I have previously talked about this particular author’s ability to create an incredibly detailed world. Having read another of the books in the Kingsbridge series I can definitively say that Ken Follett continues in the next book. The Armor of Light is the fourth book, not counting the prequel, in the series that are based in the town of Kingsbridge, England. This book is further forward in the timeline as it opens in 1793 and continues forward for about 25-30 years in the lives of the various characters. Amos Barrowfield, who inherits a practically bankrupt cloth business and has to figure out how to quickly make it profitable. Sal, who worked for Amos part time while her husband worked on the town farm but has to find a way to support herself and her son after her husband’s tragic death. Spade, who is a clothing merchant that frequently helps out the other merchants, such as Amos, but has also fallen in love with the wife of the local bishop. Each of these, amongst others, intertwine as their own story progresses to create a full-fledged town and all of the associated relationships and people therein.
I have long been a fan of Ken Follett and have only recently discovered that there were more books in the Kingsbridge series as I was only aware of the first two. This particular book is a great addition to the series as it interweaves new characters in a new time in an old and familiar setting. It references prior books by mentioning Caris’ hospital and Merthin’s bridge or the Willard House but shows the obvious changes that would occur over time as the town and atmosphere changed. The new characters that are introduced are every bit as fleshed out as the previous characters in the series. It really feels like they are completely human, flaws and all. I say that because the book describes all of the various things that characters think and do, both good, bad and in-between. Many of the characters do misguided things because they feel right or get caught up in the moment and then they have to deal with the aftermath. None of them are perfect, but they are human. It is amazingly easy to empathize with the characters, even the so-called bad characters, as you get to really know them over the course of the book. You are able to find out what they think and what makes them tick and realize that maybe they are not entirely bad after all, but just extremely misguided instead. I mean, I still feel tempted to take sides when the characters really get into it but I can still see where the other characters are coming from which shows the incredible amount of thought and detail that goes into each of them. Another thing that I really liked about this book is how it shows how the events of the French Revolution affect the everyday people, the common people. Many works of historical fiction frequently focus on the people who were heavily involved and changed the course of events. This series does not do that and instead shows how the changing course of events affects the people who no one would remember. I greatly appreciate that in a book. Overall, the book is a great work and a great addition to the series and I look forward to reading the prequel next and then potentially re-reading the entire series. It earns a full five stars from me.
If you happen to be a fan of historical fiction then I would definitely recommend this book. One thing I like about this series is despite the communal setting each book is essentially a stand-alone. You can read this book without having read the earlier books in the series and have no problems doing so. I would recommend you read the other books, mainly for extra background knowledge, but it is not required for you to enjoy this book. This book is primarily aimed at adults and I would agree with that in many ways as it does contain mature content. It is few and far between but it is there so I don’t necessarily think this is suitable for younger audiences unless they are aware of that going in and are able to handle it so probably only older teens and young adults, at best. Another thing to keep in mind, this book would probably be considered an epic in terms of length. It is well over 500 pages and is not a fast read. Don’t pick it up and expect to finish it in one day or even in one weekend unless you are an extremely fast reader. Don’t let that discourage you though as the book is well worth the read. If you happen to be familiar with this book or are trying it out for the first time consider sharing your thoughts in the comments. I look forward to hearing what you think.