A reader just can't go wrong with the works of Ken Follett. A master of historical novels, he has the ability to make you feel like you are totally immersed in the book's world. There are only a few author's that I have found that can do that, repeatedly.
This time Follett writes about the construction of Stonehenge. How it was done, why it was done, what it represents, and the problems in constructing it. He uses his standard method of introducing characters and filling them out so well that you can definitely see them in your own imagination.
I loved the different groups he used, the farmer, the herders, the woodlanders, and the miners. The best, and most interesting group (to me) were the priestesses. I can believe their methods of tracking time, it makes very good sense.
If you enjoy reading Follett, then you will really like this book. I know that I did.

This novel tells the story of the building of Stonehenge in a story that parallels the author's amazing The Pillars of the Earth (the story of the building of a cathedral). That is, he introduces you to the characters through their work and builds the story from there. Follett fans will enjoy.

Absolutely loved the first half of this book. Learning about the roles each group played - farmers, hunters, woodsman, priestesses and was fascinated by the level of barter and cooperation they had amongst the various groups. Interesting learning about the "free" love at the the Midsummer Rite. The fact that women often didn't know who the father of their children was, fathers didn't know either so all children were treated as everyone's and watched over by everyone. Loved that sense of community. I thought the middle of the book dragged a bit. Fights amongst groups, power struggles, famine and desperation- yet it all fit the story. The discovery of the huge stones that would form the monument and they moving of the stones in the last 1/4 of the book brought me back. Fascinating ingenuity and again cooperation. Pillars of the Earth is one of my top 5 favorite books ever. I read Ken Follet, I appreciate the knowledge I gain from his books and will continue to read him. This was a very worthy read and am thankful to Netgalley for the ARC.

Circle of Days was another amazing book! The herders, woodlanders, farmers, and priestesses make up the society in BC times. This book describes the building of Stonehenge and of course, in typical Follett fashion, there are plenty of villains to hate and deaths to mourn.

A very ambitious writing by Mr. Follett. How accurate his portrayal of life many hundreds of years ago is anyone's guess. I found it believable and fascinating.

Ken Follett did not disappoint with his latest Historical Fiction novel Circle of Days. Having read all of Ken Follett’s previous works, I was thrilled to get this ARC from NetGalley. It is a typical Follett read at 704 pages. However, it flows well and was difficult to put down. Circle of Days tracks the building of the “Monument” / Stonehenge. There is conflict among the herders, woodsmen, and farmers. There is love, deceit, and treachery. Circle of Days has it all. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. A solid 5 star read. As always, I look forward to Ken Follett’s next book.

Thank you to Ken Follett, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me an advanced reading copy.

I've been a Ken Follett fan for years. The century trilogy is one of my favorite series of all time. The Kingsbridge series, which is also a favorite, reminded me at times of this book. While similar, I just didn't feel the connection to the characters like i did in the Kingsbridge series. I thought the story was interesting, and there was good interaction between characters, I just didn't have feel for the characters when people were hurt or killed like I do in other Follett novels. I really wanted to love it. just ended more as a like.

one of my grandpas favorite authors - felt honored to read this early!! such an interesting historical fiction that kept me entertained despite the many pages

The creation of Stonehenge has always been veiled with mystery. Plenty of theories are out there, but Ken Follett gives us a tale full of hope, perseverance and self-discovery. When the farming tribes begin to test the boundaries of the woodlanders and the herdsmen, communities begin to rally together for a common cause to bring back balance to the Great Plain. Joia, a young priestess with big dreams for their monument, works with a flint miner, Seft, to build a structure unlike any the Great Plain has ever seen.

Ken Follett, once again, gives us a story that brings us back in time through the lenses of a cast of characters with their own motivations, beliefs and stories. Just like his other tales, Follett builds tension slowly as the reader will be rooting for the success of some and the downfall of others. To have a theory of the creation of Stonehenge fleshed out in this story keeps the reader invested, working to better understand the question, "How did they do it?"

Another page turner from Ken Follet! In his latest outing, Follet turns back time to around 2500 BCE and explores the mysterious origins of Stonehenge. Like his other works, Circle of Days is filled by a compelling cast of characters who I couldn't get enough of.

Ken Follett is so great at helping us understand the past by telling stories and Circle of Days is another great story. It gives us a glimpse into what may have been happening when our ancestors went to great labor to set up stone circles with the crowning glory of stone circles being Stonehenge. Stonehenge is a mystery that people have been trying to explain for centuries. Why was it built? Who built it? When? We can only be sure of one of those answers, it was built long, long ago.

Circle of Days sets out a theory that Stonehenge was a great calendar for people who likely could not even count, but they depended on the seasons for their very lives. It was important and the Circle is accurate to know when the solstices happen. Follett builds some drama in to the story in the way only he can. It is very worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley! An intricate look into a time well past. Society was divided into skill sets. Herders, farmers, flint miners, woodlanders and priestesses lived separately and came together during the rites to trade and copulate to strengthen the blood of their tribes. Seft, a skilled craftsmen, leaves his cruel family to become revered by his new community and a beloved husband and father. Joia, Seft’s sister-in-law, becomes High Priestess and after their previous monument’s wooden ring was destroyed, she and Seth plan to construct one out of stone! When one man tries to put himself above not only his own tribe but the whole plain, wars break out and threaten not only the build but their entire society! Another great story looking into history by Ken Follett!

Follett does a fantastic job of not only immersing the reader in the past, but also helping us completely accept the established contemporary logic of that period. He brings to life an ancient civilization with great detail and intrigue, and reminds us that the people of yesteryear were not necessarily all that different from us today.

Set around 2500 BCE, Circle of Days explores the mysterious story of Stonehenge.

Seft comes from a family of flint miners. The work is grueling and his father is harsh. When Seft meets Neen, a girl from a family of herders, he notices something different within her family - love and kindness.

When the farmers secretly take over land traditionally used for herding animals, Neen’s mother fears the outrage could spark a war between the two communities. Though she has never experienced war herself, she remembers the stories her parents told about a past conflict between the herders and the woodlanders.

Joia, Neen’s younger sister, is fascinated by the priestesses who guard the secrets of the sky. When the High Priestess teaches her a new way of counting - using discs instead of body parts - Joia becomes deeply intrigued and begins to understand her true calling.

At this time, the Great Plain is divided among three tribes: herders, farmers, and woodlanders. Mistrust among them is growing and acts of savage violence threaten to escalate the conflict. A devastating drought forces even the most generous to reconsider their willingness to share. Survival becomes the driving force.

When a wooden monument dedicated to the priestesses is destroyed, the High Priestess orders it rebuilt in stone. The necessary heavy stones lie far away, and fifteen of them are needed. Transporting them could take years. Yet, as heavy and impossible as the task may seem, one person is driven by greater force – a vision of the stone monument rising. The bloodshed, the loss, the arguments, and the violence all fuel the determination to bring it to life and to bring peace.

The story of Pia and Han – two young people from different tribes – unfolds during a time when inter-tribal relationships are forbidden. Despite the rules, they find a way to be together. The forbidden love and the suspenseful search that follows add twists that keep readers on edge.

The detailed depiction of how the stones are transported, and how the monument is built stone by stone, makes Circle of Days a captivating read. With its intriguing elements of ancient history, the story feels remarkably authentic to its time period. It’s an absorbing novel that turns pages quickly.

Ken Follett is a master storyteller; with fascinating characters he weaves a mesmerizing tale rooted in the mysteries of the past - authentic, engaging, and utterly captivating.

Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

Sorry, but I gave up at around the halfway mark. I have never been able to finish a Ken Follett and hoped this would be an exception. Sadly, it wasn't.

Stonehenge is fascinating; this story isn't. Not unlike Pillars of the Earth, Circle of Days promises a great journey--the creation of an awe-inspiring monument--and yet immediately inspires the exact opposite of awe. The pace plods. The characters are too numerous, and many are indistinguishable from one another. They eat, sleep, have sex, talk about sex, and kill each other. There is nothing romantic or uplifting about any of it. The description is bland and functional, more like the action beats of a movie script.

I'm not the right person to verify the historical accuracy of the world-building, but I got the impression much of it was invented from whole cloth, because little is known about the subject. That's understandable. Still, whether it is at least a plausible picture of the time and place, I somehow doubt. I didn't buy the generalization that "farmers represent patriarchy" and "herders are free spirits." It felt more like a fantasy than historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Just like with Pillars of the Earth, I devoured this book and will read it again and again.

Stonehenge: the name itself conjures up a particular henge that has fascinated people for millennia. This long after it was built, we have so many questions about the people who built the henge. It tends to evoke many emotions for people, particularly when road construction and other projects threaten to harm the monument and/or the landscape.

The monument means different things to various people, but beneath all of it is a sense of curiosity about the people who built it. Ken Follett uses this curiosity--and consultation with experts--to explore a story of people living in and taking care of the landscape that gave rise to this awe-inspiring monument. He weaves a story of lives, landscapes, and religion that is challenging to put down. I read it in one day.

I was very pleased to see he has well-rounded gay characters in this book, unlike in some previous books.

I will, of course, be purchasing my own copy when it's out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

I was pleased to be offered an Advanced Reader Copy of the Circle of Days by Ken Follet. Having read several of his books previously, I was excited to embark on this adventure, written as a piece of historical fiction that was centered around the creation of Stonehenge nearly 4,500 years ago (2,500 BC). The story focuses on the relationships of multiple individuals living within three distinct but interconnected communities (Herders, Farmers, and Woodlanders). However, while there are multiple characters depicted from each community, I, like many other readers, struggled to connect with any of them. Sure, the perspectives of each character contributed valuable insight and information to the story, but I didn’t feel as though I were ‘rooting’ for any one character or characters.
Lack of character connection aside, the story itself gave a unique perspective to the purpose of the Stonehenge monument and the act of transiting it from a wooden monument to a stone monument. And while the act of transferring and erecting the stone monuments did not begin until nearly 75% of the way through the book, I felt that the overall momentum of the story flowed slowly, but well, throughout.
To readers considering Circle of Days, my words of advice would be to proceed excitedly, but leave any preconceived notions of Ken Follet’s writing behind. This story, more specifically it’s writing, is structure different than his previous works. In comparison, it almost feels basic. And perhaps, given the time, it is intended to be written that way.
Overall, I give this book a solid 3.75 stars.
I appreciate NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and the author the opportunity to receive the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was ok. Not my favorite of his and definitely not as rich to me as Pillars of the Earth. But it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read.

I enjoyed the book and read it very quickly. After reading "Pillars of the Earth" I was hooked and have read every Ken Follett book since. There are a lot of really shitty people in "Circle of Days" that you just know are going to cause problems. Unfortunately the book is extremely predictable, none of the "ass holes" ever learn a lesson or change their minds. The "good" people are extremely naive and constantly underestimate the bad guys which were always men (btw). I always judge books by how fast I finish and this was read very quickly so it still kept my interest. Maybe I'm nit picking. If you are a die hard fan then read this book you won't be disappointed. If you are going to dip your toe into the Ken Follett waters than start with "Pillars" and make this your last one after you are a fan.

I really enjoyed this view of prehistoric England. It's a great in tale about the building of Stonehenge. Follett goes into incredible detail and immerses the reader into the tale. It's very believable.