The Pillars of the Earth

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 40 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.

A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of 12th century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.

©1989 Ken Follett (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Critic reviews

"Follett is a master." (The Washington Post)

"A historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere and detail and memorable characterization." (Publishers Weekly)

I can't say enough

Though I'm a historical fiction fan I didn't think this book was going to be my cup of tea, and boy was I wrong. I completely disagree with those that say it was too long. Obviously a 40 hour audiobook is an epic read and if you don't think you can manage I suggest the abridged version, but the story and narration here is SO good I think if you listen to the abridged you'll be very sorry that you missed 75% of the story. I truly hope Follett writes a third. I'll be all over it. I've been avid reader of historical fiction for 25 years and this is certainly in my Top 3 of all time.

Loved it!

One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. Follet creates characters you really care about. I like that the protagonists are not perfect. They have flaws. And Follet did not impose modern sensibilities on Medieval characters. These characters think, act and believe as real Medieval people would. The perspective on everyday life in the Middle Ages was fascinating.

There is violence, yes. Life in that period could be very violent. There is one scene that is particularly graphic, but that scene describes a real historical event -- and describes it accurately. There is sex too, so if that bothers you this book is not for you. But if you enjoy history or historical fiction, you'll love this book. And if you're like me, you won't want the book to end.

One more thing: The narrator is absolutely fantastic! Be sure to get the unabridged version if you want the full story with this wonderful narrator!

Take a chance.

It has to be the best novel I have ever encountered. How I wish I could go back and listen to it for the first time. Sadly, I doubt I could actually "read" this book because I am sure I would get lost in the language but John Lee is simply marvelous and makes you feel as if you're right there with the character experiencing everything they are experiencing. What a glorious book. Take a chance. You will be so glad you did.

Unexpectedly Outstanding

Easily one of the top five books I've listened to. It is very long, but what an amazing story. I purchased this based on the fact that it came out on top for the Audible book face off competition. The story did not sounding particularly appealing at first, but Follett does such a wonderful job of story telling. He transports you back to the period and vividly presents the challenges of the characters. Well worth the 40+ hours of listening. When my MP3 player died, I found a paperback copy and finished it. Then I immediately purchased his next book World Without End, another amazing story.

Amazing

I rarely listen to an audiobook more than 12-15 hours long. Heck, I give up after 2-3 hours if the book isn't truly engrossing. On top of that, I find that fiction books often make worse audiobooks than nonfiction.

That said -- I listened to every minute of this book and wanted more! I was enthralled and entertained the whole way through. I cannot believe it was 40+ hours!

The first thing I did when I was finished was download the sequel (World w/o End)and start in on another masterful 40+ hour story.

Do not be afraid of this book's length. It is excellent material! The narrator is phenomenal too. He has a great voice, consistent characters, and excellent emotion.

If you like the historical medieval or fantasy genres (no fantasy here though) you WILL enjoy this book.

great read

What great fun this book was. I listened for 3 days straight. I couldnt stop listening. It made me want to go tour the great Cathedrals and ancient churches. I gained a new perspective on the hardships early civilizations had. The influence early christianity had on communities and cultures was also quite the eye-opener. I did get tired of our heroine always getting beat up though. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy the epic journeys.

Prime Follet

Any additional comments?

What an amazing trip through a time period (before the Renaissance) little known or understood. Great characters. Great narration. Wonderful details about business. Strong women. One small complaint. I'm not giving anything away (really) but if you hate knowing anything about a plot stop here.A warehouse full of wool in sacks burns. I don't think so. I think wool, filled with lanolin, packed in sacks, would not burn like that. I may be wrong, but that's my suspicion. This book really stays with you. Right now I want to go on a walking trip through the great cathedrals of Europe.

building cathedrals in early England

This book is narrated beautifully and grabs you from the beginning. You can hardly put it down. Lots of wonderful history from architecture, to life in a monastery, guild life, and the politics of the time. I loved every bit of it, was absorbed by the characters and felt transported through the whole epic. A must read if you love history and fiction.

More please

The book was great, the expressive voice of the reader made me feel like I was there, I want more from this story line in the future

What??? A Novel about Catheral Building.

At first glance you're thinking a story based upon the buiding of Kingsbridge Catheral??? Absolutely, NO WAY!!! But, as you listen for a little while, you're wondering what you just heard has got to do with anything; and so you listen for little more. After a while you've found that you have completed all 5 parts; and it occurs to you that the novel you have just completed, was actually pretty darn good.