We’re huge fans of Ken Follett’s books. Ken Follett puts a lot of emphasis on research in every one of his books, which means that unfortunately we have to wait a while in between each new release. It makes sense – books by Ken Follett are beautiful works of history as well as novels, but we need something to tide us over until Ken Follett starts a new series or releases a new book. In the meantime, we’ve compiled a list of books like Ken Follett.
Books to Read if You Like Ken Follett
If you like the Century trilogy books by Ken Follet, read these books:
The Group by Mary McCarthy follows eight upper-middle-class women in 1930’s America. It combines the elements of 20th century historical fiction that readers of Ken Follett’s Century Trilogy know and love with social and political commentary. Mary McCarthy’s masterpiece was published in 1963 and is still an important read today. If The Group has never landed on your bookshelf, now’s the time to pick it up.
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler, released in February, was recently long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. This beautiful novel is a family saga set in 20th century America, specifically grandparents’ humble beginnings in 1920s Baltimore through through their grandchildren’s lives. If you love character-driven literary sagas (classic of Ken Follett’s books), pick up Anne Tyler’s poignant novel.
If you like Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, read these books:
If your favorite part of Pillars of the Earth was the bautiful depiction of people, pick up Hild by Nicola Griffith. It differs from Pillars of the Earth in that it’s from a woman’s point of view (and you’ll find more battles than talk of construction). Dive into seventh-century Britain.
If historical detail and intricate research makes you keep coming back to Ken Follett books, you owe it to yourself to read Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell. Agincort is a non-stop adventure through the 1400s in Britain and France, focusing on Henry V’s court and battles.
If you like Ken Follett’s thrillers, read these books:
The English Spy by Daniel Silva is perfect for fans of Ken Follett books like Eye of the Needle and The Man from St. Petersburg. Daniel Silva’s new book, released on June 30th, is the most recent book in the Gabriel Allon series. It’s an international thriller that Follett fans will love.
Lee Child has a brand new book in the Jack Reacher series, and fans of Ken Follett thrillers are sure to fall for this one. The Jack Reacher books are so beloved that Make Me, Book 20, is just as engaging and exciting to read as the first books in the series. Bonus: we’re giving away a copy of Lee Child’s new book here!
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