It seems like I can always count on Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge series if I want a good story where the line between good and evil is clearly drawn. We have the guys and gals to root for and the villains who drive our blood pressure and anxiety levels to dangerous heights. The Evening and the Morning continues that trend and serves as the prequel to The Pillars of the Earth. Kingsbridge Priory, in its debut, drew in millions of readers, and I even played the video game for a while, as I recall. Here, we get to learn how the prosperous town of Kingsbridge came to be when it was just a small hamlet. With the determination of a few, it was transformed into something that lasted for centuries.

The other thing I can count on with this series is that the story itself can sometimes feel like it was shaped from a cookie-cutter template. The good news is that you know what you’re going to get when you pick up this series. If you didn’t like Pillars of the Earth, you’re definitely not going to like this one or, I dare say, any of the others in the series. The formula the author uses does its job in creating a story that keeps me turning pages, but I did occasionally get the feeling that it was as if I had already read this before, just in a different story with different characters. The Evening and the Morning focuses on Edgar the builder and how he came to Dreng’s Ferry to restart his life. Set in the Dark Ages, daily living is even harsher than in the sequel series. But with a bit of ingenuity, Edgar seems able to make the most of any miserable situation.

Expect the usual sexual assault, violence, injustice, extreme cruelty, crushed dreams, betrayal, political intrigue, and rare acts of kindness. Edgar was a rare character in those times, and it was fun to read how he came up with ideas to solve specific problems of his era. It’s a good reminder of how far civilization has progressed, and yet some things never change with humans, regardless of distance or time. I’m not sure when I’ll get to A Column of Fire, but I have no doubt it will be just as enjoyable.