Bill Kent
Like The Pillars of the Earth, Mr. Follett's intricate saga about the construction of a medieval cathedral, A Dangerous Fortune reads more like an exercise in which the author applies the conventions of the plot-driven thriller to the historical novel. He delivers a silly, good-time read that for all its giddy leaps and bounds shows us little about the Victorians and the vital era they inhabited. -- New York Times
Library Journal
A mysterious drowning at a school in England in 1866 enmeshes the lives of several young boys in a web of treachery and greed. Set among late-19th-century British aristocracy, the novel follows Hugh Pilaster and his cousin Edward as they battle for control of various enterprises, including the family bank; Maisie Robinson, the beautiful and willful Jewish immigrant; and Michy Miranda, the smooth and manipulative heir of a brutal South American family. Follett, using the same basic formula that he employs in The Pillars of the Earth (Morrow, 1989), quickly gains the listener's interest in the characters and-by drawing upon personal experience-the world of British banking. Reader Michael Page has an excellent voice, even if he can't immitate South American accents. Recommended for public libraries.-Mark Watson, Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale
From the Publisher
"A terrific page-turner." —Los Angeles Times
"Political and amorous intrigues, cold-blooded murder, and financial crises . . . old-fashioned entertainment." —San Francisco Chronicle
"Breathlessly plotted . . . relentlessly suspenseful." —The New York Times
"Gripping, complex plot . . . sexual intrigue . . . fascinating characters . . . You won’t be able to put down this exciting page-turner." —Lexington Herald-Leader
"Follett [builds] to a dramatic climax with the same masterful control that guided Eye of the Needle and The Pillars of the Earth." —Playboy
"I don't usually enjoy historical thrillers but admit to being totally captivated by Ken Follett's A Dangerous Fortune." —Chicago Tribune
"Highly entertaining . . . Follett's characters are drawn with broad, realistic strokes . . . this story of greed and retribution should win Follett new fans." —Publishers Weekly
"Rich, complex, thrilling, suspenseful, well plotted . . . A Dangerous Fortune is dangerous reading. You won't be able to put it down." —Authors and Critics
NOV 94 - AudioFile
Ken Follett is a matchless storyteller, and this story is tailor-made for audio. With the selection of Michael Page as narrator, the result is choice. Dangerous Fortune is the saga of an English banking family. It follows the Pilaster clan through a generation in the second half of the nineteenth century. There are multiple characters of all ages. Page's British articulation differentiates each voice, displaying a wide range, from English-speaking South Americans to Londoners of all classes. Augusta, the treacherous matriarch, comes across particularly well. With Follett teamed up with Page, you can't stop listening. D.W.K. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine
