But the idea that came to me and made me say ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve got to do that, that could be terrific’, was the idea for Never.ĭid the pandemic and the lockdowns affect your process with this book in any way? If I’d have thought of another great story set in the 18th century, then I would have written that. If I think of a really good story, then that’s what I want to write. What brought about your return to contemporary fiction after a decade?įor me, it’s not really the genre that counts, it’s the story.

Eventually, I realised that the word ‘never’ sort of summed up the fear that I felt and that I believe readers will feel when they read it. When I was thinking about this, I kept thinking, ‘I hope it never happens’. Why did you choose Never as the title of your book? But the most important part was talking to the people on the front line in global politics. I read The Economist every week and the Financial Times every day, plus Foreign Affairs magazine, The China Quarterly, and The Journal of Strategic Studies. I studied aircraft carriers, missile launchers, and nuclear bunkers.

Fortunately I had already visited Beijing, the Sahara Desert and the White House. I planned several trips, but the virus intervened. For Never, I interviewed numerous people who have been in positions of power in the world of international affairs, including a prime minister, two ambassadors and a general. The difference was that modern situations can change rather quickly whereas we know how historical situations ended. The research process for Never wasn’t that different from that of one of my historical novels, because the story is based on real situations. Anything that you did differently from your other books? Tell us about your research process for Never. In an email interview, Follett talks to us about the process of writing the book, the impact of the pandemic on his work, dealing with the weight of expectations, and more. Rich in details, Never makes for a fast-paced read, picking up momentum as the seemingly regular events in the book snowball towards a terrifying catastrophe. “The inspiration came from the general atmosphere of danger and tension in the world which is much greater than I have ever known it,” says the author known for best-sellers such as the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy. Author Ken Follett is known for the best-selling Kingsbridge series and Century trilogy.

His new release is a high-tension tale about a World War, albeit about one that has not happened and one that Follett, like his readers, hopes never comes to pass. And the cautionary tale of political one-upmanship that is at the heart of his latest book, Never, was one that he found necessary to write in the current times. For author Ken Follett, it’s not the genre that counts it’s the story that compels him.

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