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Night Over Water
#1 New York Times bestselling author Ken Follett takes to the skies in this classic novel of international suspense. Set in the early days of World War II, Night over Water captures the daring and desperation of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances—in prose as compelling as history itself. . . .
September 1939. England is at war with Nazi Germany. In Southampton, the world's most luxurious airliner—the legendary Pan Am Clipper—takes off for its final flight to neutral America. Aboard are the cream of society and the dregs of humanity, all fleeing the war for reasons of their own . . . shadowed by a danger they do not know exists . . . and heading straight into a storm of violence, intrigue, and betrayal. . . .
Look out for Ken Follett's newest book, A Column of Fire , available now.
September 1939. England is at war with Nazi Germany. In Southampton, the world's most luxurious airliner—the legendary Pan Am Clipper—takes off for its final flight to neutral America. Aboard are the cream of society and the dregs of humanity, all fleeing the war for reasons of their own . . . shadowed by a danger they do not know exists . . . and heading straight into a storm of violence, intrigue, and betrayal. . . .
Look out for Ken Follett's newest book, A Column of Fire , available now.
526 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 28, 1991
3318 people are currently reading
9223 people want to read
About the author
Ken Follett
619 books58.1k followersKen Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. Over 170 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 33 languages.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,458 reviews
September 26, 2018
5 stars to Ken Follett's Night Over Water. Someone else I know was reading this one and thought it was amazing. I decided to give it a chance. It WAS amazing. I couldn't put it down. All the characters work so well together and I decided I like Ken Follett a lot! This is a definite read if you like suspense and thriller combined with some light romance and a bit of history!
The number of stories that interweave, and the possible connections. And who is actually going to win whose heart. I am rambling, but it was just so good.
I think he may be my favorite author these days...
The number of stories that interweave, and the possible connections. And who is actually going to win whose heart. I am rambling, but it was just so good.
I think he may be my favorite author these days...
August 20, 2025
Follett, the Great
Wow, Wow, Wow!!!
Ken Follett is such an amazing storyteller!
His books are a combination of Truth — History plus Politics — and fictionized adventures.
And here is what we do:
We learn a bunch of Trues, while enjoying a couple of Adventures!
He’s the teacher and we are the happy, happy students 😊👍
5 stars from me, followed by a deserved standing ovation 👏 👏 👏...
Nota: A correspondente edição em português intitula-se Noite sobre as Águas
Wow, Wow, Wow!!!
Ken Follett is such an amazing storyteller!
His books are a combination of Truth — History plus Politics — and fictionized adventures.
And here is what we do:
We learn a bunch of Trues, while enjoying a couple of Adventures!
He’s the teacher and we are the happy, happy students 😊👍
5 stars from me, followed by a deserved standing ovation 👏 👏 👏...
Nota: A correspondente edição em português intitula-se Noite sobre as Águas
July 28, 2022
A Strange Kind of Meeting
An odd group of people will fly over the Atlantic Ocean for an estimated period of 30 hours. Among others, you’ll find a charming thief, a British noble family, a German scientist, a runaway maiden and a killer with his mob.
In those 30 hours they’ll have plenty of time to socialize in all possible ways, although it’s hard to imagine one of them having the slightest conversation to any of the others. However, we could always provide ourselves some entertainment in a crazy guessing game:
Will they play Monopoly or Bingo? Or maybe they’ll be more in the mood for Roulette?
Will they talk about the BDSM in Fifty Shades of Grey or discuss Shakespeare’s most relevant plays?
Will the burglar start stealing everything around or make a pass at the runaway maiden?
Will the murder start shooting everyone except the pilot, or socialize with the German scientist to improve his German accent?
Etc, etc... we could go on endlessly like this, without getting nowhere but here 😜 Therefore, in case you’re intrigued by what could possibly come up from the interaction of this bunch of characters, I’ll suggest you another sort of approach:
Please fasten your seatbelt and fly with them, which is another way of inviting you to read this magnificent literary specimen 😉
You won’t miss such a fantastic flight over the Atlantic waters, will you?! 👍👍👍
An odd group of people will fly over the Atlantic Ocean for an estimated period of 30 hours. Among others, you’ll find a charming thief, a British noble family, a German scientist, a runaway maiden and a killer with his mob.
In those 30 hours they’ll have plenty of time to socialize in all possible ways, although it’s hard to imagine one of them having the slightest conversation to any of the others. However, we could always provide ourselves some entertainment in a crazy guessing game:
Will they play Monopoly or Bingo? Or maybe they’ll be more in the mood for Roulette?
Will they talk about the BDSM in Fifty Shades of Grey or discuss Shakespeare’s most relevant plays?
Will the burglar start stealing everything around or make a pass at the runaway maiden?
Will the murder start shooting everyone except the pilot, or socialize with the German scientist to improve his German accent?
Etc, etc... we could go on endlessly like this, without getting nowhere but here 😜 Therefore, in case you’re intrigued by what could possibly come up from the interaction of this bunch of characters, I’ll suggest you another sort of approach:
Please fasten your seatbelt and fly with them, which is another way of inviting you to read this magnificent literary specimen 😉
You won’t miss such a fantastic flight over the Atlantic waters, will you?! 👍👍👍
April 14, 2021
Uma Estranha Reunião
A bordo dum hidroavião de luxo encontra-se uma panóplia de indivíduos com as mais diversas proveniências. São eles:
Um ladrão carismático, uma donzela em fuga, uma nobre família britânica, um cientista alemão, um assassino e respectiva trupe, etc, etc...
O dito hidroavião irá efectuar um voo transatlântico com uma duração aproximada de 30 horas, e é durante esse intervalo de tempo que esta estranha prole de passageiros irá conviver, trocar impressões, opiniões... e sabe-se lá que mais...
Se esta reunião fortuita de seres tão heterogéneos vos espicaçou a curiosidade, das duas uma: ou embarcam numa leitura empolgante, ou se entregam a um jogo estéril de adivinhas mais ou menos assim:
Irá o ladrão carismático assaltar a família aristocrática? Ou optará por cortejar a donzela fugitiva?
Irá o assassino embirrar com o cientista alemão com fortes probabilidades de aniquilação do segundo, ou irá o primeiro aproveitar o que aparenta ser uma oportunidade imperdível para aperfeiçoar o sotaque germânico?
Etc, etc...
É certo e sabido que as respostas a estas e outras questões se encontram, obviamente, nas páginas deste livro, o que significa que esta segunda alternativa vos conduzirá, analogamente, à leitura 😜...
Antes de terminar, acresce dizer que o dito hidroavião de luxo existiu mesmo — os livros de KF contêm, invariavelmente, algo de verdadeiro; no caso concreto trata-se dum super avião que a História conhece como Boeing 314 Clipper: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_...
Resumindo e concluindo:
Recostem-se, apertem os cintos e desfrutem dum voo de 5 estrelas ✈️!!! 💖🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💖
A bordo dum hidroavião de luxo encontra-se uma panóplia de indivíduos com as mais diversas proveniências. São eles:
Um ladrão carismático, uma donzela em fuga, uma nobre família britânica, um cientista alemão, um assassino e respectiva trupe, etc, etc...
O dito hidroavião irá efectuar um voo transatlântico com uma duração aproximada de 30 horas, e é durante esse intervalo de tempo que esta estranha prole de passageiros irá conviver, trocar impressões, opiniões... e sabe-se lá que mais...
Se esta reunião fortuita de seres tão heterogéneos vos espicaçou a curiosidade, das duas uma: ou embarcam numa leitura empolgante, ou se entregam a um jogo estéril de adivinhas mais ou menos assim:
Irá o ladrão carismático assaltar a família aristocrática? Ou optará por cortejar a donzela fugitiva?
Irá o assassino embirrar com o cientista alemão com fortes probabilidades de aniquilação do segundo, ou irá o primeiro aproveitar o que aparenta ser uma oportunidade imperdível para aperfeiçoar o sotaque germânico?
Etc, etc...
É certo e sabido que as respostas a estas e outras questões se encontram, obviamente, nas páginas deste livro, o que significa que esta segunda alternativa vos conduzirá, analogamente, à leitura 😜...
Antes de terminar, acresce dizer que o dito hidroavião de luxo existiu mesmo — os livros de KF contêm, invariavelmente, algo de verdadeiro; no caso concreto trata-se dum super avião que a História conhece como Boeing 314 Clipper: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_...
Resumindo e concluindo:
Recostem-se, apertem os cintos e desfrutem dum voo de 5 estrelas ✈️!!! 💖🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💖
November 1, 2017
Realmente me gustó. No es una obra maestra del suspenso, pero tiene muchos componentes que hacen que la lectura se disfrute mucho y deje un muy buen sabor.
Si bien hay un conflicto principal, relacionado con este vuelo de 27 horas en que se cruza el océano Atlántico desde Inglaterra hacia Estados Unidos, la trama se nutre de las historias individuales de los pasajeros del avión, entre las que se mezclan el adulterio, la delincuencia, el nazismo, la nobleza británica, la mafia, traiciones empresariales, engaños políticos y mucho más. Todos los pasajeros abordan huyendo de algo o persiguiendo a alguien, pero durante el accidentado viaje se redefinirán las vidas de muchos de los personajes y la mayoría tendrá un papel decisivo hacia el final.
Me ha dejado sorprendida la versátil pluma de Ken Follett que, independiente de lo que esté contando, logra atrapar al lector. Con la misma intensidad e interés aborda tanto el encuentro íntimo de una pareja como los detalles técnicos que pondrán en riesgo al Boeing 314, todo bajo el marco histórico de los inicios de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y con excelentes descripciones de la sociedad del momento.
Lo recomiendo mucho para pasar un rato más que entretenido.
Si bien hay un conflicto principal, relacionado con este vuelo de 27 horas en que se cruza el océano Atlántico desde Inglaterra hacia Estados Unidos, la trama se nutre de las historias individuales de los pasajeros del avión, entre las que se mezclan el adulterio, la delincuencia, el nazismo, la nobleza británica, la mafia, traiciones empresariales, engaños políticos y mucho más. Todos los pasajeros abordan huyendo de algo o persiguiendo a alguien, pero durante el accidentado viaje se redefinirán las vidas de muchos de los personajes y la mayoría tendrá un papel decisivo hacia el final.
Me ha dejado sorprendida la versátil pluma de Ken Follett que, independiente de lo que esté contando, logra atrapar al lector. Con la misma intensidad e interés aborda tanto el encuentro íntimo de una pareja como los detalles técnicos que pondrán en riesgo al Boeing 314, todo bajo el marco histórico de los inicios de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y con excelentes descripciones de la sociedad del momento.
Lo recomiendo mucho para pasar un rato más que entretenido.
June 4, 2013
Night over Water is an amazingly well paced suspense novel with a traditional noir feel. It is loaded with well-timed action, typical intrigue, and indulgent sex scenes with every woman desperate for a man and every man reluctant, but passionate, toward a woman.
Honestly, that is the predominant crime here. It feels and moves very predictably and along all the expected tenants without deviation. It is not a brave book, and the author's choices feel too safe to deliver any depth or surprises. This book lacks metaphor or character arcs of value.
What I've written thusfar would give it three stars, but it loses a star for another sort of crime: over sexualization of its female characters. Ken Follett makes certain we know each woman's cup size and we can't escape that this is a man writing women. Whereas his female characters were fantastic in World without End and Pillar's of the Earth, here they are merely stock and act as golden pots at the ends of the male character's rainbows.
Yeah, that last analogy was reaching, but I did my best. The book is fairly forgettable and indulgent.
Honestly, that is the predominant crime here. It feels and moves very predictably and along all the expected tenants without deviation. It is not a brave book, and the author's choices feel too safe to deliver any depth or surprises. This book lacks metaphor or character arcs of value.
What I've written thusfar would give it three stars, but it loses a star for another sort of crime: over sexualization of its female characters. Ken Follett makes certain we know each woman's cup size and we can't escape that this is a man writing women. Whereas his female characters were fantastic in World without End and Pillar's of the Earth, here they are merely stock and act as golden pots at the ends of the male character's rainbows.
Yeah, that last analogy was reaching, but I did my best. The book is fairly forgettable and indulgent.
February 1, 2011
This was an exciting story with a great plot. Follett takes his time to develop the characters in such a way that before long you feel you know them intimately. Some you like...some you dispise. Some surprise you in the end.
I would give this book 4 stars easily, except that Follett, like so many authors, decided he needed to include several instances of sexual rendezvous, all of which, in my humble opinion, were really unnessarily explicit, which added nothing to the story but was just written gratuitously. Whatever! For that reason I have given this book a rating of only "it was ok".
I would give this book 4 stars easily, except that Follett, like so many authors, decided he needed to include several instances of sexual rendezvous, all of which, in my humble opinion, were really unnessarily explicit, which added nothing to the story but was just written gratuitously. Whatever! For that reason I have given this book a rating of only "it was ok".
August 18, 2022
E terminei este livro, que era o e-reader dos anos de 1990. Quatro livros num só, imaginem! :D
Li alguns destes livros condensados e foi através deles que conheci as histórias de um dos meus autores de enredos legais preferido, John Grisham, por isso tenho um certo carinho por eles, apesar de hoje saber que são uma espécie de resumo dos livros originais, condensados às vezes de forma muito mal amanhada, como reparei ao ler este. Não penso que isso tenha influenciado a minha classificação, pois as histórias não são nada por aí além. Entretêm e nem fazem pensar muito. Foram leituras memoráveis? Não, mas nem todas o podem ser.
Recapitulando:
Noite sobre a água - 3*
Sara Dane - 3*
Condição negra - 2*
A torre de marfim - 3*
Li alguns destes livros condensados e foi através deles que conheci as histórias de um dos meus autores de enredos legais preferido, John Grisham, por isso tenho um certo carinho por eles, apesar de hoje saber que são uma espécie de resumo dos livros originais, condensados às vezes de forma muito mal amanhada, como reparei ao ler este. Não penso que isso tenha influenciado a minha classificação, pois as histórias não são nada por aí além. Entretêm e nem fazem pensar muito. Foram leituras memoráveis? Não, mas nem todas o podem ser.
Recapitulando:
Noite sobre a água - 3*
Sara Dane - 3*
Condição negra - 2*
A torre de marfim - 3*
December 8, 2018
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Seemingly unconnected people and events all come together over the Atlantic Ocean aboard the luxurious American airliner, nicknamed The Clipper. The year is 1939, trans-Atlantic crossing is for the wealthy and the daring, but as England has just declared war on Germany, many will flee to the United States. Some for political reasons, some for love, some for business and some from the law.
What no one knew was that one crew member would be making a desperate attempt to save his young wife or that he would risk the souls of all on board in his attempt.
NIGHT OVER WATER by Ken Follett is an intriguing and twisted drama that plays out among a group of passengers aboard and each outcome is never quite clear until the end.
Ken Follett is a master at subplots driving together to create a kaleidoscope of tension, passion and humanity at both its best and worst. Prepare to witness each thread of this tale come together as each mile is traversed and each lie and every truth is exposed.
Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for takeoff…this journey is one you’ll never forget!
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (April 6, 2004)
Publication Date: April 6, 2004
Genre: Historical Fiction | Intrigue
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Seemingly unconnected people and events all come together over the Atlantic Ocean aboard the luxurious American airliner, nicknamed The Clipper. The year is 1939, trans-Atlantic crossing is for the wealthy and the daring, but as England has just declared war on Germany, many will flee to the United States. Some for political reasons, some for love, some for business and some from the law.
What no one knew was that one crew member would be making a desperate attempt to save his young wife or that he would risk the souls of all on board in his attempt.
NIGHT OVER WATER by Ken Follett is an intriguing and twisted drama that plays out among a group of passengers aboard and each outcome is never quite clear until the end.
Ken Follett is a master at subplots driving together to create a kaleidoscope of tension, passion and humanity at both its best and worst. Prepare to witness each thread of this tale come together as each mile is traversed and each lie and every truth is exposed.
Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for takeoff…this journey is one you’ll never forget!
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (April 6, 2004)
Publication Date: April 6, 2004
Genre: Historical Fiction | Intrigue
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 26, 2020
First read this book 25 years ago and decided to go back again and reread it. Not as good 2nd time through. Because there has been 25 years in between I did not remember a lot of the plot. The story is interesting, one of the last flying seaplanes (there were such planes) departs Southampton the day after Britain declares war on Germany. A totally luxurious plane that only holds about 40 passengers for night crossings. It take almost 27 hours to cross from Britain to New York back in the day, and that sets up a lot of the tension and plot. We follow about 8-10 people onboard the flight including a crew member whose wife has been kidnapped, British Royalty, business owners, movie stars, gangsters, thieves and more. Romance is all over the place a fast developing relationships bloom into sexual tension. A ending is a little too unbelievable for me, and while I rate this a 3.5*** my love of Follett's writing just edges it up to a 4****. Not your typical Follett, which also makes it a fun read.
August 5, 2011
Did not like this book at all. Felt so much time was spent describing sexual indiscretions that the characters weren't fully developed. Also found female characters in this time period unrealistically feeble, written more like men would want them to be, but probably not how they are. Plot was thorough, but a little far fetched. Felt like this was a fantasy rather than a real story. However, he obviously did his research and was very thorough with descriptions of the plane, etc. so I had to give him one star. Sorry Mr. Follett, but I recommend our readers try something else.
January 17, 2018
I enjoyed it.
Throughout, the book jumps between soap opera and thriller; the romance often feeling a bit forced and/or out of place.
I was going to rate this book 3 stars, but I’m going to be a bit generous and give it a narrow 4 stars. Good character build and well written narrative and dialogue.
Throughout, the book jumps between soap opera and thriller; the romance often feeling a bit forced and/or out of place.
I was going to rate this book 3 stars, but I’m going to be a bit generous and give it a narrow 4 stars. Good character build and well written narrative and dialogue.
January 22, 2018
Ken Follet’s stories are so easy to get absorbed in. This one touches on the disturbing fascist groups in 1939, in both Britain and the U.S., that were pushing not just appeasement but outright support for Hitler.
Much of the action takes place on an enormous sea plane, a luxury hotel in the air. Follet’s detailed research on the plane really pay off as he makes the scene come alive creating terrific suspense in a unique and fascinating setting.
The characters are nuanced with interesting shades of gray. Still there are ones I rooted heavily for and others against, adding to the satisfaction this novel.
Much of the action takes place on an enormous sea plane, a luxury hotel in the air. Follet’s detailed research on the plane really pay off as he makes the scene come alive creating terrific suspense in a unique and fascinating setting.
The characters are nuanced with interesting shades of gray. Still there are ones I rooted heavily for and others against, adding to the satisfaction this novel.
May 4, 2020
Τη στιγμή που ξεσπάει ο Β' Π.Π., διαφορετικοί άνθρωποι ταξιδεύουν με την τελευταία πολιτική πτήση της Παναμέρικαν από την Αγγλία στην Αμερική.... 27 ώρες το ταξίδι κι όλοι μαζί κλεισμένοι, φασίστες, κλεφτόνια, απατημένοι σύζυγοι, γυναίκες πεταλουδίτσες, χολιγουντιανές σταρ, απαγωγείς, πλήρωμα, ξεπεσμένοι αριστοκράτες, τρελοί επιστήμονες, μαφία, ό,τι βγάζει ο μπαξές δηλαδή...
Ενδιαφέρον ίσως ως σενάριο χολιγουντιανό αλλά έχουμε δει και καλύτερα...
Αργό πολύ στην αρχή κι η αγωνία ποτέ δεν ήρθε...
Φαίνομαι μεγαλόψυχο γιατί είναι bell παλαιάς κοπής και παίρνει δύο και όχι ένα αστεράκι...
Ενδιαφέρον ίσως ως σενάριο χολιγουντιανό αλλά έχουμε δει και καλύτερα...
Αργό πολύ στην αρχή κι η αγωνία ποτέ δεν ήρθε...
Φαίνομαι μεγαλόψυχο γιατί είναι bell παλαιάς κοπής και παίρνει δύο και όχι ένα αστεράκι...
October 25, 2015
When I finished reading it, I couldn't help but think to myself: What the...? I enjoyed the first half of the book (it would probably be 4/5 if it continued in a similar fashion) and then with almost every chapter gradually started lowering my rating. I wanted to read a simple, but good thriller, not some trashy porn! Why so many sex scenes? And why the hell do they have to be so tasteless?
The plot sounded interesting at first, but it turned out to be very unconvincing. Most of the charaters and their interactions were dull and predictable. The final scene - simply horrendous. Complete with the least professional gangsters ever and even .
My rating is 2 (instead of 1) because there are also some good parts of the book. I didn't expect a masterpiece here, but I was disappointed it wasn't written better. It is a real page-turner and might seem promising at first, but in the end it turned out to be very, very tacky.
The plot sounded interesting at first, but it turned out to be very unconvincing. Most of the charaters and their interactions were dull and predictable. The final scene - simply horrendous. Complete with the least professional gangsters ever and even .
My rating is 2 (instead of 1) because there are also some good parts of the book. I didn't expect a masterpiece here, but I was disappointed it wasn't written better. It is a real page-turner and might seem promising at first, but in the end it turned out to be very, very tacky.
December 4, 2021
This was a buddy read with my dad. Despite having no previous experience with the author or narrator - I really enjoyed this. It’s an interesting series of chapters giving backgrounds of various unrelated characters who will eventually end up on a transatlantic sea plane together. Set during the declaration of WWII, this is sort of soap opera meets mystery/thriller. These individual characters and their stories were really wild and it was a fun listen. Many times I thought I knew where Follett was taking the storyline to end up being completely surprised. More than 14 hours of pure entertainment.
Tom Casaletto’s narration was really well done. There were dozens of characters of various genders, ages, and accents. One character even fakes multiple accents and Casaletto keeps them all consistent.
Tom Casaletto’s narration was really well done. There were dozens of characters of various genders, ages, and accents. One character even fakes multiple accents and Casaletto keeps them all consistent.
October 17, 2022
Ken Follett nunca desilude. Mais uma história incrível do mestre.
October 9, 2015
When I started Night Over Water I wasn't really sure what to expect other than another book about the WWII. So, I was completely surprised to love it almost from the beginning. One of the reasons was because this book reminds soooo much of the Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (that by now you should know I absolutely loooove) - well, the parts that narrate the passengers on the Clipper with no way out reminds me of Christie's novel. The atmosphere is the same, the tension, the mystery... Ken Follett created the perfect scenario for a crime. The plot line is incredible, fast paced and really interesting. I loved how things turned out in the end and I would love to know more about how some of the characters got on with their lives.
March 28, 2023
Ultimul zbor al unui hidroavion peste Atlantic a avut loc chiar în primele zile ale intrării Angliei în război. Mai mult ca singur că a fost un zbor obișnuit. Follett imaginează acest ultim zbor ca fiind o adevărată aventură a unor oameni care își părăsesc vechea viață. Într-o singură noapte fiecare pasager va avea propria aventură, iar la capătul drumului va deveni o altă persoană.
February 1, 2024
Anyone that knows me in our group especially, knows this and is surely tired of hearing it, but I have to say it again. Ken Follett is one of those writers that’s kind of an easy target; he’s popular in the mainstream, and has been for forty years, his prose is plain, and he writes thrillers (and historical fiction, but even those read more like thrillers IMO). He’s often thought of as a “guilty pleasure” writer by many, but I’m going to admit that I’m a huge fan of this guy, and I don’t consider him a “guilty pleasure”. We all have those writers; for me it’s Clive Cussler…there’s nothing wrong with it.
But I put Ken in a different category, because his storytelling is just so damned good. He’s the master of the page turner; an absolute master. And while his books always have the romantic subplot and lurid sex scenes (I honestly wish all authors would do with a little less of this lol), he’s very creative, does a mountain of research before he writes, and most of all, you can feel the guy’s passion for what he does in his books. His love of history absolutely oozes from these pages. While his writing may be average, his storytelling is not. His characters are fine, even if he does reuse some things. Bottom line, Follett has a rare ability to completely grip me up, usually immediately, and not let go until the book is over.
Okay enough about that. Night Over Water is a book that takes place largely on a Pan Am Clipper crossing the Atlantic from England to the US on the eve of WWII. Follett brings together a fantastic mix of characters and intertwines their stories and their lives—it’s tough to say much more about the plot than that without giving things away, and Follett does a superb job at unrolling everything for the reader. If you’ve never read him before, this would be a great one to start with. I found myself completely invested in every storyline here, even the romantic ones.
As the plane heads further and further away from Europe, and more and more is revealed about our characters, the tension builds to a point where things are so taut, I couldn’t have put the book down if my hair was on fire. This truly is one of his tensest novels, and I just can’t see how anyone couldn’t find be thrilled by a story like this; even if you’re a literary snob.
So bring on more Ken Follett; every time I read him I remember why I love picking up his books. Even the weakest of his novels I have read, probably Whiteout , still had me glued to the pages. If you’ve never read him, this is as good of a place as any to jump in. His WWII books are an exception era of his work, as he often picks unusual or not often discussed or written about aspects of the war to write about, and this is no exception.
4.5, but I’m rounding down to balance it out a bit
But I put Ken in a different category, because his storytelling is just so damned good. He’s the master of the page turner; an absolute master. And while his books always have the romantic subplot and lurid sex scenes (I honestly wish all authors would do with a little less of this lol), he’s very creative, does a mountain of research before he writes, and most of all, you can feel the guy’s passion for what he does in his books. His love of history absolutely oozes from these pages. While his writing may be average, his storytelling is not. His characters are fine, even if he does reuse some things. Bottom line, Follett has a rare ability to completely grip me up, usually immediately, and not let go until the book is over.
Okay enough about that. Night Over Water is a book that takes place largely on a Pan Am Clipper crossing the Atlantic from England to the US on the eve of WWII. Follett brings together a fantastic mix of characters and intertwines their stories and their lives—it’s tough to say much more about the plot than that without giving things away, and Follett does a superb job at unrolling everything for the reader. If you’ve never read him before, this would be a great one to start with. I found myself completely invested in every storyline here, even the romantic ones.
As the plane heads further and further away from Europe, and more and more is revealed about our characters, the tension builds to a point where things are so taut, I couldn’t have put the book down if my hair was on fire. This truly is one of his tensest novels, and I just can’t see how anyone couldn’t find be thrilled by a story like this; even if you’re a literary snob.
So bring on more Ken Follett; every time I read him I remember why I love picking up his books. Even the weakest of his novels I have read, probably Whiteout , still had me glued to the pages. If you’ve never read him, this is as good of a place as any to jump in. His WWII books are an exception era of his work, as he often picks unusual or not often discussed or written about aspects of the war to write about, and this is no exception.
4.5, but I’m rounding down to balance it out a bit
July 9, 2021
This is a flying "Grand Hotel" story. A group of individuals fly from England to the U.S. in 1939, aboard a Pan-Am Clipper (B-314). There are love stories, stories of betrayal, stories of young people trying to reach out for independence, and stories of gangsters and fascists. Well done, if a bit slow at times. Recommended.
February 3, 2017
Enjoyed this book, fairly fast read, with lots of different characters and their own agendas. Mr. Follett certainly did his research on the "Clipper" and worked it very well into the story line.
A few twists and turns and a red herring to boot! What got my attention to read this book is that it has a New Brunswick flare to it - later in the book, the events take place in Shediac (of all places) and then the Bay of Fundy, around Grand Manan!
Who are the bad guys - the gangster, the wealthy fascist Englishman, the thief, the crew - so many suspects! A bit of caution - some very hot scenes in this book.
Would have given this 5 stars, but I feel that the book left some unfinished business - not going to say what that is though - read the book!
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up
A few twists and turns and a red herring to boot! What got my attention to read this book is that it has a New Brunswick flare to it - later in the book, the events take place in Shediac (of all places) and then the Bay of Fundy, around Grand Manan!
Who are the bad guys - the gangster, the wealthy fascist Englishman, the thief, the crew - so many suspects! A bit of caution - some very hot scenes in this book.
Would have given this 5 stars, but I feel that the book left some unfinished business - not going to say what that is though - read the book!
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up
July 17, 2015
Let me begin by saying that this is a perfectly effective and empty thriller, a page-turner, etc. There's a steadily-rising level of suspense throughout, and one good plot twist. However, the rest of it is painfully predictable and soap-opera melodramatic. For long stretches it feels more like an awkward, rushed and frankly boring romance than the thriller I'd been led to expect. And believe me, the gratuitous sex scenes are uniformly tepid. You'll probably feel like you could do a much better job writing sex, or at least keep the eroticism intact. Didn't anyone tell Ken Follett that 'penis' is, objectively, the worst, most clinical term for itself? I'd sooner read 'towering obelisk of manhood' than that... (Others have made this point about proper 'bedroom' diction-- see Chris Rock's phone sex skit.)
Beyond that, there seems to be an odd, conservative tone at work in all the scenes of the wartime couples. They all either have kids, are pregnant, or prominently plan to have children-- even those who'd just met. The female characters are all pretty flimsy and appear unduly swayed by that idea. As in, "Sure, he just neglected and disrespected me, but think of all those kids we're gonna have! Maybe six!" Gross. The story may take place during the 1930's, but unfortunately the tone seems stuck there, too. Follett is patently nostalgic for the flying-boat days, but his moral position feels just as staid and trapped-in-the-past. I had a hard time believing this was written in 1991. Caution: several of the plotlines (and the novel as a whole) only produce major letdowns by the end.
Just read Pillars of the Earth. You can safely skip this one.
Beyond that, there seems to be an odd, conservative tone at work in all the scenes of the wartime couples. They all either have kids, are pregnant, or prominently plan to have children-- even those who'd just met. The female characters are all pretty flimsy and appear unduly swayed by that idea. As in, "Sure, he just neglected and disrespected me, but think of all those kids we're gonna have! Maybe six!" Gross. The story may take place during the 1930's, but unfortunately the tone seems stuck there, too. Follett is patently nostalgic for the flying-boat days, but his moral position feels just as staid and trapped-in-the-past. I had a hard time believing this was written in 1991. Caution: several of the plotlines (and the novel as a whole) only produce major letdowns by the end.
Just read Pillars of the Earth. You can safely skip this one.
May 19, 2008
Set in WWII just after the declaration of war between Germany and England, the plot details the 36-hour flight of the Clipper, a large luxury sea plane. On board or otherwise involved are a former Nazi nuclear scientist, gangsters, Fascists, hijackers and escaping Nazi sympathizers. Follett's plots are always fun but he is also known for his obligatory smut scenes with too much gratuitous (and often silly) detail.
February 1, 2023
A minha estreia com Follett.
Os livros dele intimidam, confesso. Mas andava curiosa.
Gostei mesmo muito da escrita dele, e apesar de grandote, manteve-me sempre interessada.
Vou querer ler mais 🙂
Os livros dele intimidam, confesso. Mas andava curiosa.
Gostei mesmo muito da escrita dele, e apesar de grandote, manteve-me sempre interessada.
Vou querer ler mais 🙂
May 1, 2017
Night Over Water by Ken Follett.
Just when I was convinced that I will be giving a negative review about a Ken Follett novel for the first time, he delivers such a block buster ending and an interesting bit of trivia in the afterword(refer pic), that I can't help but love this novel too.
Okay, let me give the bad parts first. This novel is drastically over stretched. It could easily have been at least 150-200 pages shorter. Now, when I read his century trilogy with each novel hovering around the 1000 page mark, I never felt that there was anything he could have omitted. But this one has too many repetitive paragraphs which abruptly break the rhythm of an otherwise we'll researched and well plotted 'Romantic Thriller'. Yes, the initial background stories about the various characters were definitely justified but the constant and repetitive 'whining' by some of the characters (in their minds) in almost every chapter excruciatingly slows the Novel. And another sore point, there were too many sexual encounters on a single flight on one night which makes you laugh at their credibility. I mean come on, one of them involved a young girl whose parents were sleeping in the same compartment 😂.
Fortunately, the positives did outweigh these irritants at the end. The script is tailor made for a Hollywood movie (if it hasn't been made already). It's the day England finally declared war on Hitler's Germany and as a result many eminent people want to escape from the Island before its too late to the safe havens of America. There is an assortment of passengers who are on board the flying boat for different reasons ranging from someone trying to catch his wife who's running away with her lover to a businesswoman who has been duped by her own brother. Interestingly, this was the first Trans Atlantic passenger service started by Pan American and that lends even more realism to the plot(refer pic). My favourite character was the Young Boy Percy, whose father happens to be one of the founders of the British Union of Fascists; an elder sister Margaret who is a staunch socialist who wants to live a free life but can't summon the courage to defy her father. Harry Marks, the 'lucky and charming' jewel thief is delightful while the three leading ladies Diana, Margaret and Nancy (my favourite) are an interesting cocktail of fluctuating emotions and affections. And of course, how could I forget the guy who risks (forced to) the lives of all of them, the engineer aboard the flight, Eddie Deakins.
So, there you have it- an interesting line up of characters(some of them deliberately not described in detail in the beginning of the Novel), a palace flying over the Atlantic, someone wants to bring it down before its destination, and love is literally in the air.
Go for it, despite the drag midway, the ending is well worth it.
4/5
Just when I was convinced that I will be giving a negative review about a Ken Follett novel for the first time, he delivers such a block buster ending and an interesting bit of trivia in the afterword(refer pic), that I can't help but love this novel too.
Okay, let me give the bad parts first. This novel is drastically over stretched. It could easily have been at least 150-200 pages shorter. Now, when I read his century trilogy with each novel hovering around the 1000 page mark, I never felt that there was anything he could have omitted. But this one has too many repetitive paragraphs which abruptly break the rhythm of an otherwise we'll researched and well plotted 'Romantic Thriller'. Yes, the initial background stories about the various characters were definitely justified but the constant and repetitive 'whining' by some of the characters (in their minds) in almost every chapter excruciatingly slows the Novel. And another sore point, there were too many sexual encounters on a single flight on one night which makes you laugh at their credibility. I mean come on, one of them involved a young girl whose parents were sleeping in the same compartment 😂.
Fortunately, the positives did outweigh these irritants at the end. The script is tailor made for a Hollywood movie (if it hasn't been made already). It's the day England finally declared war on Hitler's Germany and as a result many eminent people want to escape from the Island before its too late to the safe havens of America. There is an assortment of passengers who are on board the flying boat for different reasons ranging from someone trying to catch his wife who's running away with her lover to a businesswoman who has been duped by her own brother. Interestingly, this was the first Trans Atlantic passenger service started by Pan American and that lends even more realism to the plot(refer pic). My favourite character was the Young Boy Percy, whose father happens to be one of the founders of the British Union of Fascists; an elder sister Margaret who is a staunch socialist who wants to live a free life but can't summon the courage to defy her father. Harry Marks, the 'lucky and charming' jewel thief is delightful while the three leading ladies Diana, Margaret and Nancy (my favourite) are an interesting cocktail of fluctuating emotions and affections. And of course, how could I forget the guy who risks (forced to) the lives of all of them, the engineer aboard the flight, Eddie Deakins.
So, there you have it- an interesting line up of characters(some of them deliberately not described in detail in the beginning of the Novel), a palace flying over the Atlantic, someone wants to bring it down before its destination, and love is literally in the air.
Go for it, despite the drag midway, the ending is well worth it.
4/5
December 29, 2007
I always enjoy reading Ken's books.However, I have to admit that this book is not as spectacular as his other books. The plot is set at the out break of World War II between England and Germany on a flying boat " The Pan American Clipper". For those who's interested in aircraft or engineering, might find this book interesting, because Follet did excellent research on the Clipper.For those who is not, the story might seem a bit slow in the beginning, because he starts the book with different stories of the characters who later on will be the passenger of the Clipper.
The Oxenford family-a troubled aristocratic family, Harry Marks-the young jewel thief, Diana Lovesey-an Englishwoman who is leaving her husband to run away with her american lover, Mark Alder, Mervin Lovesey-the abandoned husband who tries to catch the Clipper to win his wife back, Nancy Lenehan-an American businesswoman, Eddie Deakin-the flight engineer.
All those characters mixed together in the Clipper with their own situation and problem, creating a pretty good story.
The Oxenford family-a troubled aristocratic family, Harry Marks-the young jewel thief, Diana Lovesey-an Englishwoman who is leaving her husband to run away with her american lover, Mark Alder, Mervin Lovesey-the abandoned husband who tries to catch the Clipper to win his wife back, Nancy Lenehan-an American businesswoman, Eddie Deakin-the flight engineer.
All those characters mixed together in the Clipper with their own situation and problem, creating a pretty good story.
June 24, 2018
I loved the book, however it was not as suspenseful in the air as I thought it would be. Follett did a good job of the character development of everyone, would love a sequel. Another good Follett book that takes you in right from the beginning.
June 20, 2019
This book was one I took from the library just because of the title and the setting, and without a doubt, it kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s a family drama mostly, with a couple of romances tossed in, and the thrill of a journey that could be make or break for some of the characters.
April 26, 2011
Good thriller with mucho plot twists! Kept me reading most of the day.
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