• World Without End

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 45 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (20,642 ratings)

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World Without End  By  cover art

World Without End

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's summary

In 1989 Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in 12th-century England that centered on the building of a cathedral and the men, women, and children whose lives it changed forever. Critics were overwhelmed, and readers and listeners ever since have hoped for a sequel.

At last, here it is. Although the two novels may be listened to in any order, World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge.

Three years in the writing, World Without End once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft.

©2007 Ken Follett (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fans of Follett's previous medieval epic will be well rewarded." (Publishers Weekly)

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What listeners say about World Without End

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    15,225
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Story
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Long winded rehash of Pillars but done well

The narration is solid and the tale enjoyable, although it must be noted and clearly stated that it is largely a somewhat longer winded version of The Pillars of the Earth, which is fine as that's what I expected. An enjoyable and lengthy listen.

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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

Great sequel

Enjoyed every minute of it . Would love to listen to the whole thing again . Great performance and story. Recommend to anyone.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Sequel

This sequel to Pillars of the Earth was just as good, which is not common. Follett delivered another great adventure.

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

Loved it!!

I've not been dissatisfied with any of Ken Follet's books and this one was not one to disagree with that statement! Truly enjoyed it and was excited each day to hear how the story continued.

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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

This audio really makes the book accessible

Would you consider the audio edition of World Without End to be better than the print version?

This is a really good book for the historical fiction fanatic. But I don't know that I could have found the time to read it in print....so grateful for the wonderful audio version.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

Mr Lee's voices sounded authentic and rich - not contrived like some voice actors who cannot sustain them.

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

Yes, I always wanted to keep going with this great audio. But alas, it's so long I had to take breaks for real life!

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

Great follow-up to Pillars of the Earth

If you could sum up World Without End in three words, what would they be?

Historical, Thrilling, Sexy

What did you like best about this story?

Following a family through-out their history.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Merphin proved his design of the bridge was correct.

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

Spectacular story

Met expectations. As good as the prequel. Love the character development as always
Enjoy the narrator very much. Highly recomend.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Another great listen!

I really enjoyed this book-though not quite as much as Pillars of the Earth. While some parts moved along and I was eager to hear more, some parts, dragged a bit, and I was able to anticipate what was going to happen next. Having said this, I certainly do hope there is a third book coming!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Thanks for Unabridged version!

Wonderful way to learn history during Dark Ages to include theology, architecture, war technology, romance, feudal system, sacred history, religious doctrine affectd by superstition and ignorance, early discoveries of disease control.....all in a wonderful work of fiction. I intend to reread right away after reading the prequel again, Pillars of the Earth(also superb).

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good, but.....

It is a good continuation of Pillars of the earth. Details are excellent as usual. Characters are beliveable and you hate the "bad guys", love the "good guys", feel the charaters frustrations, ect... However, I felt the ending to be rushed and "glossed over". The author could probably have made a second book out of it instead of skimming in the last part.

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