Fall of Giants

Book One of the Century Trilogy

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 30 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Fall of Giants is Ken Follett's magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits…. Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House…. Two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution…. Billy's sister, Ethel, 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 Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London….

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, 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. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the 20th century, changing themselves—and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

Exclusive interview: Ken Follett and John Lee Talk about Fall of Giants.

©2010 Kevin Follett (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A big Book, Follett''s hugely ambitious saga is a sweeping success. Ken Follett has hit another one out of the park with the initial installment of the hugely ambitious Century Trilogy. His fans will rejoice at the richness, complexity, historical sweep and simmering lust in a saga spanning the years 1911 to 1923." ( Newark Star Ledger)

"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 1000-page book intrigued and wanting more." ( Chicago Sun-Times)

"[Follett] meticulously reconstructs an era and leads us through the follies and occasional heroics of its protagonists real and imaginary. He is masterly in conveyers so much drama and historical information so vividly...Grippingly told, and readable to the end." ( New York Times Book Review)

Great book

Would you listen to Fall of Giants again? Why?

Ken Follett lived up to his reputation built on his previous two novels Pillars of the Earth and World without End. The story is a great read and the history is best lived through characters, which Ken Follett provides.

Great Historical Fiction

I adore Ken Follet and he didn't disappoint with this novel. He does such a fantastic job with character development and intertwining the real aspects of history with the fictional. This book gives a wonderful perspective of the lives of people from the countries that were key players in WWI to really help understand the struggles that were endured. If only history books could be written so well!

Interesting read

Very informative and entertaining at the same time, I look forward to the next book in the series.

Great accents. Great story.

All those hours flew by. The narrator makes it fun. I like the historical explanation at the end.

Hours and hours of perfectly read moments!

Each life event blended in to the next character's life and the 40 + hours seem to whisk by as they transport you.
The narration was perfect. The story was perfect. I recommend it highly.

PAINLESS HISTORY

Ken Follett writes “Fall of Giants” with Charles Dickens’ coincidence, Dumas’ flare, and Mantel’ historicism. In listening to John Lee’s skillful narration, one becomes witness to an interpretation of great moments in the history of WWI. “Fall of Giants” is a painless way of learning something about history.

Follett explains in an interview that “Fall of Giants” follows reported history with interludes of real and fictional conversations about historic events. In some cases, historic figures are a part of the story; in others, fictional characters talk about historical events in imagined social or political meetings.

Follett completes this first book of a trilogy with the appearance of Hitler when the Nazi party fails to overthrow the German government in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch . Each of the families has children that extend these five societal families through 20th century history. Follett offers a painless method for learning something about the history of the 20th century. Follett’s trilogy may not be a perfect factual report of 20th century history but no history, of any time, has ever been precise. Follett successfully offers painless history, wrapped in fiction, about WWI’s beginning, end, and future consequence.

Excellent saga

What did you love best about Fall of Giants?

I love the development of characters and the fact that you grow with them for significant parts of their lives.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think it must be Ethel as she is just feisty and strong. I look forward to finding out what drama she gets into in the next book.

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

I loved how he would change his accent for each of the various characters.

Solid story with interesting weave of characters

First: I started the novel *expecting* to like it because I'm already a Follett fan. Second: I enjoy historical nonfiction very much, so this is close to my wheelhouse... if you aren't fascinated by history, you may not enjoy this.

The basic story here is the leading up to, and the time during World War I. The characters represent German, British, Russian, and American cultures. The plot touches on love and loss, sexual choices, womens' liberation, freedom of speech, corruption and loyalty. There are a few cliches (the demanding father) and a few turns that I didn't see coming.

What I particularly *loved* about this novel was how the characters were all different - age, class, and culture. I loved feeling the story from multiple perspectives and it actually helped shed some light on things I hadn't considered before.

This was long and short at the same time. It was a long novel but it ended somewhat abruptly, and a little too tidy for my personal taste. I understand that is a set up for the next in the trilogy, but it was distracting in a way, and I wasn't totally satisfied upon the book's conclusion.

I really enjoyed this story, and I recommend it to either Follett fans, historical nonfiction or fiction fans. I can't give it 5 stars because I didn't rush out to get the second book as soon as I was done (though it was available at the time of my reading). All in all: a great, solid read... but not a new favorite.

A note about the performance: I almost stopped listening about three hours in, because I don't really care for the narrator. I'm glad I stuck it out, but I would have enjoyed this much more with a clearer speaker.

Great Book!! Excellent characters !

Great read. I'm on the 3rd one . I really enjoyed this series.. He writes in easily understandable words

Extremely engaging book. Bravo!

The characters in this novel were realistic and came to life with the narrator's engaging and emotional tone. At first, the narration seemed to be too quick, but it didn't take long to fall into the captivating rhythm. The historical context gives the reader a fascinating insider's view to the multifaceted nuances of world politics, the class system, and the injustices of war. Well worth the 30 hours!!