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  • The Pillars of the Earth

  • Written by: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 40 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (913 ratings)

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The Pillars of the Earth

Written by: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's Summary

The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.

A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of 12th century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.

©1989 Ken Follett (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

What the critics say

"Follett is a master." (The Washington Post)

"A historical novel of gripping readability, authentic atmosphere and detail and memorable characterization." (Publishers Weekly)

Editorial Review

When the throne of England is left without an heir, anarchy reigns in 12th century England. In the midst of this political turmoil, the small town of Kingsbridge rises to undertake a massive project: to build a cathedral.

Rather than focus on the technical aspects of the development of Gothic architecture, Ken Follett’s historical thriller describes the humans and the historical events which caused the people of medieval Europe to create this multitude of exceedingly expensive structures. Through the eyes of several inhabitants of the town of Kingsbridge, The Pillars of the Earth transports its listeners into a time of conflict, where noblemen and churchmen alike become conspirators and traitors.

By the time Ken Follett wrote this historical novel, he had already received several awards for his previous works. Despite the fact that this first installment of the Kingsbridge series was his first non-spy thriller, Follett did not disappoint - The Pillars of the Earth became a best-seller in several countries and was adapted into a miniseries which was nominated for 3 Golden Globes. This audiobook version of the novel brings the intrigue to life thanks to John Lee’s masterful narration, which will keep you captivated for hours.

What listeners say about The Pillars of the Earth

Average Customer Ratings
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Great Story and Narration

John Lee is a fantastic voice actor. His narration is high quality and Ken Follett's story is superb.
The audio quality at times, though, sounds as though it was downloaded from a scratched CD. I'm not entirely sure why Audible or even Penguin Books didn't get a better quality version to upload here.

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Twists and turns

A little slow to get going but shortly after I started, I found that I couldn’t put it down. What a story! It was extremely interesting and filled with substance. A page turner to be sure!

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Simply excellent

Be prepaired to lose some days with this, because once you start, you cant stop.

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Loved This Book

spellbound throughout this whole book. disturbing at times because it just seemed so real. excellent.

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Pleasantly surprised

I have read some of the Ken Follett’s spy and thriller books in the past and always linked him to that genre. As an avid reader of historical novels I was pleasantly surprised - the story grabs you and never lets go. I found myself thinking about it and wanting to know more, it was hard to resist pausing the narrative. I am definitely going to buy his remaining three books with a historical theme.

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This has become my favourite book

This book was truly riveting. I really felt like I was back there in that time period. I wasn’t sure I would like this book as I am in now way religious but the books accuracy to history and it’s balance of tender love and brutal violence made it thrilling to listen to for the whole 40 hours.
Highly recommend.

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Gripping

For a book that’s 40 hours long, I can honestly say I was never bored. I had a hard time pausing it. The story is well thought out, full of intrigue and fully engaging. The characters are believable, and demonstrate the intricacies of human emotions. I highly recommend this book, as well the others in the series.

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  • JPR
  • 2023-10-19

Ken places you in the medieval time

I am not sure if I have ever listened to a better novel. Ken writes with passion and detail that I have never experienced. his writing places you i. the events of his literature. I suspect that this is in my top three favorite listening books, Matthew's Green Lights is also there. Enjoy if you wish

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Pillars of the earth

This was my first experience with audio books and I have to say I loved it. I-Listen to books in the car or while cooking now. Ken is a great plot writer and my wife and I were able to read together :) thanks #Audible1

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Riveting

Loved it. It consumed my life fit 40 hours. Wonderful escape to old England and the period of grand Cathedral building.

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