Pillars of the Earth

by Ken Follett

After four and a half months (MONTHS), I can officially say that I have read all 970+ pages of the epic Pillars of the Earth. I don't believe this book needs much of an introduction, as it was one of Follett's most highly publicized and the inspiration for a TV mini series.... which I will admit my family and I watched every episode of.

It did take me a long time to get through this book. That is not a statement regarding the quality of the novel, but rather of its' structure. The book tells the story of several individuals (specifically that of Tom Builder and his associates), over the time of several generations. It is broken up into different sections, following different characters in each time period... which made it too easy to put down and not pick up until a week later. Luckily, I am a reading multi-tasker and did not find myself lost in between readings. Follett's writing is very engaging, and the characters are easy to relate to (despite the fact that the story takes place in medieval England). Ultimately, Follett's tale is about good, evil, and the gray areas between. He clearly writes heroes you love, villains you hate, and people who are more difficult to decipher. The next time I'm up to reading a really fat book an EPIC novel, I'll be picking up one of his newer releases... or the sequel, World Without End.