A Column of Fire: A Novel (Kingsbridge)

This book is the third volume in the Kingsbridge series. It is similar to the others in some ways but much different in others. Like the earlier two books, Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, this book is sweeping in scope, covering more than 50 years. People are married, have babies, and the babies grow up. Like the others, this one is set in a historical period and has lots of authentic detail drawn from written sources. But while the others were set in periods that have been relatively neglected by recent authors, both historians and novelists, A Column of Fire happens against the backdrop of the Protestant Reformation and the changes England experienced after King Henry VIII died without a male heir. Here, we the readers are on somewhat more familiar ground. The 16th century has been covered in many movies and TV shows in addition to nonfiction literature. There are only a few novelized versions, most not recent, so I’m not aware of other historical novels set in this period so there’s little to compare it with except the actual history. The author does a thorough job of setting his story, with some fictional characters and other historical persons, in an authentic plot derived from historical sources. I dare say it’s possible to learn the history from this book, always a scary thing to think about when discussing a novel.The familiar history of King Henry’s break with the Catholic church and the chaos that introduced into what was then a provincial and unimportant country is the enabling event that sets the plot in motion. As such, the book differs from most of today’s fiction in that it is driven by theme and plot more than by character, although the characters are deftly drawn. Familiar names come up frequently for the moderately well-read history buff. Erasmus, Calvin, and of course Martin Luther play a substantial role although they don’t actually appear. The Pope at the time also plays a role, alas, not a very helpful one. We meet Guy Fawkes, whose attempted terrorist act closes out the action. The difference between Protestant and Catholic sects is made as clear as it’s possible for a modern book to make it, although to me it leaves a mystery as to what the tie-in between Calvin, Erasmus, and Henry VIII might be. Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots are characters. The book is huge and sweeping because it’s trying to follow the consequences of Henry VIII’s creation of a new breakaway church. It does a good job leaving the story where it did, in the reign of James I in England and Henri IV in France, pointing the way to an eventual reconciliation of the sects of Christianity with the Edict of Nantes on one side of the channel and the Gunpowder Plot on the other. Amazingly for a plot that spans 50 years, it seems taut and action packed. People are put to death for their beliefs and there’s a great tie-in with the Pilgrims’ voyage to America. No American wouldn’t get it.Now for the few, the very few things I didn’t like about the book. It’s small format and therefore rather hard to read. For this long a book, it’s certainly worth making the print and physical size of the pages bigger. Then there’s the use of somewhat less familiar versions of some of the characters’ names. Mary is more often “Queen of the Scots” than the familiar schoolroom “Queen of Scots.” French characters from the nobility have their titles translated into English, except for Philip II, King of Spain, who is “King Felipe.” I am still moderately literate in French from my school days and I remember some of the French characters with their French titles, like the Duc de Guise. It seems odd to see them anglicized. I also found myself confused by the “Marquess” being male and the “Marchioness” being female.More objectionable though is that the maritime parts were clearly written by a landlubber. The author studiously avoids almost all naval terms. He seems unaware of how much work it is to furl or set sail, and how easy it is to heave to with the sails set, one mast thrusting in reverse and the other ahead, with the result that the ship holds position fairly well but is ready to fill and gather speed very quickly. He’s done his homework on what actually happened in the Spanish Armada, but with a seaman like Ned’s brother Barney telling the story there’s no excuse to dumb it down.In spite of these minor lapses, I felt the book deserved 5 stars. It’s a masterpiece.

Follett has a great research team, and he weaves the information together brilliantly with great characters and a compelling story in an easy to read fashion. Always fun to read.

This, the 3rd book in the Pillars of the Earth sagas is both educational and compelling. Great story line of the characters' lives and life styles, their religious persecution, and a history lesson of 16th century customs. Hard to put down- don't plan on getting anything else done!

I read Ken Follett's A Column of Fire not long after Yuval Harari's Sapiens. The Sapiens is one of the books that leave great impression behind. It puts together historical facts in a light that suddenly makes sense, guaranteeing several aha moments. The Sapiens' overview of our human history provides a fantastic background to the Column of Fire.Ken Follett wrote this novel as a third member of his Kingsbridge series, featuring a fictional, medieval English city with its magnificent cathedral. But almost as importantly, he wrote this one after finishing another of his series, the Century Trilogy about the 20th century.The scene is the 16th century England, placed about 200 later than previous book, World Without End. We are in the middle of the religious wars, when new forms of Christianity searched their places in England. The Catholic church tried to hold fast on the tradition and on its earlier prosperity, but it had to fight with not only the pope-opposing royal family but also the theologies of the Swiss Calvin and the German Luther.The book was, for me, an exciting and very personal elaboration of Harari's intriguing lines about the some of the last centuries of the Roman era: "[I]f we combine all the victims of all these persecutions, it turns out that in these three centuries, the polytheistic Romans killed no more than a few thousand Christians. In contrast, over the course of the next 1,500 years, Christians slaughtered Christians by the millions to defend slightly different interpretations of the religion of love and compassion." Follett's book made you personal friends and foes. To see people fall who you know and whose homes, neighbours and neighbourhood you know, is of course much more relatable than than the written word "millions".The style of the book reminded me to the Century Trilogy. It changed between locations and between the characters' eyes through which the storyline unfolded. By this, we got a good image not only of England but also of Seville, Paris and America. And also, the different characters helped understand the motivation of petty, greedy, great or stubborn people. This added a lot to the joy of reading. By the travelling between cities and perspectives, Ken Follett created a global, human atmosphere: this era is after all the beginning of our globalised world.I enjoyed the book A Column of Fire thoroughly. It is exciting, romantic, cruel, intimate and historical. As a bonus, it also explains Harari's another line from his TED talk "Humans control the planet because they are the only animals that can cooperate both flexibly and in very large numbers." Religions live in the heads of people, and if a religion starts spreading then followers can achieve almost anything. And that was the case in the Reformation, which I had learnt in school, yet never really comprehended before this book.

There were a lot of characters in this book and it was a bit hard for me to keep track of them but it was a very good story. I enjoyed it very much. It was a true Follett book.I

Lots of action. The characters are mostly real. Writing about characters from the 1500s means you really have to do your research and Ken Follett does..

It’s heavy to hold. But like most of ken Follett’s books it’s very engaging.

This is an exciting story following the lives of citizens in Kingsbridge. It’s a story of spies and political intrigue spanning Spain, France, Scotland and England. Behind it all is religion and it’s impact on political policies that effect the lives of all citizens. It’s all this but it’s also a love story.

Very good, well written, has you enthralled until the last page.

Si te gusta leer Ken Follet este libro no te decepcionará. De fácil lectura.

A Column of Fire was an ambitious project. It takes the reader to a Europe in the grip of religious war . The whole of Europe then was Christian yet these people fought like rabid dogs with each other by calling themselves Catholic and Protestant. Plots were conspired to replace the Kings and Queens, sympathetic to either of the denomination. Such was the situation that if one was a Protestant under the Catholic ruler , he/she would simply be slayed for that very reason. Conversely , under Protestant regime Catholics were butchered for treason. To make things complicated most of the royal families and aristocracy had members half Catholics and half Protestants . A Column of Fire starts from the beginning of the end of ultra catholic Mary Tudor , runs through the period of Elizabeth - I - a Protestant, and settles down in the era of James Stuart - who was either of the two depending on the situation . The story takes the reader to France , particularly Paris , to Spain , to Scotland , and of course England - London, and to a fictional town of Kingsbridge. It covers many things but the massacre on St Bartholomew's Day were 60,000 Protestants were slaughtered on the streets of Paris was quite graphic. Mary Stuart - the queen of the Scot and Mother of the James Stuart - her beheading by Elizabeth - I was shocking. Reader has seen her entire life right from when She was just 10 years old and in the end one can't stop feeling sorry for her . Gun powder treason plot , defeat of Spanish Armada by English navy, capture of English colony by French etc., are some of the notable events that a reader will come across. The author leans towards Protestant faith. Elizabeth -I is shown as loving , sensitive, and a mercurial queen. Protagonist of the story Ned Willard and his love triangle with Margery and Sylvie feels very warm and romantic types will enjoy the heart breaking events. Margery and Sylvie are shown as strong characters. All in all A Column of Fire is a top class novel. Writing is easy and fuels the imagination and after few pages , readers, mind will start seeing the images as one reads on.. this is a hall mark of a good writing.

El cierre de la trilogía no decepciona. Vale la pena leerlo.La forma en la que lleva los personajes, es siempre un placer leerlos.

Excelente romance retratando uma fase negra da Europa dos anos 1500. O autor usou esse livro para mostrar um período de intolerância religiosa do Calvinismo e do Cristianismo, acredito que desconhecido da maioria das pessoas. Reunindo romance e história. Muito bom, nota máxima.