“When things are simple, fewer mistakes are made. The most expensive part of a building is the mistakes.”
Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge series is one of the most popular works in the historical fiction genre. The Pillars of the Earth is the first book in the series and follows the story of one monk and his ambition to construct the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever seen. Throughout the book, Follett expertly weaves together the lives of the local townsfolk as they navigate the ravages of the Anarchy, as well as the rhythms and demands of 12th-century England.
Intrigue, romance, suspense, and action all help make Follett’s recreated Middle Ages setting shine, and the authenticity of everyone from the humble stonemason to the woman of the forest has made The Pillars of the Earth one of the all-time classics. Join us at What We Reading as we pay homage to Follett’s work with the best books like The Pillars of the Earth.
Who Wrote The Pillars Of The Earth?
Born in Cardiff, Wales, Ken Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. His 36 books have sold over 170 million copies across 80 countries and in 33 different languages. The Pillars of the Earth was first published in 1989, and instantly became a global bestseller. The book’s sequel, World Without End, was written in 2007. The Pillars of the Earth was later turned into a television series produced by Ridley Scott in 2010 and a major video game.
The Name Of The Rose – Umberto Eco
Kicking off our list of the best historical books like The Pillars of the Earth is Umberto Eco’s acclaimed The Name of the Rose. The year is 1327 and the Benedictines in an affluent Italian monastery are suspected of heresy. Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate, however, his mission is soon overshadowed by several strange and sudden deaths. Utilising the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas and the insights of Roger Bacon, his investigations soon lead to him collecting evidence, deciphering secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and into the bowels of this eerie abbey.
Similar to Pillars of the Earth, Umberto Eco explores the power dynamics of religious institutions and intellectual pursuits in his international bestseller.
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The Paris Architect – Charles Belfoure
If the realism of the construction of the cathedral in Pillars of the Earth resonated with you, Charles Belfoure’s The Paris Architect is the natural follow-up read. Set in German-occupied Paris, the book follows Lucien Bernard, a skilled architect who is blissfully ignorant of the cruelty inflicted on the city’s Jews by the Nazis. That is until he is offered a large sum of money to devise ingenious hiding places for them.
Lucien is unable to resist the challenge and sets about creating expertly concealed spots the average eye skips over. However, when one of his hiding spots is uncovered by the deranged leader of the Gestapo, Colonel Schlegal, Lucien is unable to continue turning a blind eye to the depravity being inflicted upon the Jewish populace by his country’s occupiers.
The Pillars Of Rome (Republic #1) – Jack Ludlow
Jack Ludlow kicks off his ancient Rome historical fiction series, Republic, with The Pillars of Rome. The book follows the lives of two young men, Aulus and Lucius. Having sworn an oath of loyalty to each other, the pair find their loyalty pushed to the absolute limit as they grow older and their lives diverge.
Aulus is the most successful general in Rome. But, when barbarians kidnap his wife and demand his forces withdraw from their territory, he is forced into an agonising decision between loyalty towards his love and his land. Lucius has become a high-ranking member of the senate, a position which he uses and abuses. When he is accused of orchestrating a murder, however, he and Aulus quickly find themselves on opposite sides in a conflict where the foundations of the Roman Republic are rocked, and a prophecy they have carried with them all their lives might finally be fulfilled.
Cathedral Of The Sea (La Catedral Del Mar #1) – Ildefonso Falcones
Readers are whisked to Barcelona in the 14th century and the height of its prosperity in Ildefonso Falcones’ Cathedral of the Sea. Having grown from a small settlement of fishermen, the inhabitants of the city have decided to construct the largest Maria cathedral ever known.
The construction of the cathedral runs alongside the story of Arnau, a young serf who escapes his feudal lord and becomes a free man in the city and soon one of its most wealthy individuals. His rapid rise attracts the jealous eyes of the locals, however, who soon hatch a scheme that lands him in a potentially fatal standoff with the Spanish Inquisition. Will he lose his life just before he can see the Cathedral of the Sea finally finished? Like Pillars of the Earth, Falcones’ intrigue-filled historical story explores love, revenge, religion and architecture.
Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell #1) – Hilary Mantel
Another book similar to Pillars of the Earth with its themes of high-stakes political intrigue and historical authenticity comes from Hilary Mantel in Wolf Hall. Set in England in the 1520s, Mantel chronicles the turbulent life and times of Thomas Cromwell in the court of King Henry VIII.
The country promises to descend into civil war if the king dies without a male heir. Henry wants to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and wed the alluring Anne Boleyn. The Pope, the Catholic Church and most of Europe oppose him. Yet, through his blend of charm, intimidation, astuteness and ability to both read and manipulate those around him, Cromwell will find himself navigating these minefields of the day and rising higher and higher in the king’s standings. But, what will the final price of all these triumphs be?
A Bridge To The Sky – Margaret Ball
Margaret Ball’s A Bridge to the Sky is another book like Pillars of the Earth that blends history with drama. Taking readers to the heart of 13th-century Europe, it maps the story of one man who would rise to become one of the greatest builders in both East and West, constructing some of the most adored monuments in history.
Born in a small village in Suffolk, Stephen of Dunwich and his mother, Maud, were branded as witches and exiled. They seek refuge with the Black Monks of Ely, where Stephen becomes the apprentice of the cold-hearted Brother Daniels. Under Brother Daniels and his harsh education, Stephen develops his love of architecture. When the monastery is one day overrun by soldiers, he is finally allowed to escape and embark on a career selling his skills from Jerusalem, Hungary, France and Italy erecting cathedrals, sacred tombs and ancient temples. A Bridge to the Sky is a riveting exploration of Medieval Europe and its first steps into the creative light following the Dark Ages, as well as a compelling tale of one man daring to dream.
Sarum: The Novel Of England – Edward Rutherfurd
Sarum is a stunning novel by Edward Rutherfurd that condenses the entire turbulent history of England into one sweeping read. Spanning centuries, the book centres around five families: the Wilsons, the Masons, the family of Porteus, the Shockleys, and the Godfreys, all of whom reflect the changing character of the country as it evolves.
A profound and accomplished history and personal drama, the stories and lives of these families intertwine and overlap with one another, with their triumphs and tragedies making for some of the most enthralling storytelling in the historical fiction space. Beginning in Britain’s ancient history and ending in the 1980s, Rutherfurd’s superb research helps make this one of the best books like The Pillars of the Earth for anyone who loved Ken Follett’s authentic world-building.
Pompeii – Robert Harris
In another ancient Roman book similar to Pillars of the Earth, Robert Harris delivers the infamous story of a city on the brink of cataclysmic disaster with all of his trademark refinement and understanding of Pompeii.
Harris offers a new perspective on the story of the doomed city by taking readers into the heart of the hysteria within Pompeii’s walls. Marcus Attilius Primus is an engineer brought to Pompeii after being tasked with taking over the Aqua Augusta, the aqueduct which supplies the city with fresh water. After his predecessor mysteriously vanished, Atillius soon finds sulphur in the water and springs around the aqueduct drying up, leading to an expedition up to Mount Vesuvius where the warnings of the disaster to come show themselves. Powerful forces – both natural and man-made – are in play, and this combination of intrigue and stunning historical accuracy sets the stage for one of the best reads for anyone who loved Follett’s Kingsbridge series.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
