A friend gave me Pillars of the Earth about 4 years ago before Oprah put it on her list (damn her lists!). It was a great book and I agree, half the book was slow and tedious but then it just picked up and ran off in the latter half.

I'm having a really hard time finding good fiction these days. I still would have to rate the Harry Potter series as the best I've read in the last several years. Most other books just leave me flat.

Another book that starts out slow but progresses well is Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale is still one of my faves).

Power of One (again, damn Oprah!) by Bryce Courtnay is my all time favourite book of mine, it's moving.