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Liked It “An action packed story on the famous conquerer Genghis kahn filled with war action romance the story of the great conquerer is a must read” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“An action packed story on the famous conquerer Genghis kahn filled with war action romance the story of the great conquerer is a must read”
Nolan D wrote this review 4 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The first in a series of fictional novels about the Mongol leader who forged what would become the largest contiguous empire in history. If you're looking for accuracy, I would suggest one of the several nonfiction accounts of the Mongols that are currently available. Otherwise, this book is an entertaining read.”
Ronald J wrote this review Tuesday, August 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Great historical fiction--you get a real feel for how this amazing person, Genghis Khan, might have experienced life under most difficult situations, and you can understand what drove the man to bring together so many disparate groups to create the Mongol Empire.”
Some Shelton Holdings wrote this review Tuesday, July 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“one of my top 10”
JAY D wrote this review Thursday, July 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“good book,get hold of it!!
dicky wrote this review Sunday, October 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
ruthless and a good strategist....basically the birth of TEMUJIN alias gengis khan "khan of grass land".”
“Brilliantly written. Conn tells a imaginative and invigorating tale. Genghis comes alive in the telling. His brilliance and tactical genius flow from the pages. You can't help but to become entranced by the story. It will keep you up till late in the night.”
Charles W wrote this review Saturday, May 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Borrowed from Jamie - a quick change from my usual factual choices - though the history is apparently fairly accurate”
Stephen Wish wrote this review Sunday, April 26 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“a young boy abandoned with his siblingd on the harsh plains he survies starvation and hostile attackes by learning remarkable skills and gathering other outsiders”
deniz b wrote this review Saturday, March 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Genghis: Birth of an Empire
Amy Y wrote this review Wednesday, April 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Written by Conn Iggulden, the historical fiction novel of Genghis Kahn takes place in Mongolia and China during the time period from approximately 1170 to the time Genghis conquers the Naimans. Genghis: Birth of an Empire is a story of a warrior culture and of family values and struggles. “The snow was blinding as the Mongol archers encircled the Tartar Raiding party. Each man guided his pony with his knees, standing on the stirrups to fire shaft after shaft with withering accuracy” (Prologue, p. 1). The book opens with this sentence with a fight to ensue and other battles and death to follow.
Conn Iggulden gives details on the word Khan and how the “K” is not pronounced. Genghis was born Temujin, which means ironworker, to Hoelun and Yesugei of the Blue Wolves Clan who live in gers or yurts. At age eleven his father takes Genghis to his mother’s birth clan, the Olkhunut, so they can find a wife “to warm your bed when her blood comes.” Genghis is betrothed to Borte who is now 14 years of age (p. 75). He will live in her father’s ger for a year, return to his family, and then at the right time, he will return for Borte. This novel is about love, hate, and cruelty. Yesugei loves his family, but Borte’s father, Sholoi beats his wife, his daughter, and Genghis. Conn Iggulden writes about the question of loyalty when we read how his first warrior Eeluk betrays Yesugei. Genghis’ visit to the Olkhunut is shortened. After Yesugei dies from poisoning by the Tartars, Eeluk, his first warrior, becomes khan of the Wolves and forces Hoelun, her four sons and one infant daughter out of the clan with no livestock, ger, tools, horses, or weapons. He intended for them to die. Iggulden weaves a story of harsh nomadic survival of collective effort throughout this book. They have nothing but their hands – so thinks Eeluk. But Hoelun had a small box hid under her clothes. You have to read to find out what was contained in this small box that helped them continue to exist. Eeluk has left them to “take your father’s body to the hills,” and Eeluk tells them that “die or live, you will not be of the Wolves.” Family dynamics and family relationships are explained, and it is Hoelun’s resourcefulness and strength that helps her family survive in a patriarchal culture. It is Hoelun, Genghis’ mother, who gives instructions to her sons about how to hunt for food for their family. Although there are many times they are near starvation, Hoelun explains that it is in staying together that they will survive. In this book, the author shares the knowledge of how they crafted their tools and how they make their own bows and weapons. Genghis’ oldest brother, Bekter, does not work in the collective effort of helping his family survive. He kills food for himself, and then tells his family he didn’t find anything for them to eat. His responsibility should be toward his family. Genghis and one younger brother decide to kill their brother because he is not pulling his weight for the survival of the family unit. This is how Genghis became head of his family.
Genghis is eventually captured and enslaved and he receives cruel and unusual punishment. While enslaved in a hole in the ground, like an open septic tank, men defecate and pissed on Genghis. It is the sword smith, Arslan, and his son who help Genghis escape. Conn Iggulden writes in vivid imagery when he describes the ice shelf over a river in which Genghis hides under, while standing in the freezing cold water. “The river wound around a corner, under ancient overhanging trees. On the other side was a bank of blue ice that had survived the winter in constant shadow. The rushing water had eaten a shelf beneath it, and though he feared the biting cold, he made for it without hesitation. He wondered vaguely how long he could survive in the freezing water” (Iggulden, p. 279). Arslan and his son become, along with his brothers, wife, and mother, Genghis’ most trusted advisors. You must read how he escapes, and how he survives the brutal cold and hunger. He returns to his mother’s birth clan and takes Borte. Genghis’ brothers Kachium and Kahsar are loyal to him and help him unite other clans into one big clan.
This story is about culture, survival, how men hunt and fight for the families and clans; it is about how women encourage the men, and become their husband’s advisors. It is the story of how one man became a great leader, and how he and his family conquered lands from the Yellow Sea to the Black Sea to Hungary and Austria to Iraq. The author Conn Iggulden, who lives in England, went to live in Mongolia for a year, lived with Mongols, and researched the Khans. Therefore, this book is written in English about an Eastern culture from a Western cultural objective point of view. In this book, he explains how women cooked, and how they made their felt. He explains what was expected of the young boys and girls. Genghis was a strong, noble and wise khan and was proud of his family. At the end of this book, Genghis uniting Mongolia and is looking to conquer Chin (China). But, wait, after you read this book, Genghis: The Birth of an Empire, you can then read the next subsequent book entitled Lords of the Bow.” At the end of this book, in the Afterword, Conn Iggulden explains how he changed some of the names to shortened versions, and how the Mongols still hunt with bow and rifle. Recommended by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is a 2008 Alex Award.
Ages: 12 - 18
Quality – 5Q
Popularity – 2P
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