I’ve read Ken Follett’s thrillers/WWII/spy books, but had never even heard of this book, which is his biggest seller.

A friend read the book, handed me her copy, and asked if I had read it, then said she thought I’d like it.

I set it aside until we were going out of town.

This is a massive book and in some sense reminds me of Clan of the Cave Bear, the first of Jean Auel’s books on prehistoric man (woman.) The time frames are completely different, but Follett opens up the time frame of 1123-1174 much the same way Auel opens up prehistory for us. Both novels are completely believable. I assume Follett did his research so the history I read is close to history as it was. I’m not a historian, I’m a reader, so I have no way of knowing how truthful his depiction is. It seems truthful to me.

The central story is the building of a cathedral by Tom Builder, a mason, who travels about looking for work, hoping to work on a cathedral. Along the way there are murders, intrigues, deaths, orphans, monasteries (and how men ended up in them), good and bad priests, lots of deal making behind the scenes, love, family…the hardships of life during this time…the assassination (by the boat sinking) of the heir to the throne, throwing the country into other alliances until King Henry is crowned. One of the last things in the book is the murder (and martyrdom) of Archbishop Thomas Beckett.

It makes me wish I’d paid attention to my history classes more.

As I said, the book is huge (973 pages in paperback) and covers a large span of time. I found parts of it difficult to read, so I skimmed those sections. I did my usual, jump around a bit to figure out where it is going, go back and read sections to fill in the gaps. I don’t know that I could read 973 pages any other way any longer. I don’t want to invest a lot of time in a story if I don’t know where it is headed.

It opens with the hanging of an innocent man, and the cursing of those responsible by a woman thought to be a witch. This becomes important in the story and is woven into the story line in several places.

How about you?
Have you read this book? Any of Follett’s books? or Jean Auel’s?

Do you read from beginning to end, or skim, or skip and go back?

My take
I felt transported into a different time. I don’t think I would have liked to have lived then, even knowing the history as we know now.

I’m not a particular fan of historical books, though at one time I read a large number of WWII novels, and earlier I read a number of novels that began in the 1800’s and moved the descendants into the 1900’s book by book. I know several friends who love to read historical romance, but this is not romance, this is living history as envisioned by a novelist.

Man’s injustice is a difficult read for me now. So I tend not to read these any longer (or the gory detective genre.) So for me to read this would have likely been near impossible had I not been away with some time on my hands, not because it is gory, though parts of it are, but because it is historical.

The characters are very well drawn and even if you are not a fan of this kind of book you will find yourself caring for them and rooting for their welfare. It is a harsh time to live in, where living by one’s wits is a necessity. Seeing the big picture is difficult when one is being manipulated without full knowledge as characters find themselves. Yes, this happens today, but with the amount of info readily available, I don’t know that these particular events would have been unknown to the parties unless action was taken immediately before info got out, which is, of course, how it took place in the book too, though their sense of immediate took more time than ours.

I’d like to give it a 5, because it is a good book, but I’ll go with a 3.

Here’s what Follett’s website says about the mini series that is being filmed about this book:

Filming of the eight-hour limited series of The Pillars of the Earth on location in Hungary and Austria started on 22 June 2009. Ian McShane (pictured), Donald Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Sarah Parish, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne and Gordon Pinsent headline the star-studded cast for the US$40-million adaptation.

The series is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes, Saving Grace, Into the West). Mimica-Gezzan worked as Steven Spielberg’s first assistant director on Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, sharing the DGA directorial awards for both films with Spielberg.

The novel has been adapted by award-winning writer John Pielmeier (Emmy winner Hitler – The Rise of Evil and Emmy nominated The Memory Keeper’s Daughter), who will also play the role of ‘Cuthbert’.

You can see a picture of the set here.

Here’s the list of the actors and actresses playing the major parts:

Waleran: Ian McShane
Bartholomew: Donald Sutherland
Tom Builder: Rufus Sewell
Prior Philip: Matthew Macfadyen
Aliena: Hayley Atwell
Jack: Eddie Redmayne
The Archbishop: Gordon Pinsent
Ellen: Natalia Woerner
Remigius: Anatole Taubman
Cuthbert: John Pielmeier (also the series screenwriter)
Alfred: Liam Garrigan
William Hamleigh: David Oakes
Richard: Sam Claflin
Percy Hamleigh: Robert Bathurst
Walter: Goetz Otto
Francis: David Bark Jones

I will likely watch this miniseries — 8 hours! — to be immersed in the time. It makes me wish I’d paid more attention to The Lion in Winter, which begins fictitiously on Christmas 1183. I think I should see it again.

World without End is the sequel to this book, beginning in 1327, and concerns the descendants of the first book.

On the day after Halloween, in the year 1327, four children slip away from the cathedral city of Kingsbridge. They are a thief, a bully, a boy genius and a girl who wants to be a doctor. In the forest they see two men killed. Follett’s website

I suspect I’ll read this one too. Have you?

Karin

Originally posted 2009-07-14 14:28:52.

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