A Column of Fire
The groundbreaking novel from the no.1 bestseller
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4.5 • 443 Ratings
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
Millions of readers have been enthralled by the saga that began in The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, which now continues with Ken Follett's magnificent, gripping A Column of Fire.
A WORLD IN TURMOIL
1558, and Europe is in revolt as religious hatred sweeps the continent. Elizabeth Tudor has ascended to the throne but she is not safe in this dangerous new world. There are many who would see her removed, not least Mary Queens of Scots, who lies in wait in Paris.
A NEW ORDER
Elizabeth determines to set up a new secret service: a group of resourceful spies and courageous agents entrusted to keep her safe and in power. As she searches for those who will make the difference, one man stands out.
A MAN WHO WOULD DIE FOR HIS QUEEN
For Ned Willard the opportunity to serve his queen is God-sent. He cannot stay in Kingsbridge and watch the love of his life marry another, and as fires burn and extremism begins to spark throughout Europe, Ned makes his choice. He will spend his life protecting his monarch from the tyrants who aim to destroy her or die trying . . .
More than 175 million copies sold worldwide. Published in over eighty territories and thirty-seven languages. The international no.1 bestselling phenomenon returns.
*Ken Follett’s Column of Fire was an instant Sunday Times HB bestseller when it published in 2017
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Treasonous plots, family rifts, and international political intrigue abound in the third installment of Follett's (Pillars of the Earth) Kingsbridge series of historical dramas. In the middle of 16th-century England, Kingsbridge Cathedral stands above a town divided by religious conflict. Queen "Bloody Mary" Tudor is killing Protestants. When 18-year-old nobleman Ned Willard loses his sweetheart Margery and his family's importing business to Margery's upward-climbing Catholic family after the queen condemns them for being pro-Protestant, he decides to join Protestant Princess Elizabeth Tudor's secret service. Ned and Margery's love for each other sustains itself despite decades and miles apart, but can it survive their ideological differences? This sweeping epic delivers suspense, history, and romance in equally satisfying, if sometimes heavy-handed, measures. Follett makes use of multiple winding plotlines and optimistic characters equipped to see any battle through to the end. The novel is an immersive journey through the tumultuous world of 16th-century Europe and some of the bloodiest religious wars in history. Follett's sprawling novel is a fine mix of heart-pounding drama and erudite historicism.
Customer Reviews
Column of Fire
Great read, very interesting, kept me engaged
Steeped in history with a rich story
What a great read. Full characters throughout the book and such amazing research. I was particularly inspired by the way the fictional characters were interwoven with real historical people and events. Brilliant
Cracking good read
Cracking, page turner. Couldn’t put it down. Hated history at school so a tiny way to get some insight through enjoyable fiction.