The Pillars of the Earth

February 25, 2008
Tom Builder's dream is to build a cathedral, but in the meantime, he must scrounge about to find a lord that will hire him. His search pulls him and his family into the politics of 12th-century England, as different lords vie to gain control of the throne in the wake of the recently deceased king. Prior Phillip, a man raised in the monastery since childhood, also finds himself drafted into the brewing storm as he must protect the interests of a declining church. Richard E. Grant seduces readers early on with a soft and deliberate voice that is like a loud whisper. However, his full range quickly reveals itself as he delves into characters with animated voices that exert their true essence. Even throughout the narrative, Grant musters a lively voice that imbues energy into the story. The only shortcoming is that the abridgment of Follett's 1989 novel proves to be too choppy. Though the story appears complete, there still remain abrupt moments throughout the tale. Penguin Audio's unabridged version is read by John Lee and runs 41 hours.

Arguably the best work of an author known for spy thrillers, this is historical fiction at its finest. The hope and despair of several people are tightly woven with the enormous task of cathedral construction in medieval England. Narrator John Lee adds vigor to Follett's descriptions of otherwise mundane matters: the graceful arch of a gothic spire, the innovation of using a mill wheel's power to felt wool. Follett's poignant characters blossom with Lee's reading. Lee reveals level-headed Prior Phillip's rare moments of pride as the church construction flourishes, and his anguish in the face of stolen funding. Phillip's nemesis, an ambitious nobleman, is cunning, and his lack of self-confidence is clear in Lee's capable reading. After 41 hours of listening, readers will yearn for more. N.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine


Richard Grant does a perfectly fine job with this somewhat choppy abridgment of Ken Follett's massive novel. Surprisingly for thriller writer Follett, this is a historical epic about the drama surrounding the construction of a twelfth-century English cathedral. Follett gives full play to his mastery of suspense; the results are a bit over the top but involving nonetheless. Grant's somewhat nasal inflection at first sounds too narrow for Follett's broad-brush writing. But within a couple of chapters, he warms to the plot and gives full voice to the panoply of saintly and evil characters, including a devout, disturbed monk and a troubled noblewoman. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine