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If I were to start reading Ken Follett, where should I start?

If I were to start reading Ken Follett, where should I start?

Misi #recommend

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94 Answers

Angela

The Pillars of the Earth.

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Thania

i began with Fall of Giants

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Kathleen

Night Over Water… excellent read and not as ambitious as Pillars (which I loved).

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Diane

Pillars of the Earth, definitely

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Erin

Yes!! I loved this book!

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Brenda

I would suggest Pillars of the Earth, he is such a good writer.

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Emily

Pillers of Earth but he has written some great books over the years. Eye of the Needle and The Man From St. Petersburg were also great.

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Kristine

Pillars of the Earth.

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Mirah

I liked Night Over Water and The Key to Rebecca. Also Pillars of the Earth obviously.

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MisiQuestion author

Thanks!!! Pillars of the Earth it is.

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Melissa

Pillars of the earth! Excellent book!

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Teresa

Loved the key to Rebecca and eye of the needle. Also loved pillars of the earth but not sure I would suggest for first follett.

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Gail

Eye of the Needle

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Kris

I agree

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Nancy

ME TOO!

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Marjorie

Me also!

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Gyöngyi

And me too.

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Dawn

The pillars of the earth

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Mary

Pillars of the Earth, then Key to Rebecca.

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Joe

Night over Water

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Rosalie

Pillars of the Earth! My husband and I still talk about some of the characters after more than 10 years.

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Kelly

Definitely Pillars of the Earth!

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Carla

PILLARS OF THE EARTH, my favorite book.

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Kellee

Anywhere!

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Geeti

Pillars of the Earth definitely

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Penelope

His books are very different from each other, so it would partly depend on your taste. I would suggest you do a little more research yourself before you choose. If you like long, very long, historical family sagas, you can’t beat Pillars of the Earth.

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Vickie

He has at least 2 major series, Pillars of the Earth and Fall of Giants. I would choose one of those series and choose the first of that one.

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Gyöngyi

Yes. Kingsbridge & Century trilogies. Love those books!

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Cathy

I loved the Century trilogy

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Mary

Pillars of the Earth

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Fiona

Pillars!

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Mary

Pillars!!!

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Mary

Pillars of the Earth.

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Patti

Pillars of the Earth.

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Tamara

Love Pillars. Go for it and have fun.

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Linda

I agree Pillars of the earth !

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Sunita

Geeti that one was my least favorite of his books. Eye of the Needle, Key to Rebecca were some of his really good one’s in my humble opinion.

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Jen

Pillars, then World without end.

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Marjorie

Eye of the Needle or Night Over Water.

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Rheannon

Pillars!♥️♥️

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Evie

Pillar of the Earth!!

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Sherlynn

Century Trilogy absolutely

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Beverly

Key to Rebecca and Lay Down with Lions.

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Catherine

Key to Rebecca, Eye of the Needle, and Pillars of the Earth were all good. (I wasn’t so crazy about Pillar’s sequels.)

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Claudia

The Man From St. Petersburg.

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Julie

Yes!

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Linda

Is Night Over Easter the one about the Pan American Clipper? That puppy was the bomb! Start there! Keep going…he is a terrific storyteller.

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Gyöngyi

Night over water. It is a WW II thriller

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Mary

Was a great book!

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Rebecca

Key to Rebecca and Eye of the needle

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Joy

I agree. Great books and good intro to Follett.

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Gyöngyi

Code to zero and Jackdaws are also good reads.

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Machelle

Those were MY two recommendations❣️❣️

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James

The fall of giants, its the first of the century trilogy. Its an amazing and quite an easy read for a large book.

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Michelle

Pillars of the Earth!!

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Julie

All good. I would start with the early ones.

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Teresa

All this talk about Ken Follett is making me think that the next time I’m in reading slump and there isn’t a book I’m dying to read I will go back and read one of the early Follet’s. It’s been more than 30 years since I read key to Rebecca and the eye of the needle.

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Roger

Is pillars a stand alone or a series?

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James

Pillars of earth is the first book, world without end is the follow up.

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Mary

But either, esp. Pillars, can be read on its own.

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Gyöngyi

And Column of Fire is the third book of the Kingsbridge trilogy

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Jodi

I started with Jackdaws, actually, and really loved it (I’m a fiend for WWII centered fiction for some reason.)

Also really loved The Century Trilogy, and Pillars of the Earth/World Without End.

Also psyched to start his newest!

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Emily

I’m reading it now. I’m over half way through it. Very good – as usual.

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Machelle

Seriously, ANY Ken Follett is FANTABULOUS!!!! BUT, his series/trilogies are EPIC. So, any stand alone, would be a good start. I INHALED, Code To Zero…Jack Daws – women pilots in WWII – is on my short list TBR.

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Jodi

I loooved Jackdaws!

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Machelle

@Jodi I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for the feedback

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Sergio

Eye of the Needle.

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Judy

Pillars of the Earth an all time favorite!!

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Mary

Truly, just pick one up and go. They’re all great.

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Margaret

Page 1

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Francesca

??

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Joan

Pillars of earth. Amazing read.

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Jo

Pillars of the Earth!

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Robyn

I really disliked Pillars of the Earth so much that I have avoided Follett ever since. Looks like I am in the minority though ?

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Gyöngyi

Yes you are lol

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Kristine

Follett writes two kinds of books. The epic series and the stand alone novels. To me, they are quite different in feel. If you don’t like one, try the other.

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Barbara

Pillars of the Earth.

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Roger

Can someone get into more detail about pillars? I’ve read the synopsis or overview or whatever it’s called and several reviews but I’m just not sure it sounds interesting enough to read. I bought the book a long time ago and never read it. Now I’m thinking about listening in audible.

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Machelle

Pillars is EPIC, so every detail is rich in description, but so well done that you feel like you’re THERE. Ken Follett also wrote a plot that is so intricately intertwined that it amazed me how “separate situations,” actually connected, further in the story-then took the characters’ situations DEEPER. Since the series is HUGE, I’m not through it, yet. But, ONLY, because there are so many books I want to read, that I keep going back to the series in spurts. I’m on the second book, World Without End.

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Evie

Machelle Eschmann Great synopsis of Pillars.

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Roger

@Machelle yeah that I as a great description! That alone will probably cause me to go ahead a listen to it.
I love that type of epic read but in more of a frontier type setting.

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Machelle

@Roger and Evie Schultz, thank you for the kudos. I listen to audibles at work and I have to say, this series would probably make an excellent audible – especially if they use a European accent to add to the effect of listening. Enjoy!!!

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Roger

@Machelle that’s where I listen to most of my audibles. What an excellent way to pass the time for hours at work! Been using audible for a couple years now.

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Machelle

@Roger, yes I have also, “been read to,” for several years. My office is across the parking lot from the library ?. And, YES, I pay library fines…I consider them a donation to a worthy cause ? PROBLEM-Maybe you can help. My computer upgrade does not play CDs, like my old computer. I’m having trouble finding a CD player that doesn’t quit working. Any ideas for solution????

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Roger

@Machelle gosh I really wouldn’t have any idea. I listen to everything on my cell phone thru my audible app. Haven’t listened to a cd in a long time. Well maybe some while driving but that’s been awhile also. I used to be a regular at the local library but with nook, kindle, audible and the ease of ordering books online u don’t use the library near as much as I used to.
I did buy about 8 boxes of books on tape at a sale a few years back lol. They’re still boxed up and don’t have a tape player to listen to them either.

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Machelle

Good ideas, though. Thanks….

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Karen

Pillars of the Earth would be my recommendation!

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Jill

A different take on Follett — try The Eye of the Needle and The Key to Rebecca.

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Jane

These were TERRIFIC reads! I enjoyed Pillars, but I liked “Fall of Giants” more, if you enjoy historical fiction.

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Rennie

The Century series. Start with Fall of the Giants. Great to listen to on audible. I am just finishing Edge of Eternity.

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Kavita

The third twin!! one of the best book i have read!!

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Machelle

All of KF’s are excellent and I just put that title ahead of the class…right after, Jackdaws.

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Liesl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5043.The_Pillars_of_the_Earth?ac=1&from_search=true

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Anne

I agree!

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