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Storm from the East: Genghis Khan and the Mongols
The greatest conquest in history.
Genghis Khan left an empire more than twice the size of Alexander’s: his successors went on to conquer and govern an area stretching from Korea to the River Danube. How did a band of nomadic herdsmen achieve so much, so fast?
Despite these stunning achievements, many writers dismiss the Mongols as just ferocious barbarians. This bestselling book sets the record straight. The epic starts in 1206 - when Genghis became master of ‘all the people with felt tents’ and an unknown tribe took the first steps towards world domination - and ends with the empire’s decline and fall, after Khubilai Khan’s triumphant unification with China.
Robert Marshall describes their devastating invasions, including that of feudal Europe and Christendom’s clumsy attempts to understand and fend off these legendary warriors. Full of extraordinary events, painted on a vast and colourful canvas, Storm from the East brings to life a time when East and West finally came face to face and the contours of modern Asia were set.
Genghis Khan left an empire more than twice the size of Alexander’s: his successors went on to conquer and govern an area stretching from Korea to the River Danube. How did a band of nomadic herdsmen achieve so much, so fast?
Despite these stunning achievements, many writers dismiss the Mongols as just ferocious barbarians. This bestselling book sets the record straight. The epic starts in 1206 - when Genghis became master of ‘all the people with felt tents’ and an unknown tribe took the first steps towards world domination - and ends with the empire’s decline and fall, after Khubilai Khan’s triumphant unification with China.
Robert Marshall describes their devastating invasions, including that of feudal Europe and Christendom’s clumsy attempts to understand and fend off these legendary warriors. Full of extraordinary events, painted on a vast and colourful canvas, Storm from the East brings to life a time when East and West finally came face to face and the contours of modern Asia were set.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 6, 2023
Great overview of the short lived but incredibly powerful Mongol empire.
Genghis Khan doesn't live past the second chapter, so this is an analysis of the empire as a whole.
A few unsubstantiated claims (I couldn't find any other source on gargoyles being Westerners' interpretations of people who lived in Asia) but some interesting bits of history that I'd like to learn more about (the English mercenary with the Mongols who was captured and executed by the Austrians).
Best chapters were ones concerning the monks' expedition to the Far East in the 1240s.
Genghis Khan doesn't live past the second chapter, so this is an analysis of the empire as a whole.
A few unsubstantiated claims (I couldn't find any other source on gargoyles being Westerners' interpretations of people who lived in Asia) but some interesting bits of history that I'd like to learn more about (the English mercenary with the Mongols who was captured and executed by the Austrians).
Best chapters were ones concerning the monks' expedition to the Far East in the 1240s.
May 22, 2023
A short but comprehensive overview of the Mongols and their history of expansion across Asia, Europe and the Middle East from Genghis Khan to his grandson Kubilai Khan.
What would have made the book better was if it had some maps included, especially on a subject such as this. I had to open up google earth a few times to find the places mentioned, especially those of Central Asia. My familiarity with China, the Middle East and Europe meant I could roughly place the sites he mentioned, but it would have been a less enjoyable read if I have had to look up those as well.
But all in all, it was a very enjoyable read, and it gave me what I was looking for - a one stop book on the history of the Mongols.
What would have made the book better was if it had some maps included, especially on a subject such as this. I had to open up google earth a few times to find the places mentioned, especially those of Central Asia. My familiarity with China, the Middle East and Europe meant I could roughly place the sites he mentioned, but it would have been a less enjoyable read if I have had to look up those as well.
But all in all, it was a very enjoyable read, and it gave me what I was looking for - a one stop book on the history of the Mongols.
October 22, 2022
If you like history, you will like the story of the rise and fall of the Mongols. It is written in story form making the historical element really easy to read.
July 30, 2024
"Storm from the East" was a good book. The Mongol period is not my area of expertise but it is a fascinating period of history.
I thought the analysis was good on how both Christianity and Islam feared the Mongols yet also hoped they would be converted and an ally against the other: I had heard of how close Europe had come to possible annihilation but not how close the Middle East and north Africa had come.
It's not the most detailed history and the ending about the Mongol successor states is very brief, but on the plus side it's not a dense slog as unfortunately some history books can be.
I thought the analysis was good on how both Christianity and Islam feared the Mongols yet also hoped they would be converted and an ally against the other: I had heard of how close Europe had come to possible annihilation but not how close the Middle East and north Africa had come.
It's not the most detailed history and the ending about the Mongol successor states is very brief, but on the plus side it's not a dense slog as unfortunately some history books can be.
January 27, 2025
Brilliant!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews