Never

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: January LaVoy

Length: 23 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

The Sunday Times Thriller of the Month

Expertly researched and visionary in scale, international number one best seller Ken Follett’s Never is more than a thriller. It imagines a scenario we all hope never comes true, one that will keep you transfixed until the final moments....

A stolen US army drone.

A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert.

A secret stash of deadly chemicals.

Each is a threat to the stability of the world but individually are problems that can be overcome. In the diplomatic arena though, everyone will have a different way of dealing with such a threat. And when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, it will kick off an international chain reaction with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war....

Now three people must work tirelessly and with the utmost skill to stop that from happening:

A spy working undercover with jihadists.

A brilliant Chinese spymaster.

A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election.

The only question is, in a game of brinksmanship can the inevitable ever be stopped?

©2021 Ken Follett (P)2021 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Critic reviews

“A compelling story, and only too realistic.” (Lawrence H. Summers, former US treasury secretary)

"Bold in scale and meticulously researched." (Sunday Times)

"A stunning thriller and one of the most compelling reads of the year." (Daily Express)

NEVER.. For Our Children

The accumulation of seemingly unrelated issues marching slowly & inexorably towards the unseen abyss. The way the story is put together & how quietly it is written only enhances the terrible methodical reality of how these happenings come to pass. Ken Follet is a Master Storyteller.

This is a potential history I never want to occur

A building plot with feasible linked builds to a conclusion that is not expected by me

If you begin, you will hardly be able to stop

A breathtaking story, that begins calmly and finishes with a very surprising ending. Very recomendable

Great Listen but Jesus Ken; leaving it there?

I found this a good listen and generally enjoyed it although I found the bit of box ticking tiresome and I suspect Ken might be doing some sort of penance for previous sins of bias.
But Ken, did you really have to leave it there? I suppose you did otherwise how would you end it but going from absolute tension to the end and nothing, wow. There must be a better way. I was hanging out to know how this was all going to work itself out to bang finished.

Excellent book

I enjoyed this book very much and couldn't stop listening. The narration was very good.

outstanding reality check

extraordinary political reflection of where we are in the world today. A frightening account of a possible apocalyptic scenario...

I’m looking forward to a sequel read by the same narrator.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a great, new trilogy. It just can’t end here.

Wrong Narrator.

The Narrator was unconvincing, and read the story as if it was a romantic novel. She failed to induce any sense of tension or danger, and failed to even try to imitate any accents. The variety of races and tribes described in this novel calls for more than a sing-song monologue.

What a ride!

Shows you how little missteps can have major consequences in the political and international scene..

Wonderful creation

Follet at his best with great new emphasis in developing female characters as main figures. And still, my hart sank at the end…