World Without End

In 1989 Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England centered on the building of a cathedral and many of the hundreds of lives it affected. Critics were overwhelmed—“it will hold you, fascinate you, surround you” (Chicago Tribune)—and readers everywhere hoped for a sequel.

World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge, but this sequel stands on its own. This time the men and women of an extraordinary cast of characters find themselves at a crossroad of new ideas— about medicine, commerce, architecture, and justice. In a world where proponents of the old ways fiercely battle those with progressive minds, the intrigue and tension quickly reach a boiling point against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race—the Black Death.

Three years in the writing, and nearly eighteen years since its predecessor, World Without End breathes new life into the epic historical novel and once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft.©2007 Ken Follett; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“[A] well-researched, beautifully detailed portrait of the late Middle Ages . . . Follett’s no-frills prose does its job, getting smoothly through more than a thousand pages of outlaws, war, death, sex, and politics to end with an edifice that is as well constructed and solid as Merthin’s bridge.” —The Washington Post

“Follett tells a story that runs the gamut of life in the Middle Ages, and he does so in such a way that we are not only captivated but also educated. What else could you ask for?” —The Denver Post

“So if historical fiction is your meat, here’s a rare treat. A feast of conflicts and struggles among religious authority, royal governance, the powerful unions (or guilds) of the day, and the peasantry . . . With World Without End, Follett proves his Pillars may be a rarity, but it wasn’t a fluke.” —New York Post

“A work that stands as something of a triumph of industry and professionalism.”—The Guardian (UK)

“The four well-drawn central characters will captivate readers as they prove to be heroic, depraved, resourceful, or mean. Fans of Follett’s previous medieval epic will be well rewarded.” —The Union (CA)

“Populated with an immense cast of truly remarkable characters . . . this is not a book to be devoured in one sitting, tempting though that might be, but one to savor for its drama, depth, and richness.” —Library Journal

“Readers will be captivated.” —Publishers Weekly

Repetitive, but still enjoyable

For anyone who recently read or listened to Pillars of the Earth, I would suggest waiting a while before starting World Without End. I just listened to the first one two months ago, and I wish I had waited at least year before listening to the second.
At first, I felt as if Follett had used up all his ideas about basic personality traits and plot ideas in Pillars, and in the second book just mixed them around, assigning them to different characters (good monk becomes bad monk, bullying, jealous builder (Alfred) appears in a new family, etc). The plot "twists," this time much more predictable, and other obstacles were also all too familiar, but each with a new outcome or resolution. After about 20 hours of that, the plot finally took off and became a new story in its own right, and it was a lot more interesting and engrossing. Since it's so long, that still left me with about 30 good hours, but it would have been a lot more enjoyable if my memory of the first book had been dimmer.

The reader enhances the author's work.

I appreciate Ken Follett's ability to weave so many details and characters together and create such a good story that it can keep my rapt attention for 45 audible hours. I was consistently eager to resume listening and I think John Lee's reading enriched the experience.

awesome book

I really enjoyed the book Pillers of the Earth. When I first started listening to World Without End I didn't think I liked it as well but I have to say this book was even better. I say get it you won't be disapointed.

Buy Both Books

I read "Pillars of the Earth" years ago when it was new. When I started listening to audiobooks it was not available on Audible. Pillars is to date the only book I have bought on CD (compared to over 100 audible). I just finished "World Without End" and it was everybit as awesome as Pillars. I bought the hardcover for my daughter for Christmas. My best recommendation is that I usually never listen to a book twice, there is too much out there new. But, I will listend to this once a year from now on.

Best book in a very long time

After reading "Pillars Of The Earth" I dreamed of there being a sequel and thank God there was and is. I never thought Ken Follet could do better than "Pillars" but he has. This book by far is the most interesting book I have read or listened to maybe ever.