Edge of Eternity

The Century Trilogy, Book 3

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: John Lee

Edge of Eternity is the sweeping, passionate conclusion to Ken Follett's extraordinary historical epic, The Century Trilogy.

Throughout these books, Follett has followed the fortunes of five intertwined families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they make their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the enormous social, political, and economic turmoil of the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution - and rock and roll.

East German teacher Rebecca Hoffman discovers she's been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives. George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedy's Justice Department, and finds himself in the middle not only of the seminal events of the civil rights battle, but a much more personal battle of his own. Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than he'd imagined. Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Khrushchev, becomes a prime agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tania, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw - and into history.

As always with Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. With the hand of a master, he brings us into a world we thought we knew but now will never seem the same again.

©2014 Ken Follett (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[Follett] is a commanding storyteller who has taken on an impossibly large task and accomplished it with passion, intelligence, and skill. Like its predecessors, Edge of Eternity is a solid, rigorously researched work of popular fiction. It's an honest entertainment that brings back vivid, sometimes painful, memories of the not-too-distant past." (The Washington Post)

"Edge of Eternity is as compulsively readable a mighty page-turner as its two predecessors." (The Seattle Times)

"Hugely ambitious, the trilogy serves as a massive history lesson as well as an example of good, old-fashioned storytelling." (The New York Daily News)

Some good, some bad

Would you try another book from Ken Follett and/or John Lee?

Yes.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Interesting to have the various simultaneous historical streams, but the dialog was terrible, most of the (excessive) sex scenes cringe-worthy, and the characters and situations (apart from historical ones) very contrived. I almost felt bad for the narrator, having to keep a straight "face" while reading some of the scenes.

Have you listened to any of John Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I think he did well, considering the material. He's a very good reader in general, but there were parts of this book that were not meant to be read by him.

Was Edge of Eternity worth the listening time?

I would have cut parts of the book, or at least edited it. Having to listen to contrived situations and unnatural sex scenes got old after a while, but it's hard to skip because the story moves fast.

Any additional comments?

More amusing than a history book, but definitely not a literary novel.Also, some of the characters change personality too much, or simply disappear without notice, throughout the saga.

great historical novel

This is the last volume of Follett’s Century Trilogy. I was hooked with “Fall of Giants” and was so excited to read the final volume of the trilogy but in another way I am sad to see my friends leave me. This book, as with the other two, is a very long book that you never want to end. Follett is chronicling the pivotal events of the twentieth century through the eyes of a vast array of deftly drawn characters
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This volume starts off with Rebecca Hoffman, a school teacher in communist East Berlin. In 1961 she discovers her secretive husband is a clandestine Stasi Lieutenant who is spying on her family. In the United States George Jakes has just graduated from Harvard Law School. Jakes is of mix-race and civil-rights minded join the Freedom Riders to battle racial inequality. Jakes goes to work for the Justice Department and joins Robert Kennedy’s inner circle. In Russia, Dimitri “Dimka” Dvorlen an aide to Nikita Khrushchev finds himself embroiled in heated US-Soviet nuclear political power plays. Cameron Dewar, the Senator’s grandson becomes politically active with espionage. Half way through the book two cousins a German and A Briton form a rock band in Hamburg. I noticed that revenge plays a role in the story with Hans and his power in the Stasi going after Rebecca and her family for the rest of his life. Cam trying to destroy Eve Williams after she refused to date him when they were teenager he tries to destroy her career when they are adults. It is amazing how vindictive people can be.

Expertly paced, character rich exploits, Follett created a fascinating story about five families-English, Russian, Welsh, German and American whose fates personalize historical events. We have followed these families through three generations; the author has made them so real I feel as if I am part of the family. The various viewpoints of the characters in the novel intertwine the fictional with the real historical figures in the unique way only Ken Follett can write. I can image there is an enormous amount of research required to write this trilogy and allowing for the relative fabrication provided when writing fiction. Surprisingly the book is fast paced, switching to and fro between the different time periods, countries and characters involved in the pivotal historical moment. This historical fiction book makes learning history enjoyable. John Lee, with his golden voice, narrated the entire series.

Sweeping modern history

Ken Follet's sweeping and intelligent trilogy tying three families and many nations together in the 20th century is what has made me a true fan of historical fiction. I am grateful to him and John Lee the narrator for bringing all of these families alive and together.

An Epic Masterpiece

In 90 hours I have lived through a century of political turmoil and the devastation of war. I have fallen in love time and time again, but lost a few along the way. I've rejoiced when long standing conflicts resolved into peace, when loved ones were reunited, when oppression died away. I have seen history through the eyes of many different remarkable and memorable characters, all expertly conceived by Ken Follett. This book will stay with me forever. I couldn't recommend it more.

And Back Again

From the fall of the first giant, and the succeeding monarchical authoritarian dominoes of the First World War, through the wintery world of our grandfather's War, to the dawn of the 21st century, Mr. Follet's trilogy provides depth, humanism and gripping context for the churning stasis and budding change in today's western world. With the rise of familiar nationalist and populist rhetoric and its clash with a new globalism ripe with the best sentiments of both hope and greed, there appears to be another post-writ volume in this cycle, where new combinations of hot and cold wars, heads and hearts threaten again humanity's world - and all other sentient Beings' as well. Are we doomed to repeat? And would Mr. Follet deign to reiterate our folly?

Another Well Written Novel Series

I've always been a fan of Follete, and he didn't disappoint with this story line. From the coal mines and Industrial Revolution to the election od President Obama, completely well written.

Amazing

just like the last two, great story and amazing narration. highly recommend to anyone that wants a more personal guide through history.

Least favorite of the trilogy but still good.

Same complaint as prior book in series, in that I wish some original POV's could be reflected. I prefer the European history in this trilogy, and this book focused too much on the US POVs for my taste. But, it was still a better than average book. Excellent narration.

Superb!

What a lovely and interesting way to tell the history. Great book and creative writer . John Lee gave me the feeling that I am actually in the scenes, his theatrical approach made the book alive.

Great trilogy

This is the third book of Follett's trilogy and as fascinating as the first two. John Lee does an excellent narration.