My rating is 4.5 stars, but it's qualified by the fact that I'm fascinated by WWI and the events leading up to it. In fact, that's why this was recommended to me, even though I'd be unlikely to pick up a Ken Follett novel otherwise. Fall of Giants is a sprawling, 852-page epic that follows about 10 different main characters who are situated in different parts of Europe (plus an American), from varying social classes and backgrounds, and we see each character's first-hand experience of living through four years of war. I've read many different historical accounts of WWI, but the fictional stories of each character really helped me get closer to the experience what it was like to be part of that time in history. If you aren't interested in WWI, it's not particularly exceptional as a novel. The plot is well-crafted and I had a hard-time putting it down, but as literature, it's average. But if you want to get a new perspective on that period in history, I would highly recommend it.