Never cover art

Never

A Globe-spanning, Contemporary Tour-de-Force from the International Bestselling Author of the Kingsbridge Series

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Never

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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About this listen

'Ken Follett can't write a bad book, and Never is his best' – Stephen King

Expertly researched and visionary in scale, international no. 1 bestseller Ken Follett’s Never is more than a thriller. It imagines a World War Three scenario we all hope never comes true, one which will keep you transfixed until the final word . . .

A stolen US army drone.
A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert.
A secret stash of deadly chemicals.

Each is a threat to global stability. Each can be overcome with only the highest levels of diplomacy. But when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, an international chain reaction kicks off with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war . . .

Now three people must work with the utmost skill to stop that from happening:

A spy working undercover with jihadis.
A brilliant Chinese spymaster.
A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election.

The only question is – in a game of brinksmanship, can the inevitable ever be stopped?

'Bold in scale and meticulously researched' – Sunday Times Thriller of the Month

'Stunning . . . one of the most compelling reads of the year' – Daily Express

'Urgent and fiercely compelling’ – Washington Post

More than 175 million copies sold worldwide. Published in over eighty territories and thirty-seven languages. The international no.1 bestselling phenomenon returns.

Genre Fiction Military Political Science Fiction Spies & Politics Technothrillers Thriller & Suspense War & Military Espionage Fiction War Exciting Scary Middle East Imperial Japan Iran China

Critic reviews

Ken Follett has never been short of ambition. And it’s the global scope and vast multinational cast that chiefly impress in Never, his return to contemporary storytelling . . . Bold in scale and meticulously researched, Never makes other international spy novels appear timid, lazy and parochial (Sunday Times Thriller of the Month November 2021)
I couldn't put it down . . . terrifying read . . . masterful detail . . . It's a stunning thriller and one of the most compelling reads of the year. It's not quite The Godfather, but it comes pretty close (Daily Express)
A master storyteller, Follett has created a tale vast in scale, yet richly detailed, exploring the consequences of international power plays and the chilling imminence of global catastrophe.
An ambitious and compelling narrative, exploring the consequences of international power plays and the chilling imminence of global catastrophe (Press Association syndicated review)
Urgent and fiercely compelling . . . Never is first-rate entertainment that has something important to say. It deserves the popular success it will almost certainly achieve (Washington Post)
Superstar novelist Ken Follett’s what-if political thriller . . . is so exciting – and so plausible – you won’t want to look away (Apple Books Best Book of the Month)
Settle in for a thrilling ride (CNN.com)
Follett’s story captivates (Christian Science Monitor)
A complex, scary thriller that feels too plausible for comfort. You’ll be so absorbed in the story threads that you’ll follow them anywhere – and you’ll suddenly realize you’ve read hundreds of pages . . . On one level, it’s great entertainment; on another, a window into a sobering possibility (Kirkus Reviews starred review)
Absolutely compelling . . . A smart, scary, and all-too-plausible thriller (Booklist)
Terrific . . . A powerful, commanding performance from one of the top writers in the genre (Publishers Weekly starred review)
[Follett] weaves a web of intrigue . . . Shocking to the very last page
Taking readers on a thrilling, rollercoaster ride through 800 pages of dazzling storytelling, Follett brings his extraordinary visionary talents to this powerful and far-reaching novel.

A pacey, character-driven thriller set against the backdrop of an imminent Third World War
Told in Follett's hallmark widescreen style, the blockbuster thriller is packed with memorable characters and global politics, it's a nail-biting ride!
All stars
Most relevant
It is the near future.

A violent confrontation between West & East arises concerning an increasingly destabilised North Korea.

It’s not looking good, the use of nuclear weapons may be necessary. Furthermore, it will be America's first woman president who will preside over this impending apocalyptic debacle.

Interestingly, this appears to be the author’s first published novel since 2004.

Strangely, it seems a little difficult to discover much of the author's DNA in the presented prose. The whole production doesn't appear to have much of a watermark or personal stamp on it of any kind.

It is not badly written, the plot is not gripping but it is reasonably well-paced with characterisation a little sparse, wooden and uninspiring with an ending which, while not exactly a whimper, considering the subject matter on offer, isn't a bang, either.

It is as if a decision had been made to develop a Ken Follet Pro Novel Writer Software Programme and deploy it.

The narration is good.

as if a decision had been made to develop a Ken Follet Pro Novel Writer Software Programme and deploy it.

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I have read/ listened to very many Ken Follet books. This one I probably enjoyed the least.
Dislikes: general ‘wokeness’ . Box ticking ‘diversity’
Unnecessary and unbelievable love stories x3 against a background of nuclear war.
For me, the reader grated though many others liked her.
Unnecessary detail eg names of very minor characters. Details of food eaten and clothes worn.

Likes: The central plot of the snowballing descent into nuclear war. Believable and chilling

Mixed bag

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Never is surely the worst Ken Follet book I've listened to. He seems to make supposedly intelligent characters ask dumb questions for the sake of exposition. 40% of the book takes place in central Africa which has almost no relevance to the central plot. The characters are forgettable and the narration is flat.
Still, it was entertaining enough to have on in the background, though occasionally insulting to the listeners intelligence.

Patronising and lacking cohesion

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Brilliant book I had given up on him as the historical books were following the same blueprint as the previous novel, so were becoming predictable, I am glad I gave this one a try best audio book I have listened to in a long time

Fantastic read

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I enjoyed this audiobook. The story was compelling if a little implausible. Despite Mr Follet’s laughably obvious attempt to push his trendy politics on to the audience, the basic narrative was good enough to keep me listening.

An enjoyable listen despite all of the forced woke nonsense.

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