North Liberty Readers discussion

Here is the thread for Fall of Giants. :)

I started it last night. I think it'll be GOOOOOD! I doubt I'll read it very fast as I'm working on FIVE books right now, but I just couldn't wait to start.

Ohhhhh, Sonja - it's good so far!

Just commenting so this discussion becomes active again since some of us are reading it now.

I am reading this and TOTALLY NEGLECTING MY HOUSE!!!!! I LOVE Ken Follett. Although a bit wordy into the political stuff surrounding the war, I am still totally shackled to the story. How far are you all? I'm devouring this one. Just hit the page 400 mark a bit ago...can't put it down!

I'm around 218. I'm loving this book! For now, I think Ethel is my favorite character, but I like Grigori as well. I love how he's connecting the characters without them knowing it.

I haven't started it... didn't realize that everyone was already reading it. I'll start today! :)

Pamela, do you get the feeling that Walter von Ulrich is a little underdeveloped? Maybe it gets better as the story goes on, but I feel like we're being told he considered X and Y and came to a conclusion, but the only thoughts we're privy to are the ones about Maud... I feel like he's a very smart man, but so far all I'm getting is that he's horny...

Sonja....Walter will develop more as the story grows around his character. BUT....generally speaking, considering how MANY characters this book will eventually have (see the family map-out in the beginning...gasp!) I felt that "underdeveloped-ness" on all counts except for the characters that really piqued my interest right away...I bet we ALL will love Ethel. I also like Grigory....and I'm really curious as to where Billy will end up...and Maud as well. I think the X and Y analogy is right on. I think the same. I wonder if Follett is walking the fine line of whether to get "too political" or not so as to detract from the actual STORY he is trying to tell. The war of which is NOT a main character but a consequence. What a tough endeavor....but BRAVO so far!

No fair!!! I need to get going on this! I'll start tonight!!!!

Loving this book! I just wish I had more time to read it! I've never spent much time looking at WWI (causes, purpose, etc...) and I find this interesting. I've spent much more time on WWII... I love how Follett is able to tie the characters together into a cohesive story without me feeling like he's jumping around like crazy despite the fact that we've been on 3 different continents so far. I can't wait to see where this book goes!

I KNOW!!! I agree with you about the WWI part....how easy to forget about it. I'm excited that this is just the beginning. It's supposed to be Book 1 of the Century Trilogy...sooo 2 more books to come. LOVE this book and I am devouring it!

I don't know if it was a good idea to read this book before the others come out. I'm going to want to keep going! I guess patience is a good thing to learn...

I was really surprised about Ethel's wedding! I won't say too much because I don't know where others are, but I wasn't expecting her to choose him. I am glad that she's "seen the light" regarding Fitz though. I see him as a very selfish character who doesn't seem to care who he runs over in his quest to get what he wants.

Grigory is really impressing me! I love where his character is going and who he's becoming. I see a lot of similarities between him and Billy and can't wait to see what Billy might accomplish!

WOW Sonja...I agree...I love this book and boy do I hope he is working on the next one!

As for Ethel...I was thinking she would go that way after she stiffed Fitz with the house. And when he was offering her the chatteau I would have been disappointed in her if she actually took it...especially with her mom and dad still alive and well...there is no way to hide that and she has too much spunk to be a little mistress in the house and not a dignified wife. I'm glad she is with Bernie...

I'm curious as to when we will hear that the Czar Nicholas and the Romanov family have been put on house arrest and then murdered...OR>..if it will even be mentioned at all. I've always been fascinated by that story and I'm in that time period or very near it in the book. We'll see.......

JENNI....are you reading this??? LOL!

I am! I'm just so far behind you guys that I'm trying not to read this much. I'm so lame! :(

I think I'll finish it tonight! I'm a little sad that it's ending, but knowing that there will be more in the future is a good thing!

I was very happy that Ethel finally found a way to say no to Fitz. I was surprised by her marriage because it felt to me like she was settling, and I wasn't sure that was in her nature.

I'm loving how the characters are coming in and out of each others lives. At first I thought Wales was going to be the common connection since all of them except Grigory have been there, but they are meeting each other every where! It's interesting to see the effect they have on each other without knowing it.

I'm done! I just looked and it looks like the next one is scheduled to come out in September!

AWESOME.....I can't wait. I will for sure finish by the 21st. That's when my book is due back at the library...HA!!!

I'm so glad we started off with this one...and Jenni...you'll be caught up and finished in no time.

After this I'm re-reading One For The Money by Janet Evanovich (not on my list) since the movie is coming out here on the 27th. My friend Sammi and I are going to the premier of it here with the Library. They are having a dinner and everything! SOOOO excited for this next Friday night! Have you guys read this series? The Stephanie Plum bounty hunter ones??? LOVE LOVE LOVE them....

I WANT to read them! I actually have several on my ereader, just waiting to be read! :)

I haven't read any of the Stephanie Plum books, but I've heard they are good books! I'll have to add them to my list! I think I have some of them on my e-reader (Probably from Jenni...)

They are worth the time...hilarious. I'd be curious to see if you are on Team Morelli or Team Ranger. PERSONALLY....I'm team Morelli. LOL!!!

Are you interested in the movie at all? I'm totally looking forward to The Hunger Games coming out this spring. YAY!!!

I'm really looking forward to The Hunger Games movie in March! Jenni and I have talked about going together to see it already! I didn't know about the Stephanie Plum movie until today...

Sammi and I are all about going to The Hunger Games...and if going to One For The Money is super fun through the Friends of the Library here...we'll do it again with The Hunger Games. What a great night out for us!!!

Not only are we going to be with other people who love the book...but we get dinner too....and it will be in STIVA'S FUNERAL PARLOR ( a notable setting in the book)...how COOL! So...essentially they are going to transform the library into a funeral parlor for the evening...LOL!!! Since the theater is 1/2 block away, we will all go there for the premier. One ticket was $20. Totally worth it for me. I can't wait!

Now that sounds like fun!!!!!!

It does sound like fun! I don't know of anything like that around here... I guess smaller towns are just more fun!

Hmmm, I don't see Sonja living in a small town.... :)~

LOL.....I'm a good small town person...AND a good city person...AND a world traveler person...LOL!!! I'll take my excitement where I can get it!

So Pamela... It looks like you didn't care too much for the end of the book... I felt like it ended very abruptly. I've read other trilogies and at the end of each book I felt like I want to read more, but if this is it, I can deal with that. This one felt to me a little bit like he was writing a long book and just picked a page in the middle to split it into sections.

As far as small towns go... I was raised in a town of 760ish. There is a point when a town is too small to have a lot of fun stuff (or much of anything really...). I guess you just have to find the right one!

yeah....I'm pretty lucky my small town (Breda) has a swimming pool tennis courts, a huge park, a grandstand for playing ball and also a softball field, a golf course....and that just the small town I grew up in.

Carroll has about 20,000 people and it's only 15 minutes away from Breda. Actually Breda has about as much as Carroll...but we certainly use the Carroll Library!

My hubby found rooms at the Iowa House for the Olympic Trials. Sounds like its by Memorial Union and is 2 blocks from downtown...does that sound like a good place to stay you guys? What do you think.......hmmmmm.......

The Iowa House is in the Memorial Union. It will be a great location! (You'll probably be parking in the ramp across the street, but it's not a huge walk.)

ok great! I'm pretty sure Juan and I are staying into Monday and then driving back but the other 3 couples are going back on Sunday night I believe.

Can't wait to see you!!!

Just so I get to see you... at least once... I'll be happy! :)