Jannekemarijn Female, 30. Rotterdam, Netherlands

This tale of struggle, slavery, politics and passion takes place in the brutal mines of Scotland. Where freedom is hard to come by. Mack McAsh hungers for escape from the mining life. As does Lizzie Hallim, a high born lady. Although she is trying to obtain the freedom to make her own choices instead of letting a man do all the deciding. Follow both their quests for a place called freedom. Ken Follett succeeds again in writing an easy to read tale that takes you to some wonderful places. Don't expect the greatness of Pillars of the Earth. But none the less it is an entertaining read.

The system was simple. Everyone understood it. Books were for burning, along with the houses in which they were hidden. Pretty grim situation especially for those who love reading.

It is a nice short read this one. There is enough happening to keep you interested. But if you really liked or even loved '1984' this story will sell short. I didn't feel the emotion of the characters or the despair like I did with 1984.

Stephen King does it again. He creates a main character you just have to follow no matter how much you want to run away. This time the story is set on Florida's west coast and Edgar Freemantle is feeling creative. And while the sun is setting, he knows it is time to grab those brushes, dip them in red paint (it is always red) and give it go. What could go wrong?

Ken Follett continues the tale of Kingsbridge around 1300 when a new generation of interesting individuals come to life. The writer's architectural interest complements the story once more. And this time the slowly evolving medical science of those times has joined his pallet. A combination of love, hate, treachery, cunning and the plague will take hold of your imagination and won't let go until you finish the tale.

Not the best book out there. To be truthful I had a hard time finishing it and I am one dedicated reader. Although the tattoo references are interesting the whole story line is skin deep. There is no real flow and certainly no strong ending. What bothered me most was how a 8 year old boy keeps running into old ladies who want to take advantage of him every other day? Plus it's not something I desperately want to read about. If you do, give it a try. If not leave this one on the shelf.

Ken Follett succeeds brilliantly in setting up a whole community of characters to get to know in this beautiful tale. You feel like a citizen living in the town of Kingsbridge. Maybe herding your own flock of sheep or doing crafts work. With Tom Builder as your neighbour. The tension between survival and love, faith and wealth, hunger and family keeps you glued to this book. The architectural detail can be a bit elaborate. But you get a sense of scale and beauty in return.