Just finished reading “Fall of Giants” by Ken Follett. This is the first novel in a trilogy covering five interconnected families in the 20th century. This first installment begins before the First World War and ends with the election of the first Labour government in the UK in 1924. This is a very large canvas to paint on, and coincidence seems to play a large role in some of the events – as of course it must, lest the number of characters grow too large for the reader to manage.

Yes, this sometimes does lapse into melodrama, but overall the author does a good job of keep the separate plot threads interesting and establishing some surprising connections. And yes, there are some historical errors here and there, or perhaps the author just favors one interpretation of events over others, but it is an entertaining read, and does bring the period in question to life.

It’s a fairly long book, and unlike the author’s thrillers, such as “Eye of the Needle”, this work does start slowly, but I do recommend it. Once we meet and get to know all of the principal characters, the pace picks up and it is a good read.