Evening and morning

An epic story of ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate

The Pillars of the Earth, Forever and The Pillar of Fire, three monumental historical sagas by bestselling author Ken Follett, have reached millions of readers around the world. Now comes the author with another novel, Evening and Morning, which precedes this Kingsbridge series in plot. The year is 997. England faces attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Life is hard, and those who hold power use it harshly, subjugating justice as they please - often in conflict with the king. The king's power is fragile, the laws are interpreted in many ways, and chaos and bloodshed reign in the country. In this uncertain world, three people come to the fore: a young shipbuilder who dreams of a better future when a devastating Viking invasion completely shatters the life he and his future wife had hoped for; A Norman noblewoman who follows her beloved husband across the sea to a new land, where she discovers that life there is governed by shockingly different customs; and able monk who dreams of turning his simple abbey into a centre of learning admired throughout Europe. England is at the dawn of the Middle Ages and these three people find themselves in a dangerous conflict with a ruthless bishop who is doing everything he can to increase his wealth and power. An epic tale of ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate begins.