Product Description
The #1 bestselling author Conn Iggulden, coauthor of the international sensation The Dangerous Book for Boys, delivers a masterful novel of the mighty Mongol conqueror—as Genghis Khan sets out to unify an entire continent under his rule. For centuries, Mongol tribes had warred with one another. But now, under Genghis Khan, they have united as one nation, setting their sights on a common enemy: the great, slumbering walled empire of the Chin. Genghis will lead his warriors across the Gobi Desert and into a realm his people had never seen before—with gleaming cities, soaring walls, and canals. Laying siege to one fortress after another, he will crush each enemy in a different way—until his army faces the ultimate test of all.
In the city of Yenking—modern-day Beijing—the Chin will make their final stand, setting a trap for the Mongol raiders, confident behind their towering walls. But Genghis will strike with breathtaking audacity, never ceasing until the Emperor himself is forced to kneel.
Reviews:
Ed Hahn (USA: MT) (2009/08/05): I was somewhat disappointed with this book. I wanted an improvement over the first book in the series, "Genghis: Birth of an Empire". Iggulden seems to focus on the more dramatic happenings and does not get enough into the depths of the history as I would like. I had the same problem with his "Emperor" series.
This book basically covers Genghis Khan's uniting of the Mongol tribes and his subsequent invasion of China which foundered on the walls of present day Beijing. There is a great deal of bloodshed and what seems to be gratuitous violence especially in the Mongol camp. I cannot fault Iggulden's research which he summarizes in the back of the book but some of the events seem unrealistic. Without any proof, I think he does a lot of speculation as to what Genghis Khan's relationships were with his brothers and his sons.
I was fascinated at the description of the Mongol Army's tactics and its make-up, including not just the warriors but everyone's family as well. Just feeding such a mass of people must have created immense logistical problems, though they depended, to a certain extent, on ravaging the countryside for rations.
It is an exciting book, for sure, and was an easy read but I wanted more.
