What do readers think of Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett? Write your own review.

I think this book is wonderful. One should definitely not judge a book by it's cover, or even the first 60 pages... This book has been a page turner through and through, which I didn't expect and still don't understand how it is possible being so long. I definitely recommend it.

I can't believe there are so few reviews of this novel. Don't let the thickness of this book scare you away. At first I thought it would take me forever to finish it. The story and characters captured me right away and I had a hard time putting it down. It is now one of my all time favorite books.

There isn't one reader review? This is one of my all time favorites! A must read!

If you are interested in this historical period, the Great Anarchy, you should read the Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters. Her 20 volumes are mysteries set against the war between Maud and Stephen, but Peters' work is much more intelligent, and well-written.
One can suspect that Ken Follett benefited from Peters' meticulous research of the period. But his book is history sensationalized for the mass market.
I don't think I'll manage to read "Pillars of the Earth" all the way through.

I have to admit, I'm a bit mystified by the hype. Only 60 pages in, but may pass this to the trash heap. Passages like (loose quote) 'a cathedral is just like a church, but it's where the bishop lives' or 'a cathedral has three parts, a head, shoulders and a body.'
Well, no kidding. Thanks for explaining what a cathedral is. And no, it's not a head, shoulders and body, it's a cross.
And, again, only in the first 60 pages, it seemed like the daughter, Martha, was more like the Kenny character from the Comedy Central series "South Park." I mean, she was almost run down by a war horse and then clubbed by a mutilated thief.
I realize I perhaps have not read enough, but I keep saying to myself "Oh come on, please!"
I hate putting books down, so maybe a few more chapters.
If you want a better book of the same period, a true masterpiece, read 'Narcissus and Goldman" by Hermann Hesse.
It wasn't selected for Oprah's book club, which may be a good thing. Only read one of other book on that list and it was junk. The only other I heard about was a fraud.