Buddy Read: World Without End

[Pien]

Oh that’s too bad, Samaria!
I’m at chapter 40 right now. (view spoiler)[ Ralph has fled court and I was actually relieved. Isn’t that strange? He’s such a bad person but I just didn’t want him to be hanged, it’s too gruesome. Caris has just decided to marry Merthin, but I started to dislike her, with her secret abortion and dismissing him. So I’m not very happy for him. I also think it’s so unfair he can’t finish his bridge! (hide spoiler)]
What chapter are you at, Erin? Do you enjoy the read?

[Erin]

I read ahead a bit when I was having trouble finding another audiobook that I enjoyed listening to, so I am at chapter 56 now. I’m still trying to stay somewhat on pace with our schedule though and I now have three other audiobooks that I’m jumping around between because I don’t enjoy any of them as much as this one. But I am hoping to fly up to visit my grandmother later this week and, if my flight doesn’t get canceled due to hurricane Ian, I do think I might get ahead with this one since I can only do the others in small doses.

I wish (view spoiler)[Ralph had been hung 🙈 I think you will too eventually. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Just finished the reading we originally designated for this week.
It’s infuriating (view spoiler)[how those without morals keep coming out on top. 😠 (hide spoiler)]
And I’m wondering if (view spoiler)[the information about the queen being responsible for the king’s death is the secret Thomas and Merthin share… (hide spoiler)]
I want (view spoiler)[all the wretched characters to get the plague and die. 🙈 (hide spoiler)]

[Pien]

I’m hoping to read a lot these next days. I’m not reading the spoilers yet, of course, but I’m already glad it’s all just fictional! :-)

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "I’m hoping to read a lot these next days. I’m not reading the spoilers yet, of course, but I’m already glad it’s all just fictional! :-)"

Yay!
We’re bracing for impact - Ian has stayed his course over the last several days so it appears we’re gonna get hit later this week - and I’ll be picking up a physical copy of the book from the library today or tomorrow so I’ll be prepared in case we lose power. 😏
Really wish I could have gotten the October book for my in person book club since I can’t get it via ebook or audio but I placed a hold 9 days ago and I’m still waiting…

[Pien]

Stay safe Erin! I hope he changes his course.

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "Stay safe Erin! I hope he changes his course."

Thanks… We just got the notice that schools will be closed on Wednesday. We’re gonna get hit, only time can tell how bad… 😏
We’ve got water and bread and peanut butter though so we can handle a couple days without power. And if it looks like we’ll be without for an extended time, we’ll drive over to my sister-in-law’s.
Super, super upset not to see my grandma though 😢
I apologize in advance if I devour the rest of this book…

[Pien]

Oh yes, you were going to visit your grandma finally! That’s such a bummer too… 😟
I won’t blame you for finishing the book early this time 😉 Thank you Ken Follett to write these elephants of books!

[Pien]

I know now what you ment about ch 44. that was gruesome. Happy not to have the audiobook so I could skip the details!
Now starting 46.

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "I know now what you ment about ch 44. that was gruesome. Happy not to have the audiobook so I could skip the details!
Now starting 46."

That is fortunate! It was SO gruesome 😬

[Erin]

Just finished chapter 71. What a roller coaster!!! I won’t say more so I don’t spoil anything, but wow!

The storm is upon us and will be worsening until late tomorrow. This is without question my most enjoyable audiobook (despite the despicable characters and gruesome events) so I’m going to be pressing on in efforts to distract myself…

[Samaria]

Omg you have made it so far, good for you.
I just got my book from the library so I’ll start reading. I find it hard to get into this book though not sure why. 🤔 hopefully it picks up and I can catch up to you guys.

[Pien]

I hope you’ll get more interested in the story, Samaria! I did, after a slow start.
How are you Erin? It’s been a very heavy storm! Hope everything is okay! 🍀❤️

[Erin]

We lost power 22 hours ago and we have absolutely no phone service at our house now. The storm has passed though so I am out taking a walk and pacing a neighborhood 2 miles from my house where I’ve picked up a signal so I can check in with people and catch up on email and what not. My husband said he saw something yesterday before we lost our connection to the outside world that said this is one of the top five worst hurricanes to hit Florida in recorded history. I’ve been chipping away at the book though and have made it to chapter 76.

[Pien]

I’m happy you all are okay! And now let’s hope power and phoneservices return soon!

[Pien]

I’m at chapter 58 now. Enjoying the book!

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "I’m at chapter 58 now. Enjoying the book!"

So glad you’re enjoying it! I’m at chapter 81 ~ and I’ve definitely been a little distracted while reading/listening, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. It’s quite a roller coaster!

[Pien]

You’re quite close to the end! I’m eager to know how you feel when you’ve finished.
I’m getting a bit impatient now, to be honest, having read for a long time today but made no apparent progress… I should sit back and enjoy it but there’s other books in the back of my mind I want to read too. And this small font style and all those pages… I’m having a down-Follett moment! 😉

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "You’re quite close to the end! I’m eager to know how you feel when you’ve finished.
I’m getting a bit impatient now, to be honest, having read for a long time today but made no apparent progress… ..."

Which part are you at right now? I definitely get into it more when I can listen to the audio than when I’m trying to read the ebook. At the speed I listen, I have about 3.5 hours left.
I’m feeling utterly exhausted after this past week ~ we got home at 6pm last night and I have been scrambling to try to get back on track since then. Still have to clean out the fridge/freezer and then make my shopping list and do the shopping to replace everything.

[Pien]

Erin wrote: "Pien wrote: "You’re quite close to the end! I’m eager to know how you feel when you’ve finished.
I’m getting a bit impatient now, to be honest, having read for a long time today but made no appare..."

Oh dear, I didn’t know you had to leave your house! So is the power back on now? And are the schools starting again? I hope you have done all those chores and can sit down now!
I’m where (view spoiler)[ Merthin visits his parents and Ralph, and founds out that Ralph’s still the same brute, not helping Gwenda and her husband, and in Kingsbridge Mark Webber is the first victim of the plaque. Caris is again not deciding wether to be with Merthin or not. (Eyes rolling) Why can’t she just promise him and stay in the hospital until things are better?!
I do get quite furious that the bad guys still get what they want, as you wrote before. But I’m quite shure they will get what they deserve. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Oh my, you’re only at the start of the plague? Wow! That seems like it was ages ago for me 😂

We didn’t have to leave, but after 2 days without power and hearing it could take 3 more to get it back, we decided to. We booked a stay at the Legoland Resort for 3 days of (exhausting) Lego fun. Power ended up being restored Saturday night. We were very fortunate that we only had to deal with a power outage though, so many have it so much worse.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climat...

[Erin]

I’m in the home stretch at chapter 87, possibly finishing tonight.
Eager to find out (view spoiler)[what was in the letter Thomas buried. I’m assuming something to do with the king’s murder… And I’m wondering if Ralph will learn that Roland is actually Merthin’s son. Really hope Ralph receives a just punishment for his wretchedness! 😏 (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

I finished! 🙌🏻
I suppose the ending was pretty satisfying.
Hit me with any predictions y’all have as you make your way to the end. 😉

[Pien]

Wow! Well done! 😃👍🏻
I’m not making predictions yet, things can change so fast in this book! The next chapter will be 71 for me.

[Pien]

Chapter 81 (view spoiler)[ Finally things seem to get better, with the plague leaving and the new hospital plans for Caris, and their relationship. It was time for that! I’m happy Godwin died, now what will happen to Ralph? I’m quite sure he gets what het deserves in the end. And wow is it time for that! (hide spoiler)]
I hope to finish in two days now

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "Chapter 81 [spoilers removed]
I hope to finish in two days now"

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[Pien]

Yay! I’ve finished the giant!
(view spoiler)[ And I feel relieved, I must say. While the story, as in all his books, was intriguing enough, I just got a little tired of some things in Foletts’ style. I don’t think I know of ány man how much breast hair they have and what color that would be, I know of all women how hairy they are, and what size their breasts.
Also the easy way the women become pregnant when someone breathes on them, when that’s interesting for the story, was not too realistic. The way the bad guys always seemed to get their way was sometimes a bit too much.
But on the other hand, all the twists and turns, all the varieties of characters, it is I think a very well written book.
I hoped and expected the bad guys to be gone in the end and the nice ones happy, and that luckily became true. Ralph’s death was horrific and exactly right, with his own son as the murderer.
I expected a bit more of that hidden letter by the way. It helped Merthin and Caris of course, but I thought something big would come out in the open and that never happened.
The historical information about the start of modern medicine was pretty interesting as well.
So all in all, a pretty nice read.
(hide spoiler)]
Now, I’m going to read Erin’s spoilers! 🥳

[Erin]

Pien wrote: "Yay! I’ve finished the giant!
And I feel relieved, I must say. While the story, as in all his books, was intriguing enough, I just got a little tired of some things in Foletts’ style. I don’t thin..."

I agree! Part of me really wants to tackle A Column of Fire before the year end, but another part wonders if it will be more of the same and if I can handle it. 🤔 Do you think you’ll continue with the series at some point? Or are you content to end here?
It was definitely fitting that (view spoiler)[Ralph ends up being killed by his son. But I am still upset at all the lives that were lost because he was not hanged early on. 😏
And yes! The hidden letter ended up completely insignificant in the end. 😂 (hide spoiler)]

How are you coming along Samaria? Has the story picked up for you yet?

[Samaria]

Erin wrote: "Pien wrote: "Yay! I’ve finished the giant!
And I feel relieved, I must say. While the story, as in all his books, was intriguing enough, I just got a little tired of some things in Foletts’ style...."

I am on Chapter 74, almost there!
It s picking up for me, I don't understand the obsession of writing so much about woman's anatomy.
I don't understand how the characters without morals keep getting away with everything.
I am curious to find out the meaning of that letter and if it will bring more vengeance or finally peace.

[Erin]

Samaria wrote: "Erin wrote: "Pien wrote: "Yay! I’ve finished the giant!
And I feel relieved, I must say. While the story, as in all his books, was intriguing enough, I just got a little tired of some things in Fo..."

😆 Yeah… I decided to start A Column of Fire yesterday for lack of having anything else lined up and he starts right in with the focus on female anatomy. 🙄

Can’t wait to hear your final thoughts!

[Pien]

You’re saying exactly what I was thinking around that point in the book, Samaria!
I’m not going to read Column of fire soon, I have a need for shorter stories for awhile… 😊
Erin, I hope you really enjoy it, and it won’t be too annoying with all the descriptions of how all the women look like without their clothes on 😄

[Samaria]

Finished the book! I thought I would get a more excited ending. The letter ment nothing at the end, that was disappointing since he kept making reference towards the letter and the importance of it 🫤 I was expecting more. Overall it was a good read.
Are we taking a break from the series or are we diving into A column of fire?

[Erin]

Samaria wrote: "Finished the book! I thought I would get a more excited ending. The letter ment nothing at the end, that was disappointing since he kept making reference towards the letter and the importance of it..."

I felt exactly the same about the letter! It was quite a letdown 😏
I’d be happy to have you read A Column of Fire along with me. I’m several chapters in and about to take another long walk with the audiobook. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll start another discussion page for that one.

[Samaria]

Sure! Might as well. I m already committed to the series lol
Let me borrow it from the library and I’ll let you know when it becomes available to me ;)

[Pien]

Yes that letter! It was all about that, wasn’t it? I really expected something with a bang in the end, not this…