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World Without End (Abridged) Audiobook
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(4.00) - 68,116 listener ratings
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#1 New York Times Bestseller
In 1989, Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England centered on the building of a cathedral and many of the hundreds of lives it affected. Critics were overwhelmed—“it will hold you, fascinate you, surround you” (Chicago Tribune)—and readers everywhere hoped for a sequel. Look out for the next book in this series, A Column of Fire, available now.
World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building the exquisite Gothic cathedral that was at the heart of The Pillars of the Earth. The cathedral and the priory are again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge, but this sequel stands on its own. This time the men and women of an extraordinary cast of characters find themselves at a crossroads of new ideas—about medicine, commerce, architecture, and justice. In a world where proponents of the old ways fiercely battle those with progressive minds, the intrigue and tension quickly reach a boiling point against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race—the Black Death.
Three years in the writing and nearly eighteen years since its predecessor, World Without End breathes new life into the epic historical novel and once again shows that Ken Follett is a masterful author writing at the top of his craft.
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"Once again Ken Follett delivers and delivers an epic tale in a big way! I enjoy reading this author; his well developed characters; engaging plot line and amazing story telling ability keep me wanting to know more about his characters - which leave me wanting the book to go on and on."
— Charlotte-Marie (5 out of 5 stars)
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[A] well-researched, beautifully detailed portrait of the late Middle Ages . . . Follett’s no-frills prose does its job, getting smoothly through more than a thousand pages of outlaws, war, death, sex, and politics to end with an edifice that is as well constructed and solid as Merthin’s bridge.
— The Washington Post -
Follett tells a story that runs the gamut of life in the Middle Ages, and he does so in such a way that we are not only captivated but also educated. What else could you ask for?
— The Denver Post -
So if historical fiction is your meat, here’s a rare treat. A feast of conflicts and struggles among religious authority, royal governance, the powerful unions (or guilds) of the day, and the peasantry . . . With World Without End, Follett proves his Pillars may be a rarity, but it wasn’t a fluke.
— New York Post -
A work that stands as something of a triumph of industry and professionalism.
— The Guardian (UK) -
The four well-drawn central characters will captivate readers as they prove to be heroic, depraved, resourceful, or mean. Fans of Follett’s previous medieval epic will be well rewarded.
— The Union (CA) -
Populated with an immense cast of truly remarkable characters . . . this is not a book to be devoured in one sitting, tempting though that might be, but one to savor for its drama, depth, and richness.
— Library Journal -
Readers will be captivated.
— Publishers Weekly
World Without End Listener Reviews
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linda luise brown, 6/8/2021
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" This was the book that schooled me on the fact that I really prefer the full and not abridged version of books, especially Follett titles. And although Richard Grant is a fine narrator, I'd already had the pleasure of listening to another title by the same author with a different narrator (John Lee) who I liked so much it was tough for anyone to follow. As with all Follett's books, each character was unique and developed, and the stories wove in and out of each other's sphere's and historical events. It was entirely absorbing, but I could sense the lack of elucidation, which was due to the abridged versus full version. Live & learn and read more Follett! "
— barb, 5/11/2017 -
" such a great book! Every bit as good as Pillars of the Earth. Couldn't put it down. "
— Teresa, 2/16/2014 -
" Enjoyed this sequel to Fall of Giants which covered WWI. Catching up with all the characters twenty years later was like meeting old friends. "
— Vicki, 2/4/2014 -
" This book was well worth the wait. Set 200 years after Pillars of the Earth the story continues seamlessly....set against the devastating backdrop of the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race: the Black Death "
— Wayne, 1/25/2014 -
" Like most of Follet's books, this one took a while to get into, but once you do, it is impossible to put down. No one does character development like Follet. "
— Catherine, 1/19/2014 -
" As good as the first "
— Meconti, 1/12/2014 -
" Lots and lots of detail, great character development! Loved it! "
— Denise, 12/30/2013 -
" Once again the master, Ken Follett delivers a grand, sweeping epic matching the greatness of his previous novel from this time period. I loved it! So will you. "
— Jeffrey, 12/28/2013 -
" Nice to have references that tie the two books together. "
— Lori, 12/27/2013 -
" Listened to book - downloaded from Audible.com "
— Deb, 12/24/2013 -
" Great read, but man oh man, Follett shows his masochistic side as the characters are put through the wringer from start to finish! "
— Nate, 12/1/2013 -
" Loved as much as the first one. I couldn't put it down. "
— Elise, 11/16/2013 -
" Ken Follet is a masterful story teller. I totally enjoyed the first book and was anxious to read this secqual..... It didn't disappoint. Well crafted read with historical insights that make the reader glad they live in the 21st century. "
— Jerri, 10/31/2013 -
" An excellent pair of books. And I don't like historical fiction. The writing was superb and we researched. "
— Tay, 10/16/2013 -
" Although this is set 200 hundred years later, I still enjoyed the transition from book one and the characters and storyline in this book. "
— Ann, 10/15/2013 -
" I was too engrossed in this book to do anything else. Can't wait for the sequel. "
— Violette, 10/14/2013 -
" Great sequel to pillars "
— Sarah, 10/5/2013 -
" TOO BAD! This is such a great, epic story set in the 1300s in England, but is so full of graphic sex (including lots of rape and perversion--Follett seems obsessed!) and violence that I just couldn't finish it. "
— Bekah, 8/4/2013 -
" Almost as good as "Pillars." "
— Darren, 5/12/2013 -
" A long book but one that goes by quickly. With an extremely evocative plot and endearing characters, it runs along nicely, though perhaps ends rather unsatisfactorily. "
— James, 5/9/2013 -
" A sequel I actually liked better than the first. "
— Crystal, 2/4/2013 -
" A great continuation to the story. But nothing is ever as good as the original. "
— Kathy-richard, 12/12/2012 -
" Convoluted and elaborate story. I like it "
— Rui, 10/22/2012 -
" I read this book right after I finished Pillars of the Earth and I loved it. The sweeping saga he started begged for a sequel and Ken delivered! "
— Audra, 9/2/2012 -
" I enjoyed this book, but it did take me a bit to plow through being over 1100 pages. There seemed to be terrible things always happening to the good people and a couple of times I put it down to take a breather or read ahead to see if things got better lol. But I am glad I finished it, "
— Claire, 2/1/2012 -
" Its amazing how many intrigues Ken Follett can dream up between a handful of characters. I read this book on Kindle, and it wasn't until I was almost done and came across the hardback version I realized how huge the book is. Reading it felt like eating candy: I couldn't stop. "
— Michael, 1/20/2012 -
" Not quite as good as The Pillars of the Earth but a great read even so. Recommended. "
— David, 12/11/2011 -
" Loved all 3 Ken Follett sagas... super long, but totally worth it. Plus I feel like I learn things. "
— Helaine, 9/2/2011 -
" Decent sequel. "
— Wendy, 6/27/2011 -
" Loved it! Another long read, but worth it. "
— Stacey, 5/23/2011 -
" Almost as good as Pillars of the Earth, Follett's stories are just irresistible. "
— Helen, 5/22/2011 -
" Though I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth slightly more, I would definitely recommend World Without End to anyone who enjoyed the first novel. It may be long, but it's well worth the read. Many of the characters will stay with me for a long time to come. "
— Margaret, 5/22/2011 -
" Excellent book. Ken Follett is a master world builder. "
— Ted, 5/22/2011 -
" Not as great as "Pillars," but still fascinating... "
— Amanda, 5/20/2011 -
" I was so looking forward for the sequel to Pillars of the Earth that I asked one of my students to get it for me in his trip to London. I read it in the metro to work in 4 days. It confirmed that his writing compels you to read it till the end, and leaves you wanting more. "
— Laura, 5/19/2011 -
" Unfortunately too similar to Pillars of the Earth. The characters are nearly transplanted, and while the circumstances are different they are quite similar. Still a good book, but if you've read one you've basically read the other "
— Dan, 5/18/2011 -
" Excellent Book!!!! Ken Follett can tell a story!! "
— Cheryl, 5/17/2011 -
" A must read! Pillars of the Earth was great and World Without End met every expectation. "
— Kimberly, 5/16/2011 -
" Good story - pretty much similar to Pillars of the Earth "
— Echantal, 5/16/2011 -
" Once again, Follett wowed me with his epic work. I especially like the way the lives of his characters intertwine and the detailed descriptions of all facets of life in the 1300's. "
— Marla, 5/15/2011 -
" Although not as gripping as the first one, it is set quite some time later, I still really enjoyed Follett's writing and the saga he presents. What a masterpiece. "
— Kerri, 5/12/2011
About Ken Follett
Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved authors, selling more than 160 million copies of his thirty books. His first bestseller was Eye of the Needle, an Edgar Award–winning spy story set in the Second World War. In 1989 The Pillars of the Earth was published and has since become the author’s most successful novel. It reached number one on bestseller lists around the world and was an Oprah’s Book Club pick. The series has sold more than fifty million copies worldwide and hitting the New York Times bestsellers list.
About Richard E. Grant
Richard E. Grant is a British Swazi actor, screenwriter, and director. A prominent figure on television and film since the 1980s, he achieved international recognition as John Seward in the 1992 blockbuster film Dracula.