Several years ago, my cousin told me I should read The Pillars of the Earth because it was one of the greatest books he ever read. After he explained that it was more than 1,000 pages and that it was about building a cathedral, I wasn’t exactly dying to pick up a copy.

I finally decided to read The Pillars of the Earth this summer, and I’m glad I did. Lately, I’ve fallen in love with audiobooks, and since this book is so long, I figured the audiobook version would be a great way to approach it; I was right. John Lee’s narration was exceptional, and his English accent brought the characters to life in a way that was simply marvelous.

This was my first time reading a book by Ken Follett, but it won’t be my last. I’ve already downloaded the audiobook versions of World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, and Fall of Giants, book one of the Century Trilogy.

Ken Follett is an extremely talented writer whose ability to immerse readers in vivid, expansive landscapes is something to behold. But his greatest strength is creating rich, well-developed characters the reader can’t help but care about.

This book is about more than a cathedral. It’s about dreams, love, parenthood, religion, and war. It’s filled with action and packed with emotion. I would go into greater detail, but I don’t want to spoil anything. If you’re a fan of epic novels featuring captivating characters, then you owe it to yourself to read The Pillars of the Earth. Just like my cousin, I can easily say it’s one of the greatest books I’ve ever read.

Below is the trailer for the Starz miniseries that aired in 2010. I’m currently watching it on DVD and will post a separate review once I’m done.