of the strong women sound weaker than I imagined them being. He does an admirable job with the men and their accents.

Marvelous

Thoroughly enjoyable, edge of your seat story. Can't wait for the next book. Ken Follet is an amazing author what a tale he tells

Better than Book 1

What does John Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

John's english accent.

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

No, the book is very long. I need breaks.

Any additional comments?

I found Book 2 to be easier to fall into the groove with. At first I was slightly disappointed that the majority of the story focused primarily the children from Book 1 who are now entering adulthood. The main characters from book 1 are woven into the story and actually create more overall depth. It was great, no disappointment at all.

Great account of the WW2

Really liked the very human portrayal the war from all different perspectives. Amazing reader!

Informative but very interesting

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

I highly recommend this book to those who like myself are interested in history and want to learn about world's important events but may get bored if they just grab a history book and want to read. Having a very attractive novel with the reliable history makes it all together a very interesting book. You will be amused while you are learning a lot.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lady Mold for her being a tough woman going through all the difficulties of life because she believed in her true love.

Have you listened to any of John Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, the pillars of the earth and the fall of giants and he is great. nothing's compared to his performance.

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

yes it sure was.

Thank you Ken Follett

Would you consider the audio edition of Winter of the World to be better than the print version?

Yes

What did you like best about this story?

Ken Follett has taken historical fiction to a new level. If history was presented to school children with as much excitement and empathy, this world would literally be a better place.
You will find no Fictional story with more excitement, intrigue, heroism and depth than

Would you listen to another book narrated by John Lee?

Not if I can help it. The lovely sound of his voice is overshadowed (for me) by his William Shatner style delivery. I expounded on this in my first review of this trilogy so I won't repeat myself.

If you could take any character from Winter of the World out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Grigori or Volodya Peshkov - Grigori would probably be my first choice but both me, for the same reason. I feel they are cut from the same cloth (no only by genetics) but born into different times, will obviously have different fates. Both are men of honor, without many options. Unlike the British and German families, their path was not as clear. Oppressed people, even in Nazi German often have the choice to submit or fight and die. Terrible choices but clear cut. Grigori's government, country and family was so disorganized, unreliable and inconsistent that his choices weren't as clear. Volodya's not as much but similar. Both also seem less resolute and sure that his experience is the only experience worth fighting for. Both seem smart, open minded and honorable. An evening with either one would probably be stimulating and enlightening for us both.

Any additional comments?

The wait for Book 3 is tough.

Great Book

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

I would absolutely recommend this after reading the 1st book of the trilogy. I now have the 3rd book and can't wait to start it.