As someone who loves historical fiction, this one from Ken Follett is so unique and interesting. Maybe it’s speculative historical fiction? Who cares. A fascinating story of ancient traditions and religions playing together. I haven’t read much Follett but knowing his name, this book lives up to it. Highly recommend.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As usual, Follettt is able to transport the reader to a different time and place masterfully. However, the endless details about the moving, carving and placement of the stones is tedious. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review..

Ken Follett is one of my auto buy authors. I love his work and the way he weaves historical tales through the lives of his characters. I think he is a brilliant storyteller. Circle of Days is an unique and fascinating tale of how Stonehenge came to be. I didn't connect with the characters in this book like i did in previous books but still really enjoyed it and will be purchasing a hard copy for my shelf when it releases.

Circle of Days by Ken Follett is an enjoyable and interesting historical fiction that immerses us into the creation of Stonehenge.

I enjoyed the epic Pillars of the Earth series, so I was quick to pick up this book by the same author.

I have read several updates on modern inquiries on how Stonehenge was built, so it was interesting to see it all put into a fictional viewpoint.

While this was not up to the standards that I was expecting from this author, it was still an immersive and interesting read that I seemed tackled faster than I had anticipated.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Grand Central Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/23/25.

I love Ken Follett's Century books and his Knightsbridge books. I love the way he describes history through the use of the characters and how they lived. However, if I were to recommend a new reader to check out his books, I probably would not tell that reader to start with Circle of Days. I did like the book, and I felt parts of it were compelling. However, I didn't connect to the characters like I did with his other books. And I skimmed through the long descriptions of Seft's struggles to create a way to carry the stones to the religious site. I thought I would be most interested in this, as I too wonder how Stonehenge was built. Too many pages of descriptions without me connecting to any of it. I also would have liked to have more three-dimensional characters. I think long-time Follett readers will enjoy this book, and I did, because I love his other books. This one was just not what I was expecting.

Ken Follett did it again! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! He does a phenomenal job writing historical fiction. He can create an elaborate and detailed story around bits and pieces of history that we may know so little about. His characters feel so intimately real. Ken Follett will always be an auto-buy author for me. I have enjoyed all of his books!

It’s one of those books that’s just easy to get into and hard to stop reading. Great for a weekend read.

I enjoyed this book but the story of building Stonehenge is not the same as history. Estimates are it took hundreds of years but this story does it in one generation. It is interesting how the book presents the stones were moved and placed

I am a huge fan of the Ken Follett series, such as Pillars of the Earth and its sequels, so I was very excited to get this preview copy from Net Galley. Sadly, this is not going to be on my list of favorites. The premise is interesting - the story behind the building of Stonehenge - but the plot fell flat for me. I did not connect with the characters, and at times felt that the story dragged, and I had trouble staying interested in the plot line. At first, I was intrigued by the story of Seft and his family, and I also enjoyed the story of Joia and the priestesses, but ultimately, the characters did not hold my interest, and the storyline was too slow. I am curious as to whether he will continue this saga as a series, and if he does, I am sure I will read them, with the hope that the plot and characters develop more than in this novel.

Ken Follett never disappoints. I have read everything he has written and this was exceptional. The build up the story etc was fantastic. Thanks for the opportunity to read.

Another mostly solid epic story by Ken Follett. I agree with other reviewers that the writing was more simplistic and repetitive compared to his other novels. It did make the seemingly long book read relatively fast. The last quarter of the story that focused on moving the stones was slow for me. Not my fave of his, but not bad either.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a story of the building of Stonehenge that managed to capture both the amazing technological feat of the stone circle and also the newness of the society that pulled it off. The daily lives of the characters could seem simple at first glance, but their tribes were on the cusp of becoming more recognizably modern. This novel did not quite have the depth and richness of Pillars of the Earth, but it was still a very satisfying read.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC of 'Circle of Days' by Ken Follett.

I loved 'Pillars of the Earth' and its sequels to was delighted and intrigued to see this great storyteller take on the mystery of Stonehenge.

Unfortunately I was disappointed. This is repetitive and overlong, and - for me - written at a much lower level of sophistication than I remember from 'Pillars of the Earth,' etc. It all felt overly simplistic. My mind kept interjecting with snippets of 'The Farmer and the Cowman Should be Friends' from 'Oklahoma.' It was just one thing after another with those two groups - herders and farmers - the same internal discussions and arguments between the same characters on either side and then more of the same outcomes and then nothing for a few more years.

I did really like how he incorporated all of the relevant current scientific/physical and geographic theories about how the monument was built, how the stones were transported and from where. That whole element matches the strength of those strands about cathedral building from his earlier series but everything outside of that felt labored and. as I said above, simplistic, like it was written for too low a reading age.

If this was a new author I might be giving this two stars but Follett's name carries weight so I've gone with three, though it was a stretch.

Another historical novel with interesting characters, and rich story lines. Ken Follett imagines the story around the building of Stonehenge and what life must have been like for the people of that time. In true Ken Follett fashion, he weaves a tale of good vs. evil that doesn't disappoint.

Classic Ken Follett. A historical fiction elegantly told. The dialog is a bit simplistic at time and some section drag in some places but a riveting story nonetheless. If you are new to Ken Follett (is anyone?) then there are better of his works to start with but this one won't disappoint the fans.

This was classic Ken Follett. I loved the depth of the story as well as the character development. I was drawn in by the complex characters. I loved every page.

I received an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my Goodreads page.

Ken Follett’s latest epic, due out in September, offers a richly imagined take on the origins of Stonehenge. This fictional account blends historical speculation with Follett’s signature storytelling, crafting a narrative that’s very ambitious.

I particularly enjoyed the novel’s setup, which draws the reader into a prehistoric world filled with ritual, mystery, and power struggles. A basic understanding—or at least an appreciation—of the real-world history behind Stonehenge is necessary and would definitely add depth to the experience and helps tie the narrative threads together.

That said, the book felt a bit long at times, and I struggled to fully connect with some of the characters and their part of the narrative. Still, despite this, it was a solid and rewarding read overall.

Ken Follett is a formidable author, and "Pillars of the Earth" is one of my all-time favorites. Every time I see a Ken Follet book, I can't wait to dive in and see if it as good as my beloved favorite. Unfortunately, this book is nowhere near as captivating. I wasn't emotionally invested in most of the characters, and although he seemed to attempt to get the reader to care about the characters, it fell flat for me. I'm sure the book will do well based on the author's name and reputation, but for me, it was not a book I would recommend.

A sprawling storytelling achievement, Circe of Days uses simple language to hoist bursting narratives.

Themes in this book include applied manufacturing, torture, mechanical engineering, sex, mathematical theory, trade, gender roles and agriculture. Society is composed of farmers, herders, woodlanders, miners, and priestesses, each with a crucial and well understood role. They all get along and contribute to the greater good...for awhile...until wrongs are attempted to be righted through twisted applications of Hammurabi’s Law. Once an unbalance begins heads and logs roll.

Follett never forgets the key to a good novel: use scenes to show what is happening. He does it very well and the most major plot point plays around the idea that a monument made of wood can be destroyed, but one of stone cannot. So, essentially Stonehenge. This is a very creative tale – call it speculative historical fiction. Whatever sub-genre Follett has developed since Pillars of the Earth he sits at the head of the table.

Fans of this author will be very satisfied and it should bring in new readers. Circle of Days has Neal Stephenson vibes and is very much recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for a review copy.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this incredible book. If you liked The Pillars of the Earth, you will definitely enjoy this. This epic story begins around 2500 B.C.E. Several groups of people live within the great plains. There are farmers who work from sunup to sundown and where one man is in charge of everyone. Women are treated as property. There are woodlanders who live off what nature provides. There are herders who raise cattle and are peaceful people. One of the main characters is Seft, who is a flint miner with an extreme talent in understanding carpentry. Among the herders is a group of women who are priestess. One of these priestess is Joia, whose dream is to have their wooden monument replaced with huge stones that are miles away. This will take cooperation from all the groups and talented people like Seft. As to why they are building this monument, it's best to read the book. Unfortunately, not everyone wants this monument built. They face many obstacles, including sabotage, years of drought, starvation, wars among the groups, and logistics of moving such large and heavy stones. It was easy to really care for these characters. When I wasn't able to read the book, I found myself wondering what's going to happen next.I highly recommend reading this. I think it's up there with one of his best.