Fall of Giants

by Ken Follett

p 985

Every now and then I bite the bullet and read a gargantuan historical fiction. Investing weeks in another time and place feels like a vacation, education, and adopting a new family of characters. Aside from James Michener, Ken Follet does this type of writing better than anyone else. After reading Pillars of the Earth, I was hooked on his writing, the detail and total immersion into history and the lives of people living during 13th century England.

Fall of Giants is the first book in the Century Trilogy. Starting in 1914, the time frame of this novel centers around the events leading to WWI and then the actual 5 yrs of war. Ending with the signing of the peace treaty, the Russian Revolution, and a little known political upstart, Adolph Hitler, there is ample opportunity to imagine where the next books will begin.

Characters spanning countries and continents, all economic and social classes, bring the novel to life. Admittedly keeping everyone straight at times can be a daunting task. There are Welsh miners, English artisocrats, Russian Bolsheviks, German spies and of course the young dashing Amercian aide to President Wilson. Follet does a nice job of capturing the atmosphere of the turn of the century world that is both wonderful and terrifying with its modernity. The clash of politcal ideals, old institutions being challenged, oppression being fought, and women demanding more of a voice, lead the reader into the rich context of the Modern Age. The characters are equally intriguing, with families, friends, commrades and soldiers trying to survive the horror of "the war to end all wars."

I read only one book this month, but it was a good one and well worth the investment of time.
Gotta give it a Rock, Chalk, Jay!
By the way, who is VCU and what are they doing in the Final Four:(