The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - A Book Review

Pillars of the Earth

It took me… oh a few months to read it, and I believe I wrote one or two blogs about it while I was reading it, but last month during NaNoWriMo, I finally finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What a ride!

An epic tale to say the very least. This novel is brilliant and spans over a lifetime. Some parts made me cringe, some made me cry and some made me WHOOP and cheer. From the very first line “The small boys came early to the hanging.” You know you’re in for a ride. (I actually used that first line as a prompt in the Thursday version of the Prompt-and-Share, and the results were unforgettable.)

The characters in this novel are so fleshed out that you think about them on a regular basis. I had a personal connection with the building aspects of the storyline because my honey is a stonemason, so it did add that extra touch.

If you haven’t read it yet, this is a great novel to get you through the cold winter.

A Writer's Humility

How many of you have read a book and thought “Wow, great story, but I could have written it SOOOO much better”? I know I have. It might actually be one of the pushes that made me want to become a writer.

On the other hand, I’ve also read books that were so completely amazing, that they encouraged me to believe, “I want to do THAT. I can do THAT.”

Right now, I’m reading a book that has me thinking “I will never be THAT good”. It’s almost depressing how wonderful this novel is. Strange isn’t it? The best I can hope for is to learn a little something from the amazing writing and story-weaving this author has accomplished.

If you haven’t read it yet, and you don’t mind feeling a little humility about your writing, check out Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

There is also a movie based on the book, if anyone has seen the movie and read the book I’d love to know your take on how the movie measures up.

Have any other writers here read a book that shamed them a little?

Writing Prompt and Share #4

Yesterday’s prompt encouraged some really fun stories. Tara and Chris were fantastic. Today’s prompt is going to be quite different. We’ve all heard of how important the first sentence is to our piece. With that in mind, today’s prompt borrows the first line from bestselling novel “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett. In 200 words or less, tell a story with the opening line “The small boys came early to the hanging.”


My Submission:

The small boys came early to the hanging. Luc watched them from the cover of the oak tree while chewing on a piece of yellow grass. The children didn’t bother with anything in their surroundings save for the gallows which held their fascinated stares. He felt safe and hidden from view.

The square filled with people in intervals. The peasants were the first to join the small boys, followed by the wives of the merchants and finally the nobility. A hanging passed for entertainment in these parts, and through lack of other means, nobody wanted to miss out.

Leaning against the tree, Luc checked his matching blue kerchief and scarf, guaranteeing nothing was awry. He waited until the prisoner was brought out before standing upright. He watched as the boys scurried under the steps of the church to hide from their parents and still catch the show. Alert, he stayed hidden in the shadows as his kin was brought to the noose. He wondered with a smirk how his brother would get himself out of this mess.


Please remember to submit your story below, or the link to your story below in the comments section. And don't forget to add feedback folks! For rules, tips and tricks on the Prompt-and-Share click here.