Rating: 
Summary: Loved this book. Highly recommend.
Review: This is a marvelous book to get lost in. I feel as though I am leading a double life: my "real" life, and the one in PILLARS. My mother recommended this to me, after I'd returned from a trip to Belgium, where I'd been enthralled by the Gothic Cathedrals. Follett's depiction of 12th century England is absorbing and educational. I want more books like this one!!!
Rating: 
Summary: It ruined my life!!!
Review: I love to read, and after I had finished my collection of Grisham, Rice, and Clancy paperbacks, I couldn't find anything else. I'm not a fan of historical fiction, so when a friend recommended Pillars, I was skeptical, but gave it a try anyway. I finished it in a matter of days, and since then I haven't been able to get into anything else! Beware: after this book, you may never truly enjoy another book! You'll measure everything you read by the standard of The Pillars of the Earth. I give this book an 11! It is one of the few hard covers in my collection, and is now my only First Edition. I would love to see a movie, but not even a $300 million, six-hour movie could do this novel justice. Mr. Follett, please give us a sequel!
Rating:
Summary: Not totally accurate, but a pleasant way to spend time
Review: Although there are some situations in the book that are a bit hard to swallow (for instance a woman safely gives birth despite a building falling down on her), on the whole the book moves at a good pace. The characters are interesting and you do care what happens to them. If you've got a free afternoon and nothing better to do, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: i loved it
Review: My mother reccomended Pillars when I was thirteen years old. I read it furiously, not being able to put it down. The plot twists where fascinating and imagery incredible. Now that I am about to go to college i plan to rediscover this book and I am sure I will enjoy it more and glean far more than I did as a child. If you want to read a book that is truely an experience read this one.
Rating:
Summary: A medieval architecture and history fanatic's dream...
Review: Ken Follett does a nice job of combining the building of a cathedral (romanesque to early gothic) with the trials and tribulations of the people involved. I've been to Europe and studied several of the medieval masterpieces and the author does a superb job with medieval building techniques and concepts. One person is right in pointing out the inconsistencies....it might help the author with a sequel.....like maybe invovling the building of Reims Cathedral with the Hundred Year's War and Joan of Arc???? Hmmmmm.... The book, however, is great. MORE!
Rating:
Summary: Follett ushers readers to medieval England
Review: '10' ratings seem to be an overused element of book reviews, but if any novel merits that lofty ranking, it's this one. Follett's tale of middle-age hardships and triumphs has a certain realism attached to it which should enthrall most historical fiction buffs. Detailed when it should be and documentary-like when it has to be, this work ranks as a contemporary classic. Along with McCullough's 'The First Man in Rome,' two true "pillars" of outstanding historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Good ambientation and tense plot -- with some slips
Review: What I liked most in this book is the accurate Middle Age ambientation. If you liked it, I think you'll love reading Umberto Eco's "The name of the rose". There are only a few inconsistencies. For example, in the first chapters, it seems that it was impossible to travel from village to village without being robbed or possibly killed by outlaws; near the end, although, a woman travels alone (with a little newborn baby!) along half Europe without problems. Also in the first part, a family is starving, and it is stated that, by rule, monasteries didn't offer food and lodge for longer than one day to poors. Later, we know of people that are feeded on regular bases from monasteries. Also, a three-year famine has no other outcome than some people taking to the woods and becoming outlaws. The characters are somewhat stereotyped: the good ones are always good, the evil ones are throughly evil to the end. The plot is tense, although most of it follows a repetitive schema: the evil character thinks of a clever way to stop the good character's project (the cathedral building). Then the good one finds a more clever way to avoid the threat, and so on for a dozen of times. Also the mistery (that is, what was the cause of the hanging that happens at the very beginning), is easy to figure out as early as halfway the story. Some writing tricks, to keep a novel of this size easily readable, are evident: anytime, the action is carried on by no more than four characters. When not needed, minor figures are simply discarded: one keeps thinking what happended to them. Then they reappear after some hundred pages, with a little reminder for the more absent-minded readed, on who they are. Summing up, a light read, with a realistic ambientation and a plots that keeps you turning the pages.
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever
Review: After reading it (in one week, it's approxc 1000 pages) I bought all others from Ken Follet I could get And it was worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely, one of the best I've ever read ... so far
Review: Soon all of my family have read the book and they all agree - this is the book that occupies your memory and put up more and mote questions. All though it it sometimes is very cruel and violent, it is a TRUE picture of the time beeing and time at the very every moment. Hatered and love combined with greed and the mankinds innder sole is explored together with the church and politicians evil games. READ IT! PS I have tried to find the equvivalent places and routes that is named in the book with several maps. I know I'm the close to the truth of history but I'm not really sure. Please help me if you have any information. Mostly I hope that their will be a movie coming up soon ... DS
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best of Follett's Collection
Review: As with most of Follett's books that I have read, it took me a few chapters to "get into it". But, as always, I got hooked and found it difficult to put the book down. I'm not a fast reader and the novel took me a few weeks to read. The story is one of those that absorbs me and I feel as though I'm actually living in the period and experiencing the adventure. Pete Ross, Montrose, Colorado
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