Winter of the World

Book Two of the Century Trilogy

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Ken Follett follows up his #1 New York Times bestseller Fall of Giants with a brilliant, page-turning epic about the heroism and honor of World War II, and the dawn of the atomic age.

Ken Follett’s Fall of Giants, the first novel in his extraordinary new historical epic, The Century Trilogy, was an international sensation, acclaimed as “sweeping and fascinating, a book that will consume you for days or weeks” (USA Today) and “grippingly told and readable to the end” (The New York Times Book Review). “If the next two volumes are as lively and entertaining as Fall of Giants,” said The Washington Post, “they should be well worth waiting for.”

Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, Welsh—enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs.

Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until she commits a deed of great courage and heartbreak. . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific. . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism. . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven American social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set, until the war transforms her life, not just once but twice, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war—but the war to come.

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as their experiences illuminate the cataclysms that marked the century. From the drawing rooms of the rich to the blood and smoke of battle, their lives intertwine, propelling the reader into dramas of ever-increasing complexity.

As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. With passion and the hand of a master, he brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.


12 CDs, 13 Hours
Read by John Lee

Critic reviews

Praise for Winter of the World

"Gripping . . . powerful." —The New York Times

"Some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today." —The Seattle Times

"A consistently compelling portrait of a world in crisis." —The Washington Post

"Masterfully sweeping. . . . Political intrigue, amorous episodes, suspense, and drama. History comes to life." —The Louisville Courier-Journal

"[Follett] is so good at plotting a story, even one that takes on such a complex topic such as the World War II era. That's what makes Winter of the World so hard to put down. You want to know what happens next." —The Associated Press

"An entertaining historical soap opera." —Kirkus Reviews

"The man tells a story so well. . . . Follett can make things glow with some beautifully written episodes." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Clips along at a brisk pace. . . [Follett] knows how to keep the pages turning and how to make the reader feel a kinship with the characters' struggles. . . . No matter the ultimate destination, readers can expect to savor the journey." —The Christian Science Monitor

Engrossing and brilliant. A must read.

This book enraptured me. I was sad that it ended. The characters entered my heart. I worried with them and watched them conquer a difficult time. They made me understand that WWII is not just a history lesson. It was real people struggling together to conquer a real evil in their midst. The sex was not as overdone as in The Fall of Giants and I liked that better. Less is more. I am looking forward to The Edge of Eternity next.

great story

loved the book. looking forward to the third book Edge of Eternity. Amazing book that will make you think about things

THIS IS THE ABRIDGED VERSION

You have to look closely at the cover but this is the shortened abridged version not the full story. It is good but I wondered why the characters weren’t as fully developed etc in this one and come to find out there is a full version that is 31 hours and this one that is 8. They both have the same title. So disappointed

Good story but John Lee’s cadence is too choppy

John Lee’s speaks as if he were angry all the time. His voice does not reflect the mood of the characters and his female impersonations do not work. Too bad. I wanted to go on to the third book, but he narrates that too. Please have someone like Rosamund Pike or Juliet Stevens narrate Follett’s books.

Remarkably portraits this era through the experiences of others.

I found the story very well developed around historic events of the 1940s. My only problem was the number of characters were difficult to keep straight.