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The Pillars of the Earth

By Ken Follett

(361)

| Audio CD | 9780143142386

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Book Description

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.

Abridged edition read by Richard E. Grant

25 Reviews

2 people find this helpful

Pillars of the Earth

It's very apparent that this historical fiction was written by an author who normally writes suspense - it's next to impossible to put this book down. The (nearly) 1000 pages seem to melt away like magic. Typical to the suspense genre, there's not many shades-of-gray in the character development ( ... (continue)

It's very apparent that this historical fiction was written by an author who normally writes suspense - it's next to impossible to put this book down. The (nearly) 1000 pages seem to melt away like magic. Typical to the suspense genre, there's not many shades-of-gray in the character development ("good guys" vs. "bad guys") and the plot "twists" are liberally telegraphed (in order to build the suspense of course). However the action charges on virtually non-stop, keeping the reader fully absorbed in the narrative.

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Readingrat said on May 8, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

Ebb and flow...

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. Sometimes Follett's writing is great, other times it's juvenile. Sometimes I want to skip whole chapters because the story is so slow, and other times I can't read fast enough to find out what happens next. This conflict frustrates me and leaves me with ... (continue)

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. Sometimes Follett's writing is great, other times it's juvenile. Sometimes I want to skip whole chapters because the story is so slow, and other times I can't read fast enough to find out what happens next. This conflict frustrates me and leaves me with a somewhat indifferent attitude toward the story.
I bought the cheap version of the book with the intention of buying a nice hardcover if I liked it. Well, I like the book enough to want to read the sequel, but not enough to replace my cheap copy of the first.

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Joel Goodman said on Jun 6, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

My favorite book

This is my #1 all-time favorite book. Its scope is sweeping and each character is sketched in a believable way. Definitely pick this up.

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Brian said on May 21, 2007 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

Sublime

L'ho letto benissimo. Scorrevole, semplice e una storia avvincente, gli ingredienti fondamentali per un buon libro.

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danido3 said on Feb 4, 2012 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

A must read for those who wants to know more about churches. This book lives up to what the author stated before the start of the book: a fiction not only introduce the beauty of these architecture but also mixed with romance, love, and drama!

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Saxotomy said on Jan 26, 2012 | Add your feedback

LOTTA PERENNE TRA IL BENE E IL MALE

Una frase del libro recita: "Her story of childbirth and death, desperation and hope, ancient secrets and enduring love, made the question of Philip's chastity seem trivial".
E' da qui che si evince la vera essenza di questo capolavoro. Si parla di monaci, di fede, di cattedrali, ma nulla deve far p ... (continue)

Una frase del libro recita: "Her story of childbirth and death, desperation and hope, ancient secrets and enduring love, made the question of Philip's chastity seem trivial".
E' da qui che si evince la vera essenza di questo capolavoro. Si parla di monaci, di fede, di cattedrali, ma nulla deve far pensare di trovarsi di fronte ad un libro anonimo che rasenta la noi. Tutti i protagonisti, dai "sacri" (il monaco Philip, Waleran Bigod) ai "profani" (Ellen, Tom the builder, Jack, Aliena, William Amleigh) fanno crescere nel lettore un interesse fuori dal comune, per le loro storie che si intrecciano inevitabilmente e che rendono la storia davvero avvincente. Da una parte i buoni, gli umili, coloro che vivono di lavoro e sacrifici e vedono sfumare a volte il sogno della gloria, dall'altra i cattivi che cercano sempre di rovinare tutto, di accorrere al successo a costi troppo alti. E' una lotta insita nella storia dell'uomo che prende vita tra le mura di un piccolo villaggio (e a volte espatria) dove viene costruita una cattedrale, punto focale e di ritrovo, parte integrante del romanzo e inizio di tutte le vicissitudini.
Un romanzo da non poter non leggere, un'opera completa, piena di storia, sentimenti e forti emozioni.

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Valesara46 said on Jan 18, 2012 about the Others edition | Add your feedback