World Without End

Ken Follett’s novel World Without End (2007) is the second book in the Kingsbridge series, which comprises The Pillars of the Earth (1989) and A Column of Fire (2017); The Evening and the Morning (2020) is a prequel to the series. Spanning from the deposing of Edward II of England (1327) to 1361, this volume traces what happens in the lives of people of high and low status as English society confronts challenges to order. These challenges include the Black Plague, the Hundred Years’ War, and the growth of a merchant class intent on challenging royal and religious authority. Although historical figures do appear in the novel, the central characters are fictional. This guide is based on the 2007 Penguin print edition. World Without End includes depictions of sexual assault and rape.

Plot Summary

Part 1 begins in the year 1327. Young Caris Wooler, Gwenda, and brothers Merthin and Ralph witness Thomas Langley running away from armed men intent on retrieving a letter that contains the secret of what really happened to Edward II after his wife deposed him.