Birth of an Empire

Starred review from January 19, 2009
The exciting third novel in Iggulden's Genghis Khan series tells the dramatic story of the Mongol invasion and conquest of Central Asia. Genghis has already defeated the Chinese and Koreans, and now marches his vast army west to punish and conquer the Muslim lands of central Asia ruled by Shah Mohammed. For eight years the Mongols ravage the shah's empire, crushing armies, destroying cities and slaughtering anyone who resists. Iggulden's vivid descriptions of bloody battles, masterful sieges and political intrigue are gripping, showcasing Genghis's brilliance as a strategist, tactician, administrator and leader. Side plots include the deadly rivalry between two of Genghis's sons, the rape and murder of Genghis's sister by a trusted adviser, the surprising rise of the shah's son as a capable enemy and the treachery of Genghis's son toward his father. This is epic historical fiction at its finest: exciting, suspenseful, colorful and well-grounded in fact. With this tale, it is easy to see why the name Genghis is synonymous with conquest and military genius.

Starred review from March 5, 2007
Author of the bestselling Emperor series on the life of Julius Caesar, Iggulden turns to another of history's great conquerors, Genghis Khan, for a new series of brilliantly imagined and addictive historical fiction. Future conqueror Temujin—"a man of iron"—is born to the khan (ruler) of a fierce Mongol tribe that roams central Asia's steppes in the 12th century. When his father is killed by Tartar raiders before Temujin reaches manhood, a rival claims the tribe and banishes Temujin's family. Left behind without resources when the tribe migrates, the family struggles to survive the harsh environment, and Temujin dreams of gathering similar outcasts—wanderers and herdsmen—into a new tribe. After assembling a core of these "men scorned by all the others," Temujin begins raiding Tartar camps. As his fame spreads, Temujin launches an ambitious campaign to unite the Mongol tribes "after a thousand years of warfare" into a single people, defeat the Tartars and invade China. Building on the fragments of Genghis's life, Iggulden weaves a spellbinding story of an exotic and "unforgiving land" and the enigmatic young man—charismatic, a brilliant tactician and capable "of utter ruthlessness"—who sets out to tame it. This is historical fiction of the first order.

April 15, 2007
The author of the "Emperor" books about Julius Caesar (e.g., "The Gates of Rome") returns with another series, this one based on the life of Temujin, the young man who would one day become Genghis Khan. Iggulden convincingly portrays the harsh conditions of the medieval Mongolian steppes and even harsher circumstances of Temujin's early life. The account of how the canny, observant, and ferociously strong-willed Temujin survived and eventually clawed his way to prominence is both a blood-soaked tale of rags to riches and a rousing adventure. Iggulden's prose is workmanlike rather than poetic, but the action scenes are frequent and energetic and the intertribal politics rife with intrigue and betrayal. In the final pages, Temujin takes the name by which he is better known and sets his sights on greater challenges to be addressed in future volumes of the series. An afterword provides historical commentary and notes where Iggulden has deviated from the historical record. Recommended for all public library fiction collections, especially where there is strong interest in historical military fiction.Bradley A. Scott, Brighton District Lib. & Baker Coll. Lib. of Flint, MI

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.