Fall of Giants: Book One of the Century Trilogy

In The Fall of Giants, we are presented with several families from around the world – Wales, England, America, Russia and Germany. Follett begins in 1911 and continues on until the early 1920’s. In this narrative, we see several families, and how various circumstances, actions and indeed how WWI, have a huge irreversible effect on these people.Although this novel is work of fiction, Follett does incorporate authentic characters and events that did actually happen in this time period. Thankfully, an author of such caliber as Follett, managed to do this in a non caricature kind of way. This novel is one of those rare ones that are able to teach the reader a lot, whilst still entertaining them, and therefore, I think that anyone with a passing interest in history or even the avid history buff, will enjoy this novel.Now, I will be the first to admit that I am perhaps one of the most cynical people on this plant, and when I saw that there was a list of characters in the beginning of the book, I did wonder if there would be so many of them that I wouldn’t be able to relate to them, or care about the direction that Follett takes them in. Well, I am happy to report that I was completely and utterly wrong! My cynical and jaded self was pleasantly surprised! Each character (the main ones at least) was well fleshed out, authentic, and I was able to see the point of view of each one. There are a couple of them of whom which I cannot wait to see where they are taken by Follett.I really can’t recommend this book enough. This is a great first part of the trilogy, and I can only hope that books two and three are just as captivating.

Ken Follett is a very good writer. He is successful and smart. I've read many of his excellent books. "Pillars of the Earth" and "Eye of the Needle" are thought by many to be lasting 20th Century literature, and both of those books remain favorites of mine."Fall of Giants" is soap opera at its best. It's truly "made for TV" and is populated by shallow but relatively believable characters, doing everything they can to ruin each other, themselves and the civilized world in the name of ..... well, maintaining the status quo, and/or fighting for progress and/or annihilating those who disagree or whom they fear. I am certain we will soon see at least a movie, if not an elaborate and lengthy TV series stretching for 2 or 3 seasons, created from this book and the 2 which will follow it. The resulting show will be as gaudy, elaborate and sexually depraved as "The Tudors," no doubt.Follett has a great knack for turning important world events into the soap opera they probably actually were!! "Fall of Giants" is exactly how I like my world history - abundant sex, populated by badly-behaving people, strewn with idiots and led by self-centered world and local leaders (and followers), who are concerned mostly with saving their own skin as their only life-worthy objective. Few of these characters can think beyond the boundaries of their sex organs.While I think he got most of the historical facts relatively correct, there were a few errors. On page 614, for example, high-born Briton Earl Fitzherbert (Fitz) complains about President Woodrow Wilson, saying "But he did not declare war." Follett should know better. The president of the United States cannot ever declare war; that's the prerogative of Congress. Only George W. Bush violated that rule, and we all know what happened as a result.There are no perfect characters in this book, which chronicles the lives, successes and failures of 6 families, 2 American, 1 British, 1 Welsh, 1 German and 1 Russian. These people and their offspring (and friends and enemies) will continue through the following 2 books. Which family is most successfully portrayed? In my judgment, it is the Welsh family Williams, a working class (mining), poor family which produced 2 very smart children, Ethel and Billy, who become extremely successful political figures, championing labor and women's rights. They're the most believable and most endearing. Who are the least successful? The Russians, whether it is Grigori or Lev (one having immigrated to Buffalo, NY, and marrying into a mob family; the other having remained in Russia to star in the Revolution of 1917), were not only unlikeable but also rather unbelievable. Often, he is better with negative portrayals (the elder Von Ulrich, Earl Fitzherbert, elder Mr. Williams, President Wilson, and Lev Peshkov) than he is with those more positive, upbeat characters advancing the causes of progress. Follett seems to write men better than he writes women - a theme through all his books that I have read. He also writes scenes better than he writes people. Some of the battle scenes, and scenes of the ordinary home-life of his characters, were very well done.My basic problem with the book has to do with the way-too-many, way-too-cute and way-too-coincidental, chance (or arranged) meetings of various characters at various times in the story - often during the course of WWI. Just didn't work for me, all this coincidence. In most instances, the story would have been stronger without these key players meeting unbelievably at odd places, whether on the battlefield, during Paris peace negotiations or somehow magically appearing at a hotel or some other place, as if it were easy to accomplish. These chance meetings were not needed to knit the story together.Follett omits (even though the book is 984 pages long) too many details of some of the episodes through which his characters survive. How Fitzherbert and his wife escaped from Russia during the peasant uprising was never written; they just escaped we later learned. It would have been interesting reading to see how Follett got them out of that life-and-death jam that he got them into. Or, how did Walter Von Ulrich escape, after being wounded on the bridge during battle with the Americans? You expect these kinds of dropped story lines in a short book (such as Anabel Lyon's brilliant but all too brief "The Golden Mean") but not in this tome. At the very least I expect all episodes in "Fall of Giants" to have a beginning, middle and end. The end was often missing.There's a lot of preaching of human and civil rights throughout. Follett can't seem to let it go, this passion he has to bring "democracy" to everyone - not exactly what WWI was all about, after all. At times, the political passions voiced by some characters seemed to be Follett's own.It's a really quick read, despite its heft and length - about a week. I enjoyed it quite a lot. I disagree strongly with those who rake this book over the coals with their negative reviews.I give it a 3.75 and round it up to a 4, if for no other reason than admiration for a writer having successfully undertaken the task of preparing us for the upcoming TV show by writing this entertaining, if superficial and perhaps stereotypical, expansive view of political and actual life in the first 25 years of the 1900s. Without commenting on their literary value, Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" and Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" were deadly boring in comparison. All three authors, however, cleverly use (heterosexual) sex, sex, and more sex to keep reader interest. All-in-all, it's just a grand scale soap opera to enjoy.

It can be debated that Fall of Giants is a story about war, politics or history during the WW1 period, and such considerations certainly hold; but above all, this story highlights one area over any other. This story examines social injustice.The book follows the lives of five interrelated families from different social classes, countries and religions. Each member was part of that period, affected by its events and trying to adapt his life to survive in such a harsh era.The vast number of main characters are all well described, and the reader can easily build a connection with each one of them. Also the story is strong, complex, and well researched making the book a page turner and a historical reference. Minor events can be described as lucky co-incidents if not to say unrealistic happenings but they do not come up lousily or inferior to the rest of the book.Back to social injustice, there are welsh coal-miners and British aristocracy, Citizens of St. Petersburg and the Russian royalty, and a French revolution that brought an end to all that in France. People across Europe were starving, unions were weak or non-existent and women had to fight for their vote in Britain. Jews were of a lower class especially in Russia and Germany, and the only light that seemed to be shining came from the land across the Atlantic. All these points were clearly described as a prerequisite for the Bolshevik revolution and for the socialist parties across the continent.Some descriptions of that injustice were so intense and disturbing, women prostituting in Russia for a loaf of bread, overnight queues in front of bakeries, widows cruelly kicked of their homes in wales in front of helpless unions.War covered the biggest part of the book and was detailed in an objective manner although it should be said that the Welsh and Russian troops had more focus compared to the rest of the troops especially Austria and Germany. While reading about the war, I felt that the author was emphasizing more the casualties and destruction than the winnings and glory as if to say that when it comes to soldiers and to humanity, wars are always lost on both sides of battle.I would recommend this book for readers interested in history, politics, societies or war. It is packed with fiction yet historically accurate. The book is very interesting but will require a lot of time to finish as it has more than 850 pages.

Now I must admit I am in the habit of buying too many books that I don't have the time to read. (I'll get around reading them eventually, I guess). Anyway, I was talking to my brother about my Grandfather and how he was a hero in the First World War and he recommended Fall of the Giants which he said was a great read. Why should I read it I asked? I've already got more books than I can get through as it is."Well, for one thing, there's plenty of sex in it" he responded. Sold! I ordered the book and it came the next day. I haven't come across any sex parts yet, but the book is a good yarn and well told. I guess that's why Follett is a best selling author. He knows how to spin a good story.

I have really enjoyed this book. It’s very well researched and the story of the different lives make for a very interesting as well as informative read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the facts and characters involved in the first world war.

Sehr günstig und top Zustand

This book is a good representation of the First World War. The characters and their story is very captive.I recommend this book

The media could not be loaded.  Any historical fiction enthusiast, or World War enthusiasts NEED to read this book. I have always been a fan of books that primarily focus on the major events of the 20th century, and it helps to have an indulging and cozy fictional story accompany the non-fictional events. And this book has done just that.It was a pleasure to read, right from page 1. Please don't be intimated by the length. The plot, the characters and the writing is so interesting and intriguing that you'll be glad that the book is 800 pages long. I got hooked right from the beginning and developed a deep attachment to all the characters and how the war changed their lives for better or worse. Despite knowing the outcome (since its historical fiction) the book still managed to keep me enthralled and sometimes even at the edge of my seat!The author managed to cover most of the significant, life-altering, major events and also the minor but still important ones. It felt so good to witness the intricate details of all the movements and revolutions and war and to appreciate the delicate dance of International relations.... Just amazing!I can't wait to start Winter of the world, which is the sequel. Overall this book was a treat to my eyes and brain and at the cost of 170 Rs (!!!) it was an unbelievable treat to my wallet as well!