The Pillars of the Earth

De: Ken Follett

Narrado por: John Lee

If you liked the Century Trilogy, you’ll love the “extraordinary . . . monumental masterpiece.”—Booklist, that changed the course of Ken Follett’s already phenomenal career.

“Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner,” extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth. A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and gripping humanity. Today, it stands as a testament to Follett’s unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal.

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 twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett’s historical masterpiece.©1989 Ken Follett; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for The Pillars of the Earth

"Enormous and brilliant . . . a great epic tale . . . crammed with characters unbelievably alive across the great gulf of centuries . . . touches all human emotion—love and hate, loyalty and treachery, hope and despair. See for yourself. This is truly a novel to get lost in." —Cosmopolitan

"Wonderful . . . will hold you, fascinate you, surround you." —Chicago Sun-Times

"Follett is a master." —The Washington Post

"A towering tale . . . a ripping read. . . . There's murder, arson, treachery, torture, love, and lust." —The New York Daily News

"Ken Follett takes a giant step." —San Francisco Chronicle

"With this book, Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner . . . a historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere, and memorable characterization. Beginning with a mystery that casts its shadow, the narrative is a seesaw of tension, suspense, impeccable pacing . . . action, intrigue, violence, passion, greed, bravery, dedication, revenge, and love. A love that entertains, instructs, and satisfies on a grand scale." —Publishers Weekly

"An extraordinary epic buttressed by suspense . . . a mystifying puzzle involving the execution of an innocent man . . . the erection of a magnificent cathedral . . . romance, rivalry, and spectacle. A monumental masterpiece . . . a towering triumph from a major talent." —Booklist

Sublime

Follet's preface, about how he'd come to write this novel, had me hooked. His effort, research and honesty propelled me into his novel with enthusiasm. The reader, John Lee, does a superb job. His tone is rich, full of a multitude of vocal inflections that carry ones imagination deeply into this historical adventure. And like a great actor he never shines so brightly on the material that his 'acting' takes precedence over the reading. I can't wait to get the sequel. One thousand cheers to Mr Follet for having ventured into terrain so different from his home.
scott stambler. real name.

Very good, but not great

Any additional comments?

After listening to several of Ken Follett's novels - or more accurately, tomes - I've come to expect a few things. First, the book will likely contain several graphic rape and sex scenes. (Some of them graphic enough to make a sailor blush). And while some of this can make you love or hate a character, I felt like the continued graphic element in this book detracted a bit from the narrative - every ten minutes there was mention of this and that body part. Secondly, the story will be rich in detail and it will usually end up being very interesting. And finally, it will be at least 40 hours long and read by John Lee (who is a fantastic narrator by the way).

Overall I enjoyed the book. Good character development and some unexpected twists and turns. I've never listened to a book detailing this period of history, so learning of the times and politics of the early Christian church was informative. There was one character that reminded me of a cheap action movie villain that seems to survive every un-survivable situation imaginable. He's a constant thorn in your side that never goes away.

Not Follett's best, but worth your listen.

Flawed but Engaging

Like a beautiful painting with flecks of vomit on it, this book is mostly enjoyable--except for a few jarring passages. The prolonged scenes of rape are awful. And the love scenes were gratuitous and self-indulgent, I thought. I kept hanging on, thinking surely the villain would meet a grisly, brutal end equal to his violent history. But it was rather brief and anticlimactic. It seemed to me the author enjoyed torturing only women--and at every opportunity, elaborating on every squeamish detail.

The Best

This is by far the best book I have ever "read". I am a big fan of Ken Follet, but was a bit nervous of the new style from what I was used to from him. After about 6 minutes I was completely hooked, and could only hope for traffic jams so I could listen to more and more of this book. I would not hesitate to suggest this book to anyone, and already have! This is a must read book.

A Long, Long Listen

Pillars is an excellent listen. It was v-e-r-y long...so be prepared. The narrator was excellent. There is some raw sexual content and language. I looked forward to listening each night while on the treadmill. Enjoy!