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Loading... La Chute Des Geants ( Le Siecle, Tome 1) (Litterature & Documents) (French Edition) (original 2010; edition 2012)by Ken Follett (Author)
Work InformationFall of Giants by Ken Follett (2010)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Overall, I enjoyed this book as much as Follett’s Kingsbridge series’ first book. This was much more cosmopolitan, with many characters from many counties, but was a well-humanized story of the progression of World War 1 (primarily from a British perspective, though with a German, US, and Russian perspective as well). Worth a read for fans of historical fiction, Follett’s other work, or people with an interest in learning more about the causes and consequences of World War 1. BEST BOOK I'VE READ THIS YEAR I'm in the process of jumping from fantasy to historical fiction and I don't reckon I could've started with a better novel. Follett's writing it riveting--it kept me up all night--and captures the spirit of 1914 to 1920 well, and, as an ethnologist, I thoroughly enjoyed his depiction of the cultures depicted. I'll be picking up the sequel right away. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy. It's close to a 1000 pages and yet it's a very quick read. The story in Fall of Giants covers the years leading up to the First World War and continues through the war, Woodrow Wilson's campaign for the League of Nations, the rise of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, women's suffrage and American prohibition. It's terrific historical fiction ... the author has created American, British, Welsh, Russian and German characters and thrown a few real historical characters into the mix for a great story.
Trotz peinlicher Sexszenen auf Groschenromanniveau und wie Untertassen dahinfliegender Dialoge: Ken Folletts neuer Roman ist gut recherchiert und freundlich-sozialdemokratisch - einer Verfilmung im Öffentlich-Rechtlichen steht nichts im Weg. Die Aufteilung von erfundenen Schicksalen und weltgeschichtlich verbürgten Ereignissen löst Follett perfekt. Overall, Follett is masterly in conveying so much drama and historical information so vividly. He puts to good use the professional skills he has honed over the years — giving his characters a conversational style neither pseudo-quaint nor jarringly contemporary. That works well. And for all his belief in the redemptive quality of liberal humanism, he makes sure not to endow his characters with excessively modern sensibilities. As for the occasional cliché — well, unless you’re Tolstoy, you’re not going to have the time or the ability to be original throughout your 1,000-page blockbuster. Ken Follett is no Tolstoy, but he is a tireless storyteller, and although his tale has flaws, it’s grippingly told, and readable to the end. Despite all this, "Fall of Giants" offers pleasures that more than compensate for its lack of literary finesse. Follett may not be Tolstoy, but he knows how to tell a compelling, well-constructed story. Once its basic elements are in place, the narrative acquires a cumulative, deceptively effortless momentum. La caída de los gigantes sumerge al lector en una historia cargada de épica. Ésta primera novela, que forma parte de una trilogía, sigue los destinos de cinco familias diferentes a lo largo y ancho del mundo. Desde América a Alemania, Rusia, Inglaterra y Gales, Follet sigue la evolución de sus personajes a través de la Primera Guerra Mundial, la Revolución Rusa y las primeras luchas por los derechos de la mujer. Como siempre, Follet pone un especial interés por su tierra natal, Gales, al comenzar con la historia de Billy Williams, un sencillo minero; en América encontramos a Gus Dewar, un estudiante de derecho con el corazón partido por un desengaño amoroso. En Rusia, dos hermanos huérfanos, Grigori y Lev se ven en medio de una revolución que trastoca sus vidas y acaba por separar sus caminos. Como nudo entre las historias encontramos a la hermana de Williams, quien trabaja en Inglaterra como ama de llaves de Lady Fitzherbert, enamorada de un espía alemán, Walter von Ulrich. Poco a poco estos personajes irán encontrándose a medida que la inmensa maquinaria creada por Follet avance, tan deprisa y violenta como el principio del siglo XX en el que se ven inmersos. Belongs to SeriesAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Follows the fates of five interrelated families--American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh--as they move through the dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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The story begins with Billy William's induction to the mine pit. The Williams family are Welsh miners. The daughter of the family, Ethel is a housemaid at the Fitzherbert's, an aristocratic family. Ethel gets involved in a romance with the Earl which is soon to lead to a scandal. The Earl's sister, Maud, is a rebel, a supporter of women suffrage. Her destiny is entwined with that of her German friend, Walter. Gus Dewar, an American, is a friend of both Walter's and Fitzherbert's. His life is connected with those of two Russian brothers, Grigory and Lev Peshkov.
In this novel of immense proportions, there is often a conflict, conflict of interests, conflict of choices and conflict of friends having to fight each other behind enemy lines. There were parts that made me want to keep reliving some scenes. Maud and Walter share a beautiful love story, one which they must keep secret from all and have to contend with separation for they belong to two different warring nations. But their love for each other stands the test of time which makes their story a remarkable one.
The one character I detested above the rest was Earl Fitzherbert. His passion turned hollow, his war experience made him a bitter man and he identified with the war faction. His treatment of Ethel only made me want to see him hurt and torn apart in the end.
Ken Follett chose a daunting talks when he decided to pen down this book. The story of the war, the politics behind it, it's ramifications and most of all the individual experiences, none of it could have been written in a shorter book. So the author has very intelligently carved out the stories by revolving them around the five families.
My problem however was that it was too lengthy for my liking. There were parts the book could have done without. I couldn't understand at times what purpose was a prolonged description serving. There were paragraphs I skimmed through and the last 100 pages my patience was all but gone. I simply flipped through to get to the end just so that I could move on to another book. That for me doesn't mean a happy ending. Thus the average rating.
Still, for fans of historical fiction, who aren't shy of big books and who can digest large chunks of the book in a single session, this novel wouldn't disappoint. In fact you might end up enjoying it very much.
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