The Evening and the Morning (Kingsbridge #0) by Ken Follett

It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns.

In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder's life is turned upside down when the only home he's ever known is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in. . . . A Norman noblewoman marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, but the customs of her husband's homeland are shockingly different, and as she begins to realize that everyone around her is engaged in a constant, brutal battle for power, it becomes clear that a single misstep could be catastrophic. . . . A monk dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a center of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. And each in turn comes into dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power.

Hardcover, 913 pages

Published September 15th 2020

 by Viking

4.5/5 stars

 Pillars of the Earth is one of my favourite reads, I love getting lost in a story with characters that I've come to connect and cheer for.  Add the historical element and well...I'm in my happy place. We so much hype and positive feedback about this new book I find it hard to write a review.

With The Evening and the Morning I was once again ready to me immersed though it has been awhile since I've tackled a book this size. I will confess that I finished the last 300 pages by listening to the audio book.  John Lee is the reader and again did a stellar job.

I was pulled right in with the first chapter, a Viking attack is the start of a journey for a young man left with nothing.  Follett had the right blend of history, setting and customs that kept me entertained.  There was heartache, love and betrayal, trust issues, violence and power struggles that kept me on my toes. The characters were developed nicely, and even though this had a large cast it wasn't hard to keep everyone straight.  Definitely a great read during this weird year of 2020 to get lost within the pages off.

Even though this is a prequel there is no reason to read Pillars of the Earth first. I might do a reread (via audio book) of Pillars before proceeding with World Without End.

This book is part of my 2020 Reading off my Shelf Challenge.