A Place Called Freedom: A Vast, Thrilling Work of Historical Fiction

Ken Follett

Sep 2008 · Pan Macmillan

About this ebook

Set in an era of turbulent social changes, A Place Called Freedom is a magnificent historical fiction novel from the undisputed master of suspense and drama, Ken Follett.

A Life of Poverty
Scotland, 1767. Mack McAsh is a slave by birth, destined for a cruel and harsh life as a miner. But as a man of principles and courage, he has the strength to stand up for what he believes in, only to be labelled as a rebel and enemy of the state.

A Life of Wealth
Life feels constrained for rebellious Lizzie Hallim, as she struggles with the less cruel circumstances of wealth and privilege. Fiercely independent, she is engaged to a man she doesn’t care for, a landlord’s son and heir to an exploitative business empire.

A Search for Freedom
Lizzie finds herself helping Mack after he becomes a fugitive. Separated by class but bound by their yearning for freedom, they escape to London. True freedom, though, lies further afield, in a new life that awaits across the Atlantic Ocean . . .

Ratings and reviews

I love period novels and this is right up there. The best for me is Pillars of the Earth, but this, despite being a lighter read, is just as gripping and enjoyable

Good story, but somewhat slower paced. More of a leisure read. Great historical context and descriptions though. I enjoyed that very much.

Not Ken's best, but he writes a good story.

About the author

The international number one bestseller Ken Follett has published over thirty books in a career spanning more than forty years. With global sales in excess of 170 million copies, his novels have been sold in over eighty countries and translated into thirty-seven languages. Ken was just twenty-seven when he wrote the award-winning thriller Eye of the Needle, which became an international success, but he surprised everyone in 1989 with The Pillars of the Earth. This story about the building of a cathedral in the Middle Ages continues to captivate millions of readers all over the world, and was voted into the top 100 of Britain’s best-loved books in the BBC’s The Big Read. Married to Barbara Follett, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage, Ken and his family live in a rambling rectory in Hertfordshire and also spend time in London and Antigua. An ardent admirer of the theatre, Ken is often seen at productions of Shakespeare’s plays when not indulging his passions for writing and playing bass guitar.