The Welsh author did it again. It’s a skill, he can write a huge book that you can read in no time.
It is the first book of a triology, following the lives of different people scattered around the world as the Great War develops. A soldier that comes from the Welsh mines, a russian that will become an important part of the bolshevik revolution, an english earl that has a lot of money and pride, an idealistic american trying to get the best outcome, a german that sees how everything crumbles around him, and a long etcetera.
As it is usual with Ken Follet, those characters play different parts on the same story and their paths will cross multiple times in different places.
The main story is about these fictional characters, each one representing an archetype of person from that time. At the same time they meld perfectly with real life people like Stalin, Churchill and Wilhem II to name a few.
I am reading the second book now, “Winter of the world”, that continues with the adventures of those characters and their sons as the cherished peace comes to an end again. I am thrilled.
Totally recommended.
I realize that I recommend most of the books that I read… maybe I’m not a very good critic, or I happen to pick up nice books 🙂
Castells 