The saga that has enthralled the millions of readers of The Pillars of the Earth & World Without End now continues with Ken Follett's magnificent gripping A Column of Fire Christmas 1558 & young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship loyalty & love & Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry Margery Fitzgerald Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen & all of Europe turns against England The shrewd determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots rebellions & invasion plans Elizabeth knows that alluring headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris Part of a brutally ambitious French family Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen Over a turbulent half-century the love between Ned & Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne & her principles protected by a small dedicated group of resourceful spies & courageous secret agents it becomes clear that the real enemies
- then as now
- are not the rival religions The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance & compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else
- no matter the cost