The Armour of Light is set in late 18th- and early 19th-century England, and begins with young wife and mother Sally Clitheroe, struggling with personal tragedy in a time of great societal upheaval. Her husband has been killed in a preventable accident and she has a young son, so must be pragmatic to ensure their survival.

Moving to a larger town to seek a living, she finds herself amid the spinning and weaving industry, where monumental change is coming with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. New machines require fewer people to operate them, throwing many people out of work with no societal support, but for some people there is opportunity, and great fortunes are made and lost.

As the story progresses, and international tensions escalate, Wellington confronts Bonaparte at Waterloo, and once again society and all that is known is turned upside down. Life for many will never be the same again.

I found this rather formulaic. The characters are not particularly well drawn and are somewhat stereotypical. The ‘good guys’ are good because they work hard and suffer in dignity. The ‘bad guys’ are bad because they are greedy, underhanded and treat the main characters very badly. The end of the novel felt like it arrived with tremendous speed, with many things suddenly very well resolved.

Having said that, this is an entertaining read and the pace certainly kept me engaged. Follet always does his research well too. I have read everything Ken Follett has written and I don’t believe this is his best.

Reviewed by Lesley West

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and three Labradors.

Visit Ken Follett’s website