Customer Rating: 
Summary: You'll buy it for the historical details; You'll read it for the characters.
Comment: The Pillars of the Earth is by turns scholarly and a guilty pleasure. If you ever wanted to know a host of architectural data about European cathedrals, it's there. The information about the cathedrals would be a cinematographer's dream. You can easily visualize the sweep and scope of England's early monuments to Christian worship.
If you want to get to know a host of characters from childhood to old age, it's in there, too. The love story between Aliena and Jack the Builder move this story along. However, there are other highly interesting folks you will meet along the way in this historical novel that sweeps through the twelfth century. Thomas Becket appears in this story, but you'll have to read the book to see how his story entwines with others.
After reading the Pillars of the Earth, I had to read the sequel World Without End. If you love historical fiction, you've found the mother lode here!
Customer Rating: Summary: Worth Reading
Comment: I enjoyed reading this book because I had no idea how gruesome it was to live during the middle ages. I also had no idea the hardships people endured merely to survive! I appreciated the graphic detail of how people lived in those days because it really puts you in their shoes. If you like to learn about history through fantastic novels, this is a perfect book to read about medieval times.
I also thought it was clever how he gave each character more than one personality trait. For example, there was no bad guy that was 100% evil 100% of the time, even the worst characters had very weak spots. Although, I do have to say that the worst bad guy is so horrible, it's infuriating. I enjoyed the depth he gave each character and I enjoyed learning about how they thought and communicated in order to get what they needed. I liked watching the characters grow and mature- some of them got worse, but still it was a nice evolution.
It did get a little soap-opera-ish half way through, but, luckily, I kept reading and found it to be a brilliant piece of literature in the end.
Customer Rating: Summary: Want to escape? Read this book!
Comment: I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to drop off the face of the earth for a week or two. Don't let its thickness fool you -this is the shortest long book I've ever read. I flew through it in a week, reading half of it in two days. This book is entertaining, fast-paced, and easy to read. It recreates 12th century England in a way that anyone can identify with, even if you don't know anything about the dark ages.
My only complaint is the lack of any guide to the architecture that is quite often referred to in the story. One would think that since the entire plot revolves around the construction of a cathedral, the publisher would include a floor plan or at least some kind of chart. There are a few illustrations, but none of them have labels. Some of us don't know what clerestories, naves, ribbed vaults, or flying buttresses are. Follett goes to great lengths to describe these things and more. Give us a picture, cut out a thousand words, and move on with it! That being said, it's truly rare to find a book that creates a world that you want to keep visiting -a world that you don't want to leave.
The Pillars of the Earth has all of the elements that make a great story: prophecies, secrets, forbidden love, war, adventure, revenge, tragedies, triumphs, and endless political maneuvering. The main characters are human beings with strengths and weaknesses. They suffer and struggle, doing everything in their power to get what they want. There are good guys, bad guys, and plenty of twists and turns. Even after following the characters through fifty years, you won't want this book to end.
Customer Rating: Summary: My favorite book, EVER!
Comment: This is a book you can read, and read, and never put down. I had heard of Ken Follett, who hasn't? But when I read this book, I was totally immersed in his insightfulness, the quality and scope of the characters, and the great writing and the greatest story of love, betrayal, and the rising and falling of fortunes. I had read it a year before Oprah discovered it, and was totally taken aback that she picked it for a choice for her book club! Usually, the books she chooses are mediocre at best. Not this book. This book is great, and my favorite book. I never re-read books, but I am thinking of delving into this one again. They can never make a movie out of it, it's just too rich. Loved it!
Customer Rating: Summary: I loved it.
Comment: I read this book in 5 days... which is quite a feat for someone who works full time as a teacher, grades papers when she gets home and then still finds time to compulsively read this book. It is AMAZING. Sure, not every aspect of it is historically perfect, but that doesn't mean it's not a good read. There's sex, violence, history, adventure and intrigue... it's got a great storyline.
I was completely engrossed in this novel... and I was sad as it came to an end. I have actually been saving the sequel because I don't want to read it too soon and have the books come to an end.
However, if you are a historical perfectionist, I wouldn't recommend this book for you. You'll spend more time nitpicking out all of the little problems instead of enjoying the book for what it is: a well-written, wonderfully fun novel.
