World Without End
Score Modern
What it's about
Two centuries after The Pillars of the Earth, the town of Kingsbridge and its great cathedral are again at the center of a web of love and hate, ambition and revenge. In the 14th century, a cast of characters including a builder, a healer and a young woman fighting for her independence face new ideas about medicine, trade and justice, and then the Black Death.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent half a year on the lists. It's a sweeping, absorbing historical saga that many readers love even more than its predecessor.
You'll love it if you liked
The Pillars of the Earth, Wolf Hall or Outlander
Good to know
It stands on its own, though readers of The Pillars of the Earth will enjoy the connections. It's over 1,000 pages and includes graphic violence.
Quick answers
Is World Without End worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent half a year on the lists. It ranks #267 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is World Without End about?
Two centuries after The Pillars of the Earth, the town of Kingsbridge and its great cathedral are again at the center of a web of love and hate, ambition and revenge. In the 14th century, a cast of characters including a builder, a healer and a young woman fighting for her independence face new ideas about medicine, trade and justice, and then the Black Death.
How long does it take to read World Without End?
About 26 hours (1030 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after World Without End?
If you liked it, try The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel or Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.
By the numbers
- Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 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.
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1).
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #137 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #267 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- #1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)
- 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2008
Reads as
Epic, Moving
More by Ken Follett
The Pillars of the EarthIf you like this, read next
The Underground Railroad
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Luminaries
All the Light We Cannot See
The Book Thief
Outlander