He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold over 10 million copies. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering into journalism soon after. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. Biography: Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales.Thirty years ago we were introduced to Kingsbridge in The Pillars of the Earth, and now in this prequel, international bestseller Ken Follett will take us on a journey into a rich past, which will end where his masterpiece begins. Now, with England at the dawn of the Middle Ages, these three people will each come into dangerous conflict with a ruthless bishop, who will do anything to increase his wealth and power, in an epic tale of ambition, rivalry, love and hate. A young boat builder dreams of a better future after a devastating Viking raid shatters the life he hoped for.Ī Norman noblewoman follows her husband to a new land only to find her life there shockingly different and a capable monk at Shiring Abbey has a vision of transforming his humble home into a centre of learning admired throughout Europe. The king's grip on the country is fragile and chaos reigns. and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother.Ī spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett’s historical masterpiece.From master storyteller Ken Follett, The Evening and the Morning is a historical epic that ends where The Pillars of the Earth begins. of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame. of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect-a man divided in his soul. 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. Today, it stands as a testament to Follett’s unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal.

A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and gripping humanity. “Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner,” extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth. monumental masterpiece” ( Booklist) that changed the course of Ken Follett’s already phenomenal career-and begins where its prequel, The Evening and the Morning, ended.

Pillars of the earth prequel