This book is the sequel of "The Pillars of the Earth", although they can be read in any order. In "TPotE" we read how Kingsbridge cathedral was constructed, thanks to the work of Prior Philip, the builders Tom and Jack, and Lady Aliena.
Now it's 200 years after the cathedral was finished, and once again we return to the Kingsbridge village.
This time, the story revolves around 4 characters:
- Merthin: is the son of an impovireshed knight, and set as a carpenter's apprentice. His ambition is to build the highest tower in England, and to marry his childhood friend, Caris.
- Caris Wooler: the favorite daughter of the richest merchant in town, she's fiercely independant and inquisitive. She's interested in healing and in helping the village.
- Gwenda: Caris' poor friend, she was forced by her father to become a thief. Her life is hard and difficult and shows the injustices serfs were submitted to.
- Ralph: Merthin's younger brother, he becomes a knight in the service of the Earl of Shiring. His ambition is to regain his parent's social position. He's also a bully and the villain in the story.
The book is very similar to "TPofE". It also has several narrative lines, a bully who makes life difficult for all the rest of the characters, and a builder/carpenter who has to travel far away from his village. This time the prior is one of the bad guys, too arrogant and conservative to do what's best for the village, and capable of anything to get rid of his enemies.
However, this book is not so enjoyable as "TPotE". Ralph is not so bad as the other villain, and the story wasn't so compelling as the ther one. It read like a copy of the previous book, only with different names.
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