I’ve been looking forward to The Pillars of the Earth for a couple months now, ever since I heard that Starz was adapting the Ken Follett novel into a miniseries. I read the epic novel two or three years ago and really enjoyed it. “Enjoy” almost seems like the wrong word for it. It’s a rough book. Lots of bad things happen, and lots of good people get beaten down. If you’ve watched the first two hours of the miniseries, that should be clear to you by now.
Through the first two hours of this eight-hour series there has already been murder, rape, political plotting, and widespread destruction. Knowing how the story is going to play out I can say that this really is only the beginning.
Bringing this book to life must have been a feat rivaling the building of a cathedral. Indeed, the book is so long and sprawling, in both scope and time, that I’m surprised it was even attempted. It seems like a growing trend, though, to bring books to life on television instead of the movies. I know I am most looking forward to HBO’s adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones.
With that being said, It appears that Starz did a good job bringing the epic to life. Certainly the production is not perfect. It is so much easier to criticize an adaptation than an original work. It’s impossible to get all the intricacies and details from the page onto the screen, even with eight hours to do it in. The series is well cast, and through the first two episodes, it’s staying true to the source material. Starz got enough big names (Donald Southerland, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell) to draw in viewers and raise credibility. The acting and writing have been good (not great or outstanding, but good) and production value is pretty high. I’m looking forward to the remaining six hours, and I suppose that is the true sign of quality.
Knowing how the story is going to play out, it’s a bit difficult for me to comment on the plot. I’m looking forward to seeing everything play out, but at the same time, I don’t want to give anything away to those of you who are not familiar with the novel. What I can safely say is this: if you enjoyed the first two hours, you’re going to enjoy the rest of it.
Have you had a chance to check out the series yet? Have you read the book? I’m curious to hear from people who are watching but haven’t read the novel.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jul 24, 2010 @ 11:49 EST5EDT
Several people have recommended the book to me, so I started to read it but never got through it. Still, I am eager to watch this series because that is my shortcut when I don’t want to finish a book. I did the same thing with Memoirs of a Geisha – never got through that book, so I watched the movie and felt like I could cross that off my list of books to read.
I had no idea they were making this book into a miniseries! I’m so torn – as a history nerd, I’m tempted to watch it — but then I remember how frustrating the book was. Loved all of the amazing detail that went into it but having the good guys basically get kicked in the nuts OVER and OVER and OVER made me kind of hate it. At least in the book I could skip some of the injustice – maybe I should give the miniseries a pass…
My sister loved the book but for some reason, 20 years later and I’ve still never read it. I watched the first part of the series and I was blown away. So well done and just downright interesting. I do hate the good guys getting kicked in the nuts, as Rose says, but it just makes the bad guys look all the more pitiful. They think they’re hot stuff, but I’d rather be a ball-busted good guy in the worst circumstances instead of the shits that think they’re worthy of it all. I really look forward to the coming weeks and the architecture and intrigue. Good stuff!
I was so shocked I forgot to watch the first 2 hours of this mini series. So I checked and it is ON DEMAND. Whew!!! Loved the book and will never forget it. Seems as though the series is living up to the expectations. Thanks, Bob.
This really has nothing to do with the show, but every time I see the thumbnail image for this article I think of Ricardo Montalban playing Khan for the first time in the Star Trek episode “Space Seed.”
LOL. You are right!