Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Georgia Lee #2

The Golden Khan

Rate this book
The deadly race for the secrets of absolute power begins…

1227 CE, MONGOLIA. The greatest conqueror ever lived is entombed with a terrifying weapon, a secret that can obliterate any enemy and bring the mightiest nations to ruin.

NOW, dark forces are gathering to possess what is in his grave to create a new world order…



Just as archaeologist Georgia Lee grapples with the earth-shattering consequences of her last expedition in Taiwan, her life is once again thrown into chaos when she stumbles upon clues to the undiscovered tomb of Genghis Khan.

Her quest swiftly escalates into a desperate race across the vast, infinite landscape of Mongolia, where she confronts not only the enigma of Genghis Khan but also a sinister plot that could alter the course of history.

But to find the tomb, Georgia must first untangle the truth from the lies of what has been told of the Mongol Empire. She must also fight to protect her own secrets from those who would kill to possess them…

The Golden Khan is the sequel to A.H. Wang’s best-selling debut novel, The Imperial Alchemist, and the second book in the Georgia Lee Adventure Series. A seamless blend of fact and fiction that will have you guessing at every turn of the pages, this is an intelligent, daring, fast-paced thriller that will keep you up all night.

---

“The Golden Khan had me at the edge of my seat […] Couldn’t put it down. Best thriller I read this year.”
- Claire Lohan, author of The Land of Happy Tomorrows

“Intrigue, suspense, and mystery abound… This is a thriller that holds you in its grip throughout.”
- J.J. Green, author of The Concordia Deception

“Even Better Than The First Book – Fantastic Adventure! […] If I could rate this book 6 stars I would. “
- Amazon Customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2024

395 people are currently reading
189 people want to read

About the author

A.H. Wang

3 books79 followers
A.H. Wang is a contemporary visual artist and author with a deep fascination for ancient history and a passion for adventure. Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, her travels have taken her across five continents and dozens of countries. Throughout her journeys, she became fascinated by the local cultures and the lore of ancient civilizations.

As well as making art and writing, you will find her deeply involved with her meditation practice. In a previous life, she was also a scientist, an engineer, a holistic counselor and a Reiki master. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband.

Find out more about her art practice at www.anniewangartist.com

Sign up to her mailing list at: https://www.ahwangauthor.com/contact-me/
and follow her on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-h-wang
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahwangauthor/
and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahwangauthor/

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
548 (64%)
4 stars
246 (28%)
3 stars
50 (5%)
2 stars
5 (<1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
Profile Image for Sam.
5 reviews3 followers
December 18, 2020
*Slow Clap*

Brilliant.

I haven't read a book that has kept me burning the midnight oil in a long long time.

I gave the first book in this series 4 stars and I can comfortably say that this latest addition far exceeds any expectation I had for a sequel. As they say, so many authors struggle with their sophomore offering but A.H. Wang has really nailed it.

I have received this book as an ARC in return for an honest review.

As expected, the second novel in the series continues on with Professor Georgia Lee's adventure. Georgia is a great character and I love how the the author depicts her as first and foremost a highly intelligent, brilliant, nerdy academic who just so happens to have a bit of beauty about her.

The pacing of the novel is spot on. I felt that in the first book, the pacing was a little bit off. But in this latest offering, the author has really taken command of her storytelling abilities. From start to finish, I was on the edge. I do not recommend anyone starting this book at 9pm at night as you will have real difficulty putting it down.

I feel that this book can easily be read as a stand alone novel. The author has given enough background information throughout the novel that details the important information from the first book. In saying that, you will have a more rewarding experience if you read the first book in the series!

As with the first book, you can really see the research the author has done to write this novel. I almost felt as if I had been transported to Mongolia such were the vivid descriptions of the landscape, people and cultural traditions. It made me really want to travel to Mongolia and visit all the places described in the book! I loved the history side of the book and one of the reasons why I took a bit longer reading this book was because I was always getting caught on a side quest looking up Wikipedia articles about the Yuan Dynasty or Mongolian Shamanism etc etc.

I felt that all the characters in the book were well fleshed out. I appreciated that the author really tried to give the side characters a voice which really helped expand their relationship with main characters. I particularly enjoyed one of our new main characters and the Star Wars-esque twist at the end. And talking about Star Wars - one of my favourite lines in the book is:

"Love is your lightsaber. It is the only thing that wins in the end, the only thing that can transcend death."

The conclusion of the novel was both satisfactory yet unexpected. I was actually anticipating perhaps the return of an old enemy but what the author has given us is much more cathartic and really makes me want to read the next book in the series as soon as possible. There is still so much I feel we do not know about Professor Georgia Lee and I think the author will really enjoy expanding on her main character in the next book.

All in all, a terrific read for anyone interested in a fast-paced, well researched adventure-mystery with an amazingly intelligent and interesting female protagonist.

Bravo!
Profile Image for Ida Umphers.
5,502 reviews47 followers
December 24, 2020
I really like the character of Georgia Lee. In so many books of this type, the male hero has women around, but here we have an interesting woman as the leading scholar and driver of the series. Just as in the first book, this is a great blend of action and historical tidbits that whetted my appetite to learn more about Genghis Khan and Mongolia, a fresh, new setting. This character and series continue to hold my interest and I look forward to seeing where we get to travel next with Georgia Lee and what historical figure we learn more about.
1 review
November 19, 2020
This was an excellent sequel the The Imperial Alchemist, the first adventure of Georgia Lee. The Golden Khan brings us along an action packed adventure through Mongolia, while teaching us lesser known truths about Chinggis Khan and his accomplishments. I was excited to continue with Georgia Lee's character through another country, and am excited to see what comes next from author A.H. Wang!
3 reviews
December 18, 2020
There’s a new kid on the block, and she’s an amazing story teller. The first book in this series, the Imperial Alchemist follows the adventures of Professor Georgia Lee an archeologist hired to search for an ancient Chinese elixir. She is the quintessential heroine and she captured my imagination. The story was a page turning journey through great eons of Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese history as well as the lives of well drawn heroes and villeins. Part rollicking non stop adventure and in a large part an psychological exploration of the depths of a complex heroine. The story completes itself but there is so much more.
The second book with the same main character explores the ramifications and complications arising from the first book’s events. Even though I was really looking forward to reading The Golden Kahn I wasn't expecting it to be so enthralling. A story set within the Mongolian steppes and mountains. The descriptions of the landscape pulled my imagination along for a visual ride. A different set of ancillary characters each an archetype, expressively rendered, each character essential to the advancement of the plot. Again Professor Georgia Lee is searching for archeological relics and hidden histories. The inner press of anticipation as each unread page was turned kept me up at night.
Part fantasy, part historical romance, part magical and definitely an adventure. I haven’t been as enthralled by a book(s) in years. A much needed mental and imaginative stretch. Sheer reading pleasure.
Profile Image for Stephen Cordray.
2 reviews
December 23, 2020
I received an advance copy of the book. Really enjoyed it. Archeological books are a favorite of mine and this one did not disappoint. It is the second in the Georgia Lee series and I truly hope that there will be many more to come. Characters are well thought out, history well explained well and a believable plot with a great ending. If you have not read this series I highly recommend it.
2 reviews
December 23, 2020
I started reading and couldn’t put it down. I know that is cliche but it had me hooked from the first chapter. The story line is believable and easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
2 reviews
January 26, 2021
Now I’m waiting for the third instalment!


I would highly recommend this book! Having read The Imperial Alchemist, it was great to get reacquainted with Georgia Lee and develop a further understanding of her character. The story didn’t disappoint - pulling me in and keeping me gripped through twists and turns. Having no real prior knowledge of Mongolia, it was fascinating to read about the country and its rich cultural heritage. I was impressed with the level of research/knowledge at the foundation of this book and how this is relayed to the reader in such an engaging way. I loved the mix of adventure, romance and history. I’m already looking forward to the next Georgia Lee instalment!!
13 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2020
Travelogue, Thriller, Historical Novel
This book is all of the above. Personally I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series - The Alchemist (which is also great value for money) before reading the Golden Khan. The first book lays the ground work for many of the characters and also the underlying story itself. I became so absorbed near the ending of The Golden Khan I was quite exhausted! Five stars!
3 reviews
January 20, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. I've been struggling to keep reading for quite a while now because of the pandemic, and this got me right back into the swing of things. The history in this book is brilliant, especially for a work of fiction, and you can really tell that the author did their research for this. I was intrigued by all of the characters, and particularly enjoyed actually getting to read something with varied female characters, who aren't two-dimensional, for once. There were some great and genuinely unexpected plot twists, and some lovely storytelling throughout. I would definitely recommend this book, and I would say that this doesn't require a niche interest in a certain aspect of history as so many historical fiction novels do. Thoroughly enjoyed, and will certainly read again!
480 reviews5 followers
December 16, 2020
Mongolian Mystery
Adventure to the Steppes of Mongolia in search of Chinggis (Ghenghis) Khan's tomb. Very, easy to read, fast paced action adventure with twists and turns that make for a wonderful, interesting story. Looking forward to more books about Georgia Lee.
4 reviews
July 8, 2021
Another riveting story

Loved the first book “The Imperial Alchemist” and was certainly not disappointed with this second book. I could not put the book down although I was conflicted that by reading that fast I was coming to its conclusion way too fast …. I cannot wait for the next book and highly recommend these 2 books for a total immersion in a captivating and breathtaking adventure
7 reviews
November 19, 2020
What an adventure! As good a book as I have read in years and an excellent follow up to the Imperial Alcehmist. My new favourite author!

From the classrooms of Australia, we join Georgia on another adventure this time in Mongolia and wow, the detail and story are so fascinating, I can almost touch it. I loved the characters, old and new and following the development of each one is really a joy. I cannot wait for the next book!

5 stars !!
Profile Image for Susan Walt.
Author 4 books5 followers
January 25, 2021
I have received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Golden Khan is the sequel to the popular The Imperial Alchemist. It can be read as a standalone novel, although it is better to read the books in order.

Professor Georgia Lee has not even had a chance to recover from her previous adventure in Taiwan, when she received a call from her best friend, Ethan Sommers, asking for her help. Even though reluctant because of how their last encounter ended, Georgia cannot refuse.

Their friend Hiroshi Akiyama has disappeared. But not before giving Ethan the sulde or Spirit Banner left to him by his father. While investigating this object, they are attacked in his home, Ethan is kidnapped, but Georgia manages to escape with the sulde. Russian Dr Anya Mihailovich uses Ethan as a pawn to force Georgia to give her the sulde. But not before Georgia manages to record the writing on the Spirit Banner.

“When the spirit and the seat of the Golden Khan are together again, Then shall the truth be revealed . . . “ -A. H. Wang. The Golden Khan (ARC) (Kindle Locations 1117-1118). Kindle Edition.


One quote. Two determined women. Scientist against archaeologist. The race for the Secret History of the Mongols is on!

Ruthless Dr Anya Mihailovich seems to always be one step ahead. Stealing the saddle of Genghis Khan (pronounce as Chinggis Khan) gives her another clue that Georgia is not privy to. But Georgia uses her knowledge and skills, extracting clues from the available (but cross-translated) history of the Mongols books. Both arriving in the Khentii National Park, but on different parts of the Khentii Mountain Range.

The curse of Genghis Khan keeps on thwarting all of Anya’s efforts. The constant rain hinders her progress, eventually killing one of her comrades and she herself being pinned under a massive tree during a storm on the mountain.

Georgia and Ben (a linguistic expert enlisted to help her), survive the storm by hiding in a crevice, find the Russian camp and recover the sulde. They locate the actual gravesite of the Khan emperors but are surprised by Lev, a Spetsnaz operative working with Anya. In the ensuing struggle, Ben gets shot, and Lev forces her to open and enter the gravesite.



A.H Wang once again manages to spin an intricate tale of suspense, based on ancient history. Georgia must use all her knowledge and wit to decipher archaeological clues, always in a race against time to reach her goal before her enemies. And still having to hide her immortality, despite being wounded multiple times.

What I love
Georgia is a complex character. Brilliant when it comes to her work but avoiding emotions and confrontation. This leads to much anguish as she pushes away the people that care about her. Not being able to tell anyone about her immortality makes it even harder for her to share anything else. But through the story of Genghis Khan, she learns the importance of making amends instead of being consumed by hate and revenge.

We can easily relate to her, since we all have our weaknesses, and often tend to push away the ones we love.

What I did not love
But life is often like that, and even in stories, things do not always play out the way we want it to.

Overall Assessment
The author creates an intricate plot that draws the reader in from the beginning. She spins a fascinating story about Genghis Khan, one of the figures in history known as a great warrior. The two women (Anya and Georgia) chasing after the same goal creates suspense and have the reading rooting for Georgia with all the obstacles she must overcome. And all the time also having to conceal her immortality.

All the clues that the women must decipher make sense and carries the narrative to its logical conclusion.

The characters are well-developed and realistic, and readers can easily relate to Georgia, with all her flaws and weaknesses.

Bottom line

I loved this book and would recommend it to fans of Clive Cussler, Kevin Tumlinson and JC Ryan.

I hope the story of Professor Georgia Lee and her exploits will continue and looking forward to reading another book in this series.

Trigger Warnings
Deity Swears, Violence, Death, Profanity, Violence

You can also read more about the book on my blog: https://readorrot.com/the-golden-khan...
Profile Image for Denis Mcgrath.
148 reviews5 followers
December 25, 2020
Diminutive Professor Georgia Lee returns from her last hazardous asian archeological adventure searching for the “elixir of Life” to pursue the mysterious artefacts of the great warrior and leader Ghengis (Chingis) Khan. Of particular interest is his tomb and an original copy of the “Secret History of the Mongols.”'The book written in Mongolian marks the transition of the Mongolian Empire from an oral to a written tradition. The book may contain valuable insights of particular interest to world powers. Ghengis was a masturfull tactician and the Mongols went as far as Russia in their conquests. Translations into Chinese have been redacted and only the personal details of the great leader are inluded. Both the tomb and the book are carefully guarded secrets which secret agentswoud like to obtain at any cost. Thus the novel opens with a bang and moves swiftly with armed conflict, murder, deception and violence and a hint of lustful sensousness. The author has done her homework and the historical facts and descriptions carefully match the Mongolian landscape and customs, except of course, where she develops her exciting fictional backdrop. Does she find the tomb? Yes. But you will lhave to read whom she meets and what she finds. You won’t be disappointed.
81 reviews1 follower
December 25, 2020
In the Golden Khan the engaging main character Georgia Lee, a resilient and brilliant archeologist, continues her adventures into Mongolia. From the minute I started reading the Prologue I was immediately drawn into the story - due to the authors descriptions I actually felt as if I was close up in the story (but invisible) watching, feeling, smelling, sensing. The author explores more of who Georgia is in this book - and I started to get more of an understanding of who she is under her safe academia presentation. She is carrying a lot of sadness and for good reason - but no spoilers here! Actual geographic locations, buildings, mongolian culture (for example a ‘spirit banner’ or ‘Sulde’ in Mongolian is important because?.......you gotta read the book to learn what this is!) as well as more Genghis Khan history is seamlessly woven into the story line. I learned so much about Mongolia! This is no fairy tale - there is some harshness in the telling (I.e. bullets and blood)- which is necessary I believe to the telling of the story. AND, I look forward to more Georgia adventures in the future (the story isn’t over yet!)
Profile Image for Gabrielle Fair.
Author 6 books9 followers
February 23, 2021
I was curiously waiting for this sequel and wanted to know if the author will keep the pace, plot and especially if she will be able to build on the previous story. And here we are. YES! I bought the book on December 24, 2020 and also the same day finished reading. :) Thank you for a beautiful fiction i spent a day with.
7 reviews
December 24, 2020
Loved, loved, loved it! Stayed up all night reading. I did not want to put it down. Ms. Wang has done it again. Fascinating history lesson mixed with lots of action makes a great read. Can’t wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Sara.
133 reviews6 followers
April 14, 2025
I’m really enjoying this series. This book was more fast past than the last. I actually listened to the audio more on this one and it didn’t bother me as bad. It’s still not great 😂 but better after you’ve read the 1st
Profile Image for Karen Team-orange.
70 reviews3 followers
August 15, 2021
Highly recommended!! This book and the first in the series are both great reads. I couldn’t put them down. Can’t wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Jim.
67 reviews2 followers
August 1, 2021
The Golden Khan is such a brilliant sequel to A.H.Wangs first novel The Imperial Alchemist! The story continues, such intelligent writing, keeping us all in suspense as to what happens next! Can't wait for book three. This young lady is such a brilliant storyteller, up there with the very best!

No spoilers here .... read it for yourself, and enjoy!
Profile Image for Annette.
15 reviews
August 4, 2021
This book was such a great read, it was hard to put down. I’d have finished it faster if work and family didn’t interfere with my reading time. Lol. I loved all of the cultural and historical information. Great plot, real, believable characters, a strong, independent, intelligent female lead, what more could a reader want? Just epic in my opinion.
Profile Image for Anthony.
310 reviews4 followers
May 11, 2021
April 20, 2021
A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of the book: The Golden Khan by W.H. Wang

I selected this book from the Amazon Kindle offers and thought it would be interesting to go to an area of history I had limited information about, to wit, 13th Century China/Mongolia, I had previously read a book on Genghis Kahn in high school and remember it was interesting at he time but the genealogy of the royalty was complex and added to the difficulty of reading this book winch was a translation of the history and ruling lineage of Mongolia. I recall skimming this book to get the jest of the extent of the conquest claimed by the Mongols and remembered that it was an extensive conquest from all of China, the Middle East and all of Russia and into a portion of Europe itself. I remembered little more than this but had a hidden respect and interest into the life of Genghis Kahn and when I read the reviews of “The Golden Khan”, I purchased this book in the Kindle format from Amazon.

Rather than adding more details of this book, because of possible spoiler alerts, I am limiting many specific details. The Author states at the beginning, that his book can be read a stand alone book but I believe that having read the Imperial Alchemist by this author, I would strongly recommend reading the Imperial Alchemist first.

Like Hitler, Joseph Stalin had a great interest in past history, especially about Mongolia and in the 1930s sent a noted scholar to search for an item that would provide him with insight into why Genghis Kahn was so successful in conquering almost half of the known world in the 13th Century. It was suspected that there was something strategic contained therein about his ability to have achieved this remarkable feat. The Soviet team was able to achieve the Spirit Banner (Standard) of Genghis Kahn but not the mysterious artifact or book that spelled all of this out as to how he strategically accomplished this conquest.

W.H. Wang, brings us up to modern times as her hero from the Alchemist, noted archaeologist, Georgia Lee is recovering from injuries sustained in adventure of looking for the “elixir of life” sought by the 12th Century Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang and then by his trusted adviser Hsu Fu. Both of these characters were prominent figures in the Imperial Alchemist and this reviewer will not comment further because of spoiler issues.

The search by archaeologist Georgia Lee takes place in current day Mongolia where she is assisted by a colleague who woks for the CIA and introduces her to a former intelligence officer who is also half Mongolian living there in a self desired hermitage existence. Both embark on a secret mission to find Kahn's burial in Mongolia, on where they both encounter a Russian team heeded by a a former rival of Georgia Lee, namely, a noted archaeologist from Russia, who is continuing on the old Stalin mission to find the secrets missed on the old Soviet mission to uncover secrets held by Genghis Kahn.

It is a taut adventure full of action and injuries that will keep the reader on edge throughout the reading of this book. The Author is one to keep an eye out for. She is, an excellent writer and I believe her future works will hone her already gifted skills and will be worth reading.

I gave this book four stars out of five and limited this, because of the need to read this book after the Imperial Alchemist. Some other readers will possibly disagree with me that this book can stand alone. That's for their judgment and that the Author's future inclusion of the idea of the “Elixir for Life” in future works may result in some similar criticisms like mine,.

I recommend this book to all of my reading friends with the above mentioned caveat.
1,066 reviews9 followers
August 8, 2021
Ghengis Kahn was actually...him?

Georgia has been rescued from the landslide caused by the quake in the cave that has the elixir of life. She's hoping things will get back to normal. Except...Ethan's high school exchange student partner, to which he'd become close, was on the eun from Russian intelligence and being chased by American intelligence as well. The father had managed to retrieve the Sulde, the war staff of Ghengis Kahn, from the Russians, who had laughed off the idea that moving the sulda would cause a more powerful enemy to rise against them in WWII. Shortly after stealing it, the Nazis invaded, and someone hid the sulda in a Soviet satellite country. The Russians were able to push back and defeat the remnants of Hitler's army who survived the cold Russian winter.
The Japanese had an interest on finding the tomb and returning the Sulda. What tomb? The tomb of Genghis Kahn, which the book claims is properly pronounced " Chinngiss Kahn."
Georgia returns the sulda to the Russians, but they've already killed Ethan - from whose house she had fled when a deep cut healed in minutes. She has no idea how...she can remember the landslide, sort of, and then it hits her...water splashing into her face, water she tried not to drink, as she remembers Wang Jian killing Mark Lawson, then a heavy boulder hitting him and Charlie, aka Hsu Fu, alchemist to Emperor Qin. She is pretty sure she  is the only survivor. And she has no way to tell Ethan when she has no idea how to cope with it herself.
When the Russuans killed Ethan, and then Georgia showed up, there was an undercover US DIA agent (Defense Intelligence Agency) who called local cops...but the Russians fled, everyone was arrested and questioned until Australian intelligence and law enforcement where satisfied with who was who and why they were there. Brandon Miller was persona non grata after breaking so many international  protocols, but before he left, he managed to get Georgia involved based on revenge for the deaths of Hiroshi and especially Ethan. They meet a while later in singapore, then fly out to Mongolia, where they meet Ben, aka Buri, who has a Momgolian mom and an American dad. The American dad had him educated in the best schools in the US, he eventually joined the DIA but left it after a nasty ambush that included torture and PTSD. He had a working dog who wouldnt leave him so he just took the dog and went back to Mongolia, where his mother and her family lived, and drove a trusty older truck to make medical rounds. What finally convinces him to help Georgia is the money offered and how much he could buy in medical supplies...he was a medic trained in very advanced medical techniques.
The story turns on weird weather, the sulde they eventually steal back, a few shamanic rites, a Mongolian queen and princess descended directly from Genghis Kahn, the surprise of the portrait when Georgia sees it, borrowing the sulde to take up for a presentation, then the Australian government  gives it back to the Mongolians. Sarah finally figures out what Georgia is hiding from her and everyone else. And Ben/Buri comes through the door just before the presentation with the dog, which brightens her day.
Profile Image for Ming Suan Ong.
431 reviews2 followers
December 23, 2020
Received this as an ARC.
Second book in the series and this time Georgia Lee is on the hunt for the tomb of Chinggis Khan. This story is a continuation of the first one so best to read that first before attempting this.

I was very distracted at the beginning by the use of present tense which I really dislike. I feel it does not contribute much to the narrative and instead is very distracting unless if the author is highly competent in grammar. There were several portions where the tenses were all over the place and it really annoyed my pedantic soul and stole all enjoyment from the book. It got better as the story went along as either the author got into her groove or I managed to gloss over the jarring bits but for the love of God please abandon the present tense narrative for the next book!

Otherwise the book is very competently written with nice pacing.

Having gotten that out of my system I did enjoy this book. Again an easy and quick read - very much reminiscent of Matthew Reilly again, largely based in Mongolia which is a fascinating country.

Surprising plot developments like the killing off of characters you wouldn’t expect. The romance aspect plays a slightly larger part in this book but is still largely peripheral to the main story (though this might change in the next book?)
Profile Image for Ammar Davawala.
33 reviews5 followers
June 29, 2025
**5-STAR UNIQUE BLEND OF FACTS AND FICTION and AN INGENIOUSLY LINKED WITH DEBUT BOOK**


I truly enjoyed the first book in the "G.Lee Adventure" series; it felt like I was living every moment as I turned the pages and just like the first one, I’m excited to share that the sequel has surpassed my expectations. It started some weeks after the events in Taiwan. The story moves ahead wonderfully, thrusting Georgia into a new historical dilemma, a quest so great that no one had ever before succeeded in.

An outlandish and intricate narrative centred around a relentless quest for a powerful weapon that threatens humanity on a global scale. This story beautifully intertwines the rich heritage of the Mongolian Empire, highlighting the remarkable legacy of its great leader, Chinggis Khan (a.k.a. Genghis Khan)and the enigmatic site of his burial. It’s a wild & historical hunt filled with elegance and sophisticated revelations throughout.

The plot was absolutely captivating! Each page and discovery wove together so seamlessly that I found myself completely immersed in the rich history of the largest empire the world has ever known, ruled by a formidable leader whom society regarded with a mix of awe and fear.

I really appreciated the ending with a thrilling yet absolutely unexpected mystery with a phenomenal conclusion of "The Secret History"
Profile Image for Spike Murphy.
27 reviews
February 20, 2025
Another fantastic entry by A.H.Wang. Personally I love these stories and the way Georgia lee and the world she is in is written, it's adventurous, thrilling, thought provoking and every page of action is matched with an informative page of history.
Without going too much into the detail this book follows Georgia on the quest to find Genghis Khan tomb while she struggles with the outcome of the first novel. Much like the first there are details upon details of history that will either make you research the topics more yourself or if you're like me and know your Mongolian history appreciate the respect given to the empire Genghis Khan built. In front of all the history and details is a deep emotional story that battles with grief, revenge and coming to terms with change. The thing that pulls this story along the most is the characters themselves. Whether it be the villain, Buri or even the dog Indi you can't help but understand why they are doing what they are doing and full credit to the author for describing human emotions in such a detailed yet relatable way.
Now while I am bit not picky with an aspect of the ending I still appreciate where it ended and cannot wait to read book 3.
Profile Image for Leanne.
835 reviews9 followers
July 21, 2025
A bit of a girl’s own adventure story full of action with much history, myth and the supernatural thrown in which I read prior to my visit to Mongolia. I found the historical elements about Chinggis Khan and his empire, as well as the geographical setting the most interesting. The plot had strong links to the first book in the series which were well explained, as I hadn’t read Book 1, “The Imperial Alchemist”, set in Taiwan. Renowned Australian archaeologist Georgia Lee avenges the murder of her closest friend after a priceless Mongolian artefact, linked to Chinggis Khan, is stolen from him. What follows is a race against time across the vast landscapes of modern day Mongolia in an effort to beat a ruthless Russian archaeological team in a bid to unlock the secret location of the mighty conqueror’s tomb, hitherto undiscovered. A quick and easy read, I’d class it as Young Adult fiction. A few niggles - the book is written in the present tense which, at the outset, I found very disconcerting. Secondly, the inclusion of a couple of things which I felt were unnecessary and added nothing to the plot - Georgia’s research assistant is an older woman with a foul mouth. Why the need for swearing? And also, not convinced by the addition of the super powers.
Profile Image for Megan.
1,685 reviews38 followers
July 28, 2025
I am really enjoying reading about Georgia's adventures and she's not only smart but tough and full of surprises.
This sequel pulled me in more than the first book and I was eager to see what next would happen.

I really have enjoyed getting to know Georgia who is passionate not only about archaeology but preserving history even if that means not revealing some of the findings that she comes across particularly if it may endanger the people she has come to know.

I really grew to like Ben/Buri who is full of mystery, has been struggling with PTSD, has conflicting feelings when it comes to Georgia, loves his homeland and adores his dog Indi.

I love Indi who is Ben/Buri's service dog and is not only loyal but adorable.

Full of adventure, mystery, danger, surprises and liberal dashes of archeology, I highly recommend this book. I also really enjoyed the historical tidbits that were mentioned and I thought that the ending was very fitting!

Trigger warnings: death, murder, violence, ptsd, mention of World War II, oppression of Mongolians
2 reviews
June 1, 2021
A COMPLETELY THRILLING ADVENTURE!

What an epic and exciting instalment into the Georgia Lee series! Absolutely brilliant! The pace of the story was great, and the twists and turns kept me on the edge constantly. I had a lot of trouble putting this one down as A.H Wang did very well to keep the reader hooked in and wanting to find out more and more. It did not disappoint! Having read the first book quite a while before this one, I had no trouble jumping into the book and picking up where it left off. I also felt that there was enough information for this be a standalone novel which is no easy feat to accomplish.
What I like about this series, and in particular, the Golden Khan, is that the details of historical events and places were so thoroughly researched and the descriptions so in-depth, it really transported me straight to Mongolia. Definitely a must-read, Georgia Lee is a completely fascinating character with equally fascinating adventures! Ready for the next one!
Profile Image for Julianne.
462 reviews2 followers
August 18, 2022
This book was ok. It was kind of exciting and I loved the setting. But I found the main character SO AGGRAVATING. I rolled my eyes at the “perfect woman” tropes in the last book. But this time they were even more prevalent—she’s not like other girls because she can’t stand “drama” or emotions. She’s supermodel thin and breathtakingly beautiful and somehow also super intelligent. She doesn’t think about what she eats like other women. She doesn’t have friends because she’s so smart people don’t like her and she’s misunderstood. Etc. I love a female protagonist, but this one is so sexist. It’s doubly difficult because the author is a woman! It’s like she set out to make a society’s misogynistic version idea of a perfect woman rather than a nuanced and interesting character.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.