Many of the movies, tv shows, and music that I consider to be the best were experienced when I was 18 years old or younger. I cannot say the same for the best books I have ever read. With the exception of Dune, the best books I have ever read were all read in the past four years. Add The Pillars of the Earth to that list.

I am aware that Oprah Winfrey picked The Pillars of the Earth as her November 2007 book club selection, but I first heard about this book during the marketing campaign for Ken Follett’s follow-up to The Pillars of the Earth, called World Without End released on October 2007, and bought The Pillars of the Earth at that time. I enjoy reading fiction that uses medieval England as its setting, whether it be historical fiction or through the guise of fantasy, as in A Game of Thrones or The Eye of the World. So based on what I had heard about The Pillars of the Earth I thought it would be the type of book I would enjoy. That thought turned out to be correct.

The setting of The Pillars of the Earth is probably the aspect of the book that distinguishes this book as instantly becoming a favorite of mine. The way the author weaves the important historical events of 12th century England into the story of the fictional town of Kingsbridge is quite ingenious, even if these events play only a small role in the novel. Descriptions of daily life in these times as well as the relevant information about the architectural knowledge of the time add to the flavor and enjoyment of the novel.

The more fiction I read the more amazed I am at the ability of some authors to write long and detailed novels without wasting a single word. The words in the pages of this novel flow as if there were no doubt that they were meant to be. There is never a point in the 980 pages where the book drags, nor is there a point where the reader stops caring about the characters. These characters are yet another reason this book is so special. Even though there are clear antagonists and protagonists in the story, all of the characters have flaws and make what could be seen as bad decisions at some point throughout the story. Over the span of the approximately 40 years that the book covers, the reader sees characters grow up from childhood, others mature in adulthood, and some die.

The only minor aspects that I can find fault with may be the predictability of a small percentage of the plot points, and (without giving too much away) how the inevitable fate of one of the characters comes about.

After reading The Pillars of the Earth I can say it easily stands as one of the top 10 books I have ever read and maybe even near the top 5.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.