Lie Down with Lions

The plotting was wonderful as always with Ken Follet but there was too much unnecessary explicit sex to my taste. Also, I think the ending fell flat but still did not take away from the plot or characters. I love his building of characters. I would recommend this book especially if you like intrigue, romance, and world events in one volume. Ken Follet is one of the best historical fiction writers today. Always a good read.

Another great book to captivate a reader if you want to spend a few days curled up in front of a fire on a blistery winters day. The two characters Jane and Ellis are depicted well. There is a nice twist with Jane's husband. The Afghanistan war seems so surreal but alas it is not. A great love story mixed with war, intrigue, and espionage.

I'm a big Follet fan, i've read most of his books and always come back to him when i need a history brush up. This is one of my favorites, it really got to me. I loved the characters and the stark dominating setting. if you want to try out this author, i'd suggest Lie Down with Lions, Jackdaws, or Code to Zero. all thrilling spy novels that you'll devour.

Interesting stories about the people of Afghanistan. The only turn off for me, is we now know what happens between the USA and Afghanistan years later. The story keeps you wanting to read more, and like his other novels, contains a lot of history along the way.

I'm a big Follet fan, i've read most of his books and always come back to him when i need a history brush up. This is one of my favorites, it really got to me. I loved the characters and the stark dominating setting. if you want to try out this author, i'd suggest Lie Down with Lions, Jackdaws, or Code to Zero. all thrilling spy novels that you'll devour.

Interesting stories about the people of Afghanistan. The only turn off for me, is we now know what happens between the USA and Afghanistan years later. The story keeps you wanting to read more, and like his other novels, contains a lot of history along the way.

The storyline is quite good it is interesting to wonder if the US hadn't helped to afghans, no 911? Pity about the soft porn halfway through just doesn't add anything to the story, typical follet flaw in many books.

I think this is questionable because the writer takes on the side of Americans in this book and Russians are shown as bad figures here . For me as a Russian , it was unpleasant to read . But , this is only a book any way .

A gripping and exciting story showing a great knowledge of the area and times. He really has given a great understanding of Afganistan, its people and culture.He miltary explainations are excellent. A great read indeed.

This was the novel that made me a Ken Follett fan in the first place, back in 1987 at the tender age of 12, when the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan was still in effect, but definitely on the wane (thanks to the CIA's supply of Stinger missile launchers and other arms to the mujahedeen), back when there was no Western media distinction between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance and the insurgents were seen by me and my fellow Americans as the "good guys" (or at least the lesser of the evils vis-à-vis the Soviets). Loved this book back then.

Now, re-reading the book 28 years later, with the 20/20 hindsight of (1) the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, (2) the Taliban takeover, (3) the sobering knowledge that charismatic rebel leader Ahmed Shah Masud (the lone real-life character in the novel) would perish at the hands of Taliban the day before the 9/11 attacks, and (4) the drawdown of my own country's forces from Afghanistan after 15 years of war, (5) having majored in International Relations at USC, and (6) my own travels in Muslim countries (though not in Afghanistan), I'm able to appreciate the storyline with a new sense of perspective.

The action scenes are still exciting, the characters are still interesting, and the sex scenes between CIA operative Ellis Thaler and English nurse Jane Lambert are still hot and steamy. But on the downside, now I'm able to catch Ken Follett's (a self-admitted "champagne socialist") leftist agenda, the same old tired left-wing canard about American baby-killers in Vietnam, etc. etc. ad nauseam (for example, "**we were the terrorists then**," as Ellis whines and moralizes on . 297), all the while completely ignoring the communist atrocities committed by the NVA, VC, and post-1975 Hanoi government alike (in the case of the latter, 2.5 million people murdered, especially those of Han Chinese descent). That did quite a bit to detract from my enjoyment of the book on this go-around, though I still did enjoy it very much.

This was the novel that made me a Ken Follett fan in the first place, back in 1987 at the tender age of 12, when the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan was still in effect, but definitely on the wane (thanks to the CIA's supply of Stinger missile launchers and other arms to the mujahedeen), back when there was no Western media distinction between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance and the insurgents were seen by me and my fellow Americans as the "good guys" (or at least the lesser of the evils vis-à-vis the Soviets). Loved this book back then.

Now, re-reading the book 28 years later, with the 20/20 hindsight of (1) the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, (2) the Taliban takeover, (3) the sobering knowledge that charismatic rebel leader Ahmed Shah Masud (the lone real-life character in the novel) would perish at the hands of Taliban the day before the 9/11 attacks, and (4) the drawdown of my own country's forces from Afghanistan after 15 years of war, (5) having majored in International Relations at USC, and (6) my own travels in Muslim countries (though not in Afghanistan), I'm able to appreciate the storyline with a new sense of perspective.

The action scenes are still exciting, the characters are still interesting, and the sex scenes between CIA operative Ellis Thaler and English nurse Jane Lambert are still hot and steamy. But on the downside, now I'm able to catch Ken Follett's (a self-admitted "champagne socialist") leftist agenda, the same old tired left-wing canard about American baby-killers in Vietnam, etc. etc. ad nauseam (for example, "**we were the terrorists then**," as Ellis whines and moralizes on . 297), all the while completely ignoring the communist atrocities committed by the NVA, VC, and post-1975 Hanoi government alike (in the case of the latter, 2.5 million people murdered, especially those of Han Chinese descent). That did quite a bit to detract from my enjoyment of the book on this go-around, though I still did enjoy it very much.

BLURB
When Jane is caught in a deadly love triangle between rival spies Ellis and Jean-Pierre, she becomes entangled in a web of lust, hatred and deception, which sweeps all three of them from terrorist conspiracies in Paris to all-out guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan.
Jean-Pierre and Jane marry, and go to work as doctors in the Valley of the Five Lions to help the rebels fighting for the freedom against the Russians. Confronted by extreme violence and danger, Jane desperately tries to get out of the line of fire. Then hell comes, unexpectedly, in the form of her husband’s greatest enemy…
REVIEW
Ken Follett has written another fantastic tale this time based in Afghanistan with two spies Ellis for the Americans, and Jean-Pierre for the Russians. Between them is a deadly love triangle with Jane. After Ellis successfully takes out a major Russian spy in Paris and disappears leaving his lover Jane behind the action transfers to a small rebel-held village in Afghanistan.
Follett skilfully weaves his story into the time when Russia attempted to take over Afghanistan. On one side we have a fully equipped Russian army who are opposed by the ragtag rebel fighters formed in small groups who are only able to fight as guerrillas. Ellis’s task is to form them into a fighting army with the support of the Americans.
Interwoven into all these activities is Jane who falls pregnant at the wrong time and has to deal with a baby in these uncertain times. Jean-Pierre is a doctor who heals the village ailments with Jane as his nurse. In addition, to being a doctor, Jean-Pierre is also a Russian spy who causes many deaths by informing the Russians about supply lines and troop buildup.
The climax of the story is an unbelievable chase as Ellis and Jane try to walk over mountainous territory to deliver a message to the Americans.
The skill that Follett is famous for comes out with dramatic effect in his writing.
The reviewer recommends this story to those who like adventure interspersed with romance.

Most readers will not gain deep understanding of a country and people with fiction. Better to pick up a Nat Geographic article. Even better to visit and experience some part of it-- until you realize that you can not walk a mile in the shoes of a servant, a farmer, or a government bureaucrat, because you are a Foreigner. Best to inquire about purchasing a home there and learn the language.
A foreign doctor and his wife do take up residence- but this is during the Russian occupation:
' Jane opened her eyes. It was an Antonov, the predatory, slow-moving reconnaissance plane whose incessant growl was the usual herald of faster, noisier jet aircraft on a bombing run. She sat up and looked anxiously across the Valley.
She was in her secret refuge, a broad, flat shelf halfway up a cliff. Above her, the overhang hid her from view without blocking the sun, and would dissuade anyone but a mountaineer from climbing down. Below, the approach to her refuge was steep and stony and bare of vegetation: no one could climb it without being heard and seen by Jane. ' (p. 47)
The jets eventually do bomb the people, witnessed by the westerners. The guerrillas grow stronger, strike harder, and the atrocities mount. They learn war through bitter losses.
Even in 2013, the NATO forces still encounter violent disagreement with efforts to build their nation.
Do not force modernity on them. They are too divisive, too patriarchal, do not understand programs to help.

If you're a fan of other Ken Follet thrillers, such as Eye of the Needle, then there is absolutely no reason why you should not read, and love, this book. Even with this being my tenth Follet novel, and even with his writing being slightly formulaic at times, and even sort of knowing what to expect, I still found myself immersed in this book, and just now had a blast devouring the last 50-60 pages in one sitting.

I wavered between 4 stars and 5 stars. The beginning starts off strong, with a couple nice twists. Then, the book slows down. However, the characters are all developed during this time, and the story still moves forward, so while it's not up to the pace of other parts of this book, it's still not bad at all. Halfway through I thought, "It's a very good book, but not a great one."

I ultimately went with five stars for one main reason. Last night, as I was nearing the last 60 pages, I forced myself to stop reading, as it was really late and there was no way I was finishing it before going to bed. I could tell the book was nearing its climax, and I didn't want to have to stop halfway through, and I also didn't want to be up till 4 a.m. finishing it. Then I thought about that today. Here's a guy who I've read plenty of books from, and yet I was unwilling to stop reading at a random point, knowing full well that once the climax began I didn't want to stop reading until I finished. I realized once again that Follet had me fully drawn into his story. Sure enough, I get done what I had to today, and blew through the rest of it.

What I especially liked about Lie Down With Lions was that it did not take place during one of the World Wars like so many of his books. As a matter of fact, it takes place in the early 1980's, so it takes place forty years more in the future (and hundreds of years compared to some of his books) than a lot of his thrillers. I chose to read this over some of the other books I have by him for that very reason, but also because this book takes place in Afghanistan, a totally different setting than every other book I've read by him. I loved the setting, and thought it was expertly described.

Also, though I am not the type of person who thinks this way, this book is a spy story, a thriller, but is a love story more than anything else. Follet creates an amazing relationship between his two main characters, and if you read this, just stop as you near the end and realize how much they have gone through to be together.

Finally, I'd like to add one more point. I really liked how, despite their being a clear "bad guy," that both the good and bad character had totally justified reasons why they are doing the things they are. For a while there, it's up to the reader to decide who's side they're on.

Once more, I feel so grateful to have discovered this guy, and consider myself lucky that I still have another fifteen or so of his books to tear through in the future. Another job very well done by Ken Follet!

I'm just getting acquinted with Ken Follett's writings so I am not as hip as some of the other reviewers. I was also interested in what the content would be now that we are at war with the same country that we "helped" defeat Russia...was that aid a mistake? While this is fiction it gives us a better idea about the geographic layout and the problems faced in a war fought on the enemy's home field. The main characters play out their altruistic games and the chase is on. But how many times can you falldown with a baby being handed back and forth while trying to escape the villains as you cross the highest mountain peaks to reach the next country? The action is breath taking, to be sure, and any minute you expect a bullet in the back or a fatal drop off the narrow trail on the mountain side. Follett can keep you reading on from one close escape to the next but at times I found myself asking what are they doing that for, are they crazy? But you soon find an answer as the story takes yet another twist. I read for the suspense and action and do not try to out guess the author so I enjoyed the book As for the love scene, it was vivid enough the first time that I didn't have to reread it...this was a used book and the pages were not dog eared by previous readers either. It was one of the most sensitive writings I have ever read, especially by a man. Some of the other male writersmight well learn from Follett's sensitivity towards women. Over all, this was an excellent reading.

It's unfortunate that one of the previous reviewers found so much to hate in "Lie Down With Lions," and I'm guessing it's because that reader was looking for the wrong things. No, Follett's not Faulkner, and you'll get no musings on the human condition. But that's not why one reads Follett; you read Follett for the tightly written, superbly constructed thriller, and, in "Lie Down With Lions," that's exactly what you get.
The action is intense, right from the outset, where American agent Ellis blows his cover in Paris, losing in the process his girlfriend Jane, who takes up with another guy and heads with him to Afghanistan, to offer medical assistance to a populace wearied by war against the invading Soviets (sort of a 1980s version of Médecins sans frontières). Ellis tails her there, under the auspices of the US government, to train the Afghan fighters. At which point, the plot thickens, and doesn't let up till the very end.
The dynamics of the Ellis/Jane relationship are great, very natural and well drawn in a way one doesn't usually find such relationships drawn in action novels. Their moments of greatest intimacy--including an amazingly and erotically written love scene that rivals anything in Miller or Joyce--help drive one of the novel's main tensions, a tension between the reader's responses to these two characters who are often at odds but both very sympathetic. This tension, though, merely underscores the real, action-based tension surrounding the military skirmishes taking place on the greater stage outside the Ellis/Jane relationship.
As some reviewers have pointed out, "Lie Down With Lions" isn't much use as a history primer on the war in Afghanistan, or as a probing meditation on the nature of existence. But that's really beside the point. We read Follett, like we read Clancy and Grisham, because they're amazingly talented story tellers with interesting stories to tell. I've read "Lie Down With Lions" three times and enjoyed it immensely each time.

About 20 years ago in Paris, a CIA agent from America called John Ellis is undercover and living with an Englishwoman named Jane Lambert. At first it was just so he could fit in more, but after a while they started to fall in love. He wanted to propose to her, but decided to wait until after his "assignment" was over. There's another man named Jean-Pierre who is also in love with Jane. Jean-Pierre is a doctor who has decided to leave and go to Afghanistan to help out all the sick people. Since he will be gone for two years, he asked Jane to come along. At first she refused, but after she learned that Ellis was a spy she went.

She loved all the village people and stayed in a small town in The Valley of Five Lions. She grew close to everyone, but more close to Jean-Pierre. They married and she had a baby, and she never once questioned her marriage until one day Ellis showed up. Then she learned of Jean-Pierre's secret...

I absolutely loved this book because of the love and the action. I never guessed what would happen and the ending was almost perfect.

Lie Down with Lions contains an excellent plot, employing an array of techniques that keeps the readers interest right from the start. From the beginning, the book is filled with scenes of passion, deceit, treachery, and action. These characteristics are all coupled together making for a page turner from start to finish.
The author keeps the readers interest through the first few chapters by detailing the end of the relationship between Jane and Ellis. Their relationship comes to a climatic end, which is a story in itself, but it gets better. After Jane weds the clear antagonist (Jean-Pierre) and the couple embarks on a volunteer mission to Afghanistan, Ellis heads to Afghanistan on a covert operation for the CIA. Soon Jane discovers Jean-Pierre is working for the KGB pitting them against each other, and Jane finds herself on Ellis's side working against her husband, this is where the book really takes off. The Cold War rivals are in a fight for Jane's heart, Afghanistan, and world supremacy. Follett takes the reader all over Afghanistan giving accurate descriptions of the people and landscape.
A great read, Follett will put you in a trance.

This is the first Ken Follett novel I have read. Actually, I only read about half of the book. Boring, boring! Could not get into this book. Way to much detail. An entire chapter on the pregnancy of Jane! Finally gave up on this book. Not sure I will ever try another Follett nove. again.

Ken Follett is unique in the pool of spy novel authors. Lie Down with Lions is a very creative story that unfolds in Afghanistan and France. What this book really is is a love story involving 3 people. It is well written and gets really deep into what motivates people. I really enjoyed reading it.

Lie Down With Lions, Ken Follett's final spy thriller before he began the cycle of historical books that occupied him for a decade, takes place mostly in the mountains of Afghanistan in about 1982, during the height of US-funded resistance to the Soviet invasion. Here a CIA agent and decorated Vietnam veteran, a British woman he loves, a French doctor who is a KGB operative posing as an international aid worker (and also the husband of the British woman), and the KGB itself all interact among Afghan resistance fighters (the fathers of today's Taliban) who seek to throw out the Soviets and establish an Islamic nation governed by the Koran. This time out Follett's novel is less about suspense than it is the straightforward telling of a sound story. The violence is held to a minimum and always the plot rests squarely in the gray hues that lie between the black and white morality so common among other authors. Unlike so many other Follett tales, particularly Triple, this book does seem a bit dated with its Cold War Realpolitiks and Islamists as good guys, but as a vehicle for a jaunt back in time to when the world stage was a different place, this is an interesting trip. There is also the matter of its unexpected ending, which was a stroke of genius. All I'll say is that in the last pages when all seemed at its darkest, Follett delivered a deus ex machine-style happening that settled scores magnificently in a satisfying way I didn't see coming. Lie Down With Lions is a perfect example of why a good book can be more fun to read than a great one.

A spy adventure, par excellence, with erotic romance -- vintage Follett.

If you like your thrillers spiced with spies, a chase scene, atmosphere, non-stop action and a good dose of romance then this is your "beach read"

However, 'Lie Down with Lions' will inform you as well as entertain you. This week on the radio I heard the statement, "good fiction should not be didactic". Ken Follett, as his writing demonstrates, strongly disagrees with this statement. His informative insight into the old KGB, the CIA, the mind of a terrorist and the brutal and barren world of Afghanistan are more than entertaining, they are enlightening.

I have physically trekked through the remote worlds that Follett writes about. I have felt the same exhaustion and despair that Follett brilliantly captures in his hero and heroine as flee the wrath of the KGB across the snow bound Khyber Pass. Because of my work, I have known the joys and sorrows that Follett's pen elucidates, as he sets his novel in the world of international humanitarian medical care. I marveled how well he captures the essence of this work.

'Lie Down with Lions' is one of Follett's best crafted reads. A solid love story, with larger-than-life characters, wrapped in suspense and tension. KUDOS. Highly recommended 4.5stars

I purchased this book because the setting -- Afghanistan -- sounded interesting, I like spy stories, and I'd just read Jackdaws by Follett which I'd thoroughly enjoyed. This book exceeded my expectations.
Three characters are the main focus of the story -- Ellis, a CIA agent, Jane, the woman he loves and wants to marry (although she doesn't know it), and Jean-Pierre, the man who also wants Jane for himself.
From the beginning Jane and Ellis's relationship is rocky because she doesn't know he's a spy and some of his actions have her puzzled. She wants more of a commitment and he doesn't seem willing to cooperate. On the day he decides to come clean about what he does for a living and how he feels about her, all hell breaks loose. The next thing Ellis knows, Jane is gone and so is Jean-Pierre.
Ellis later accepts an assignment to Afghanistan and their paths cross again. The fact that Jane now has a child doesn't change the way he feels. He's still in love with her, but he expects no love in return. Aside from that, his mission could get him killed and he doesn't want to bring harm to her or her child. Besides that, Jean-Pierre, who's always been jealous of him, has no intention on losing Jane to a past rival.
What follows is a roller-coaster ride of action, danger, romance, and suspense. I listened to the unabridged audiobook version of this book and the cast of six readers were excellent. They changed their tone and pace to fit the scenes that they read. As a result, the characters seemed to come alive. Follett does a pretty good job of giving you enough of a description to help you envision the scenery and the dialog was good. To top it off, the action made sense and was interesting.
I don't know if the book accurately portrays the people of Afghanistan, so I didn't accept some of the characters' observations about how they are as a people. I mainly listened to the book to be entertained and it did that superbly.

Ken Follett's writing talent really overdoes itself in Lie Down With Lions. He somehow adds the violence of a war, the heat between two nemesis' and a woman, romance, and even a little bit to laugh at, into one book. Lie Down With Lions is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Based mainly on Ellis Thaler, the American, Jean-Pierre, the frenchman, and Jane Lambert, the beautiful English woman whom they have both fallen for, Lie Down With Lions takes you from the terrorism and lies of Paris, to the violent war in Afghanistan. Ellis lies to Jane about what he does for a living, and she ends up marrying Jean-Pierre and leaving with him to Afghanistan. But after some intriguing words from his ex-wife, Ellis is determined to get her back. Lie Down With Lions is romantic adventure and twisting suspense at their best, and I highly recommend it to anyone. This book guarantees to keep you on the edge of your seat, and if not, its because it made you fall off.

One of Follett's best, Lie Down with Lions is a fast-paced, intriguing read. While I feel he will never touch Eye of the Needle, Pillars of the Earth or The Man from St. Petersburg (hence, the four-star rating), Lie Down with Lions showcases Follett's best skills virtually on every page. If you have never read Follett, start with one of the aforementioned books. They are his best (especially "...Needle" and "Pillars...") and will make you appreciate some of the finer nuances in Lie Down with Lions. My only gripe (I WON'T ruin the plot) is that the last 80 pages were a little too detail-oriented giving the effect of being just a TAD too slow-paced. Only a tad though. Certainly not enough to keep anyone from reading this fine novel. But it is somewhat like exiting the freeway at 70mph and suddenly having to do 55mph. 55mph is still quite fast for the surface streets, but 70mph was better (for the freeway, of course)! Take this book on vacation. Read it over a lazy three-day weekend. Use it as a wonderful escape during your lunch hour. Just don't do what I did: clocked in late from lunch everyday! Enjoy!

A fast moving book that enthralls and captivates. From French intrigue to Afghan daily life, this author keeps it all interesting and sometimes sexy. Great characters abound amid the suspense and thrills. I would not spoil a minute with an overview. Just know you will be in for a ride !

English linguist, Jane, is torn between two lovers, CIA agent, Ellis, and communist spy and doctor, Jean-Pierre, who is following in his father's footsteps in becoming a Soviet spy. Following a police round up of terrorist cells in Paris, Jane blames Ellis, claiming that he showed a lack of trust in not telling her of his involvement with the CIA, and, in a fit of pique and anger, marries Jean-Pierre. They go to Afghanistan to work as a medical team for the locals in a hill top village, where ,unbeknown to Jane, Jean-Pierre works as an informer for the Soviets, reporting on the actions of the local freedom fighters. Ellis is sent to Afghanistan to negotiate an arms deal with the local fighters and becomes once again, attracted to Jane who reciprocates when she learns the extent of her husband's treachery to the very villagers he purports to be helping. It's a fast, exciting read and would make a great action movie, if it hasn't already happened.

Follett's common theme of creating vivid characters and aiming them on a collision course takes you to Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. Lie Down with Lions moves fast and has one of the most intense sexual scenes I have ever read. Like a metaphor for the book as a whole, the same characters are soon on an icy trek over the Himalyas.

Like his lovers, the book is hot and cold. The plot is thin and implausible. The bad guys are two dimensional. But Follett's descriptive powers are in good form. This is a great book for a boring trans-continental flight.

Follett's stories are hard to put down once opened. Lots of history and a view of a rough country. No wonder the turmoil that carries on with no end in sight. I felt that he pushed to end the ordeal and keep his heroes together and "happy", but thought his female victim a bit stupid and idealistic. But I believe in fighting the enemy, not feeling sorry for their moms!

I think he has put out much better books and this one was the first to really disappoint me. The book is an average book, but I had just read Pillars of the Earth so this one was a let down. The story was interesting and could have been one of the first major attempts to take on the Afghan War via fiction. The staples of a Follett book are there, a great cast that you get to know, a well thought out story etc, I just came into the book expecting too much. He does spend a great deal of time on the issue of how women are treated in Afghanistan and I believe that is why there is a strong woman in the book to even more draw your attention to it. When I read the book it did not strike me much, but with the latest events I skimmed the book and picked up on it.

Was this terrible book really written by the same guy who plotted such masterful thrillers as Eye of the Needle, and A Dangerous Fortune? Actually, all the stock Follet ingredients are there: feisty independant woman stuck in some crucible, love triangle, life-or-death pursuit. But I have to disagree with a number of reviewers here: the characters are *not* well-developed, consistent, or believable.

As a character, JANE makes zero sense. She's sketched out as an intelligent, resourceful woman with a clear sense of ethics who loathes betrayal...yet after an unforgivable betrayal, she seems to get over it and forgive the traitor in, oh, about 10 minutes. JEAN-PIERRE, her villainous husband, actually thinks such "dastardly" thoughts as "Now I'll get you--and you'll be mine forever!" This is villainry on the cartoonish level of Austin Powers' Dr. Evil (especially when compared to the complex hero/villain of Eye of the Needle.)

Please don't buy or read this book. If you want to try Follett, sample the two books mentioned above, or The Pillars of the Earth, an expansive, ambitious novel that can't really be pigeonholed as a thriller.

i'm a huge fan of follet..some of his books are amongst my favorites by any author (dangerous fortune, place called freedom, code to zero, and of course the majestic pillars of the earth), but I just couldn't get into this one.

It's not that I didn't like the characters. I liked the protagonist as well as the 'villains' of the book. I didn't like the setting much though.

It takes place in Afghanistan during the early 80's when the locals are fighting against the russians for their freedom. I'm not really interested in the area or the setting so maybe that had something to do with it.

I hate to say it but I had a hard time getting through this one. The chapters were very long which didn't help much either.

There were some bright points to the book (as with all Follett books of course) but they didn't outweigh, what was to me, the boring story.

I have enjoyed many of Ken Follett's novels in the past as he was always able to balance action, romance, and intrigue so well. Sadly, here it reads more like a romance novel set in a potentially intriguingly location. The female lead was incredibly hard to like and the ending was absolutely impossible not to see coming. I would still recommend Follett highly just not this piece.

I've read Follet's epic novels, Pillars, World Without End plus the Century Trilogy. Wanted to go back and read some of his other stuff.Since this was written in the mid-80s it was very interesting to see what the Soviet-occupied Afganistan country was like from a perspective of 30 years ago. This was before Iran-Contra even much less the Sadaam Hussein, Gulf War etc It was a good history lesson. However, the female lead in the end just pissed me off so much I couldn't rate it higher than 3 stars..

Few writers can craft a story as artfully as Ken Follett. His characters, always well developed, are especially vivid in this book. Mr. Follett's respect for women is evident in the strength of character and spirit with which he endows them. Speaking as someone who has read all of his books, I believe that this may be his finest work. If you like this book, may I recommend "The Mask of Time" by Marius Gabriel and another Follett book, "The Man From St. Petersburg". If you read and enjoy these as I did, I'd love to hear from you. Jack Jackson

Fantastic book! It came highly recommended and I see why! Most definitely a page tuner with the suspense of the love triangle of Ellis, Jane and Jean-Pierre set in the middle of a war of poor and desolate country. In between my readings I was anxious to get back to what awaited Jane next in this novel of love and deceit. I never would have thought one could intertwine romance into a thriller as Follett did. This was the first of his novels I've read and definitely will not be the last! This was one of those books I hated seeing I only had a few more pages till I reached the end of this journey, wishing there was more awaiting to be read of Jane and Ellis.

Follett is such a good story teller, it is hard to say that this book wasn't quite as good as the others I've read,but there it is. He does make learning about a harsh land and primitive people, interesting, though. As I learned with some of his books about World War II and Nazi Germany, you will enjoy his characters, the suspense, and the outcome of the story enough to keep the horrific and truthful side of history on the back burner. Some of the events in this book seem far-fetched, but it is still a good read. A Follett Fan

I really loved reading this book. it was filled with excitement, adventure, love and pathos. However, the sex was a little too explicit for me; normally Follette's books don't contain that much. At any rate, it was very absorbing; I had a hard time putting it down. As far as I'm concerned, though, it should be given a mature rating due to the sexual content

Having read many of this author's books and enjoyed them, I purchased this one with high hopes and in a word was disappointed. This tale tracks three protagonists - an American spy, a Russian spy and the woman "caught" between them - from Paris to Afghanistan during the height of the Cold War and the Russian-Afghani War. Not the most complicated plot but this author has made due with much less. Unfortunately not here. The characters are wooden and the plot is a yawner. Pass on this one.

It's a shame there's no separate place to review audiobooks, because frankly I can't be certain if this book is good or merely mediocre.

Having recently adopted a long commute to work, I began listening to books on CD. I started with "World Without End" and was so enthralled I immediately delved into "Pillars of the Earth". Both were fantastic... dramatic, engrossing, and thoroughly engrossing. I decided to follow these with another Follett novel and was immensely disappointed.

The narrator is emotionless and tepid, and reads through the novel so quickly it's as though someone instructed him, "Hey, we have to fit this all on eight CDs!" The "actors" are even worse... six people voicing a few dozen parts. Whether you're listening to a French woman, an Afghan woman, or an American women, it's as clear as day that this is the same person with the same monotone and lifeless inflection just using a different accent. I couldn't help but think of a class of seventh-graders sitting in a circle reading their parts in succession.

For these reasons, I only made it halfway through before I had to stop listening. I found the story relatively uninteresting and unimaginative and the characters as dull and lifeless as the voices portraying them. I also have a problem with Follett's pacing, even in the wonderful "Pillars" and "World"... he write each scene as long as has more to add, then moves on. A woman giving birth may take up 30 pages of the story, while a pivotal battle scene is over in five. Another battle scene later on may take 25 pages. It's all quite randomly-paced.

I may have to pick up the book soon, as I always try to finish a novel unless it's totally dreadful, but I will not play another of those CDs. I'd rather listen to soft-rock FM radio (and that is to say... I'd rather stick needles in my eyes)!

I cannot believe all the good reviews on this site for "Lie Down with Lions". It is truly an empty action novel with little to redeem it.
To give the book some credit, the characters were well defined. Unfortunately they were two-dimensional and transparent. This is one of those novels where the villain is SO EVIL and the protagonist is a cartoonish superman. You can almost visualize the author rubbing his hands together between chapters, in rapture at how cool the protagonist is, but I found the character to be pathetically shallow and underdeveloped. If they made a movie out of this book, the hero would best be portrayed by Chuck Norris (and that's not a compliment).
The author's world is again, a ridiculously over-simplified black and white world. "Ooooo, those evil Russians! Thank God for America!"
If you're a simple-minded American who likes vapid action with no real content (and apparently there are a lot of you), I'm sure you'll think this one is a classic.

Having read many of this author's books and enjoyed them, I purchased this one with high hopes and in a word was disappointed. This tale tracks three protagonists - an American spy, a Russian spy and the woman "caught" between them - from Paris to Afghanistan during the height of the Cold War and the Russian-Afghani War. Not the most complicated plot but this author has made due with much less. Unfortunately not here. The characters are wooden and the plot is a yawner. Pass on this one.

It's a shame there's no separate place to review audiobooks, because frankly I can't be certain if this book is good or merely mediocre.

Having recently adopted a long commute to work, I began listening to books on CD. I started with "World Without End" and was so enthralled I immediately delved into "Pillars of the Earth". Both were fantastic... dramatic, engrossing, and thoroughly engrossing. I decided to follow these with another Follett novel and was immensely disappointed.

The narrator is emotionless and tepid, and reads through the novel so quickly it's as though someone instructed him, "Hey, we have to fit this all on eight CDs!" The "actors" are even worse... six people voicing a few dozen parts. Whether you're listening to a French woman, an Afghan woman, or an American women, it's as clear as day that this is the same person with the same monotone and lifeless inflection just using a different accent. I couldn't help but think of a class of seventh-graders sitting in a circle reading their parts in succession.

For these reasons, I only made it halfway through before I had to stop listening. I found the story relatively uninteresting and unimaginative and the characters as dull and lifeless as the voices portraying them. I also have a problem with Follett's pacing, even in the wonderful "Pillars" and "World"... he write each scene as long as has more to add, then moves on. A woman giving birth may take up 30 pages of the story, while a pivotal battle scene is over in five. Another battle scene later on may take 25 pages. It's all quite randomly-paced.

I may have to pick up the book soon, as I always try to finish a novel unless it's totally dreadful, but I will not play another of those CDs. I'd rather listen to soft-rock FM radio (and that is to say... I'd rather stick needles in my eyes)!

I cannot believe all the good reviews on this site for "Lie Down with Lions". It is truly an empty action novel with little to redeem it.
To give the book some credit, the characters were well defined. Unfortunately they were two-dimensional and transparent. This is one of those novels where the villain is SO EVIL and the protagonist is a cartoonish superman. You can almost visualize the author rubbing his hands together between chapters, in rapture at how cool the protagonist is, but I found the character to be pathetically shallow and underdeveloped. If they made a movie out of this book, the hero would best be portrayed by Chuck Norris (and that's not a compliment).
The author's world is again, a ridiculously over-simplified black and white world. "Ooooo, those evil Russians! Thank God for America!"
If you're a simple-minded American who likes vapid action with no real content (and apparently there are a lot of you), I'm sure you'll think this one is a classic.

Follett is reliable for turning out interesting, easy to read novels. This was the first I read, and it was definitely good enough for me to try others. By doing so, I came to realize that this is not his finest work; Pillars of the Earth and Worlds Without End were truly exceptional. While this book lacks the same gripping scope and plot, it was still very well done.

If you like excitment and action you will love this book. Believable characters lead into a plot of mystery and action in a stark landscape. Betrayal, love, and survival pit a young woman aganist harsh realities and difficult choices. Yet, the heroes retain their humanity. It's a good story.

This book was my introduction to Ken Follett. Like every book I have read by Follett, it was hard to turn put down. Lots of suspense and excellent character development. After reading a couple more of his books (Night over water and A Dangerous Fortune), Follett made my short list of favorite authors.

Electrifying, thrilling....a page turner....is hardly a sufficient description of this book. The plot is perfect, the characters are idenifiable and to say the least the climax is just plain exillilarating"

What is the matter Russian, you don't like the book? You don't like the book because it portrays Russians as the bad guys? I'm sorry to tell you this but your country was the bad evil stinky stupid dumb BEAR.
This was one of the best books of all time. An amazing story with amazing characters. Full of suspense, actions, and Romance. Must Read to Believe.

I have enjoyed everything that Ken Follett has put out . . . this recent purchase is no exception.

My wife is a member of a women's book club and I recommended "Lie Down with Lions" as a possible selection for them to read and review . . . fortunately, for me, Ken Follett came through again . . . they loved it . . . found it not only interesting but educational as well . . . my primary choices are historical fiction based on fact . . . this book truly fit the bill . . .

Thank you!

Carlton "Chuck" LeDrew

This is the first book I have ever read by Ken Follett, and it does not leave me begging for more. Seriously, this is one of the worst, most shallow, cheap-action-packed novels that I have ever read. The realness of this novel is ridiculous. It`s the same old American good guy/bad guy story all over again, and to me it is not that appeling. If this book ever made it to the movies ,then I`m sure that James bond would play the main character. I`m mean...who else could beat up five menn inside a helicopter while they are cuffed on both hands?

I thought this book was excellent. The author took you on a journey through war torn Afghanistan, and made you feel like you were there. Very descriptive, always moving. One of the best works of word painting I have ever read.