Pillars of the Earth
Jul. 8th, 2010 01:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tvordlj2010 Books:
19: Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
In preparation for a tv series of the book, i reread it. I haven't read it for years and there was a lot in it i had forgotten. It's the story of Tom Builder and his step son Jack, of Prior Philip and Bishop Waleran Bigod and the other villain is William Hamleigh who is a right nasty piece of work who, as you would expect, will come to a sticky end but it's almost an afterthought. It chronicles the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge during the 12th century, much of the time during the civil war between King Stephen and Queen Maud. This causes political power shifting and setbacks at various times. Also thrown in there is the downfall of Thomas Beckett as witnessed by Prior Philip which almost seems just thrown in there. The book is long and maybe it's a bit too long and puffed up by that point. I did love the story up to the last part which then just kind of drags its feet to the end.
It will be interesting to see how it comes out on the telly, what they put in and what they leave out. It seems like some decent casting for the 8 episode series. Ian McShane plays Bishop Waleran and in the trailer i saw last night I think he'll be spot on. Rufus Sewell is Tom Builder and Andrew MacFadyen is Prior Philip. He's got the right look though not so sure about a middle aged Philip, same with the person playing the villain, David Oakes so perhaps it's not going to cover quite as many years. Anyway I think it might be good and is on the Movie Network here in Canada starting July 23 with two episodes and the rest in August i think.
19: Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
In preparation for a tv series of the book, i reread it. I haven't read it for years and there was a lot in it i had forgotten. It's the story of Tom Builder and his step son Jack, of Prior Philip and Bishop Waleran Bigod and the other villain is William Hamleigh who is a right nasty piece of work who, as you would expect, will come to a sticky end but it's almost an afterthought. It chronicles the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge during the 12th century, much of the time during the civil war between King Stephen and Queen Maud. This causes political power shifting and setbacks at various times. Also thrown in there is the downfall of Thomas Beckett as witnessed by Prior Philip which almost seems just thrown in there. The book is long and maybe it's a bit too long and puffed up by that point. I did love the story up to the last part which then just kind of drags its feet to the end.
It will be interesting to see how it comes out on the telly, what they put in and what they leave out. It seems like some decent casting for the 8 episode series. Ian McShane plays Bishop Waleran and in the trailer i saw last night I think he'll be spot on. Rufus Sewell is Tom Builder and Andrew MacFadyen is Prior Philip. He's got the right look though not so sure about a middle aged Philip, same with the person playing the villain, David Oakes so perhaps it's not going to cover quite as many years. Anyway I think it might be good and is on the Movie Network here in Canada starting July 23 with two episodes and the rest in August i think.
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Date: 2010-07-09 12:41 pm (UTC)