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Summary: the world a thousand years ago
Review: I'm still reading this book, with hundreds of pages to go. But I've not yet read a piece of historical fiction that places you back in its time so well in terms of the feeling of really being there . . . the mindset of medieval people, the difficulties and daily struggles of the people, the kinds of lives people lived and attitudes of the times, etc. Even the details of peoples' lives 1000 years ago are interesting, such as their tools, food, and daily ways of life. So far, it strikes me as an intriging portrait of life in the Middle Ages. It's a great break away from most of the current fiction (including much of Follett's) about lawyers, terrorism, spys, killers, etc of relatively contemporary times. A pleasant change of "scenery" for lovers of fiction, and so different for Follett.
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Summary: Modern Classic
Review: Modern Day Classic.Read it awhile ago and loved it, reread it recently and it was even better. While is it different from the normal works of Mr. Follet he has out done himself and will never write a better book than this one. It is a true modern day classic masterpiece. Wish there were more books like this out there. It transports you to ancient times and you can feel everything. Rich or poor, priest or peasant. A masterpiece, a treasure, one that everyone should read at least once, especially at school.
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Summary: One of the Best Ever
Review: This is simply one of the best books that I have ever read. This is one of those rare books that is so vividly written a full color movie runs through your head as you read. As the cathedral is built you see it go up before your eyes- some of the best writing I have ever had the pleasure to read.
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Summary: Captivating entertainment
Review: Follett's medieval epic rivals The Triumph and the Glory as my favorite historical fiction novel. The Pillars of the Earth brings history to life as only the best novels of this fascinating genre can, the characters are vividly drawn, the setting and action portrayed with authenticity, and the devotion and dedication of the type of men who created the beautiful cathedrals of medieval Europe drive a riveting plot. Five stars!
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Summary: The best book in the history of literature!
Review: At first I was intimidated by the length of this massive novel, but once I opened it up, I was hooked. This novel was recommended to me by my friend so I had to check it out. I ended up crying for one of the charecters early on in the novel! I really felt as though I grew up with all the charecters in the novel. I really loved it! Gotta read it!
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Summary: Pillars of the Earth
Review: Simply one of the greatest books in modern literature. I read books by Tolstoy, Hugo, Dumas, and Dickens. Pillars of the earth is up there with them in entertainment value. Characters like Jack are developed so well it is as if I know them personally. The story follows that of a tragedy, however it is uplifting in some parts. It follows the lives of peasants, middle class, and nobility. Pillars is remarkably unpredictable! Characters react in ways I wouldn't expect; children grow up to be people I could not expect; and the story is fantastic! Please read this masterpiece. I like fantasy, and this gives me that element, but it also gives me the development of characters that I have been seeking. There is not a more entertaining book that I have read! Extraordinary!
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Summary: It Was Okay - No Big Deal
Review: I can't believe how many people think this is the best book they've ever read; it's just a time passer, nothing more. It's certainly no masterpiece. The prior "permitted himself a smile" every couple of chapters and we were reminded constantly that Aliana had a "dark mass of unruly curls." Also, whenever food was mentioned, someone's mouth was bound to "water." The writing was horrid! There were so many conflict-crisis-climaxes that by the end I couldn't care less.
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Summary: What a wonderful story!
Review: I'm surprised to see in other reviews that this is an old book -- somehow it just came to my attention recently, and boy, did it bowl me over! It's a saga of two families that brings to mind "Gone With the Wind" or "Roots" in its sweep. It's a cracking good story in which you get to know the bad guy from the very start, and he is made to be the pig of pigs for all 950 pages, and you just know that in the end he's gonna get his. And it's a lot of fun to read as you watch Ken Follett thinking about what people in the 12th century might have been like in their thinking. Why couldn't it have been 12th century England, for example, which first thought of the principle of futures trading (in this case -- in sheep wool)? Why not a cathedral-building project where the idea of performance-based bonuses occurred to someone? In a few places the philosophizing goes a little bit over the top -- one of the characters at one point gloomily wonders whether society will ever develop into a place where kings govern nicely and people have a say in their own lives, and the description he gives of this Eden is uncannily like Western Europe and Northern America in the late 20th century. But that's a tiny quibble -- this is a magnificent book, and I can only agree with the reader who suggested that a sequel might be in order.
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Summary: Within my top 3 best books
Review: I first read pillars of the earth in 1996 and just couldn't put it down. So much so that I have gone back and re read it again in 1999. It is amazing that a book could have so much depth and so many little things I had completely forgotten about till I re read this book. The characters are so vividly brought to life and some you love and some you hate. Ken if you read this review, get cracking on a sequel pronto! The quickest 1000 pages I have ever read. It is within my top 3 favourite books of all time.
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Summary: the best damn book i have ever read!
Review: as i got on a city bus about a year ago i saw a beat up book on the back of the bus.i opened it and started reading the praises it got from newspapers around the country. i decided to read it the next day. i was totally into this book from begening to end. i had never read a follett book until that day.this book is the best i have ever read in my life and i read a lot! i highly recommend this book to everybody. thank you ken follett!
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