Rating: 
Summary: my favorite
Review: Something drew me to this novel during my blind search for a 'good book' in a local bookstore. Well, I ended up with a bit more than a good book, but rather a few days fixed in 12th century England following the many characters intensly. Unfortunately, this was the first Follett novel that I read, and I say that because though since I have read many of his spy novels, as well as his few others, I haven't yet found one that matches the Pillars. I recommend this book to anyone, no matter how your tastes vary. This novel has a bit of everything in it. But if you're in search of a spy novel, this is not it, though perhaps better. And if you intend to read more Follett novels, do not read this one first. If you do, the rest will never live up to it in any aspect. This is my favorite novel of all time...so far.
Rating:
Summary: Caution: NO SPIES
Review: I am a huge reader of Follett and love his spy novels. I was about a hundred pages into this when I realized he was no longer giving me an historical setup. There were not going to be any spies in this book. By then, I was hooked in both the study of cathedral building and the characters. The characters have depth and you can hardly put this down. He also has a way of hitting you smack in the face. For example, you get very interested in one of the main characters and then...BOOM...he kills him off. Of course, I highly recommend all his spy novels, but I think I've come to like his historical fiction even better. This and "Passage to Freedom" are remarkable.
Rating:
Summary: pillars of the earth
Review: There are several books everyone should read.Hereh is one of them.Pillars of the Earth would appeal to a fan of any genre. History, adventure , terror magic. its all in here.D
on't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: His Best Work
Review: According to Ken Follett's website, "The Pillars of the Earth" is Ken Follett's most popular novel. After racing through almost a thousand pages, I can easily understand why this is the case. I was pleasantly surprised (being I disliked Follett's "The Third Twin") to find this book a very entertaining piece of historical fiction. Set in England in the civil war torn years between the reign of Henry I and Henry II, the book winds its way through the lives of a several very engaging main characters (especially the villains) while always bringing the reader back the book's primary theme - the building of a cathedral in Kingsbridge. Don't be fooled, even though the building of a cathedral may not sound like a great plot vehicle, Follett makes it work and work beautifully. Best of all, "The Pillars of the Earth" has a little of everything. The novel is all at once a love story, a light history lesson, a view of religion and a taste of war (not to mention Follett throws in a lot of 12th century architectural trivia). Overall, it's an appealing tale of good versus evil and worth picking up off the shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent read of a historical novel, but flawed
Review: Let me start with what I liked about this book: 1. The setting in 12th century Wales is masterfully crafted. Author succeeds in providing descriptions that are vivid, but not overbearing in detail. 2. Storyline is creative and somewhat atypical for the genre. Heroes chosen are not princes, nor mages, but rather a common monk in a small suburban monastery, a master builder and a daughter of a former earl imprisoned in disgrace. 3. Plot provides plenty of twists and turns to keep you immersed in the book until you've finished it. Now to what I didn't like about this novel: 1. Characters are somewhat fake. One minute ( or page ) they are described through their actions and you ( the reader ) start getting into the book, next minute author switches to describing their thoughts and feelings and immediately the feeling of artificiality comes over the book. The thoughts of any of the characters, no matter how old or bright, are described at a level of a 5-year old and their motivations are even at a level below that... "She looks good in that dress. Wonder what she looks like under it. I am hungry. Want to eat...." ... something like that. I doubt people at any age were ever that simple. 2. Level of detail throughout the book is very inconsistent. Author spends dozens of pages describing one character's uneventful journey from town to town and then towards the end of the book describes another character's more interesting trip virtually throughout all of Europe in about two paragraphs. Mind you, the second trip in much more paramount to the story, and while the first description might've made you want to skip a page or two, the second one leaves you utterly frustrated with the lack of details. And this is one of many examples of this that can be found throughout the book. OVERALL RATINGS: Storyline: 4 out of 5
Setting: 5 out of 5
Characters: 3 out of 5
Language: 3 out of 5 Overall: 3 out of 5 Conclusion: While the author is no Alexander Dumas or even James Clavell, the books is worth a read for any fan of the historical novel genre, especially those with interest in England's historical setting.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! Tremendous Read!
Review: Follett is a master story teller. He also does his homework. What an awesome tale, woven into a very interesting historical period. You'll fall in love with some of his characters and grow to despise others...they're so real! You'll learn a lot about life in the Middle Ages and building cathedrals, too. I guarantee you'll never look at another cathedral without thinking of this book.
Rating:
Summary: An Epic Masterpiece
Review: Wow! Stumbled upon this book during one of the many forays into B&N and one week later emerged from home....it doesn't get much better that this. Many other reviewers detailed the plot, so I won't - all I wanted to say is simply that, once finished, this book does not leave you. The characters, the struggles, and (for me) the BRILLIANT ending have made this book near the top of my list and one that I would give 6 stars to. What a find!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I ever read!
Review: In my opinion this is the best Follett has ever written.
It's a masterful mix of marvelous fictional characters set in a historical time (that of Henry 1st) and using historical events in a way that makes you believe every word of the book. I seek this one out to give as gifts to booklover friends who haven't read it. You wouldn't think a man who writes spy novels could do something like this, but he ought to do more of it.
Wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book I've Ever Read!
Review: I love this book to death. I read it first when I was thirteen and devoured it within three days. Since then (this was over the summer) I've read it two more times and I never get tired of it. It's so beautifully written, and from what I've studied, very accurate as well. I love how the central theme of the building of the cathedral interweaves all the characters together. In fact, it seems more like reality than a work of fiction, as it does not have a typical plot per se, but it is more of a continuing diary of a few main characters. it is moving, realistic, passionate, gripping, and intense. I wish we could read it in school. As far as writing style, historical accuracy, and intensity of plot go, it beats some of the so-called classics that we are forced to read, many of which have pathetic plots, dry characters, and are not historically accurate or significant. This is defintely the best book I've read and I reccommend it to anyone who appreciates good literature.
Rating:
Summary: Why Did I Wait So Long?
Review: I have had Pillars of the Earth in my pile of books to read for nearly ten years now. A big fan of Follett's work, this was one of the few I held off on because of the subject matter. I am not one to typically dive into historical novels dating back 1000 years, but this book grabbed me from the beginning and held me to the end. This story covers many different themes, good vs. evil, church vs. state, love, war, poverty, wealth... and despite the time period, it is amazing how many ties can be drawn between conflicts that existed in the 1100s and today. Follett never ceases to amaze me with the amount of research and hard work he puts into his novels. It is no wonder they come out so infrequently. And although this was one of his earlier works, it was also one of his best. There were some parts that were repetitive and could have been edited out, but over all it was one of the best books I've ever read. The characters in this book are developed so well that you feel as if they exist in some parallel universe. From Phillip, a Prior at a Monestary who is dedicated to truth, honesty and his people, to the Evil William who wants nothing but revenge. And from Aliena, a strong, brilliant woman dedicated to carrying out the wishes of her father, an overhauled king, to Ellen -- the mother of Aliena's love -- who is a brilliant woman deemed an outcast for all the wrong reasons. Tom the builder, who envisions palaces that still would stand today if this book were as real as it seemed. To Jack, one of the most heroic characters to date. How can anyone sum up nearly 1,000 pages of an amazing story spanning 100 years? How different and more simple the world was, yet how similar the core issues are to what we face now. Do yourself a favor, read this book.
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