“Pillars of the Earth” is one of my favorite books ever! Many of Ken Follet’s other books don’t really appeal to me (I’m not a big ‘spy novel’ fan). But “A Dangerous Fortune” is an exception. While banking is not an industry that holds a lot of interest for me, neither is cathedral building, so you just never know. “Fortune” is set in England in the 1890′s and about the Pilaster family of bankers. The characters range from the rich and the rich hangers-on to the poorest of poor. Follet begins with a mini-mystery at a boarding school and then fast forwards to those same boys in adulthood.

I love how Follet isn’t afraid to write characters as complex villians and he also carefully builds his heroes. You will enjoy getting to know them and their interactions.

This book does have a number of graphic depictions of a whorehouse, so be aware of that. This is not a book I would recommend for young teens (if I had to give it a movie rating, I would probably give it an NC-17 rating). The plot moves quickly, the characters are interesting and it’s a nice piece of historical-esque fiction.

It’s not a book that makes you think, but it is one that most readers will enjoy for its pace and texture. Of course, if you’re going to read any Follet novel, you should start with “Pillars of the Earth”.