Present too are nods and glancing links to the history established in the first two books Kingsbridge Cathedral still stands at the heart of the town, with the faithful statue of Caris adorning its top, and Margery dons Kingsbridge Scarlet TM with suspicious regularity. Beginning with Queen Mary exiting the world after a bloody reign, the reliable formula core to all the books is evident with disreputable characters and ruthless ambitions driving apart the two star-crossed lovers Ned and Margery. Readers settling down, expecting the same intimacy of the first two books, should be pleasantly surprised by a much more adventurous outing, both in geographical scale and historical scope. National Emerging Writer Programme OverviewĪ Column of Fire is the third and, presumably, final book in Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge saga – a trilogy that has taken us from the humble 12 t h century beginnings of the fictional town of Kingsbridge through to the majestic Elizabethan era.What makes this novel so intriguing is the history that reads like a thriller. Ken Follett is a master of the sagas that span generations and A Column of Fire has it all – love, rivalry, ambition, and espionage. But her brother’s lust for power will cause him to go to any lengths and as the decades pass he becomes a bitter rival to Ned. Whilst Ned rises in prominence as a secret agent of the Crown, Margery and her family remain loyal to the Catholic cause. Ken Follett’s third instalment in the Kingsbridge chronicles is a struggle of love, faith, politics, and power. Ned is forced to leave Kingsbridge to seek a career elsewhere. As Ned’s prospects of love become increasingly unlikely the betrayal is cemented when Margery’s family ruin Ned’s mother financially. But Margery is betrothed to an Earl and her family is determined to ensure their prominence through the marriage. The love of his life is a devout young Catholic girl Margery. Ned Willard is raised a protestant by an entrepreneurial mother in Kingsbridge.

But as is often the case in history the battle is less about faith and more about power. The Catholic church is in a bitter struggle with its new rival – Protestantism. The 16th Century is a period of turmoil for much of Europe. A Column Of Fire by Ken Follett (Macmillan) ISBN: 978-1-5098-5715-9

Ken follett a column of fire review