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  • World Without End

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 45 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (20,806 ratings)

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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
  • 5 Stars
    15,367
  • 4 Stars
    4,100
  • 3 Stars
    919
  • 2 Stars
    249
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Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
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    12,167
  • 4 Stars
    1,673
  • 3 Stars
    287
  • 2 Stars
    47
  • 1 Stars
    48
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10,802
  • 4 Stars
    2,573
  • 3 Stars
    598
  • 2 Stars
    148
  • 1 Stars
    89

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great read

I loved this book. At first, I had trouble overcoming the characters because they seemed very 21st century in their beliefs and mischievous ways, but I enjoyed the plot and ended up falling in love with the story. I'm looking forward to more books like this and Pillars from Ken.

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

Great for Listening

This is a great book to listen to in the car or while working on something mindless. The author reminds you who's who and what's going on quite frequently. It's also very well read. Very similar to Pillars of the Earth, but I liked this one better. Pillars is probably a better and more original work, but I can personally relate to this book a bit more.

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

The Best Bad Guys

I'm not sure what it says about Follett, but he is able to create characters that draw my hatred more than any other writer I've come across. Like the first in the series, it is full of suspense, mystery, and details of every day middle age life that come together for an epic tale.

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

Worth a read.

It was an entertaining story of the continued life in Kingsbridge. There were references to "Pillars" characters, and we were able to peer into the town's growth.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Sequel

Ken Follett does it again! This is a fantastic continuation of the world in and around Kingsbridge. A saga you don't want to end! I'm definitely hooked on Follett as well as the narrator, John Lee.

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

Fantastic Story

Would you listen to World Without End again? Why?

Yes I would listen to this again. It is a very long detailed story, it would be good to listen again to catch things that I missed the first time. Very good story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully Entertaining

This was a really fun book to listen to I would almost say great but it probably doesn't really qualify as great, you know great as in Hamlet perhaps I can say great fun. It was neat to hear the authors many players or are they cast members get woven into a single story covering decades of their lives. Set in England you couldn't help but feel the author had really done some research to describe life in the 12th century. His description of town’s village’s clergy and our heroes seemed so real. I love good mysteries but it was far more fun to have it set in an age we know so little about. The other thing I love are well written long books, you know 12, hours 14 hours well Ken's 2 books about England and the Priory and town of Kingsbridge make the top of my list because the first one Pillars of the Earth was 40 hours long and his second World Without End was 44 hours long, my kind of listening. I loved them both and highly recommend both books although there are a few scenes some of you ladies might want to fast forward by. I hope Ken has it in him to give us another, thanks Ken.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Best Audio Book I've Ever Listened To!!!

Better than Pillars. The passionate love story of Gwenda & Wolfricke alone is worth the listen. I hope they make a mini-series out of this one too.

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

wonderful all the way around

loved it, brilliantly written and told. I couldn't stop listening. I am buying the 3rd book now

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

Epic

It's so good. Part of what's sure to be an epic trilogy. Can't wait to read the next!

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