Synopses & Reviews
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 Follettandrsquo;s Fall of Giants, the first novel in his extraordinary new historical epic, The Century Trilogy, was an international sensation, acclaimed as andldquo;sweeping and fascinating, a book that will consume you for days or weeksandrdquo; (USA Today) and andldquo;grippingly told and readable to the endandrdquo; (The New York Times Book Review). andldquo;If the next two volumes are as lively and entertaining as Fall of Giants,andrdquo; said The Washington Post, andldquo;they should be well worth waiting for.andrdquo;
Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated familiesandmdash;American, German, Russian, English, Welshandmdash;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 warandmdash;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.
Review
Praise for Winter of the World
and#8220;Even after all his novels and#8212; some 20 in all and#8212; the reader remains amazed Follett can research a book so thoroughly that you actually feel like you're there, even smelling the smells.and#8221;
and#8212;USA Today
This second installment of Follettand#8217;s epic Century trilogy is just as potent, engrossing, and prolix as the opening opus, Fall of Giants.... Rife with plot lines, interpersonal intrigue, sweeping historical flourishes, and an authentic and compelling cast, this is a tale of dynamic characters struggling to survive during one of the worldand#8217;s darkest periods.and#8221;
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
and#160;
"Follett does a masterful job of capturing the highs and lows of an extraordinary bloody time." - The Associated Press
and#160;
and#8220;What [Follett] knows how to do is put readersand#8217; hearts in throats...and#8221;
and#8212;The New York Times
and#160;Follett never lets the action lag as he adeptly ties together all the sweeping economic, cultural, political, and social transformations of the entire era.
and#8212;Booklist
and#160;
and#8220;Follettand#8217;s storytelling is unobtrusive and workmanlikeand#8230;he spins a reasonable and readable yarn that embraces dozens of characters and plenty of Big Picture history.and#8221;
and#8212;Kirkus Reviews
and#160;
"Abandon your normal activities for a couple of days when you crack this one open, because you're likely to get hooked like a Copper River salmon."
and#8212;The Seattle Times
and#160;
This book is truly epic.... Follett is a master craftsman. He fills his pages with fascinating characters and then uses the great events of this time to make an exciting plot. He succeeds in every way possible.
and#8212;Huffington Post
Review
Praise for Fall of Giants and#160;
and#8220;Just as potent, engrossing, and prolix as the opening opus, Fall of Giants. [Follettand#8217;s] dedication and ability to keep so many plots spinning while delivering a story that educates, entertainsand#8230;Will leave fans eagerly awaiting the trilogyand#8217;s crowning capstone."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
and#160;
and#8220;Itand#8217;s a book that will suck you in, consume you for days or weeksand#8230; then let you out the other side both entertained and educated."
and#8212; USA Today
and#160;
and#8220;Meticulously researched and deftly weaves together historical fact, fictional characters and engrossing storytelling.and#8221;
and#8212; Associated Press
and#160;
"A tireless storyteller...grippingly told, and readable to the end."
and#8212;The New York Times Book Review
and#160;
"Suspenseful, tightly constructed, sharply characterized, plot-driven...some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today."
and#8212;The Seattle Times
and#160;
"Tantalizing"
and#8212;Newsday
and#160;
"Lively and entertaining."
and#8212;The Washington Post
and#160;
"Epic yarns in prose"
and#8212;The Wall Street Journal
Review
“This book is truly epic....The reader will probably wish there was a thousand more pages.”—
The Huffington Post “Some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today.”—The Seattle Times
“A consistently compelling portrait of a world in crisis.”—The Washington Post
“Gripping…powerful.”—The New York Times
“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 as the World War II era. Thats 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
Review
Praise for Edge of Eternity “This mesmerizing final installment is an exhaustive but rewarding reading experience dense in thematic heft, yet flowing with spicy, expertly paced melodrama, character-rich exploits, familial histrionics, and international intrigue.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review
"
Fall of Giants is a book for you to savor, one in which you can lose yourself for hours on end. It is a big book that tells a big story, but it is one you will not want to end."
-The Huffington Post
"Follett's latest work is epic in scale, meticulously researched and deftly weaves together historical fact, fictional characters and engrossing storytelling."
-The Associated Press
"Fall of Giants stands with Ken Follett's best... Fall of Giants is classic Follett. It's long - almost 1,000 pages; it's populated with hundreds of characters whose lives are intertwined; it's set on a tumultuous world stage; it's a good read....Everything in this novel is oversized, from the scope of history it covers to the characters he creates. It's a book that will suck you in, consume you for days or weeks, depending upon how quick a reader you are, then let you out the other side both entertained and educated. That's quite the feat."
-USA Today
"A big Book, Follett's hugely ambitious saga is a sweeping success. Ken Follett has hit another one out of the park with the initial installment of the hugely ambitious Century Trilogy. His fans will rejoice at the richness, complexity, historical sweep and simmering lust in a saga spanning the years 1911 to 1923."
-Newark Star Ledger
"A dark novel, motivated by an unsparing view of human nature and a clear-eyed scrutiny of an ideal peace. It is not the least of Follett's feats that the reader finishes this near 1000-page book intrigued and wanting more."
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Follett's greatest virtue as a novelist that he has been able to bring forward a writing style he perfected in his earlier thrillers....Essentially, he's writing several interrelated books at once, without ever losing the inevitable forward impulse. And while it sounds bizarre to consider a book this huge a 'page-turner,' that's exactly what Fall of Giants is."
-The Seattle Times
Follett is particularly adept at balancing multiple storylines, patiently building a portrait of interconnected lives. And he consistently gets the physical details right... Perhaps the major reasons for the novel's ultimate success are Follett's comprehensive grasp of the historical record and his ability to integrate research into a colorful, engaging narrative."
-The Washington Post
"[Follett] meticulously reconstructs an era and leads us through the follies and occasional heroics of its protagonists real and imaginary. He is masterly in conveyers so much drama and historical information so vividly...Grippingly told, and readable to the end."
-New York Times Book Review
Review
andldquo;Just as potent, engrossing, and prolix as the opening opus,
Fall of Giants. [Follettandrsquo;s] dedication and ability to keep so many plots spinning while delivering a story that educates, entertainsandhellip;Will leave fans eagerly awaiting the trilogyandrsquo;s crowning capstone.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
Review
andldquo;Follettandrsquo;s storytelling is unobtrusive and workmanlikeandhellip;he spins a reasonable and readable yarn that embraces dozens of characters and plenty of Big Picture history.andrdquo;
andmdash;Kirkus Reviews
Review
andldquo;Follett never lets the action lag as he adeptly ties together all the sweeping economic, cultural, political, and social transformations of the entire era.andrdquo;
andmdash;Booklist
Review
andldquo;Itandrsquo;s a book that will suck you in, consume you for days or weeksandhellip; then let you out the other side both entertained
and educated.andquot;
andmdash; USA Today on Fall of Giants
Review
andldquo;Meticulously researched and deftly weaves together historical fact, fictional characters and engrossing storytelling.andrdquo;
andmdash; Associated Press on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;A tireless storyteller...grippingly told, and readable to the end.andquot;
andmdash;The New York Times Book Review on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Suspenseful, tightly constructed, sharply characterized, plot-driven...some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today.andquot;
andmdash;The Seattle Times
Review
andquot;Tantalizingandquot;
andmdash;Newsday on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Lively and entertaining.andquot;
andmdash;The Washington Post on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Epic yarns in proseandquot;
andmdash;The Wall Street Journal on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Abandon your normal activities for a couple of days when you crack this one open, because you're likely to get hooked like a Copper River salmon.andquot;
--The Seattle Times on WINTER OF THE WORLD.
Review
Praise for Edge of Eternity and#8220;Edge of Eternity is as compulsively readable a mighty page-turner as its two predecessors."
and#8211;The Seattle Times
and#8220;Hugely ambitious, the trilogy serves as a massive history lesson as well as an example of good, old-fashioned storytelling.and#8221;
and#8211;The New York Daily News
and#8220;The historical events are the backdrop but the characters are the focal point. Good storytellers know this and Follett is an excellent one.and#8221;
and#8211;The Huffington Post
and#8220;Mesmerizing....flowing with spicy, expertly paced melodrama, character-rich exploits, familial histrionics, and international intrigue.and#8221;
and#8211;and#160;Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Worth the wait"
and#8211; Library Journal (starred review)
"A fascinating, sprawling, epic conclusion to Ken Follett's Century Trilogy."
-- The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"A glorious conclusion to a remarkable trilogy that is wonderful, exhilarating reading for all ages. Fine, fine historical fiction."
and#8211;and#160;Historical Novel Society
"Follett does an outstanding job of interweaving and personalizing complicated narratives set on a multicultural stage."
and#8211; Booklist
Review
“A novel of majesty and power.”—Chicago Sun-Times
Review
“Follett is masterly in conveying so much drama and historical information so vividly…grippingly told.”—
The New York Times Book Review “Fall of Giants is classic Follett.”—USA Today
“Follett conjures the winds of war.”—The Washington Post
“Grand in scope, scale, and story.”—The Associated Press
“A suspenseful epic.”—The Seattle Times
“Tantalizing.”—Newsday
“Fascinating, in a big way.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Review
“Hugely ambitious…an example of good old-fashioned storytelling.”—
New York Daily News “[Follett] is a commanding storyteller who has taken on an impossibly large task and accomplished it with passion, intelligence, and skill.”—The Washington Post
“Characters so vivid it is easy to keep them alive in our mind.”—The Huffington Post
“A mighty page-turner.”—The Seattle Times
“Mesmerizing.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Synopsis
Ken Follett's extraordinary, #1New York Timesbestselling historical epic, the Century Trilogy, reaches its sweeping, passionate conclusion.
InFall of GiantsandWinter of the World, Ken Follett followed the fortunes of five international families American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh as they made their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements, and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution and rock and roll.
East German teacher Rebecca Hoffmann discovers she s been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives . . . . George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedy s Justice Department and finds himself in the middle of not only the seminal events of the civil rights battle but a much more personal battle of his own . . . . Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than he d imagined . . . . Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Krushchev, becomes an agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tanya, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw and into history."
Synopsis
The sweeping, passionate conclusion to Ken Folletts extraordinary historical epic, The Century Trilogy. In Fall of Giants and Winter of the World, Ken Follett followed the fortunes of five international familiesAmerican, German, Russian, English, and Welshas they made their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements, and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolutionand rock and roll.
East German teacher Rebecca Hoffmann discovers shes been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives.
George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedys Justice Department and finds himself in the middle of not only the seminal events of the civil rights battle but a much more personal battle of his own.
Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than hed imagined.
Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Krushchev, becomes a prime agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tanya, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsawand into history.
Synopsis
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Picking up where Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary Century Trilogy, left off, Winter of the World follows its five interrelated familiesAmerican, German, Russian, English, and Welshthrough a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the great dramas of World War II, and into the beginning of the long Cold War.
Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until daring to commit 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 social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.
Synopsis
Ken Follettand#8217;s Century Trilogy follows the fortunes of five intertwined familiesand#151;American, German, Russian, English, and Welshand#151;as they make their way through the twentieth century. It has been called and#147;potent, engrossingand#8221; (
Publishers Weekly) and and#147;truly epicand#8221; (
Huffington Post).
USA Today said, and#147;You actually feel like youand#8217;re there.and#8221;
Edge ofand#160; Eternity, the finale, covers one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, encompassing civil rights, assassinations, Vietnam, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolutionand#151;and rock and roll.
and#160;
East German teacher Rebecca Hoffman discovers sheand#8217;s been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for generationsand#133; George Jakes, himself bi-racial, bypasses corporate law to join Robert F. Kennedyand#8217;s Justice Department and finds himself in the middle of not only the seminal events of the civil rights battle, but also a much more personal battleand#133; Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is much more dangerous than heand#8217;d imaginedand#133; Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Khrushchev, becomes an agent for good and for ill as the Soviet Union and the United States race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tania, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsawand#151;and into history.
and#160;
These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as they add their personal stories and insight to the most defining events of the 20th century. From the opulent offices of the most powerful world leaders to the shabby apartments of those trying to begin a new empire, from the elite clubs of the wealthy and highborn to the passionate protests of a countryand#8217;s most marginalized citizens, this is truly a drama for the ages.
and#160;
With the Century Trilogy, Follett has guided readers through an entire era of history with a masterand#8217;s touch. His unique ability to tell fascinating, brilliantly researched stories that captivate readers and keep them turning the pages is unparalleled. In this climactic and concluding saga, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.
Synopsis
View our Ken Follett feature page.
Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep, beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.
Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits...Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House...two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution...Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London...
These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.
In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the twentieth century, changing themselves-and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.
Watch a Video
Synopsis
A thirteen-year-old Welsh boy enters a man's world in the mining pits; an American law student rejected by love finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House; a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with a German spy; and two orphaned Russian brothers embark on radically different paths when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution.
From the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty, Fall of Giants takes readers into the inextricably entangled fates of five families-and into a century that we thought we knew, but that now will never seem the same again.
Synopsis
The spellbinding epic set in twelfth-century England, The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of the lives entwined in the building of the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known—and a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.
About the Author
Ken Follett burst into the book world with Eye of the Needle, an award-winning thriller and international bestseller. After several more successful thrillers, he surprised everyone with The Pillars of the Earth and its long-awaited sequel, World Without End, a national and international bestseller. Folletts new, magnificent historical epic, the Century Trilogy, opened with the bestselling Fall of Giants. He lives in England with his wife, Barbara.