Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great

by Rachel Kousser, Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

“A heart-pounding, mind-bending adventure.” —Ilyon Woo

A riveting biography of Alexander the Great’s final years, when the leader’s insatiable desire to conquer the world set him off on an exhilarating, harrowing journey that would define his legacy.

By 330 B.C.E., Alexander the Great had reached the pinnacle of success. Or so it seemed. He had defeated the Persian ruler Darius III and seized the capital city of Persepolis. His exhausted and traumatized soldiers were ready to return home to Macedonia. Yet Alexander had other plans. He was determined to continue heading east to Afghanistan in search of his ultimate to reach the end of the world.

Alexander’s unrelenting desire to press on resulted in a perilous seven-year journey through the unknown eastern borderlands of the Persian empire that would test the great conqueror’s physical and mental limits. He faced challenges from the natural world, moving through deadly monsoons and extreme temperatures; from a rotating cast of well-matched adversaries, who conspired against him at every turn; and even from his own men, who questioned his motives and distrusted the very beliefs on which Alexander built his empire. This incredible sweep of time, culminating with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32, would come to determine Alexander’s legacy and shape the empire he left behind.

In Alexander at the End of the World, renowned classicist and art history professor Rachel Kousser vividly brings to life Alexander’s labyrinthine, treacherous final years, weaving together a brilliant series of epic battles, stunning landscapes, and nearly insurmountable obstacles. Meticulously researched and grippingly written, Kousser’s narrative is an unforgettable tale of daring and adventure, an inspiring portrait of grit and ambition, and a powerful meditation on the ability to learn from failure.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Ancient History, Greece, Audiobook, Ancient

Audible Audio

First published February 13, 2024

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession time. I hate reading ancient history. Often I find the authors of this time period are focused on hitting the reader with as many facts and scientific jargon as possible. Sure, I understand that archeologists need to do the best with what they have, but that doesn't mean I have to find it interesting.

So, I had trepidation when picking up Rachel Kousser's Alexander at the End of the World. Not only is it ancient history, but the book is also looking at Alexander the Great AFTER all the super cool battles that most books focus on. Instead, Kousser looks at when Alexander made a long and belligerent march in the direction of the Pacific Ocean (not that he knew what it was or where it was for that matter). Surely, this book would put me to sleep forthwith.

Yes, dear reader, I was once again forced to admit that I am a ridiculous person. Kousser's book is magnificent. She continually finds the most interesting and intriguing parts of the story and presents it to the reader like it's a novel. Kousser even finds a way to mention where the historians argue about what really happened without bogging down the narrative. She has written a book which I can wholeheartedly recommend to every audience. If my cold, dead, ancient history avoiding heart can fall in love, then you can, too.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Mariner Books.)

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an amazing amount of detail about the endless campaign that consumed the final years of Alexander’s life. Holding his troops together and trying to assimilate his conquests took a lot of skill, and Alexander was really better at battle. It all seemed very real, despite the fact that contemporaneous accounts are pretty scanty. 4.5 stars

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't have ever guessed a book about Alexander the Great would be so captivating! The only one I have ever read on this guy everyone ever has heard about, was a trilogy I read in my young years - by Mary Renault. There was a moment when I decided I'd try a history book about him, and two pages in I was done. . .forever (except for dear Mary R's works) with Mr. A.

Rachel Kousser beckoned, the cover was rather convincing, and I was in. Again. Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great read like fiction, but is robustly non-fiction. When you're beyond rich, Dad's a king of kings kinda guy, Aristotle is your prof, and all the most conspicuous Greek Guys are in your circle, and, well, his hero was Achilles - with all that in your backpack how can you not take over . . . .Everywhere?!

Dad of AlexTG - aka Philip II of Macedon, or King Philip to me and you - heading off to his latest campaign left Our Man in charge, and that's when AlexTG began his Big Plan - World Domination. He did it, too! He Came (?!), Saw, and Conquered the World with his all or nothing approach, wielding high tech armor and waving weaponry at anyone looking grumpy, and would have Continued Forever with his happy Band and their loyal camp followers bringing up the rear (someone has to do the dishes and burp the babies). That is, until his team got Officially Homesick and Demanded he turn his sweet self around and head homeward to Macedonia.

Eastward he may have gone, but he went slower, mixed and mingled, engaging with those he had conquered, and they were willing. While his body count was known to incite hyperbole, he had his fans, and was an advocate of diversity (and whimsey - go figure. . .), and he had open-minded minutes now and again. Still, good times don't last forever, he found (as we all do). Dead in Babylon at 32 from a bug of some sort, an ominously cloudy night according to the astronomer priests standing by. Still he's a Hero we've all remembered this many years after his short, but lethal earthly dance. Break out the posters and hats, people! Alexander's still the Dude. The fire has been lit again. . . .

As for diligence and exhaustive research? Yes. Rachel Kousser gets the prize! My favorite thing in a non-fiction book is whether readers are left with a map for future explorations, and my goodness - YES. The text of the book itself ends at 60%; the remaining 40% consists of her notes, maps, indexes, and all the knowledge grow goodies. Beyond thoughtful, that.

*A sincere thank you to Rachel Kousser, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for and ARC to read and review independently.* #AlexanderattheEndoftheWorld #NetGalley

[Caleb Fogler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading ancient history. It’s my favorite subject of nonfiction to read. Because of this, I have a basic understanding of the achievements of Alexander the Great. He’s one of history’s greatest military strategists despite dying at the young age of 32, and yet after he defeats Darius III what exactly does he do?

Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Finals Years of Alexander the Great answers that question as readers journey with Alexander as he pursues Persia’s King following Alexander’s major win at Gaugamela. As Alexander continues his conquest East, readers watch as he experiences defeats and makes mistakes. But he also learns from those moments and tries his best to fix his mistakes and integrate the variety of people and their cultures in his rapidly expanding empire.

Kousser takes us to the mountains of Afghanistan and jungles of India as Alexander’s army fights Persian Satraps, Scythian horsemen, Indian war elephants, the frostbite and altitude of the Hindu Kush mountains, and the malaria and venomous snakes of the Indian subcontinent. Alexander guides his army in battle but we also watch as his army attempts to sway the great conqueror to return home with their hard earned treasure. This book shows a different side of Alexander and his Macedonian army as well as his conquered subjects. The attempts of cultural cohabitation and gradual addition of different aspects of the Persian culture were interesting to read and the author showed how important they were to Alexander as he matured as a ruler. This goal of Alexander’s makes him more complex than just the ambitious conqueror that we often think of and his attempts to bring a diverse group of people together still resonates to this day.

[Juliew. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty standard account of Alexander's last years.It was fairly written and not biased toward any one source.Some bits and pieces were relatively new information to me and I was pleased with the research and writing.Although I have to admit I was looking for a more in depth account something which I hadn't gotten from other biographies on Alexander but alas it wasn't to be with this one.

[CatReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Rachel Kousser is a professor of Greek and Roman art and archeology at the City University of New York. In Alexander at the End of the World, she engagingly narrates the last ~10 years of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), starting from his pursuit of of the the Persian king he overthrew, Darius III, and subsequent journey to the "end of the world" as it was known in that era, where he and his troops traveled through modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and India. Although I listened to the audiobook version which lacked footnotes and references (as virtually all audiobooks do), Kousser's work struck me as well-researched and largely objective, presenting social norms as they were seen at the time rather than retrospectively condemning practices that today would be seen as unacceptable, which I appreciated.

Further reading: classical antiquity
The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World by Adrienne Mayor
The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy by Adrienne Mayor
The Missing Thread: A Women's History of the Ancient World by Daisy Dunn

My statistics:
Book 268 for 2024
Book 1871 cumulatively

[Marks54 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well done biography focusing on the later years of Alexander the Great, after the completion of his conquest of the Persian Empire and including the later explorations into Central Asia, India, and also his return home. Rachel Kousser in an art historian who has put together an effective narrative of the final decade (or so) of perhaps the most studied historical celebrity of all time. Having said that, I was engaged by the story and struck by how little of it I knew (after reading much history). The narrative has the air of a magnificent travel log or the accounts of Marco Polo travelling to the Mongol Court much later. It was useful to have a map handy (along with those provided in the book) and to look up the different places - Samarkand for example.

Ok, so what didn’t I like? While the account was more than sufficiently informative and entertaining to keep my attention, I wonder if there is anything more to the story than that. There are likely no surprises here for someone familiar with even part of the historical literature. This is one of the most written about people ever and Ms. Kousser has done her homework well. The story told has the general arc that a journey of such magnitude by an individual like Alexander cannot have failed to teach him much along the way and the story is consistent with a growth and maturation of Alexander from young conqueror to seasoned mature ruler and leader. So if one is looking to learn from the story of Alexander, the lessons are not just military but much broader and more important in terms of how Alexander fit into a broader and much more complex world. These lessons are to be found in his later life after his earlier conquests. That is what made Alexander so great.

That is a plausible story that is well told here. I am not sure if I want to invest further in the historical nuance around Alexander, but I feel certain that there is a rich one. Most of the details seem hotly contested and I am not certain that a volume on “management lessons from Alexander the Great” is called for yet.

Ms. Kousser’s fine books gets ones attention, though, and is well worth reading.

[Faustibooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good book that got better and better the further I went. I never tire of reading about Alexander's life and this one was no exception. Focusing on the later years of his campaigns (granted he died so young that this is basically half of his adult life), Kousser gives a well-written overview of the events of his life. I felt that his supposed "failures" are sometimes a bit sensationalized though. What was the line from that movie again? "His failure towered over other men's successes." Yes, he made mistakes and some things didn't go as planned. But I wouldn't go as far as to say that the latter years of his life were "full of failures". Kousser has a very accessible way of telling her story and backs her statements with many interesting sources, including exciting archaeological discoveries. However, for the average Alexander the Great enthusiast this book won't say much that you didn't already know.

Alexander's feats and exciting campaigns could hardly be made boring to read about, and Kousser does not fail to keep the reader engaged and entertained. The chase of Darius in Iran, guerilla warfare in Central Asia, the crossing of the Hindu Kush and the difficult campaigns in India, where the Macedonians struggled with monsoon rains, charging elephants, fortified cities, diseases and snakes are all so fun to read about. I particularly liked to read about Alexander's time in India.

A good and entertaining book! However I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to an expert on Alexander, nor would I recommend it to the average reader who doesn't know as much. Those that don't know Alexander would do better reading a full biography of him. Still, I think that Kousser wrote an entertaining book that was refreshing to read, four stars!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Alexander The Great is well known, but only the broad strokes of his conquest of Persia. Rachel Kousser picks up the narrative after his defeat of the Persian ruler Darius III and the capture of his capital city of Persepolis. At that triumphant success, Alexander's Macedonian army expected to go home, laden with riches. Instead, Alexander led them on a seven year path of continued struggle and conquest. The author zeroes in on Alexander's vision of a bicultural empire, and the tensions that generated between his Hellenic army and the Persians, along with other eastern peoples, which he incorporated into his armed forces. Alexander's forceful, impetuous, and daring personality comes to life in this extraordinarily researched volume. Fascinating.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Kousser's "Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great" offers a captivating and meticulously researched account of the legendary conqueror's final seven years. Focusing on the period from 330 to 323 BCE, Kousser challenges prevailing narratives and presents a nuanced portrait of Alexander's later life and legacy. The book begins with the burning of Persepolis in 330 BCE, a pivotal moment that marks a shift in Alexander's approach to conquest and governance. Kousser expertly weaves together epic battles, stunning landscapes, and nearly insurmountable obstacles to create a gripping narrative that reads like a historical novel. One of the book's strengths lies in its exploration of Alexander's evolving leadership style. Kousser portrays him not merely as a relentless conqueror, but as a complex figure who learned to adapt and integrate diverse cultures into his empire. This perspective challenges the notion that Alexander's later years were marked by decline and megalomania. The author's use of varied sources, including archaeological evidence and contemporary accounts, provides a rich tapestry of Alexander's world. Kousser's attention to the perspectives of conquered peoples adds depth to the narrative and offers a more comprehensive view of Alexander's impact. Particularly compelling is Kousser's examination of Alexander's personal growth and emotional life. She delves into his relationships, including his profound grief over the loss of his companion Hephaestion, offering insights into the human side of the legendary leader. While some critics argue that Kousser's portrayal occasionally borders on hagiography, her work undeniably brings fresh insights to a well-trodden subject. Her emphasis on Alexander's multicultural vision and its relevance to modern discussions of empire and diversity is particularly thought-provoking. “Alexander at the End of the World" is a testament to Kousser's scholarly rigor and storytelling prowess. It offers readers a compelling reassessment of Alexander's final years, challenging long-held assumptions and presenting a more nuanced understanding of one of history's most enigmatic figures.

[Joseph Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexander the Great is perhaps one of the most famous figures in world history. A name that many know, but perhaps not know much about. At least in the west, details about his early life & conquest of the Persian Empire are told in detail, but then the back-half of his life is glossed over. Even in western biographies, the final 8 or so years of his life is dealt with in the span of a few chapters, while the other 3/4ths of the book is spent prior to that.

This narrative is corrected in "Alexander at the End of the World" which focuses exclusively on his final years. Beginning with the burning of Perespolis and ending with his death, this book covers it all: from the attempted conquest of India, the growing discontent of Alexander's army, his attempts to create a cosmopolitan Greco-Persian empire, the deaths of his close friends (one by his hand, one not), and his growing authoritarianism. This book is engaging, entertaining, and readable.

This book is mostly a personal/political story rather than a military one. Much of the book is taken up with Alexander's relations with his men rather than on the minuta of campaigns. This may be a turn-off for some, but I found it very enjoyable. The accounts of the murder at the feast, the various conspiracies, and the near-mutiny at Opis to be the best parts of the book.

Overall, give this a read if you are even remotely interested in the story of Alexander the Great. It's a great companion piece that fills in a missing chunk of history, largely looked over in the west.

[Kirk Dobihal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up after watching the Netflix series Alexander Making of a God. This series literally ends where this book starts. Rachel Kousser is a wizard at telling this tale; so readable, so entertaining.
Ending with what I think explains the Greatness of Alexander and a lesson to cultures that want a similar endurance - the militaristic conquests seemingly endless in our human struggles with those beyond our borders - the idea of civilizing in other words making those beyond our borders like us - and the apartheid like xenophobic fear or struggles with those beyond our borders. Now Alexander was an authoritarian with ancient sometimes heartless directions but his attempt to unify the ancient world is his legacy. That is what I carried away from this book.

[Lisa-Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweeping book about men, war, geography, culture, history, war, and more war. While still in his 20s, Alexander conquered an empire that straddled three continents, including Greece, Albania, Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan and more. “In these new places, from the barren Central Asian steppe to the fertile river valley of Pakistan, Alexander would meet nomadic Scythian warriors and naked Indian ascetics, face enormous battles and small but dangerous conspiracies, lose an army, find a new home.” Given that Alexander dies at the end – at the shocking age of 32 – this story builds from crescendo to disaster pretty quickly. What a cool idea for a biography. Skip over the storm gathering strength and go right to the good stuff! Kousser chronicles the last seven years of Alexander’s life, from to 331 BC to 323 BC when he ventures farther into the Persian Empire than ever before. She uses Classical Greek and Roman sources, but notes they only wrote about Alexander 300 years later. She also consults newly available “archaeological traces” of buildings, ashes, and pottery from the lands Alexander conquered, in order to recreate contemporaneous evidence from “the world of Alexander in all its fullness and complexity.” It is riveting. Also, very violent.

Alexander the Great is still known in popular culture more than 2,000 years after his short life so he demands some attention. I confess that I didn’t know much about him before this reading and I chose the book because I mistakenly thought it would educate me about Alexandria. (Nope! The famous city wasn’t built until after he died.) Alexander was tutored by Aristotle as a child and became both a war strategist and an existential philosopher. Historians have puzzled over why he insisted on pursuing “the end of the world” when he could have so easily rested on his laurels with the sack of Persepolis in 330 B.C. and killing of King Darius? This author vividly explores Alexander’s faults as well as his strengths. It was difficult to read about his obsession with continuing battles across country after country, usually killing the leaders, burning the cities, enslaving the women, and stealing their treasures. The Persian Empire had ruled an enormous kingdom for three centuries and Alexander devastated their culture. During the 7- year campaign he was subject to assassination plots, mass mutinies, and natural barriers such as the Hindu Kush or the Indus River. He pushed on at enormous human cost. I thought about leadership and the exercise of power. I thought about the dehumanizing influence of war. I wanted to read much more about the Persian Empire before Alexander. I wanted to know more about the women, but their history wasn’t recorded. In the end, Alexander was a compelling character who opened my eyes to many other topics I have yet to investigate. “The Classical world is often conceived of solely in terms of Greece and Italy, with Periklean Athens and Augustan Rome as touchstones. In fact, it was far wider and more diverse, and it was the final years of Alexander above all that made it so.”

[Caitlin Gonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

By 330 B.C.E., Alexander the Great had reached the pinnacle of success. Or so it seemed. He had defeated the Persian ruler Darius III and seized the capital city of Persepolis. His exhausted and traumatized soldiers were ready to return home to Macedonia. Yet Alexander had other plans. He was determined to continue heading east to Afghanistan in search of his ultimate goal: to reach the end of the world.

Alexander’s unrelenting desire to press on resulted in a perilous seven-year journey through the unknown eastern borderlands of the Persian empire that would test the great conqueror’s physical and mental limits. He faced challenges from the natural world, moving through deadly monsoons and extreme temperatures; from a rotating cast of well-matched adversaries, who conspired against him at every turn; and even from his own men, who questioned his motives and distrusted the very beliefs on which Alexander built his empire. This incredible sweep of time, culminating with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32, would come to determine Alexander’s legacy and shape the empire he left behind.

Better than a textbook, but not similar to Erik Larson or David Grann. Rachel Kousser writes very vivid and thoroughly researched histories. There is very limited, if any, potential dialogue. There is a focus on Alexander’s empire, with focuses on the tension that Alexander caused in many areas. Alexander was clearly someone who thought the world was not enough.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

[Dennis Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great by Rachel Kousser, a well know classicist and professor of ancient art and archeology at Brooklyn College. This book was published in July of this year and is written in the form of biography focussed on the last years of Alexander’s life, 330 BCE until his death in 323 BCE. My first exposure to classical history was in the ninth grade and it seemed like history was about a bunch of people with unpronounceable names and date memorization. This book does not follow that track. It is eminently readable and helps one understand warfare in its time, the tactics, weapons, animals used in combat and fundamentally how to motivate and keep engaged an army many miles away and years away from home. Additionally you can understand the Hellenic culture, what was valued and the curious personal relationships among the sexes. Finally, it is a wonderful opportunity to understand geography, Alexander was from Macedonia but conquered kingdoms across the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian sub continent. Maybe my ninth grade history teacher would be pleased with this reading choice :)

[Rich Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander at the End of the World by Rachel Kousser
 
 
Summary: While many books about Alexander the Great focus on his military tactics and victories during the start of his campaign conquering Persia, Alexander at the End of World kicks off with the burning of Persepolis in 330 BC. The reader follows Alexander's more tumultuous part of the journey from this point until death, and even a bit after. 
 
 
Kousser's pacing is excellent, providing rich details at each of Alexander's "stops" without a dull moment. The pages offer a deeper look into how Alexander dealt with setbacks, mistakes, and resistance from his own troops. 
 
 
To me the most compelling insight, and I believe the heart of this book, is Alexander's ambition for a multicultural empire. I previously assumed that his drive for integration stemmed from a fascination with Persian King's grand decadence (looking at you, Pausanias), however Kousser showcases that Alexander's true desire was to create a unified, blended, empire that would thrive long after he was gone.
 
 
Recommended.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I'd quibble a little with the titular description of Alexander's later years as "forgotten" given that they're covered in some detail in every single biography of the man, Kousser does provide a more thorough and in-depth account than often found. Well-researched, unbiased, and written with an eye for vivid detail, this was a book I both greatly enjoyed and learned a new fact or two from.

[Jonathan Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kousser does an excellent job presenting a narrative account of Alexander’s years after the sacking of Persepolis. She includes lots of interesting anecdotes, drawing from literary and archaeological sources. Overall, it made for an entertaining read, and Kousser clearly presents what made Alexander so successful, and his last impact on the lands he conquered.

[Todd Voter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lesson here, be happy with the empire you’ve conquered rather than the one over the horizon.

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexander at the End of the World is a general biographical history focusing on Alexander the Great’s campaigns in the East – from the death of Darius III (330 BCE) to the king’s own (323). Kousser argues that whatever claims to “greatness” Alexander has were laid in this latter period, and had little to do with his military conquests. Instead she focuses on his maturation as a ruler, and his nascent attempts to create a functioning Greco-Persian empire.

I found it an interesting and informative read; I learned details about Alexander’s campaigns in Central Asia and the Indus valley that I had never known before. And the author doesn’t overplay her hand in arguing her thesis.

Recommended.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a really engaging portrait of Alexander. I appreciated the incorporation of sources outside of the classical canon. The ending was problematic to me, however. I get wanting to draw a comparison between Alexander's approach to empire and modern-day colonization, but I think such a comparison needed to be spread throughout the book rather than haphazardly slapped onto the ending.

[Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible journey. I picked this up because I'm aware that my perceptions of Alexander the Great are formed in legend and paint him as a genius hero who didn't like to quit and died young. I wanted something to provide a more complete picture and this did the trick.

As it turns out, Alexander was a deeply flawed (yet brilliant) general who is incredibly relevant to today. I wanted to fill a knowledge gap from reading histories of ancient Rome and Athens, but I ended up gaining much more: lessons on leadership, diversity, logistics, hubris, geography, and elephants.

The author is a splendid storyteller. I'm sure historians will find places to critique, there inevitably will be points where the good story reached beyond historical evidence. I felt like Rachel Kousser found a beautiful balance where historical grounding was solid and the storytelling aspects clear. Overall a wonderful and accessible read that deserves attention beyond lovers of history.

[McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I listened to it as a part of my Spotify subscription and it was very easy to listen to without getting confused by too many names or any dialogue or anything like that. I am amazed by the amount of details we know about the lives of these Macedonians that lived well over two thousand years ago! It's incredible the societies that they had and the vast empires and civilizations that existed. This book will really open your eyes, I know it did for me. The author must have done vast amounts of research; as you read it feels like these people must've lived just a generation or two ago. (SPOTIFY)

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting reexamination of Alexander the Great. Based on the thorough bibliography, it is clearly well-researched, but citations would have made this work stronger. Also, I felt like the work did not have much of a clear direction. She says that she is going to show how the later portion of his campaign made Alexander great. She also says that hers is a work that offers this postcolonial reevaluation of Alexander. But I did not get any of that, and I felt like this was a book wondering what it was about. Still, Kousser is a great researcher and a good-enough writer. Despite its problems, Kousser never let me get bored.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you wonder how Alexander "conquered", this narrative will tell you how and in the end Alexander remains a figure so unique, wonderful and equally horrifying...in the turmoil he created, blood he shed, cruelty of his endless campaigning, and the unbelievable drive for discovery and new frontiers..Modern in many ways

[Elizabeth Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging and accessible story of Alexander’s final years

The author does a brilliant job of telling a complex story in an accessible way. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. The author’s own insights and opinions were also weaved in skilfully. There was appropriate colour, backed up by deep research. Highly recommend.

[T SCHROERING · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a history buff I really enjoyed this book. It discusses details about Alexander’s life that are usually overlooked. The nice part is that it didn’t overwhelm me with dates and names.

[Michael Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the campaigns after the battle of Gaugamela.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic work of nonfiction. Sets scenes, brings history to life. Excellent.