The Evening and the Morning: The Prequel to The Pillars of the Earth, A Kingsbridge Novel

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There is, of course -- and I hate to say 'of course', but, well, here we are -- a rape scene. It isn't as graphic as it might be, but it's also just... wearying. I can recognize that, yes, both the rape and its context would not be unusual for the period and still be tired of the trope appearing in fiction. I wish Follett had found some other means of inflicting stress upon his heroine. Another scene, while positively framed, reminded me that I could also do without ever reading a male author trying to write a woman's perspective of her own genitalia ever again. Her husband, Cyneric, was thirty. She had been fourteen when she married him. He had a small herd of milk cows, and Sunni managed the dairy. She was shrewd, and made plenty of money for her husband. They had no children. Although this is a prequel, I do not think it is necessary to read the other books in the series to be able to enjoy this one. Plus, although a prequel, this does not end where Pillars of the Earth begins. But just as Edgar, the boat builder/building maker does, this book builds a foundation upon which Pillars of the Earth was created. The lives of Edgar, Ragna, Aldred, and Wynstam cross paths as they go up against obstacles, some in intricate conflict with one another. Follett adroitly captures life in the 10th century, from the beliefs of the time — e.g., that women would only become pregnant if they enjoyed sexual intercourse — to the transcendence of witnessing a birth: It is not always a happy picture he paints of the era from 997-1007 AD, but at the same time it was not the best of times in England. The Vikings were raiding almost annually, the area is governed by a truly evil family who even controls the church and uses that institution to advance their own power and wealth, even though they constantly make decisions that go against the welfare of the citizens of the area.

Ragna: Daughter of Count Hubert of Cherbourg, travels to England after marrying Ealdorman Wilwulf of Shiring. even though I really enjoyed The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, I wasn't too crazy about Ken Follett's A Column of Fire. I thought I would give Follett one more chance with this prequel; and, Just as transporting as [ The Pillars of the Earth] . . . A most welcome addition to the Kingsbridge series.”— The Washington Post Along the way, we also meet Bishop Wynstam and his family. They represent power, both religious and economic. The political undercurrent throughout the novel runs deep and, on many occasions, shows how decisions made at the top have dire effects on the lives of the poor. Thirty years ago, Ken Follett published his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Now, Follett's masterful new prequel The Evening and the Morning takes us on an epic journey into a historical past rich with ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate, that will end where The Pillars of the Earth begins.

By Dara Horn

The plot is full of action and tension that was perfectly paced. The characters, many who are filled with greed and ambition, were so well-developed I felt I knew them. This was most definitely a five-star book for me. I loved it!

He looked across the bay to his destination. In the darkness he would not have been able to see Sunni even if she had been there, which he knew she was not, since they had arranged to meet at dawn. But he could not help staring at the place where she soon would be. It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. The king’s grip on the country is fragile and chaos reigns. A young boat builder dreams of a better future after a devastating Viking raid shatters the life he hoped for. The multiple storylines of love, sex, violence, politics, good vs. evil, and extreme power plays make for a riveting tale. The main characters around which this complex plot revolves are: The thrilling and addictive prequel to The Pillars of the Earth–set in England at the dawn of a new era: the Middle Ages He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.Ragna, the daughter of a wealthy Norman count, falls in love with the English ealdorman Wilfwulf. Her parents reluctantly agree to the marriage, and Ragna moves to the English village of Shiring where a few months after her wedding she discovers a heartbreaking secret her husband has been hiding from her. Meanwhile, she is in a political battle for power against Wilf's formidable brothers and stepmother. unlike ACoF, I appreciated that this story returned to Kingsbridge (known as Dreng's Ferry during the Dark Ages); and, The Kingsbridge books . . . are swift, accessible and written in a clear, uncluttered prose that has a distinctly contemporary feel. . . . Follett presents his worlds in granular detail, but the narratives never stand still. Something dramatic, appalling or enraging happens in virtually every chapter. . . . The result is a massive entertainment that illuminates an obscure corner of British history with intelligence and great narrative energy.”

Una din capcanele seriilor este că la un moment dat să te cam saturi de ele când autorul nu vine cu ceva cu adevărat nou. Având în vedere că autorul a scris la fiecare roman între 700 și aproape 1000 de pagini, îți poți imagina cu ușurință că vei ajunge să îți dorești și altceva. Chiar dacă fiecare serie aduce un set nou de personaje, acțiunea sărind câte două secole de la un volum la altul, avem în esență oameni ai bisericii extrem de corupți, avem unii călugări care se luptă cu morile de vânt și corupția superiorilor, avem un constructor, avem victime și agresori. Pentru mine apropierea de prezent a scăzut atracția față de cărți. De aceea, bucuria a fost și mai mare atunci când am aflat că al patrulea volum al seriei reprezintă un prolog al seriei, autorul alegând să se întoarcă în trecut, la formarea Kingsbridge. And while this is not great literature, it is a great story. It's all plot and not much else. No underlying themes. No imagery or symbolism to analyze. But wow! What a plot it is. Read and enjoy. Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire. The moon had set, but the sky was clear and the beach was starlit. Between the house and the high-tide mark was a boatyard. Pa was a boatbuilder, and his three sons worked with him. Pa was a good craftsman and a poor businessman, so Ma made all the money decisions, especially the difficult calculation of what price to ask for something as complicated as a boat or ship. If a customer tried to bargain down the price, Pa would be willing to give in, but Ma would make him stand firm. He turned his head and looked around by firelight. His home was like almost every other house in the town of Combe: oak-plank walls, a thatched roof, and an earth floor partly covered with reeds from the banks of the nearby river. It had no windows. In the middle of the single room was a square of stones surrounding the hearth. Over the fire stood an iron tripod from which cooking pots could be hung, and its legs made spidery shadows on the underside of the roof. All around the walls were wooden pegs on which were hung clothes, cooking utensils, and boatbuilding tools.

The Evening and the Morning

In The Evening and the Morning, we encounter a small hamlet with approximately five buildings (I'm not going to spoil things and reveal its original name), and witness it grow and prosper into the busy town which is known as Kingsbridge in The Pillars of the Earth, and beyond. I'm embarrassed to admit it took me longer than it should have to recognise pre-Kingsbridge. It wasn't until the ferry was built that a light bulb went off. Kudos, Mr. Follett, for leaving me curious yet again. Keep it up and your fan base will surely grow. It does seem like Follett has managed to tone down some of his own misogyny for this one. While rape and sexual slavery occur in the narrative, I didn't note as many instances of him describing female characters by the shape of their bodies.