298) CATHEDRAL OF THE SEA—Ildefonso Falcones—Set in and around Barcelona in the 1300s, this is a fine, and lengthy, book for those into historical fiction. While the dust jacket refers to Ken Follett, and by extension his 'cathedral book', I think it is unjustified. While the principal character is Arneau Estanyol, the focus remains on Barcelona, its people, customs, religion, beliefs and the determination of the people to live. Love, hate jealousy, revenge, honor and friendship all find their place in this epic of 60 plus years along with good times and bad, the plague, inquisition, oddities of the nobility and warring kings. Well researched many places and events are based on fact with subtle changes to fit the fictionalization; and for those critics who complain about some portrayals, I think they should remember the author is giving a report of the time with examples of what actually occurred; it does no mean the author condones them.