Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
11 used & new from CDN$ 0.29
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
World Without End
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

World Without End (Hardcover)

by Ken Follett (Author) "Gwenda was eight years old, but she was not afraid of the dark ..." (more)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 33.53
Price: CDN$ 33.50 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Usually ships within 3 to 5 weeks.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.

Ordering for Christmas?? This item requires additional time to ship and will arrive after December 25. Need a last-minute gift? Send an Amazon.ca Gift Certificate.

6 new from CDN$ 32.11 5 used from CDN$ 0.29

Frequently Bought Together

World Without End + Pillars Of The Earth + The Book Of Negroes
Total List Price: CDN$ 67.47
Price For All Three: CDN$ 54.97

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

  • This item: World Without End by Ken Follett

    Usually ships within 3 to 5 weeks.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details

  • Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details

  • The Book Of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Pillars Of The Earth

Pillars Of The Earth

by Ken Follett
4.6 out of 5 stars (612)  CDN$ 8.99
A Dangerous Fortune

A Dangerous Fortune

by Ken Follett
4.5 out of 5 stars (64)  CDN$ 9.89
Triple

Triple

by Ken Follett
4.3 out of 5 stars (19)  CDN$ 8.99
Eye Of The Needle Mm

Eye Of The Needle Mm

by Ken Follett
4.7 out of 5 stars (40)  CDN$ 8.99
Paper Money

Paper Money

by Ken Follett
3.5 out of 5 stars (8)  CDN$ 9.89
› Explore similar items

Product Details

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Eighteen years after Pillars of the Earth weighed in with almost 1,000 pages of juicy historical fiction about the construction of a 12th-century cathedral in Kingsbridge, England, bestseller Follett returns to 14th-century Kingsbridge with an equally weighty tome that deftly braids the fate of several of the offspring of Pillars' families with such momentous events of the era as the Black Death and the wars with France. Four children, who will become a peasant's wife, a knight, a builder and a nun, share a traumatic experience that will affect each of them differently as their lives play out from 1327 to 1361. Follett studs the narrative with gems of unexpected information such as the English nobility's multilingual training and the builder's technique for carrying heavy, awkward objects. While the novel lacks the thematic unity of Pillars, readers will be captivated by the four well-drawn central characters as they prove heroic, depraved, resourceful or mean. Fans of Follett's previous medieval epic will be well rewarded. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.


From AudioFile

John Lee gives a breathtaking performance of FollettÕs sequel to PILLARS OF THE EARTH. Two hundred years have passed, and fourteenth-century Kingsbridge is now a prosperous town, with its cathedral and priory still a central force. As the novel follows its four main characters from 1327 to 1361, medieval English life is slowly and thoroughly revealed. Lee gives stunning portraits of change-resistant churchmen, the hardships and superstitions of peasant life, the inequities of corrupt noblemen, and the grotesqueries of the Black Death. While creating wholly credible major and minor characters, Lee delivers FollettÕs intricate plots and subplots, making each detail fascinating, from medieval medicine and bridge-building to the surprisingly powerful role of women. Even after 36 CDs, listeners will be sorry to see this book end. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
Gwenda was eight years old, but she was not afraid of the dark. Read the first page
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 
(3)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What do customers ultimately buy after viewing this item?

World Without End
83% buy the item featured on this page:
World Without End 3.9 out of 5 stars (28)
CDN$ 33.50
Pillars Of The Earth
8% buy
Pillars Of The Earth 4.6 out of 5 stars (612)
CDN$ 8.99
The Lost Symbol
4% buy
The Lost Symbol 2.8 out of 5 stars (61)
CDN$ 18.48
The Time Traveler's Wife
3% buy
The Time Traveler's Wife 4.5 out of 5 stars (150)
CDN$ 11.00
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

28 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (5)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Sequel to Pillars, Oct 13 2007
By Reviewing for dummies "Toto" - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: World Without End (Hardcover)
"World Without End" is a sequel, and comparisons are natural. Like many of the other reviewers I too had read the first volume years ago, and though I remember enjoying it very much I think that even if one does not read that book they will still experience a great read. WWE is loaded with interesting characters and literally hundreds of stories winding through the main plot. The characters come off as real and lively as well as purely evil, funny or pathetic - in other words a book chock full of something for every reader who truly enjoys settling down with a thick volume that takes effort to complete.

Follett creates and paints a believable world for his cast of characters. As usual the quality of the writing keep the story flowing and scene after scene setting up great events. Follett's characters are as usual drawn with daring, humor and more than a touch of mystery. The setting is dynamic and part of what I enjoyed the most, seeing how his creations moved through the society of the times and how they reacted, rebelled, fought and, yes, fornicated. Family life, and the society of the guilds and how they worked within the ages, and of course the conflicts that developed within that context.

Plotting is very strong, Follett should be congratulated for juggling so many characters and moving them through the scenes and situations he has created to bring out conflicts, love, hate and violence that was very much familiar to the time period. If, like me, you have enjoyed many of Follett's books, no matter what genre as much as I have then I believe you will like this one too, and very much.

Help raise awareness; support cancer research!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Dangerous Secret, Scheming, Invention, Healing, Wars, and Economic Development in Medieval Europe, Nov 2 2007
This review is from: World Without End (Hardcover)
It's not possible to write a book as profoundly intriguing and moving as Pillars of the Earth, even if it is a sequel of that very book by the same author. Why? A lot of the appeal of such a groundbreaking book is in our fresh reactions to something unlike what we have read before. Once you've had those reactions, a new book is seen through different eyes and with higher expectations.

That said, most people will be pleased that they take the time to read the over 1,000 pages of World Without End. But start your expectations lower than the way you remember Pillars of the Earth.

I started late on Wednesday night and couldn't put it down until I finished today . . . with brief breaks for sleep and refreshment.

At one level, the book is simply a soap opera based in the Middle Ages where youthful encounters set lifelong enmities and alliances into motion. At another level, World Without End is a fictional history of the 14th century as seen through English eyes. At a third level, this book creates a bridge between the 14th century and the 21st century by presenting modern sensibilities in medieval dress.

World Without End returns to Kingsbridge, England, two centuries after Pillars of the Earth. Kingsbridge, the cathedral, and descendants of the key characters in Pillars of the Earth provide the continuity. But this is a Kingsbridge led by people who are either obsessed with never changing anything or by seeking personal advantage . . . regardless of the cost. As a result, when there are problems, well, it's a problem to fix things. Fortunately, the book features two extraordinary problem solvers -- Merthin, who can design and build almost anything and Caris, who can turn a profit better than the other wool dealers and heal better than the Oxford-trained monks.

In the beginning, lives are changed after Gwenda steals Sir Gerald's purse. Already in debt to the priory, Sir Gerald (a descendant of Earl Thomas, son of Thomas the Builder) gives up his lands in exchange for a meager pension and assigns his son Merthwin to be apprenticed as a carpenter and his son Ralph to serve as a possible knight in training. Wanting to try out a bow that Merthwin had made, the boys trek into the forest with Gwenda and Caris, daughter of a wealthy wool merchant. While in the forest, the four youngsters observe a knight come under attack and Merthwin becomes involved in a deadly secret.

Almost all of the major characters in the book are introduced in the first 100 pages, and you'll follow them through the next 34 years (1327-1361) as they become allies and enemies of one another. That's the soap opera aspect of the story.

The historical side is covered by a deep exploration of relations between the church and towns and the nobility and farmers. There are also side trips into the battles between the French and English and the development of Florence. This is the century where the Black Death (bubonic plague) decimated Europe, and the plague is a major part of the story line. You'll also gain a deeper understanding of medieval society as you observe how relationships among the characters shift as their position and status in society change.

For those who like a compact story, World Without End will seem endlessly long at times. But exploring all of those historical nuances takes a lot of space. I thought that for the most part the historical aspect was well done, if a little too encyclopedic. But at the end you'll know the differences among a landless laborer, a serf, and a tenant who farms land in exchange for rent. Having taken a lot of medieval history courses in college, I can report however that World Without End is a much easier way to learn this history than by reading standard history texts.

To me, the book's main flaw is in Caris. Ken Follett tries to do too much with this one woman. If the way she is portrayed had been split up among three or four characters, I think the story would have been more credible. As it is, she's a little too 21st century for the 14th century. And her position and attitudes shift way too much.

The secondary flaw is in constantly pitting the good guys and gals against the baddies: There's enough conflict to account for more than 25 books. I frankly got tired of it . . . not because it was boring . . . but because I didn't get enough respite from the unrelenting struggles.

For those who loved the cathedral building details in Pillars of the Earth, you'll feel rewarded in World Without End by learning about bridge building and repairing cathedrals. Those who enjoy economic history will be fascinated by the social effects of the Black Death in creating rights and a higher standard of living for the downtrodden.

After you finish the book, I suggest you spend some time thinking about the value of keeping good relations with everyone you come into contact with. Those you meet in the way up you may well meet on the way down.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute WOW, Jan 28 2008
By Aaron P. Mcfarland (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: World Without End (Hardcover)
I read Pillars of the earth 2 times. This book captivates me just as much. It's worth the buy and the time to read it. 5/5 for this one
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 		 Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing read
I was really looking forward to this book, especially after reading the first book Pillars of the Earth. Read more
Published 1 month ago by NorthVan Dave

3.0 out of 5 stars Its Okay
I LOVED Pillars of Earth. But World Without End was a disappointment. If you haven't read Pillars then WWE might be pretty good. But I found WWE way too similar to Pillars. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. El-Hilo

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
This was a good book to read through for a couple of months. I had read the first one and enjoyed it so I decided to buy this one too. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sophie Veilleux

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
I got this book 2 years ago for Christmas and I finally decided to read it over my summer vacation. It was great! Just like Pillars! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Julia Marchessault

5.0 out of 5 stars World Without End
This book is the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, the characters are descendants of the characters in Pillars of the Earth - 200 years later. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Agnes Juhasz

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy successor to "Pillars of the Earth"!
"World Without End" continues the story of Kingsbridge, a medieval town noted for the awe-inspiring Gothic cathedral designed and built some 200 hundred years earlier in the 12th... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Paul Weiss

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!
What a great writer. The detail is amazing. You can picture each character in your mind. Great book!
Published 7 months ago by Kerri Lencucha

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but exhausting
It was good, but not great by any means. The plot and characters are nearly identical to those in Pillars of the Earth. It was also rather exhausting to read. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Erilyn

5.0 out of 5 stars A Well Orchestrated Plot Based on Human Instincts
It is said of the great storytellers that they provide their reader with just enough to have them want more. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ian Gordon Malcomson

2.0 out of 5 stars Book Without End
Long, contrived, ultimately boring rant against nobility that could have used a lot of editing, unless, perchance, he was being paid by the word which would explain a lot!
Published 10 months ago by S. Ellis

Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject











i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.