Fall of Giants

Book One of the Century Trilogy

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Ken Follett’s magnificent new historical epic begins as five interrelated families move through the momentous dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women’s suffrage.

A thirteen-year-old Welsh boy enters a man’s world in the mining pits. . . . An American law student rejected in love finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House. . . . A housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with a German spy. . . . And two orphaned Russian brothers embark on radically different paths when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution.

From the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty, Fall of Giants takes us into the inextricably entangled fates of five families—and into a century that we thought we knew, but that now will never seem the same again. . . .

Critic reviews

"Follett is masterly in conveying so much drama and historical information so vividly . . . grippingly told." —The New York Times Book Review

"Follett entwines fiction and factual events well. . . . This is a dark novel, motivated by an unsparing view of human nature and a clear-eyed scrutiny of an ideal peace. It is not the least of Follett's feats that the reader finishes this near thousand-page book intrigued and wanting more." —Chicago Sun-Times

"A good read. . . . It's a book that will suck you in, consume you for days or weeks . . . then let you out the other side both entertained and educated. That's quite the feat." —USA Today

"Fall of Giants is a book for you to savor, one in which you can lose yourself for hours on end. It is a big book that tells a big story, but it is one you will not want to end." —The Huffington Post

"Fascinating, in a big way." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"A suspenseful epic." —The Seattle Times

"Tantalizing." —Newsday

"Follett conjures the winds of war." —The Washington Post

"Grand in scope, scale, and story." —The Associated Press

Loved it and learned alot.

I must admit that I was put off by the negative reviews I read. I listened to it anyway and loved it. With good characters that I cared about it is a very easy read. What I was amazed at was how little I learned in school about WW1. I think you could easily teach a course based on this book. I went to the internet constantly to learn more about incidents that were mentioned in the book. I could not put it down.

Great story about World War I

I had been looking for a good story that also explains how WWI came about, and found it in "Fall of Giants, Book 1". This was my first Ken Follett book, and I really enjoyed the way he tells a story and explains history at the same time. It moved right along and didn't get weighed down in elaborate descriptions that take forever to get through. Yet, he describes things well . . . I really had a good picture in my mind of the characters, scenes, etc. It is true that the main characters reconnect with one another throughout the book in ways that are somewhat unbelievable. I was forgiving of Follett for this because he is such a good storyteller. However, I do hope this feedback reaches the author so he can work on improving this one weak point. Despite this, I still give it five stars. In fact, I liked it so much that I read it twice before moving on to a new book!

The Best Book I've ever read

I originally said that about Pillars of the Earth. But after listening to Fall of Giants, I will say it again. Ken Follett is a master at writing an interesting story. I like history, but it is can be dry. I find historical fiction to be increadibly satisfying. If I'm going to take the time to "read" a book, I would like to keep something from it. At least with these two books I know that the major events are true.

I can't recommend it highly enough. I think I'll start all over again with it.

If you love history, you will enjoy this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The reader was very enjoyable (although you can hear his slight struggle with an American accent), and the characters draw you in and are relatable. However, I could have done without the numerous, highly descriptive sex scenes. I purchased this book to hear about the politics of starting of a war, Not to hear about hard nipples and erect cocks.

Wonderful

I enjoyed every minute of this book - the characters were engaging, the storyline compelling, the history was a reminder of how the 20th century began in war and how nationalism ultimately led to yet another war. I was moved by several moments, but especially the scene in the Welsh mining town following the battle of the Somme. The narration was flawless and my only regret was when it came to an end.