985 pgs (The Century trilogy #1)
This is the first of Ken Follett's books that I've read, so I don't know how it compares to his earlier ones. But if they're anything like his latest, I've got a lot of catching up to do. This is the first of three books that Follett will write to complete his trilogy and based on this first one, I'm anxiously awaiting the next volume.
With Fall of Giants Follett provides a fascinating perspective of world events that took place during roughly the first 25 years of the 20th Century. The book's main characters, (and there are many) are spread out accross the globe - America, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and Russia. These characters' lives intersect with each other in compelling ways as the world events transpire that bring about World War I.
In addition to the fictional characters, real life characters from the time period are included - Woodrow Wilson, Vladimir Lenin, and Winston Churchill to name just a few. Follett does a fantastic job of providing an insight into their lives by frequently using things that they said in real life.
If I didn't make it clear already, I really enjoyed this book. It has the same feel and depth as books that I've read by Dickens and Dostoevsky. It reads like classic literature. It was both entertaining as well as educational. It made me want to read non-fictional accounts of the time period along with the biographies of its pivotal players.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I listened to Pillars of the Earth on tape and loved it. I actually bought the book afterwards because now I want to actually read it.
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