A Column of FireA Column of Fire
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1558, Kingsbridge is torn apart by religious conflict as power in England shifts between Catholics and Protestants. Young Ned Willard finds himself on the opposite side from the woman he loves, and joins the secret service of Queen Elizabeth I, in a story that spans half a century of plots and wars.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's the third of Ken Follett's Kingsbridge novels.
You'll love it if you liked
The Pillars of the Earth
World Without End
Wolf HallGood to know
It stands alone, though it's set in the same town as The Pillars of the Earth. It's nearly 900 pages.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #62 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #123 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #447 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #864 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Gripping, Moving
More by Ken Follett
The Pillars of the EarthWorld Without End
Fall of Giants
The Evening and the MorningIf you like this, read next
The Shadow of the Wind
The Luminaries
A Master of Djinn
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
The Lost Apothecary
The Song of AchillesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is A Column of Fire worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #864 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Column of Fire about?
In 1558, Kingsbridge is torn apart by religious conflict as power in England shifts between Catholics and Protestants. Young Ned Willard finds himself on the opposite side from the woman he loves, and joins the secret service of Queen Elizabeth I, in a story that spans half a century of plots and wars.
How long does it take to read A Column of Fire?
About 23 hours (923 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Column of Fire?
If you liked it, try The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, World Without End by Ken Follett or Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.