I was super-excited to read "World Without End" but I also had my reservations. "Pillars of the Earth" ranks as my favourite book of all time but Follett wrote it eighteen years ago and, well, we all know how anticlimactic sequels can be! In "World Without End," Follett returns to Kingsbridge after a 200 year lapse, creating a tome that entwines the fates of four main characters with momentous 14th century events like the Black Death and the British wars with France under Edward II and III. The book contains some fascinating history and definitely includes intrigue and suspense: Kingsbridge's monastery is falling apart, its bridge is close to collapse, and a generation of young bloods is preparing to revolutionize the town. Follett brings together people from various walks of life, reflecting a community struggling with change. Out of this struggle come moments of tragedy and triumph, of decline and growth, of failure and success. It IS ultimately a page-turner though much of it reads a lot like "Pillars," both in characterization and plot development. Some elements of the book also seem overdone; I could have done with about 100 fewer pages of sex and violence! A very good read, just not as good as "Pillars." Then again, what is?
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