Reading order · 3 books · 2010 to 2014 · Set around the world
Century Books in Order
The Century trilogy follows five families, Welsh, English, German, Russian and American, through the twentieth century, from the First World War to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Series facts
- Books
- 3
- Published
- 2010 to 2014
- First book
- Fall of Giants
- Latest
- Edge of Eternity (2014)
- Setting
- Set around the world
The reading order
Every Century book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
3 books · Set around the world
- 1Fall of Giants2010With Ethel Williams and Billy WilliamsFive families, from a Welsh mining town to the courts of Russia, live through the First World War, the Russian Revolution and the fight for votes for women.Buy on Amazon
- 2Winter of the World2012With Lloyd Williams and Carla von UlrichThe children of the families in Fall of Giants live through the rise of fascism, the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War.Buy on Amazon
- 3Edge of Eternity2014With Rebecca Hoffmann and George JakesThe third generation lives through the Cold War, the civil rights movement and the fall of the Berlin Wall.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity in order.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Ethel Williams | Billy Williams | Maud Fitzherbert | Walter von Ulrich | Gus Dewar | Grigori Peshkov | Lloyd Williams | Carla von Ulrich |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Fall of Giants | LLead | LLead | LLead | LLead | LLead | LLead | ||
| 2 Winter of the World | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | LLead | LLead |
| 3 Edge of Eternity | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor |
Characters in the Century books
11 characters from Ken Follett’s chart, with the number of Century books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Ethel WilliamsWelsh housekeeper turned politician | 3 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Billy WilliamsEthel's brother, a miner and soldier | 3 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Maud FitzherbertAristocratic suffragette | 3 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Walter von UlrichGerman diplomat who loves Maud | 2 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Gus DewarAmerican diplomat | 2 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Grigori PeshkovRussian factory worker and revolutionary | 2 | Fall of Giants 2010 |
| Lloyd WilliamsEthel's son | 2 | Winter of the World 2012 |
| Carla von UlrichWalter and Maud's daughter | 2 | Winter of the World 2012 |
| Daisy PeshkovAmerican heiress in London | 2 | Winter of the World 2012 |
| Rebecca HoffmannCarla's adopted daughter in East Germany | 1 | Edge of Eternity 2014 |
| George JakesBlack lawyer in the civil rights movement | 1 | Edge of Eternity 2014 |