Edge of Eternity

The Century Trilogy, Book 3

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Edge of Eternity is the sweeping, passionate conclusion to Ken Follett's extraordinary historical epic series, The Century Trilogy.

Throughout the trilogy, Follett has followed the fortunes of five families--American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh--as they make their way through the twentieth century. Now, they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the enormous social, political, and economic turmoil of the 1960s - 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 Hoffman discovers she's been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act...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 the seminal events of the civil rights battle...Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in...Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Khrushchev, 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, Tania, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw--and into history.

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

great historical novel

This is the last volume of Follett’s Century Trilogy. I was hooked with “Fall of Giants” and was so excited to read the final volume of the trilogy but in another way I am sad to see my friends leave me. This book, as with the other two, is a very long book that you never want to end. Follett is chronicling the pivotal events of the twentieth century through the eyes of a vast array of deftly drawn characters
.
This volume starts off with Rebecca Hoffman, a school teacher in communist East Berlin. In 1961 she discovers her secretive husband is a clandestine Stasi Lieutenant who is spying on her family. In the United States George Jakes has just graduated from Harvard Law School. Jakes is of mix-race and civil-rights minded join the Freedom Riders to battle racial inequality. Jakes goes to work for the Justice Department and joins Robert Kennedy’s inner circle. In Russia, Dimitri “Dimka” Dvorlen an aide to Nikita Khrushchev finds himself embroiled in heated US-Soviet nuclear political power plays. Cameron Dewar, the Senator’s grandson becomes politically active with espionage. Half way through the book two cousins a German and A Briton form a rock band in Hamburg. I noticed that revenge plays a role in the story with Hans and his power in the Stasi going after Rebecca and her family for the rest of his life. Cam trying to destroy Eve Williams after she refused to date him when they were teenager he tries to destroy her career when they are adults. It is amazing how vindictive people can be.

Expertly paced, character rich exploits, Follett created a fascinating story about five families-English, Russian, Welsh, German and American whose fates personalize historical events. We have followed these families through three generations; the author has made them so real I feel as if I am part of the family. The various viewpoints of the characters in the novel intertwine the fictional with the real historical figures in the unique way only Ken Follett can write. I can image there is an enormous amount of research required to write this trilogy and allowing for the relative fabrication provided when writing fiction. Surprisingly the book is fast paced, switching to and fro between the different time periods, countries and characters involved in the pivotal historical moment. This historical fiction book makes learning history enjoyable. John Lee, with his golden voice, narrated the entire series.

Another Well Written Novel Series

I've always been a fan of Follete, and he didn't disappoint with this story line. From the coal mines and Industrial Revolution to the election od President Obama, completely well written.

Sweeping modern history

Ken Follet's sweeping and intelligent trilogy tying three families and many nations together in the 20th century is what has made me a true fan of historical fiction. I am grateful to him and John Lee the narrator for bringing all of these families alive and together.

An Epic Masterpiece

In 90 hours I have lived through a century of political turmoil and the devastation of war. I have fallen in love time and time again, but lost a few along the way. I've rejoiced when long standing conflicts resolved into peace, when loved ones were reunited, when oppression died away. I have seen history through the eyes of many different remarkable and memorable characters, all expertly conceived by Ken Follett. This book will stay with me forever. I couldn't recommend it more.

And Back Again

From the fall of the first giant, and the succeeding monarchical authoritarian dominoes of the First World War, through the wintery world of our grandfather's War, to the dawn of the 21st century, Mr. Follet's trilogy provides depth, humanism and gripping context for the churning stasis and budding change in today's western world. With the rise of familiar nationalist and populist rhetoric and its clash with a new globalism ripe with the best sentiments of both hope and greed, there appears to be another post-writ volume in this cycle, where new combinations of hot and cold wars, heads and hearts threaten again humanity's world - and all other sentient Beings' as well. Are we doomed to repeat? And would Mr. Follet deign to reiterate our folly?