A Column of Fire

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Absorbing . . . impossible to resist.” —The Washington Post

As Europe erupts, can one young spy protect his queen? #1 New York Times bestselling author Ken Follett takes us deep into the treacherous world of powerful monarchs, intrigue, murder, and treason with his magnificent new epic, A Column of Fire. A thrilling read that makes the perfect gift for the holidays.

In 1558, the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, royalty and commoners clash, testing friendship, loyalty, and love.

Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious conflict dividing the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions, and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents.

The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter what the cost.

Set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, A Column of Fire is one of Follett’s most exciting and ambitious works yet. It will delight longtime fans of the Kingsbridge series and is the perfect introduction for readers new to Ken Follett.

Critic reviews

Recommended reading by * The Washington Post * USA Today * New York Post * The Christian Science Monitor * The Philadelphia Inquirer *

“Deeply researched . . . compelling . . . A Column of Fire is absorbing, painlessly educational, and a great deal of fun.”
—The Washington Post

“Follett’s historical epics, including this one, evoke the Romantic adventures of Alexandre Dumas. Derring-do and double-crosses . . . A Column of Fire burns bright throughout.”
—The Christian Science Monitor

“Full of adventure and suspense, A Column of Fire is an inspiring and thrilling portrait of one of Europe’s most perilous times in history.”
—BookPage

“Fans of Follett's epic sagas The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, set in the Middle Ages in the fictional city of Kingsbridge, will be thrilled by this latest installment.”
—New York Post

“[Follett is a] master of the sweeping, readable epic.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“English-history mavens will find much to savor in Follett’s third Kingsbridge novel.”
—AARP The Magazine

“A fiery tale set in the latter half of the sixteenth century . . . As always, Follett excels in historical detailing, transporting readers back in time with another meaty historical blockbuster.”
—Booklist

“An immersive journey through the tumultuous world of 16th century Europe and some of the bloodiest religious wars in history. Follett’s sprawling novel is a fine mix of heart-pounding drama and erudite historicism.”
—Publishers Weekly

A Good story with more international intrigue

Where does A Column of Fire rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

the story is more international than the previous 2 of the Kingsbridge trilogy. it involves a wider area and gives a little history lesson about religious wars

What did you like best about this story?

the historical background

If you could take any character from A Column of Fire out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Marjorie because of her intriguing background/development

Restricted by history...

I love the Kingsbridge series first two books and of course, my expectations were astronomical for this one. The feel and readability of this book are on par with Follett's other books, but I really feel his creativity and storytelling mastery was restricted by actual historical events. As interesting as the history is, I would have preferred he to create an entirely fictional story without limitations. Don't get me wrong, what he did was weave a story in between the lines of history, continually reference his previous Kingsbridge characters and I enjoyed it, but parts of it felt rushed or somewhat harshly interjected... as if he had to include it because it was on Wikipedia. As a result of this, I did enjoy his previous Kingsbridge novels more. As always, the narration is perfect! Thank you, Mr. Lee. I was able to comfortably listen at 1.5X speed to save time. If any of this was helpful, please click YES below. Later.

It’s ok!

Not nearly as good as either of the first two books. I wasn’t drawn to any of the characters, nor did I dislike any. Again, it’s just ok.

My favorite book in the series.

Loved it. My favorite book of the series. Great world building and exceptional political intrigue.

John Lee Makes Follett come Alive

What did you love best about A Column of Fire?

The amazing ability of Ken Follett to make actual history a part of a family saga. It is literally spellbinding. I could not stop listening to this 30 hour treat.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Even though the outcome of the historical events are known, the back stories are fascinating.

Which character – as performed by John Lee – was your favorite?

John Lee is a master!!! All of the characters are wonderful, but of course, Ned was my favorite.

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

I finished it in 4 days, which is quite fast for a 30 hour saga. Enough said.

Any additional comments?

Loved it!!! Can't wait until Follett's next .