It’s a page turner of historical fiction. A good way to dip your toe in the genre. And though it is objectively long, just think of it as reading two books. There’s long and then there’s long. When a book grips you, the length hardly matters. If it doesn’t click within 40ish pages, move on.
JesterJosh on
I don’t read historical fiction often, but I read this book and it has stuck with me for years.
confabulatrix on
I didn’t care for it but many people disagree with me. Endless descriptions of a physical construction.
Ineffable7980x on
I stalled out less than halfway, but that was a long time ago. I might give it another try soon.
ch536 on
I really liked the prequel The Evening and the Morning but I found Pillars of the Earth far too gory and disturbing for my liking and had to stop
Irksomecake on
I read about a third of the first book before I wanted the beat the author over the head with it…. But lots of people love it. You will know fairly quickly if you can enjoy the book.
Plastic_Highlight492 on
I enjoyed it years ago, and I think I did the audio version, which was well read. I didn’t read any of the sequels. One tome was enough for me. I loved the background about the design and building process.
redshadow90 on
Most overrated soap opera like book. Terrible. I wish I dnfed.
DoubleNaught_Spy on
Descriptions of the book — “the story of the construction of a medieval cathedral” — do it no service and make it sound as boring as hell.
It is anything but that. It has church politics and treachery, palace intrigue, battles, murders, romance and quite a few sex scenes.
In short, it is awesome. I too put off reading it for years because of its length and boring description. But it is great. Yeah, it’s long, but it’s well worth the read.
9 Comments
It’s a page turner of historical fiction. A good way to dip your toe in the genre. And though it is objectively long, just think of it as reading two books. There’s long and then there’s long. When a book grips you, the length hardly matters. If it doesn’t click within 40ish pages, move on.
I don’t read historical fiction often, but I read this book and it has stuck with me for years.
I didn’t care for it but many people disagree with me. Endless descriptions of a physical construction.
I stalled out less than halfway, but that was a long time ago. I might give it another try soon.
I really liked the prequel The Evening and the Morning but I found Pillars of the Earth far too gory and disturbing for my liking and had to stop
I read about a third of the first book before I wanted the beat the author over the head with it…. But lots of people love it. You will know fairly quickly if you can enjoy the book.
I enjoyed it years ago, and I think I did the audio version, which was well read. I didn’t read any of the sequels. One tome was enough for me. I loved the background about the design and building process.
Most overrated soap opera like book. Terrible. I wish I dnfed.
Descriptions of the book — “the story of the construction of a medieval cathedral” — do it no service and make it sound as boring as hell.
It is anything but that. It has church politics and treachery, palace intrigue, battles, murders, romance and quite a few sex scenes.
In short, it is awesome. I too put off reading it for years because of its length and boring description. But it is great. Yeah, it’s long, but it’s well worth the read.