Michael Gorey

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth immensely and it was with genuine excitement that I picked up a hardcover copy of the “sequel”, World Without End, around Christmas.

Pillars is an all-time classic, a modern masterpiece in my opinion. I guess it’s not easy to follow an epic with an epic, which is probably why it took author Ken Follett 18 years to write World Without End.

I won’t rehash the storyline here. Basically it continues the trials and tribulations of Kingsbridge, its inhabitants and cathedral. The setting is 200 years after Pillars and the narrative is through the eyes of the descendants and successors of the main characters in the original novel.

World Without End is a very good book and well worth reading. It’s probably not necessary to read Pillars first, but that would assist with context.

I don’t think it’s as good as Pillars. It’s hard to describe why I say that, so take it as the subjective statement it is.

World Without End just lacks a certain grandeur compared with Pillars. It’s more like a Mercedes than a Rolls Royce.

These articles might be of interest:

• Eye of the Needle
• Hornet Flight by Ken Follett
• The Pillars of the Earth