Fall of Giants cover art

Fall of Giants

The groundbreaking novel from the number one bestseller

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Fall of Giants

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
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About this listen

The first in Ken Follett's breathtaking Century Trilogy, Fall of Giants is a captivating novel that follows five families through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for votes for women.

A World in Chaos
1911, a thirteen-year-old boy, Billy Williams, begins working down the mines as George V is crowned king. The escalating arms race between the empire nations will put not only the king but this young boy in grave danger.

A Terrible War
Billy’s family is inextricably linked with the Fitzherberts, the aristocratic owners of the coal mine where he works. And when Maud Fitzherbert falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London, their destiny also becomes entangled with that of Gus Dewar, an ambitious young aide to Woodrow Wilson, and two orphaned Russian brothers whose plan to emigrate to America falls foul of conscription, revolution and imminent war.

A Revolution That Will Change Everything
When Russia convulses in bloody revolution and the Great War unfolds, the five families’ futures are entwined forever, love bringing them closer even as conflict takes them further apart. What seeds will be sown for further tragedy in the twentieth century and what role will each play in what is to come?

Continue the captivating Century Trilogy with Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity.

20th Century Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense World War I War Russia Fiction Imperialism Exciting Soviet Union Royalty Socialism

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Critic reviews

Few works set out with such a grand concept as Ken Follett’s new Century trilogy, but part one suggests that the series will be one of the literary masterpieces of our time
He’s pulled it off again with Fall of Giants: it’s classic Follett with the brewing cataclysm of war given a human angle
Follett is masterly in conveying so much drama and historical information so vividly
The master storyteller Ken Follett knits together British, American, German and Russian points of view from the start to the end of the First World War into a fascinating and remarkably fertile tapestry of society and politics
An epic saga on a grand scale. Spiked with romance and intrigue . . . This involving historical saga is the perfect read for long winter evenings
An extraordinary achievement
Follett has managed to write an accessible and fascinating page turner that leaves the reader wanting more, at the same time as staying true to history
All stars
Most relevant
Probably the best audio book I have ever downloaded. The narrator is brilliant at keeping the book alive with good accents for different characters. The story itself is also great, i didn’t know too much about this period and almost nothing about the Bolsheviks in Russia but this novel takes you through it on a level at which anyone could relate to the experiences of the characters.

Funny, thrilling, interesting and educational.

Write another one please!

Fantastic

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I loved this book, it really gripped me. Written in Follett's usual well paced style with strong female characters (who he always has in his stories) the whole book was just so interesting to me as I knew so little about the era. of course Follett shows us the horrors of war but the idea to depict it back "back home" with all the telegrams from the losses at the Somme arriving all at once was genius. Really moving. Can't wait for the other two sequels. John Lee does his usual great job in the narrators chair and is never pedestrian.

Follett at his best...

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Any additional comments?

A book that covers all the major events of The Great War. Starting out in a Welsh mining village in 1912 we go through a fantastic journey to the Peace Treaty of Versailles. Whilst using fictitious characters the events they are placed in are real. Now moving on to book 2.. I can't wait.

A wonderful book

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely - this is one of those books that caused me to sign up for Audible..... It would take me years of bed time and weekend reading to get through just one of the three books. But putting my headphone in my ears and sorting out the weed in the garden while listening to a great story, well told solved several problems: my garden looks decent (I even enjoyed the weeding), I had a great summer outside and I have spare time to do other things than read for several years... such a good story too.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes - if I had the time.... a bit big for it though. But I listened when I drove, cooked, did the garden ... any time I did something where my mind was not needed for the job.

Any additional comments?

Three books is not too many!

Totally addictive

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Spellbinding storyline, I was hooked from page one & delighted to learn that there are two follow up stories.

My first read/listen of this author

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