Ken Follett

Ken Follett

Ken Follett was born on June 5th, 1949 and is currently 76 years old. Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Follett attended The University College London where he studied philosophy.

Ken Follett has published 22 standalone novels, starting with Amok in 1976. The most recently released novel was Circle of Days, which was released in 2025.There are no upcoming standalone novels by Ken at this time.

Ken Follett has also written the Kingsbridge series which has 5 books including The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End.

Ken Follett: Awards & Accolades

Ken Follett has won multiple awards including: The International Thriller Writers Award, Thrillermaster, in 2010 and the Edgar Award, Grand Master, in 2013.

Follett's books have also won multiple awards, Eye of the Needle / Storm Island won the Edgar Award, Best Mystery Novel, in 1979. Fall of Giants won the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2010.

Ken Follett books have also been nominated for multiple awards, Code to Zero was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Male Narrator, in 2001. Fall of Giants was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Fiction, in 2011. Winter of the World was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2012. Edge of Eternity was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2014. A Column of Fire was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2017. The Evening and the Morning was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2020 as well as the British Book Awards - Fiction Book of the Year in 2021.

Ken Follett: Lists & Other Mentions

• Never was the Richard & Judy Book Club 2022 Summer Pick.
• The Pillars of the Earth was the Oprah's Book Club November 2007 Pick.
• Triple was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1979.
• The Key to Rebecca has made several lists including:
  1. New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1980.
  2. Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Novel in the United States in 1980.
  3. Crime Writers' Association: Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time Selection in 1990.
• The Man from St. Petersburg was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1982 and a Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Novel in the United States in 1982.
• Lie Down with Lions was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1986.
• World Without End was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2007 and a Wall Street Journal: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2007.
• Fall of Giants was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2010 and a Wall Street Journal: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2010.
• Winter of the World has made several lists including:
  1. New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2012.
  2. Wall Street Journal: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2012.
  3. Barnes & Noble: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2012.
• Edge of Eternity has made several lists including:
  1. New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2014.
  2. Wall Street Journal: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2014.
  3. Barnes & Noble: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2014.
• A Column of Fire was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2017 and a Wall Street Journal: #1 Hardcover Fiction Best Seller in 2017.
• The Evening and the Morning was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2020.
• Eye of the Needle / Storm Island has made several lists including:
  1. NPR: 100 Best Beach Books Selection in 2009.
  2. BBC: 100 Novels That Shaped Our World Selection in 2019.
  3. Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Novel in the United States in 1978.
  4. NPR: Top 100 Killer Thrillers Selection in 2010.
  5. Mystery Writers of America: Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time Selection in 1995.
• The Pillars of the Earth has made several lists including:
  1. NPR: 100 Best Beach Books Selection in 2009.
  2. AbeBooks: 50 Essential Historical Fiction Books Selection in 2021.
  3. WordsRated: America’s 100 Favorite Books Selection in 2024.
  4. Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Novel in the United States in 1989.
  5. BBC: The Big Read Selection in 2003.
  6. PBS: The Great American Read Selection in 2018.
  7. Audible: The Top 100 Book Series of All Time Selection in 2024.
• Night Over Water was a Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Novel in the United States in 1991.

Ken Follett: TV/Movies Based on Books

There have been numerous books by Follett that have been turned into television miniseries, including The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, On Wings of Eagles, and The Third Twin.

Whiteout was adapted into a two-part television drama for German television. It was known as Eisfieber and it was released in 2010.

The Pillars of the Earth was turned into an eight-part miniseries in 2010. The series starred Ian McShane and Hayley Atwell. Both actors received Golden Globe nominations for their performance in the show. The show was also nominated for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, but did not win. It did end up winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special.

World Without End was also turned into an eight-part miniseries. The cast included Cynthia Nixon, Peter Firth, Miranda Richardson, Ben Chaplin, Charlotte Riley, and Tom Weston-Jones.

Ken Follet's Eye of the Needle was turned into a film of the same name in 1981. The movie was directed by Richard Marquand and starred Donald Sutherland as Henry Faber. The film was well received by critics at the time.

In 1997, The Third Twin was made into a film for television starring Tom McLoughlin and Kelly McGillis.

A Dangerous Fortune was adapted in 2015 for a made-for-TV film on German television.

Related Authors

Fans of Ken Follett also enjoy these authors:

1. Andrew Gross, author of the Ty Hauck Series.
2. W.E.B. Griffin, author of the Presidential Agent Series.
3. Edward Rutherfurd, author of: Sarum.
4. Susan Elia MacNeal, author of the Maggie Hope Series.
5. Jack Higgins, author of the Liam Devlin Series.
6. Anita Shreve, author of the Fortune's Rocks Quartet Series.
7. Alan Furst, author of the Night Soldiers Series.
8. Ellen Marie Wiseman, author of: What She Left Behind.
9. Simon Scarrow, author of the Eagle Series.
10. Bernard Cornwell, author of The Warrior Chronicles / Saxon Stories Series.

Ken Follett: F.A.Q