Edge of Eternity

The Gripping, Epic Novel From International No.1 Bestseller Ken Follett

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Edge of Eternity is the epic, final novel in Ken Follett's captivating and hugely ambitious Century trilogy. On its own or in sequence with Fall of Giants and Winter of the World, this is an irresistible and spellbinding epic about the fight for personal freedom set during the Cold War.

A Fight Against Injustice
1961, and in the United States George Jakes, a bright young lawyer in the Kennedy administration and fierce supporter of the civil rights movement, boards a Greyhound bus in Washington with Verena, an employee of Martin Luther King whom he is in love with, to protest against segregation.

A Rising Tide of Danger
In East Germany, teacher Rebecca Hoffmann finds her entire life has been a lie as she is targeted by the secret police, even as her younger brother, Walli, dreams of escape across the Berlin Wall to Britain. In Russia, activist Tania Dvorkin narrowly evades capture for producing an illegal news-sheet, her actions all the more perilous because her brother, Dimka, is an emerging star of the Communist Party.

A Cold War That Could Eliminate the World Forever
In a sweeping tale that began in 1911, the descendants of five families will now find their true destiny as they fight for their individual freedom in a world facing the mightiest clash of superpowers it has ever seen.

Critic reviews

There’s a reason he’s a bestseller — he can tell a story . . . It's like watching a high-end boxset

Follett expertly chronicles the pivotal events of the closing decades of the 20th century through the eyes of a vast array of deftly-drawn characters

Compelling

Mesmerizing

This is a fabulous tale of three generations of families throughout the major crisis of the western world, a story that had me gripped throughout and so well told and spoken.

Good story but far too long.

Good story but far too long as I found it was rambling at times. Looking forward to the next book though.

really good

I thoroughly enjoyed this one a very fitting end. I would do it all over again.

Painless history

If you could sum up Edge of Eternity in three words, what would they be?

A painless history lesson filtered through (mostly) appealing characters.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No - but Follett, as in all his novels, never fails to keep one intrigued and attentive. The very large range of characters and settings, and constant cross-cutting, could be confusing but actually it's easy to follow. It's not even necessary to know the 2 previous tomes in the trilogy.

Which scene was your favorite?

I didn't have a particular favourite, but though I know 20th century history well the book is a constant reminder of how eventful the post-war part of the century was. The missile crisis, the assassinations, the Vietnam war, pop music ... Follett deals with it all and manages to put a character at the centre of the action - it's a bit forced, but effective

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really - but I was impressed by Follett's ability to offer an even-handed treatment of, for example, the Soviet Union's motives during the Cuban crisis.

Any additional comments?

Follett's style and character development are never more than workmanlike, but the bluff tones of the narrator (who is very adept) makes up for it.

Great historical research.

I have been growing up in West Germany in the time of the war. Our family also was split due to the wall. This fictional story brought back a lot of memories.