I’m a huge fan of Ken Follett‘s historical fiction Kingsbridge series, as are millions.

• The Pillars of the Earth (1989) set in the 12th century
  • World Without End (2007) set 157 years later
    • A Column of Fire (2017) starting 1558

There’s a prequel, as well set around 1000 AD – in the so-called Dark Ages: Evening and the Morning.

Happily, in 2023 he published The Armour / Armour of Light — starting 1792, around the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

New steam powered spinning looms require fewer people to operate them, throwing many people out of work.

Luddites, followers of Ned Ludd, destroy as many of the new machines as they can, but to no avail.

It’s a story we know well. New technology displacing old. The buggy whip industry disrupted.

Currently ➙ Artificial Intelligence threatening the jobs of many.

Instead of fighting AI — we need to regulate it as best we can to maximize the benefits, minimize the harm.

AI won’t take your job. Somebody who understands AI better than you will take it.

A good analogy is robots replacing factory line workers. Those maintaining and repairing robots are doing well.

This book continues through 1824 against the backdrop of social unrest occasioned by revolutionary ideas from America and France. And the Napoleonic Wars.

It ends at the Battle of Waterloo — named for the small town of Waterloo, now in Belgium.  Napoleon‘s final defeat by  the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army under Field Marshal von Blücher.

Great story. But I didn’t like the characters nearly as much as in the other books.

Spade is my favourite.

The coming-of-age story of Kit is inspiring, as well.

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