Kingsbridge by Ken Follett series

'The Pillars of the Earth' was written by Ken Follett, the famous English writer, and published in 1989. It soon gained in popularity and became his best-seller work. In 2010 the novel loved by millions of people was made into TV miniseries nominated for many prestigious awards.
This novel describes the darkest years of English history during the Anarchy in the middle of the 12th century. The author reveals the story of lives of different people - from simple craftsmen to members of royal families entwined in the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.
The main characters are Tom, the master builder whose lifelong dream is to build a cathedral, Aliena, who is the noblewoman of a great beauty, the prior of Kingsbridge called Phillip, Ellen, the woman, who lives in the forest and casts a spell, and Jack, the artist in stone. They all live their lives against a backdrop of the construction of the most magnificent cathedral. This is the time of civil war as after the death of King Henry I of England his nephew Stephen and daughter Maud are desperately fighting for the crown.
You will be immersed in the mystical world of love and hatred, suspense and intrigue, bravery and cowardice, revenge and forgiveness, the violent world where power is everything and heroes are ready to do anything to gain it.
Another thing that will definitely catch your eye is the author's ability to convey all the architectural details so that the reader can clearly visualize the Gothic cathedral in his mind.
The book consists of six parts which allow to watch the main characters' changes and their actions for more than half a century.
'The Pillars of the Earth' is the book that amazes, thrills and keeps in suspense until the end. It is not only a historical novel but also a passionate novel which combines an adventurous spirit and a love story. This book is a masterpiece that is definitely worth reading!