The Pillars of the Earth

Although Ken Follett is renowned across the globe as the master of split-second suspense, his most cherished and best-selling work narrates the amazing story of a twelfth-century monk inspired to do the apparently unachievable: construct the finest Gothic cathedral in history.

There's mystery, action packed with velocity, and intense romance—everything fans have come to expect from Follett. The twelfth century, feudal England, and the topic of the construction of a magnificent cathedral are what, however, set The Pillars of the Earth apart. Follett has meticulously captured every aspect of the vulgar, showy England of the Middle Ages. The enormous woods, fortified villages, castles, and monasteries all start to seem familiar.

The reader is drawn inexorably into the linked lives of the master storyteller's characters, their aspirations, their labors, and their loves, against this vividly conceived and beautifully woven background full of the devastation of war and the rhythms of everyday life: Tom, the skilled builder; Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge; Jack, the stone artisan; Ellen, the terrifyingly gorgeous noblewoman; and the woodland woman, Ellen. Every character, from the lowly stonemason to the powerful ruler, is given lifelike portrayal.

The focal point of the drama is the cathedral's construction, with its almost spooky artistic quality attributed to the untrained stonemasons. Follett narrates a tale of treachery, retaliation, and love around the building site. It starts with the public execution of an innocent man and concludes with the king being humiliated.

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