I have not read Pillars of the Earth (or anything by Ken Follett for that matter) but it's on my list. I have also not played any games like this, the most similar seem to be Telltale's games - The Walking Dead or otherwise. BUT...this caught my interest.
Didn't he write that WW2 spy thriller with Donald Sutherland in the 80s? Can't think of the name. Good writer though!
Not sure, but he's also written a massive WWI & WWII spanning series - Fall of Giants.
Follett's early books, especially the spy novels from the 70's, are his best imho. Pillars of the Earth and the Century Trilogy (Fall of Giant's etc.) are both good series if you enjoy historical fiction. I haven't tried the board game yet either.
I'm almost sure there's a TTS adaptation of the boardgame. And a variation of it. {checking} Mmm, yep! Pillars+expansion, and also "the builder's duel" whatever that is. Card game variation?
There was a TV miniseries made out of this a couple of years back. It pretty much did what you'd expect - medieval grime, politicking, CGI cities, some sex, some violence, and British character actors.
Pillars of the Earth (the book) was actually pretty good. And, it's based on some actual historical events. It took me a couple of tries, but it's worth sticking with as it's pretty good once it warms up.
World Without End I did not read. I believe that is the one that the TV show was based on.
Looks like I'll be reading Pillars of the Earth next.
Quote from: Toonces on May 11, 2017, 05:13:43 PM
Pillars of the Earth (the book) was actually pretty good. And, it's based on some actual historical events. It took me a couple of tries, but it's worth sticking with as it's pretty good once it warms up.
World Without End I did not read. I believe that is the one that the TV show was based on.
Think I watched Pillars on Netflix, but it's no longer available. I wish it was, because I did read and enjoy the book after, so I'd like to watch it again. They also made a series on World Without End.
Eye of the Needle is the earlier book/movie I was thinking of.
Quote from: bbmike on May 11, 2017, 05:18:55 PM
Looks like I'll be reading Pillars of the Earth next.
Wait, strike that. I meant the WWI/WWII one, Fall of Giants.
Quote from: Tuna on May 11, 2017, 12:40:15 PM
Didn't he write that WW2 spy thriller with Donald Sutherland in the 80s? Can't think of the name. Good writer though!
"Eye of the Needle" was a good read, and also a pretty decent movie. Nazi spy trying to get big info to Germany stranded on island with hot Scottish woman and her wheelchair bound husband.
I remember "Pillars of the Earth", but I don't think I finished it. I would not have expected it to be made into a video game. Must play along the lines of Valiant Hearts which looked kind of interesting.
My wife raved about Pillars the book, so I gave it a try. I got about a quarter way through it and felt I knew where it was going, and I dunno, it just didn't grab me like it did her so I bagged it.
A year or two later I read a book, I want to say it was The Plantagenets but it could have been something else, but regardless, there was an abbot in the book that was surprisingly like the one in Pillars. And besides, I was in a medieval fiction mood and Pillars was on the shelf. So I gave it another go, and this time I realized that the book was loosely based on actual historical people and events, and also, once I got more into it the story got more interesting and wasn't as predictable as it initially seemed.
Not the best book I've ever read, but if you have it sitting around, it's worth a read.
I have no idea how the book would translate into a video game.
tl;dr
😎
Pillars of the earth is OK but frankly the same story could have been told in half the book. I read it all and it was OK but it was overly drawn out, and one feels Follet had the urge to write an "epic" and was determined to do so.
Regards
I read and enjoyed, 'Pillars...,' too. Not entirely sure I would play a game based on it. Or really how you would make a game of it.
This is a comparison of the main boardgame adaptation and its sequel (based on the book's sequel
World Without End).
This is an explanation of the two-player more card-driven version from Tom Vassel. (I don't know those other guys.)