Fall of Giants is Ken Follett's magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits…. Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House…. Two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution…. Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London….

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the 20th century, changing themselves—and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

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Listening Length	30 hours and 38 minutes
Author	Ken Follett
Narrator	John Lee
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	September 28, 2010
Publisher	Penguin Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0044X81LY
Best Sellers Rank	#1,494 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #18 in World Literature (Audible Books & Originals) #18 in Fiction Sagas #22 in War & Military Fiction

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Though Polar Opposites Politically, Follett's Political Bias is as Profound as Ayn Rand

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2017

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Having read some of Follett's other books (the Kingsbridge series, Eye of the Needle, etc.), I began The Century Trilogy series. What began as a fascinating read in books one and two, turned in to complete disappointment in book three. My mother's forefathers were coalminers in Wales, prior to immigrating to America, so I was captivated by characters who may have lived very similar lives to those who came before me. Given that I was not yet born during the early twentieth century, I took for granted the accuracy of quite a bit of Ken Follett's world view while I was reading his books. I knew there were atrocities committed against the working class in the UK and America during the early periods of the books, so I assumed much of his research to be correct. I have always been very open to the idea that different political parties owed their necessity to the time and place in which they were needed.

Unfortunately by the time I had read most of the third book, I realized Follett was an extremist in his socialist, political beliefs, especially with regard to American politics. I am an Independent, and I hate reading anything so far left and so far right, when it provides no basis for reality. I would rather see both the warts and the dimples, rather than be told a fairy tale of half-truths. His viewpoint is very singular in his condemnation for all things Republican, and nothing but praise for all Democrats; even to the extent that he gives Pope John Paul II's great success in Poland to President Carter...utterly ridiculous. Follett praises by intimating Carter's dealings with the communists was "cautious", yet Reagan was supposed to take on the Kremlin during the Solidarity movement perfectly exhibits the bias in his writing.

As I was reading the book, I reflected that all of the Follett books I had ever read, prior to the Century Trilogy were period pieces from a time I had not lived; however, "Edge of Eternity" covered a place in time I know very well. His revisionism of more modern times has left me bereft of any pleasure for reading the first two books. If I can't trust his completely biased viewpoint of modern history, than how can I trust any of his research. Unless you want to read a socialist manifesto, concealed in the vein of storytelling, I would strongly recommend you not purchase any of the books in this series. As for me, I will not be buying another Follett book. It really is sad, because I would have loved to find an author who would have me explore my Welsh heritage.

340 people found this helpful

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Pamela Steed

More story, less sec please

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2018

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Ken Follet is a phenomenal writer and he has an extraordinary gift for drawing readers into his craft with attention to historical detail. I’ve honestly been an avid reader of his many series for 2 decades. However, he loves to push the edge with everything sexual which I do not think is necessary for the deep character development of his stories. His style of writing is already so engrossing that I find the imagery of his overtly descriptive “love scenes” to be honestly pornographic. Mr. Follett, you evidentially like imagining how to stir your readers in this way and i am not impressed. Begging you for more story and less perversion. You are an amazing craftsman of the written word and I’d be thrilled to see you focus on your areas of expertise.

117 people found this helpful

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John Crispell

Enjoyable book, but w/ one interesting omission...

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2017

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Very engaging book..but... (more on that to follow)...
I stumbled onto this series by mistake: While shopping at a store this past summer I saw "The Edge of Eternity" (book #3 in this series). When I realized it WAS the 3rd installment of a series I decided to give it a read anyway, since I had enjoyed "Pillars of the Earth" & "World without End" some years ago. That book was very enjoyable so I decided to go for the series and read book #1 (THIS ONE).

Again I was captivated by the characters and the events of world history. There is only one thing I had a problem with...SPOILERS AHEAD...!!!!!!
SPOILERS FOLLOW:
When the closing years of WWI were covered (1918-1919) there was literally NO mention of the worst pandemic in modern history!!! He didn't write those events into his narrative fiction!! How could Mr. Follett NOT write about the 1918-1919 flue pandemic?! From online sources (and I quote): "It infected an estimated 500 MILLION (my emphasis) people- about one-third of the planet's population at the time, and killed an estimated 20-50 MILLION (!!!) victims." !!! But our characters go through Europe and the aftermath of the war, the signing of the Peace Treaty, etc., etc., without any concern. But it would have been a DEVASTATING time, to have made it through WWI only to have entire families DIE at the hands of the worst influenza outbreak in modern times. That is my only real gripe. Otherwise, it's pretty much straight forward Ken Follett: Good folks & really nasty characters who ALWAYS live to torment and remember & be vengeful another day. Fun stuff.
Would I recommend it? Sure.

57 people found this helpful

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Anita Galliher

Like a textbook thinly disguised as a novel

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2018

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If you like reading history, you should enjoy Fall of Giants. I enjoy historical novels because I can get the main events of a time in history inside a good story. However, Fall of Giants was more of a class about World War I with a story as an afterthought. The characters were characteristically Follott: deliciously detailed and diverse. I cheered for the women who fought so hard to get the vote and equal pay, and jeered at the pompous bastards who tried to make sure women stayed barefoot and pregnant. War, as always, brought out the best of the good and the worst of the bad. The battles were graphic and heart- wrenching. I held my breath until certain characters were safely back on their home soil. The sex scenes were always done in good taste. All these things were enjoyable and overall, I liked the book.
But then, as I said, probably half of the book went into great detail about the planning, logistics, maneuvres, execution politics, arguments and results of WWI, and it became tedious, tiresome and, for me, just plain boring. I am assuming that a century trilogy will include the wars of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the middle east. If they are as tedious as Fall of Giants, I may bow out and find another author to spend my time reading.
.

38 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Lord Chevallier

Easy to read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2020

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I'm a sucker for Follett novels even though they are all pretty much the same. It doesn't matter when or where the action is set he just lifts the main storyline from one time and drops it into another and it's endlessly predictable and written at GCSE level but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable. I find myself blasting through them in 3 or 4 days. His obsession with girls losing their virginity is getting a bit tiresome as he just copies/pastes the text from one sex scene to the next - "he felt some resistance then felt something give as she gave a brief cry of pain then moved with his rhythm" is getting a bit tired now after 7 of his novels. The characters are all types and you know in the first half hour what's going to happen but still I read them and enjoy them. There is always someone rich but evil who has two sons, the older being just like his dad and the younger being nice at first then showing his true colours later on. There is always some lower class poor guy (coal miner, servant, etc) who falls in love with the same woman as one of the two sons and suffers at their hands - the rich guys eventually get their comeuppance and the poor guy is raised somehow to a comfortable life and they all live happily ever after. The evil guys are always terrible and cruel in bed and the hero is always a stallion of a lover. She never knew it could be this good lol. It's not Shakespeare but it is an easy read perfect for holiday reading, or like me on lockdown placed on night shifts to help with social distancing at work it gives me something to do for a fiver.

6 people found this helpful

Mikkip

Boring left wing junk

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2018

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It is formulaic and boring. The writing is unoriginal -- both stylistically and the plot. In addition the book feels like a vehicle for the author to showcase his left wing views on how the world works (evil capitalists vs good socialists). I got my money back after reading 1/3. Life is too short to waste on this kind of garbage. Let this be a warning to you. I give this 2 stars rather than 1 because I know there are people who would enjoy this kind of mindless drivel.

13 people found this helpful

Nanny Ka

Epic story of love & war

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2016

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As a superb historical novel Fall Of Giants deserves 5 stars. However, particularly in chapters concerning battle scenes, it becomes bogged down in detail, so much so that I skimmed large swathes of tactical warfare & mind numbing equipment detail. The sweep of the story is breathtaking, encompassing as it does most of the countries involved in WW2. Characters are finely drawn, each with a unique part to play & all so totally believable, they & what would happen to them prevented me from abandoning the story when I encountered yet another protracted scene. I suspect that male readers will disagree.
Descriptions of servile "peasantry", the arrogant upper class, & the huge differences in the way each viewed the other are superbly portrayed. The class system was, (& perhaps still is to a lesser extent?) the same in every country portrayed. I thought I knew a lot about the period covered, however this account gave me a deeper insight into the possible thought processes which determined so many strange & sometimes tragic actions on the part of the various governments. If I was more able to impart the atmosphere & depth of characterisation I would perhaps make this review even longer. I hope I have written enough to encourage you to read this great book!

21 people found this helpful

Ali

Wow!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2017

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I have read many books about The Great War, and thought I knew quite a bit about it. However, this story opens up other areas, such as the Russian picture, and enables the reader to get a more overall idea of what was happening. It is very immersive and I could not stop reading - so much that I didn't even realise that I'd reached the last page! Such disappointment led me straight on to buy part 2.

This edition is an 'enhanced' edition, which I think is just brilliant. Unfortunately I mostly read on my kindle and it is not compatible so I haven't used it so much. I like the pictures and videos at the back. Part two is not enhanced :(

11 people found this helpful

Leena K

Great historical fiction

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2018

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I'm not one to voluntarily pick up a historical novel, however, since I 'accidentally' read Follet's 'Pillars of the Earth', I have taken to Follet's books.

It's a fascinating insight into life in the early twentieth century. With my limited prior knowledge of pivotal events that occurred during this era, it fuelled my desire to learn more, along with the lives and loves of the main characters. Despite its 852 pages in length, with short bursts of repetitive prose, it's a delightful un-put-downable read. I have since committed myself to completing the trilogy, (hopefully by the end of the year!)

I urge anyone unfamiliar with this genre to give it a go, up won't be disappointed.

5 people found this helpful

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