Rate this book

Conqueror (2011)

by Conn Iggulden(Favorite Author)

4.38 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

000727114X (ISBN13: 9780007271146)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

series

Conqueror

review 1: The historical period involving Genghis Khan and his descendants is fertile ground for some fantastic, engaging fiction too. Conn Iggulden emerges as the master of historical fiction, weaving a wonderful story around the meteoric rise of Kublai Khan.Genghis Khan has united the numerous nomadic Mongol tribes into a single nation and into a formidable fighting force. After his death in 1227, his son Ogedai Khan presides over the conquered lands. When Ogedai Khan dies in 1241, his wife Torogene rules the nation as a regent for 10 years working behind the scenes to ensure that her son Guyuk gets selected as the next Khan in 1251. Torogene enlists the allegiance of Batu (son of Jochi) and Mongke (the fist of the four sons of Tolui and Sorhatani). Kublai and his other brothers H... moreulegu and Arik-Boke also pledge their allegiance to Guyuk respecting the wishes of their mother Sorhatani. At this time, Kublai is more of a scholar than a warrior learning languages like Mandarin and other things.Guyuk is a brute who systematically tries to consolidate his position by eliminating all challengers. He undertakes a long march to the lands of Batu with a view to eliminate him. Kublai thwarts this by traveling incognito and informing Batu. Guyuk is killed by Batu while on a hunt. Mongke takes over as Khan.Mongke charges Hulegu to expand the territories in the west by subduing the Islamic nations. The youngest brother Arik-Boke is charged with the administration of territories around Karakoram. Mongke is contemptuous of Kublai, but sends him to consolidate their territories in Chin and also subjugate the formidable Sung empire. This book chronicles the transformation of Kublai (the mere scholar) into the brilliant strategist and empire builder.When Mongke gets suspicious of Kublai's activities in Sung, he marches towards Chin ostensibly to check on Kublai's building of the famed city of Shang-Du. While in the Chin territory, Mongke is assassinated. It is customary for all Mongols to return to Karakoram for a gathering to select the next Khan. Kublai refuses to return leaving his campaign incomplete in Sung. At Karakoram, Arik-Boke the youngest of the brothers announces himself as the Khan. In the Sung territory, Kublai announces himself to be the Khan. This paves the way for a civil war, pitting brother against brother.The book is fat (over 500 pages). But it is so interesting that when I came to the end I was a wee bit surprised that the author had chosen not to cover the entire story of Kublai Khan. The world probably knows him better for better for his establishment of the Yuan dynasty in China, his campaigns against Japan and his meeting with the famed explorer Marco Polo. Conn Iggulden explains why he chosen to end the story on the note of Kublai prevailing in the civil war. The narration is very tight and the imagery it creates is awesome. To me, Conn Iggulden is the master of historical fiction. I really hope that one day he would write a whole novel about the scholar-warrior-conqueror, Kublai Khan and also about that formidable lady, Sorhatani (Kublai's mother).
review 2: The Mongol nation, third generation, Genghis's grandsons take on the gur-khanate. Guyuk Khan dies mysteriously and Mongke Khan assumes the gur-khanate. Placing his three brothers in the greatest of the small khanates, Mongke gives Khublai the Chin lands with the command to take the Sung dynasty down. Khublai, their scholarly brother who has a preference for books and the Chin traditions and dress, all of which are an anathema to Mongke. Neither Mongke or Khublai are certain if this seemingly difficult order is to destroy all things Chin, including his brother Khublai, or simply to get all things Chin out of his sight and away from Karakorum. Khublai asks for, and is granted, Yao Shu, advisor to Odegai Khan and Guyuk Khan, along with the Chin scribes, and takes them away with him. Mongke also gives into Khublai's entourage, his best military mind, Orlok Uriang-Khadai, with the express orders to destroy the Sung dynasty. We all know that Khublai surprised everyone and became a talented, savvy warlord. On the death of Mongke, youngest brother, Arik-Boke, declares himself gur-khan, not knowing that Khublai had done likewise while thousands of miles away in Sung territory, at the gates of Hangzhou, the seat of the Sung dynasty. Now the fun begins.Iggulden writes with flair and assurance, always so very well-researched that his stories are history lessons as well as fine action pieces. His skill in writing military scenes, involved and complicated battle scenes, is unrivaled, I believe. His "Historical Notes" are full of answers to questions we might have, and also explain his choices when he must choose, and the reasons he might have fiddled a bit with the historical record -- all credible and satisfying. The trick to maintaining such credibility is in admitting that you knew what you were doing and why.I'm never disappointed in Iggulden's work. I find it stimulating and that it often produces in me a desire to begin researches about the historical periods he writes about. less

Download links for: Conqueror

Advertising

Online stores:

Amazon

Copy in the library:

Find

Torrents:

Find

Links:

Reviews (see all)

Laurenmercedess

As a Hong Kong bornt chinese, Genghis Khan and his descendants were a must on the curriculum but not in too much details. It is fascinating to read the "Genghis Khan" series of Conn Iggulden. I have never heard of the books until one of my friend from the US sent me disk of audio books in which was the exciting 4th book, The City of Silver was among them. I didn't recognized their English names fo the characters, and I thought it was just purely fictional, but really good. Then I discovered the series and finished all 5 books in one week. By far, the most interesting ones are the first and the last, Conqueror. Although the books are fictions, but its based real historical facts, albeit the chronological order and the characters may have been manipulated to suit the flow of the stories.We had only a glimpse of the intelligence of Kublai Khan in our text books, but in this last book and that much is obvious. He is the perfect student of his life long mentor Yao Shu, but he himself has innovative ideas all of his own. His reign as the first Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty is full of merits, because he recognizes and respects the people's culture and his own liking for the literature and ways of life of the people he rules. That is most impotant, when you are a minor number of foreigners ruling over 200 million subjects. You can't kill them all, mot even if Genghis is alive.This final book, has all the trappings of a great historical novel, the story telling is great, the plot intriquing and most of all, it never strays too far from real facts, the battles, the cities Mongol warriors blundered and destroy, add that to a twist of the author's own imagination. I bet Conn's reference book " The Secret Lifes of the Mongols" is a good read too.

SavD

Picked up the fifth and final book in the series by mistake and didn't really realize until I was halfway through it. Clearly, continuity throughout the series isn't crucial for enjoying one book, and if you have basic knowledge of the rise of the Mongolian empire you already kind of know the broad strokes of what's going to happen.All in all it's a fairly well-written and enjoyable book (2.5 stars) with the added bonus of being shock full of information about a culture that doesn't seem to get enough spotlight (perhaps with the exception of Marco Polo TV series that I've yet to see). The fact that I learned quite a bit reading this book (and the wikipedia articles in-between chapters) bumps it up to a strong 3.

kuulei

Best of the series, ruthless!!

Write review