The Kingsbridge is a Historical Fiction series by Ken Follett, made up of 5 books published between 1989 and 2023. It begins with The Pillars of the Earth (1989), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is The Armor of Light (2023), spanning 34 years of storytelling.
| # | Title | Year | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | |||
| 1 | The Pillars of the Earth ★ NYT 18w · peaked #2 🎬 Adapted for film/TV → | 1989 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2000s | |||
| 2 | World Without End ★ NYT 26w · #1 | 2007 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2010s | |||
| 3 | A Column of Fire ★ NYT 15w · #1 Goodreads Choice Award 2017Full award history → | 2017 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2020s | |||
| 4 | The Evening and the Morning ★ NYT 12w · #1 | 2020 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 5 | The Armor of LightLatest ★ NYT 6w · peaked #2 | 2023 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
Kingsbridge series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Kingsbridge series?
Start with The Pillars of the Earth (1989), the first book in the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Kingsbridge series?
There are 5 books in the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, published between 1989 and 2023.
What is the first book in the Kingsbridge series?
The first book in the Kingsbridge series is The Pillars of the Earth, published in 1989 by Ken Follett.
What is the latest book in the Kingsbridge series?
The most recent book in the Kingsbridge series is The Armor of Light (2023) by Ken Follett.
About the Kingsbridge series
Ken Follett's Kingsbridge novels are monumental historical epics built around a single English town across the centuries. "The Pillars of the Earth" follows the building of a medieval cathedral and the generations whose ambitions, loves and rivalries shape it — a vast, gripping tapestry of power, faith and craft.
Follett's gift is making centuries-old struggles feel urgent and human: ambitious builders, ruthless nobles, and ordinary people caught in the gears of history. Each book is enormous and utterly absorbing.
The novels span different eras of Kingsbridge and largely stand alone. Many start with "The Pillars of the Earth," though the prequel "The Evening and the Morning" opens the timeline earliest.