Synopses & Reviews
Ken Follett follows up his #1
New York Times bestseller
Fall of Giants with a brilliant, page-turning epic about the heroism and honor of World War II, and the dawn of the atomic age.
Ken Follett’s Fall of Giants, the first novel in his extraordinary new historical epic, The Century Trilogy, was an international sensation, acclaimed as “sweeping and fascinating, a book that will consume you for days or weeks” (USA Today) and “grippingly told and readable to the end” (The New York Times Book Review). “If the next two volumes are as lively and entertaining as Fall of Giants,” said The Washington Post, “they should be well worth waiting for.”
Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families — American, German, Russian, English, Welsh — enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs.
Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until she commits a deed of great courage and heartbreak. . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific. . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism. . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven American social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set, until the war transforms her life, not just once but twice, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war — but the war to come.
These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as their experiences illuminate the cataclysms that marked the century. From the drawing rooms of the rich to the blood and smoke of battle, their lives intertwine, propelling the reader into dramas of ever-increasing complexity.
As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. With passion and the hand of a master, he brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.
Review
andldquo;Just as potent, engrossing, and prolix as the opening opus,
Fall of Giants. [Follettandrsquo;s] dedication and ability to keep so many plots spinning while delivering a story that educates, entertainsandhellip;Will leave fans eagerly awaiting the trilogyandrsquo;s crowning capstone.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
Review
andldquo;Follettandrsquo;s storytelling is unobtrusive and workmanlikeandhellip;he spins a reasonable and readable yarn that embraces dozens of characters and plenty of Big Picture history.andrdquo;
andmdash;Kirkus Reviews
Review
andldquo;Follett never lets the action lag as he adeptly ties together all the sweeping economic, cultural, political, and social transformations of the entire era.andrdquo;
andmdash;Booklist
Review
andldquo;Itandrsquo;s a book that will suck you in, consume you for days or weeksandhellip; then let you out the other side both entertained
and educated.andquot;
andmdash; USA Today on Fall of Giants
Review
andldquo;Meticulously researched and deftly weaves together historical fact, fictional characters and engrossing storytelling.andrdquo;
andmdash; Associated Press on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;A tireless storyteller...grippingly told, and readable to the end.andquot;
andmdash;The New York Times Book Review on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Suspenseful, tightly constructed, sharply characterized, plot-driven...some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today.andquot;
andmdash;The Seattle Times
Review
andquot;Tantalizingandquot;
andmdash;Newsday on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Lively and entertaining.andquot;
andmdash;The Washington Post on Fall of Giants
Review
andquot;Epic yarns in proseandquot;
andmdash;The Wall Street Journal on Fall of Giants
Review
"Abandon your normal activities for a couple of days when you crack this one open, because you're likely to get hooked like a Copper River salmon." The Seattle Times
Review
“A well-researched, beautifully detailed portrait of the late Middle Ages.”—
The Washington Post “Juicy historical fiction.”—USA Today
“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
Review
“The best spy story I have ever read.”
Review
“First-rate and tremendously exciting.”
Review
“Le Carré is one of the best novelists—of any kind—we have.”
Review
“Written . . . with a pitiless, elegant clarity, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a first-rate thriller and more.”
Review
“A novel of majesty and power.”—Chicago Sun-Times
Review
“Some of the biggest-picture fiction being written today.”—
The Seattle Times
“A consistently compelling portrait of a world in crisis.”—The Washington Post
“Masterfully sweeping.”—The Louisville Courier-Journal
“Gripping…powerful.”—The New York Times
“[Follett] is so good at plotting a story, even one that takes on such a complex topic as the World War II era. Thats what makes Winter of the World so hard to put down. You want to know what happens next.”—The Associated Press
“An entertaining historical soap opera.”—Kirkus Reviews
Review
“The best spy story I have ever read.”—Graham Greene
“First-rate and tremendously exciting.”—Daphne du Maurier
“Le Carré is one of the best novelists—of any kind—we have.”—Vanity Fair
“Written…with a pitiless, elegant clarity. The Spy who Came in from the Cold is a first-rate thriller and more.”—Time
Synopsis
Picking up where Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary Century Trilogy, left off, Winter of the World follows its five interrelated families American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh through a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the great dramas of World War II, and into the beginning of the long Cold War. Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until daring to commit a deed of great courage and heartbreak . . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific . . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism . . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.
From the Paperback edition."
Synopsis
"This book is truly epic. . . . The reader will probably wish there was a thousand more pages." --The Huffington Post
Picking up where Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary Century Trilogy, left off, Winter of the World follows its five interrelated families--American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh--through a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the great dramas of World War II, and into the beginning of the long Cold War.
Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until daring to commit a deed of great courage and heartbreak . . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific . . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism . . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.
Synopsis
Ken Follett's
Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary historical epic Century Trilogy, was an international sensation, acclaimed as sweeping and fascinating, a book that will consume you for days or weeks” (
USA Today). Now
Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs and the beginning of the long Cold War.
Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide, until daring to commit a deed of great courage and heartbreak.... American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific.... English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism.... Daisy Peshkov, a driven social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set, until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.
About the Author
Ken Follett burst into the book world with Eye of the Needle, an award-winning thriller and international bestseller. After several more successful thrillers, he surprised everyone with The Pillars of the Earth and then with its long-awaited sequel, World Without End, a national and international bestseller. Follett’s new, magnificent historical epic, The Century Trilogy, opened with the bestselling Fall of Giants. He lives in England with his wife, Barbara.