3.5 stars

This is set mostly during WWI. The story follows multiple characters in Wales, England, Germany, Russia and the United States.

It was good. Very long, but good. I found I wasn't as interested in the politics (no surprise here) and the war, but was more interested in the characters' personal lives, and the female characters, as well as the fight for women's right to vote. Throughout most of the book, I didn't think I'd continue on with the trilogy, but I think it depends what the sequel will focus on. I'd be more interested if there is more focus on Germany at that time period where this one left off, but I'll have to look into it. I listened to the audio, and the narrator was very good - he does amazing accents, and had so many to do in this book. I had to get past his voice, though, at the beginning, as he also narrated an audio I found incredibly boring.

I found this book to be a new type of Ken Follett book. You tend to see him focus on a more distant past but this book hits a little closer to home. He descirbes WWI in detail and in a way that is easy to comprehend. He still follows his typical writing style of intertwining the lives of numerous characters and it is this writing style that makes him unique and an interesting read.

I can't wait to see what new-age experience he decides to focus upon next.

Like most reviewers I was very anxious to get into this book after my experience with Pillars and World Without End. However, I don't think the book measures up to the previous ones. As an example, I wrestled an extra suitcase onto a plane just so I could finish World--not something I would have done with this book.

I don't agree with previous remarks that characters were not well developed although I did find some to be a bit unbelievable. For example, Lev was so totally rotten that I lost interest when he got into trouble--knowing that he would do the worst thing possible to get himself out of it. And I appreciated the rebellion in Maud. However, I found it hard to believe her love for Walter was sufficient to help her cope with her reduced circumstances--especially as a mother.

I did like the background on the reasons for the war and the politics surrounding the League of Nations establishment because my knowledge of the era is limited. However, I did find that he went into way too much detail about some of the meetings--especially in the case of the Russian revolution--there was so much detail I got confused.

I am looking forward to the next installment to see how these people make out although Lev is surely to die in a gunfight or spend the rest of his life in prison and Maud might be destined for sainthood!!

This book was the subject of my recent book club meeting. I found that the majority of readers were overall satisfied with the book. Some complained that some parts dragged on with historical rabble, while others complained that there were too many plotlines spreading thin the character development.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It has invoked a dormant interest in me about World War I and got me Wiki-ing historical persons and events to expand my knowledge. Although there were several plotlines, I think the main characters were sufficiently developed and their stories immersible. It was improbable for none of the key characters to die during the war, but then again, it is a trilogy.

I think that Fall of Giants can't entirely please any one kind of reader reader, but won't dissatisfy any. Ken Follett has expertly combined fictional characters and plotlines into real events with just the right balance that will please the casual reader as well as the non-fiction enthusiast.

I plan on reading the sequel as well as the last book of the trilogy when they do come out.