Khan: Empire of Silver

Conqueror #4

by Conn Iggulden

The Great Khan is dead. His vast empire hangs in the balance, an empire he forged with raw courage, guile, tactical brilliance, unswerving dedication to his people, and the force of his own indomitable will. Now the very qualities that united the fierce Mongol tribes threaten to tear them apart, as the heirs of Genghis maneuver for dominance. In the end, only one can command ...

THE EMPIRE OF SILVER

Conn Iggulden’s #1 internationally bestselling epics of historical fiction have enthralled millions of readers around the world. In his spectacular novels about the life and legacy of Genghis Khan, he has traced the path of the legendary conqueror from the harsh grasslands of his youth to the pinnacle of an unprecedented empire. Now, even as they struggle for supremacy among themselves, Genghis’s sons and grandsons extend the reach of his vision, taking their armies farther than ever before, into southern China and across the steppes and rugged mountains of Russia to the vulnerable heart of Europe, where they will face the most courageous warriors the West commands.

Genghis’s tough and canny heir, Ogedai, is on the verge of being proclaimed the new Khan. But Ogedai has mysteriously delayed his coronation ceremony to complete a fantastic project many deem a folly: the building of Karakorum, a magnificent city amid the wild plains. His puzzling decision emboldens his arrogant brother Chagetai to violently challenge him, while their noble sibling Tolui and his beautiful, wily wife, Sorhatani, will be caught between the two.

Chagetai’s attempt at rebellion reveals shocking truths about Ogedai’s health and imperiled future. As one brother awaits his fate, another awaits his moment to seize power, while spies and assassins play out the ambitions and destinies of their masters.

With his celebrated synthesis of riveting storytelling and peerless historical detail, Conn Iggulden takes his saga of the great Mongol khans to unforgettable new heights, bringing these fabled conquerors and their singular people to vivid life for a new generation of readers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, War, Audiobook, Adventure, Fantasy

387 pages, Hardcover

First published December 28, 2010

About the author

Also publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.

I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.

My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.

I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.

That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.

Conn Iggulden

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

An impressive penultimate installment. Who was more terrifying, Genghis Khan or Tsubodai?

“It was difficult not to look on Tsubodai with awe if you knew what he had achieved in his life. The army owed their success to him as much as to Genghis.”

I’m nearing the conclusion of this series now. Khan: Empire of Silver is the fourth and penultimate installment in the Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden. I’ll try to keep this review as brief and spoiler-free as possible. In the previous three books, the title of each installment starts with the name “Genghis” at the front of their title; this one starts with “Khan.” That should give you a vague idea about what kind of stories you’re getting here. The previous three books focused on Genghis Khan’s life and conquest, Khan: Empire of Silver revolves more around the life of Temujin’s children and Tsubodai’s extraordinary conquest of Europe.

“If a man has gold, he lives with the terror that someone will take it away from him, so he builds walls around it. Then everyone knows where the gold is, so they come and take it. That’s the way it always goes, brother. Fools and gold, together.”

Impressed is an understatement of how I feel regarding Tsubodai’s conquest of Europe. It’s true that Genghis Khan is one of the most infamous ruler in our history, but it’s quite surprising for me that the name Tsubodai isn't hailed as often as Genghis Khan, at least not to my knowledge. So many feats of the Mongolian’s conquest wouldn’t have been possible without the brilliant mind and tactics employed by Tsubodai. Everything about the adventure and terror contained within Tsubodai’s conquest of Europe left me in awe. Which is a wrong thing to say because he and the Mongols killed so many people back then, but my god looking back on the events as a history, you just can’t help but be amazed by what one or two or a few humans can do to change the shape of the world, almost entirely. It was a twist of fate that saved Europe from total dominance back then, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that twist of fate didn’t occur, what would be the current state of the world today? The circumstances that ended up deciding the fate of this conquest is one that can be called an absolute fluke in history.

“We will force the peoples there to meet us in the field. For the khan, we will take their cities, their women and their lands. This is the great raid, the furthest strike in the history of the nation of Genghis. We will not be stopped.”

Reading Khan: Empire of Silver also made me reflect again about the cruelty of history, humanity, and the passage of time. In the midst of the familial drama and dispute between the Khan families, the theme of how getting older changed everyone was embedded poignantly. No matter the achievement, the greats, there’s an end to it; no one can escape death. Nothing last forever, there will come a time where you just have to put down your weapons and accept that you’re not the same as you were when you were young. Other noticeable themes discussed effectively by Iggulden were leadership, family, and of course, legacy.

“He had prepared for death, but no man can truly understand what it means to have the world go on without him, how it is for those who must live without his voice, his smell, his touch. All that was left were the letters and her memories.”

This is quite a battle-heavy book, and admittedly there were a few moments where the pacing felt a bit sluggish due to its constant exposure to battle and war, but I have to say that I enjoyed reading this book regardless. I loved that there’s so much to learn within this series. Every installment brought something new—factual, speculative, and philosophical—to learn and this doesn’t change even though I’m four books into the series now. Khan: Empire of Silver is a different kind of book from the previous installments, but the frightening and awe-inspiring quality imbued into the narrative remained consistently evident. I still have one last book in the series to read, and it’s looking very likely that this will end up becoming my favorite historical fiction series. Time to find out! Lastly, check out this passage by Iggulden:

“There are not many moments in history when the death of a single man changed the entire world… If he had lived, there would have been no Elizabethan age, no British Empire, no Renaissance, perhaps no Industrial Revolution. In such circumstances, this book could very well have been written in Mongolian or Chinese.”

Let that sink in...

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You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

[Pakinam Mahmoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

"هناك أشياء كثيرة يجب فعلها..يجب ألا تضيع يوماً أخر،صباحاً أخر..تشبث بحياتك بكلتا يديك وشدها إليك ،لإنك لن تحظي بحياة أخري في هذا العالم.."

إمبراطورية الفضة ...جزء أخر رائع من السيرة الملحمية لقائد المغول جنكيز خان وهو الجزء الرابع في هذه السلسلة المكونة من ٥ أجزاء...

بعد وفاة جنكيز خان في الجزء السابق يتولي قيادة المغول إبنه أوجيدي وكان خاناً عظيماً لمدة ١٢ عاماً فقط وتوفي بعد أزمة قلبية شديدة وصراع مع المرض لفترة طويلة...

نري في هذا الجزء الخلافات بين أولاد جنكيز خان والمنافسة بينهم كما نري تفاصيل المعارك الحربية بقيادة أحفاد جنكيز والقائد العظيم تسوبودي و نجاحهم في غزو موسكو و هنغاريا وصربيا ولولا وفاة الخان أوجيدي المفاجأة لكان إستمر زحف المغول لأوروبا والوصول إلي إيطاليا وفرنسا وحتي إنجلترا...

يري الكاتب أن وفاة أوجيدي تعتبر إحدي نقاط التحول الحاسمة في التاريخ و لو عاش أكتر من كدة لما كان هناك عصر اليزابيثي أو امبراطورية بريطانية أو نهضة..وكان ممكن أن تكتب هذه الرواية بالمنغولية أو الصينية:)

إسلوب السرد كان جميل جداً مثل كل الأجزاء السابقة ولكن يعيب هذه السلسة التفاصيل الزيادة ومشاهد مفصلة للمعارك الحربية أحياناً ده غير وجود الكثير من الأسماء اللي بتظهر فجأة و بتلخبط شوية..
وعلي الرغم إن كل جزء عبارة عن ٢٥٦ صفحة إلا إن الصفحة الواحدة تقريباً بصفحتين من الكتب العادية و يعتبر حجم الأجزاء كبير وبتاخد وقت في قراءتها...

حتي في وجود بعض العيوب ولكن بدون شك الأجزاء حقيقي مكتوبة حلو أوي و ممتعة جداً و أهم من كل دة إنها فعلاً مفيدة و بتخليك تقرأ عن فترة مهمة في التاريخ بس علي شكل رواية و حكايات مشوقة...و الكاتب في نهاية كل جزء بيكتب ملاحظات تاريخية وملخص رائع لكل الأحداث...

جزء ممتع..ترجمة ممتازة..و إلي لقاء قريب وأخير في الجزء الخامس...

[Dana Ilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been two years since Genghis Khan died and his heir, Ogedei, has been consumed with the construction of his new capital city, Qaraqorum (also spelled Karakorum). His older brother Chaghadai, who considers the Khanate his birthright despite his father's decree, has not been idle either. He meets in secret with the officers of his tumens (Mongol military units of 10,000 men) and plots to seize the throne before the people of the nations gather to swear their allegiance to the new Khan.

Genghis' brothers, Kachiun and Khassar, have sworn to protect their brother's choice of successor. Their tumens along with those of Subutai are loyal but will they be enough to avert the slaughter of Ogedei and his family?

Conn Iggulden brings the descendants of Genghis Khan vibrantly to life in his latest novel "Khan: Empire of Silver" and I was immediately invested in the outcome of the dynastic struggles between Ogedei and his rivals for the Mongol throne even though most of the thrilling action in the first few chapters of the novel are a tribute to Iggulden's imagination and not specifically documented in historical sources.

So, although the opening struggle did not appear to have occurred, it was certainly within the realm of possibility.

I also could not find references to Ogedei's struggle with a heart condition. Most sources refer only to a drinking habit that earned the scorn of his older brother, Chaghadai. But, introducing the threat of imminent death as a major influence in Ogedei's life and the choices he makes as he molds the vast territories conquered by his father into a well-administered empire does add more humanity to the tale.


After the question of Great Khan is settled, Ogedei, along with his younger brother Tolui, march east to complete the conquest of the Chin while Subutai leads the young Mongol princes, including Batu, son of Genghis' dead eldest son Jochi, Guyuk, son of Ogedei, Baider, son of Chaghadai, and Mongke, Tolui's eldest son, on a qwest to conquer the lands west of the empire all the way to the sea. This is a small rearrangement of history on Iggulden's part as Subutai commanded part of the troops for Ogedei during the action against the Chin before turning his attention to the west but it helped to separate the two fields of operation for the reader.

There seems little doubt that Subutai and the Mongol Princes could have swept the rest of Europe and only Ogedei's sudden death (in the book from an apparent heart attack while history attributes it to a protracted drinking bout) saved the rest of Europe from total defeat. I can't help but wonder what political differences there would be today if that defeat had, in fact, happened. Would the current East-West schism have been totally avoided if the ill-timed death of one man had not occurred at that moment in history?

[فهد الفهد · Rating 5 out of 5]

إمبراطورية الفضة

أظن أنني كتبت عن هذا مراراً، أظن أنني تحدثت عن قيمة الرواية التاريخية في مراجعات سابقة، تلك القدرة المذهلة على إيقاف الزمن، إيقاف التيار المتدفق للأحداث التاريخية، تفكيك تشابكاتها وتعقيداتها، ومن ثم نفخ الحياة في شخوصها.

قارئ الرواية التاريخية يشبه عندما يقرأ كتاباً تاريخياً من يحلق في حوامة فوق مدينة عملاقة، يمكنه أن يلم بالمدينة بنظرة شاملة، يشاهد تدفقها، حركة الناس من تحته، يمكنه أن يسمع الضجيج ولكنه لن يميز الكلمات، لن يلتقط التفاصيل إلا عندما يقرأ الرواية، لحظتها يهبط إلى الأرض، لحظتها تتوقف الحركة السريعة والمتلاحقة للأحداث التاريخية، ويبدأ القارئ في التجوال في طرقات المدن القديمة، يعيش مع الأبطال الليالي التي يقضونها في العراء، أو يترحل معهم في قافلة طويلة، يمكنه أن يشم رائحة البهارات في أسواق قديمة نصف مسقوفة، ويمكنه أن يرى سيوفاً تلمع، وقتلة وحشاشين وقلاع عملاقة، ومجانيق منصوبة، وخيام تحبك بها خطط الهجوم أو الانسحاب.

هذه هي الرواية التاريخية، هي إيقاف التيار المتدفق، حجز مياهه في بحيرة صغيرة يمكن تأملها والاستمتاع بها، فهم تشابكاتها والاهتمام بمصائر أبطالها.

أبطال هذه الرواية الرابعة من سلسلة المغول التي يكتبها الروائي الإنجليزي الرائع كون إيغلدن، هم خلفاء جنكيز خان، مات الخان في نهاية الجزء الثالث بعدما صنع أمة ضخمة مهابة، وها هم أبنائه أوجيدي وتشاغاتي يتنازعون العرش، وها هو قائده المرعب تسوبودي يقود حملة في اتجاه الغرب، يمزق روسيا ويخترق أوروبا، ويدمر بودابست ويقترب من فيينا، إنها قصة الاندفاع المغولي في كل الاتجاهات، وها هم الأمراء المغول يستعدون لأدوارهم القادمة، فها هم مونغكي – مونكو – وكوبلاي وهولاكو وباتو مؤسس القبيلة الذهبية.

من النادر أن تجد من يكتب الرواية التاريخية كما يفعل كون إيغلدن، من النادر أن تجد من يستطيع الموازنة بين روح المؤرخ وقلم الروائي، من يمتلك القدرة على اصطحابك على طول كل الأحداث من دون أن تكل أو تمل، سأقرأ لإيغلدن أكثر، لديه سلسلة أخرى عن روما ولكنها لم تترجم للأسف، ولكن لا أظن اللغة يمكن أن تحجز كل هذه المتعة وكل هذا الفن.

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ogedai is Khan of the Mongols. Chosen by his father, Ghenghis, Ogedai takes precedence over Chagatai. Ogedai, who suffers from a bad heart, seeks to make changes to the Mongol way of life and builds the first "Mongol Capital", Karakorum.

As the Great Khan builds his cities, his generals take the Mongol horde on various operations. The great general Tsubodai, leads the Mongol forces on an assault on Russia and Eastern Europe, while Khasar leads another Army against the Sung Emperor.

While the older generation of Mongols, slowly begin to get old and compete for the power-the story shows us the grandsons of Ghenghis-and some of them are destined for greatness. Names like Batu, Guyuk, Mongke and Kublai.

As the lands under Mongol control grow, the fault lines are starting to appear. From sweeping into Russia and Hungary to the humiliation of the Chinese empires, and the complex politics of the Mongol Royal court-the entire struggle is superbly written in this top-notch historical fiction.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big fan of the Conn Iggulden's historical fiction surrounding the Khan empire. This is the fourth novel. If you want great historical fiction, I recommend, "Birth of an Empire," as well as subsequent editions. 8 of 10 stars

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Succession
Now that Genghis is dead who will rule and what are the rights of passage to become the Great Khan of the Mongol nation?

How history is such a delicate path of events and decisions. If Genghis hadn’t died when he did, causing the withdrawal of the Mongol army generals from their battle-fronts, would Europe have a totally different culture and gene-pool than it currently does? The Mongols after destroying the main European army (Templars) didn’t take advantage of their victory and execute their opportunity to roll across Europe conquering all before it. Instead, the Mongol armies returned to Mongolia to elect a new leader – and would never return.

Which of Genghis’ sons, Chagatai, Ogedei, Jochi, or Tolui will be the next Great Khan and what is the toll for those that pick the wrong side? Ogedei has built a silver city on the plains which is now the capital of the Mongol nation. Chagatai is the eldest son remaining, now Jochi is gone and he claims the throne. Whoever becomes Great Khan needs to keep the people together if he is to rule successfully and continue to war on multiple fronts. In particular, the Song dynasty is a foe that is looming and must be dealt with. The rivalry between Chagatai and Ogedei is palpable and threatens to destroy the dynasty. The hidden agendas and motivations are very compelling and totally engrossing. Conn Iggulden provides an excellent insight into the struggles and challenges for leadership following Genghis’ death.

I became totally captivated with the whole Genghis Khan history and the dynasty he left, including the amazing Kublai Khan. Following Kublai, the empire starts to disintegrate due to internal rivalries, until overthrown in 1368 by the Ming Dynasty. For a warrior nation that is fueled on aggression and dominance in war, those attributes are often the cause for the empire to fracture, especially when a great leader dies. That's the underlying atmosphere in this book and Conn Iggulden brings the whole history to life in a remarkable and believable way, to the extent that when I watch films or documentaries on Genghis Khan I shake my head and say that's not how it went that not what Conn Iggulden says. I want his version to be the truth because it is so fascinating and enthralling.

This is a wonderful blend of history and fiction to create a must-read story. I highly recommend reading this book.

[Zitong Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s not a while lot that I haven’t said before about his books in my earlier reviews so I’ll keep this one fairly short.

Like his previous books, they are well written and works great for the historical setting that the characters are in. I didn’t find anything exactly special about this book also due to the fact that I simply was not that interested and was merely something I read when I had not been been able to borrow books from my library and I didn’t have anything left to read.

That being said, it was still enjoyable to read and I got a great deal out of it, such as making me go onto some websites to learn more about certain events but also to see what artistic liberties the author took. One of the great things about these books is that the author does go into detail about the real history of it and what has and hasn’t been changed for the sake of the story.

Enjoyable read, but me reading too much heavy historical fiction within a few weeks of each other is probably not exactly for me. 7.5/10

[Tahani Shihab · Rating 5 out of 5]

في الجزء الرابع من هذه السيرة الملحمة التاريخية للقائد جنكيز خان، يتولى ابن جنكيز خان الثالث أوجيدي الحكم. حيث شيّد أوجيدي مدينة كاراكوروم لتكون عرش إمبراطوريته. وضمّت المدينة آنذاك المسيحيين والمسلمين والبوذيين.

امتد نفوذ المغول حتى وصلوا روسيا، بولندا، هنغاريا، وصربيا. ولولا وفاة الخان أوجيدي في عُمر مبكّر، لكان المغول وصلوا إلى إيطاليا.

جملة كتبها الكاتب كون إيغلدن في نهاية الرواية جعلتني أحمد الله على وفاة الخان أوجيدي قال: ”لا نعرف لحظات كثيرة في التاريخ غيّرت فيها وفاة شخص واحد العالم برمّته، لكن موت أوجيدي إحداها. ولو عاش، لما كان هناك عصر إليزابيثي، أو إمبراطورية بريطانية، أو نهضة، أو ثورة صناعية ربما. في مثل هذه الظروف، كانت هذه الرواية ستُكتب أيضًا بالمنغولية أو الصينية."

.
.
.

“إذا امتلك رجل ما ذهبًا، فهو يعيش مرتعبًا من فكرة أن يأتي شخص ما ويأخذه منه، لهذا يبني أسواراً حوله. وعندها، يعرف الجميع مكان الذهب، فيأتون ويأخذونه. هكذا تسير الأمور دائمًا يا شقيقي. الحمقى والذهب معًا”.

“أحيانًا يجب عليك ببساطة أن تختار وتهزّ كتفيك غير مبالٍ، مهما تكن النتيجة، وأنت تعرف أنه لم يكن بمقدورك فعل المزيد بالقدرات التي تمتلكها”.

“ضحك بصوت خافت من فكرة دخول ذئبٍ حظيرة الأغنام، لم يكن سيجتاحها بالنار والدمار، فالراعي لا يخيف حملانه الجميلة”.

“انهض، قف. إن لم يكن لديك وقت طويل، فلا تزال هناك أشياء كثيرة يجب فعلها. يجب ألّا تضيع يومًا آخر؛ صباحًا آخر! تشبث بحياتك بكلتا يديك وشدّها إليك؛ لأنك لن تحظى بحياة أخرى في هذا العالم”.

“إذا أردت جِلْد دب، فهل ستهاجمه في الصيف حين يكون قويًا وسريعًا، أم ستدق عنقه حين يكون نائمًا؟”.

“لم يكن سيفهم النساء مطلقًا، كما فكّر، فهنّ لغز الحياة الكبير”.

“كل ما يستطيع رجل أن يطلبه أن يتذكره الآخرون بين الفينة والأخرى، مع كل الأرواح الأخرى”.

كون إيغلدن.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

The saga continues in this fourth book about Genghis Khan, his sons and his nation.

The story here begins two years after the death of Genghis Khan. While he had named an heir, the tribes must swear their loyalty to this man, but they have not been summoned. When will the ceremony take place? And what about other men with their own claims to the seat of power? Just because Genghis declared a certain person as his heir may not mean that the tribes will accept him. Is he worthy of their trust and loyalty? Does he have anything close to the vision of Genghis? Leaders have always been judged by their abilities. What will happen to the new nation if the designated heir is unable to inspire his people?

This book was fascinating to me for many reasons. Military history. Cultural identity. The apparently eternal struggles between power and justice, old and new, youth and age, self and community, greed and unselfishness. Not to mention fathers and sons. Somehow I can't imagine many Mongol warriors fretting about being better than their fathers, but maybe the whole I Must Be Better Than Dad At Everything idea is beyond my understanding anyway. I get it in the animal kingdom. The young stallion takes over the herd, etcetera etcetera.

But until we became 'civilized' were we actually aware of such things in our own lives? We may have struggled but did we know what we were struggling against? Was this thread running through so much of the book simply the result of a modern day writer trying to get inside the heads of men who were surely more basic in their approach to life than we have been in centuries? Maybe not, maybe this issue truly has been a part of life forever and a day. We will never know for certain because of course we cannot sit down with a Khan's son and ask him about it, can we. Any more than we can go ask Cain or Abel how they felt about Adam. How do you top Dad when he was 'The First Man'? Intriguing little puzzle for me, and it was what would yank me back to the present day whenever it came up in the thoughts of the characters in the book.

Luckily, events moved quickly from such moments and I was able to return to being lost in the story. I was up way too late again last night to finish, and as usual I appreciated the author's notes at the end. He gives more information about some events and people, explains where and why he altered timelines here and there to fit his vision of his book, and even speculates about how different The West might have been if the Mongol forces had not returned to their homeland when they did. Intriguing thought, but I will leave it at that.

Well, enough babbling. I am off to read the final title, Conqueror: A Novel of Kublai Khan. This has been an amazing journey. I am a little sad to be so close to the end.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in a series I have been addicted to. Only one more book to read, to wrap up the series and I am anxious to continue.

This installment concentrates on the sons and grandsons of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Nation. The conquered lands have stretched in all directions. I will admit, it was surprising to me that the Mongol Tribes entered and conquered parts of Russia. I had no knowledge of that!

I don't think I mentioned this before: Iggulden incorporates strong women into the story. The events taking place in the 13th century, women were not considered anything more than baby makers and house attendants. The women that married into Genghis' family became strong leaders themselves, and it was great to see the author portray them that way.

This is Historical Fiction that will captivate the reader-Highly Recommend.

[Vagner Stefanello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muito bom, como já é de praxe! O modo como o Iggulden descreve a história do povo mongol é simplesmente sensacional.

Muita treta acontecendo com a sucessão de Genghis Khan, Tsubodai mostrando por que foi o grande General do falecido khan, Ogedai e seus problemas de saúde atrapalhando o avanço dos mongóis, que poderiam ter conquistado todo o oeste europeu, assim por diante.

[Mohammed · Rating 3 out of 5]

إمبراطورية الفضة
كون إيغلدن

الكتيب الرابع من سلسل�� إمبراطورية المغول، تلك الدولة التي برزت كالعنقاء فأحرقت ودمرت ثم تلاشت كالسراب.

للمرة الأولى منذ بداية السلسلة، يجد المغول – والقرّاء- أنفسهم بدون جنكيز خان، موحّد المغول وقائدهم الأعلى. لا شك أن غيابه قد جعل الكتيب أقل إمتاعاً، الغزوات أقل، المؤامرات أكثر والمفاجآت أخف وطأة من المعتاد. الرماد ليس كالنار وأوقطاي ليس كجنكيز خان. فخليفة الخان الأعظم سقيم الجسد، ضعيف الهمة، لا يلهم شعباً ولا يخيف المتربصين.

ومع ذلك فإن هذا المنعطف التاريخي العجيب مستمر في إدهاشنا: اكتساح لأراضٍ جديدة في روسيا وأوروبا، جيوش جرارة، جنود متعطشون للنصر، وقائد عسكري محنك قد يكون هو بطل هذا الجزء: تسوبوتاي. كما نشهد في طيات الكتيب وفاة بعض من الشخصيات التي عرفناها منذ الجزء الأول.

كما هو متوقع من فانتازيا تاريخية، ثمة العديد من الافتراضات غير الموثقة، والثغرات التي تُسد بأغطية خيالية. هذا لا يعني أن الرواية تحرم القارئ من التأمل في تلك الأحداث الجسيمة والتفكر في سيرورة التاريخ. إليكم هذا الاقتباس الرائع من خاتمة الكتاب:

"لم يشهد التاريخ الكثير من تلك اللحظات التي تُحدث فيها وفاة شخص واحد كل هذا التغيير على مستوى العالم. كانت وفاة أوقطاي إحدى تلك اللحظات. إذ أنه لو لم توافيه المنية، لما ظهر عهد الملكة إليزابيث ولما كانت هناك إمبراطورية إنجليزية ولا عصر نهضة، بل ربما ما كانت الثورة الصناعية لتحدث قط. في مثل تلك الظروف، ربما كنت ستجد هذا الكتاب مكتوباً باللغة المنغولية أو الصينية."

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1: 5*
Book 2: 5*
Book 3: 5*
Book 4: 5*

Another amazing chapter in this series. Also amazing what the Mongols accomplished and what else they might have done had things broken just a big differently. In the words of the Knights Templar the best fighting force in Europe of that age had Genghis's son not died and the Mongols pulled back there was nothing that was going to stop them from burning all of Europe. They had already burned half of it and taken out supporting troops from western Europe.

This is real life Grimdark where they did what Napoleon and Hitler couldn't do. They marched into Russia in the middle of winter and burned every one of their cities. They marched into the Islamic world and burnt them out. They went into China and cleaned their clock. While doing all of this they were outnumber 2-10:1 in every battle.

There's a good reason 800 years later people still talk about them. Their battle tactics and strategies are still taught in modern military schools.

They were the original badasses.

[David Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genghis Khan is dead. His son Ogedai becomes khan, but not without incident. There's a lot more political intrigue this book than the previous three. Genghis built an Empire and remained virtually unchallenged as khan by virtue of the fact there was no one with the same force of will and personality to oppose his absolute hold on the Mongol tribes. Now that he's gone, who gets to be khan is not so clear cut.

While Ogedai builds a Mongol capital from the ground up, establishing a centre for Empire, Tsubodai pushes the tumans in the khan's name into Central Asia, Russia and Hungary. It's rather chilling how close the world came to not ever having what we now know as "the West" and it had nothing to do with anyone in Europe or Russia having an answer to the Mongol war machine.

Tsubodai will face heavily armoured veteran Teutonic and Templar Knights. His strategy of attacking in winter and using frozen rivers as a road network was key. In this Tsubodai caught a lot of cities and armies unprepared and he eliminated the battlefield advantage of those who outnumbered the Mongols by retreating and luring them into choke points of his choosing.

So we get some decent set piece battles this book, but not as many as in the previous books with Iggulden leaving out some pretty major historical battles in favour of showing how the Mongols spread their cultural and economic influence out from their new Capital. Genghis would probably be turning in his grave if he knew his son had built a city like the ones he so despised.

We also see a little bit of Kublai as a child though he is not a major character this book. The way this book ends it's difficult to imagine how Kublai will rise to power. It will be interesting to see how the fourth son of the fourth son of Genghis Khan takes up his grandfather's legacy in the final book of the series.


4 stars

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2010, and its the 4th volume of the wonderful "Conqueror" series, featuring the Khan family.

Now with Genghis Kahn dead, his sons are fighting for supremacy, with Ogedai building a white city on a great plain and so making a capitol for the nation.

So which of Genghis's sons will be the next Kahn, will it be Chagatai, Ogedai, Jochi or Tolui, it will be a question of time when that question will soon be answered.

The sons of Genghis must try hard to keep the nation of Mongols together, and to do that a khan is needed who is strong and decisive, when making decisions that will shape the future of the Mongols.

With a lasting peace for two years, now enemies from different sides have gathered and every son of Genghis will be tested against the China Song dynasty.

On the other end of the world, western Europe, General Tsubodai is advancing deep into Europe, and reaching France, but when his scouts are reaching the mountains of Italy, he must make a decision that will change the course of history forever.

What is to follow is a marvellous retelling of the Mongol history in a most wonderful fictitious fashion, and that will keep you captivated from start to finish.

Highly recommended, for this is another fabulous addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Magnificent Mongol Empire"!

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific. Simply. This is my all time fav book series. Easily. (well, maybe the Boxcar Children was close). Conn Iggulden continues to write great historical fiction with this Khan series. Is it all historically correct? I don't know. Is it geographically correct? I don't know. Is it a great story filled with great characters? Definitely. I was super excited when I saw this book at our library and it was one of those books you read slowly because you don't want to finish. Surely there is another book coming about Kublai Khan, the grandson of Ghengis. Highly recommend not only for people who like historical fiction but also for those who like great story lines.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent addition to the Khan series dealing with the aftermath of Genghis' death. Lots of infighting and tribal politics whilst the younger generation invade Russia and Hungary. Not quite the same level as the earlier three books but still a very good historical adventure story. Really is a must read series.

[عائشة عبد الله · Rating 5 out of 5]

الجزء الأخير من هذه الرواية العظيمة والتي بقي منها جزئين لم يترجما للعربية للأسف.
استمتعت جدا بقراءة هذه السلسلة وبأمانة الكاتب ودقة المترجم.
هذه الرواية من الكتب التي أود أن أنساها تماما لأعيد قرائتها بنفس الاستمتاع مرة أخرى.

[أحمد فؤاد · Rating 5 out of 5]

"لا نعرف لحظات كثيرة في التاريخ غيّرت فيها وفاة شخص واحد العالم برُمّته، لكن موت أوجيدي خان كان إحداها. لو عاش، لما كان هناك عصر إليزابيث أو إمبراطورية بريطانية، أو نهضة، أو ثورة صناعية ربما. في مثل هذه الظروف، كانت هذه الرواية ستُكتب أيضًا بالمنغولية أو الصينية."

هكذا لخّص الكاتب كون إيغلدن الحال بجملة استثنائية تحمّل خوفًا مما كان من المتوقع حدوثه، لولا رحمة الله بنا وبالعالم بأسره. آتى المغول بخرابهم لينتشروا في الأرض كالجراد يُدمّر كل ما يحط عليه، حتى أنني أظن أن الناس حينذاك اعتبروهم يأجوج ومأجوج. الغريب أن هذا التحوّل لم يحدث بعد موت مؤسس أمة المغول جنكيز خان، وإنما كان ابنه أوجيدي، وليس ذلك لأهمية أوجيدي الاستثنائية، وإنما لمواقع جيوش المغول التي كان تتمركز في أماكن استراتيجية في هذه اللحظة أفضل بكثر وأكثر أهمية من المواقع التي كانت فيها حين موت جنكيز. إذن أين كان يتمركز جيوش المغول حينها؟ ولماذا تحوّل مجرى التاريخ بموت ذلك الرجل؟ هذا ما سنعرفه معًا في مراجعة الرواية.

إمبراطورية الفضة، الجزء الرابع للسيرة الملحمية لجنكيز خان. تسافر بنا الرواية إلى الفترة التي تلت موت جنكيز خان، وقُبيل تقديم القسم للخان الجديد أوجيدي الابن الثالث لجنكيز خان، ولأن انتظار عودة جيوش المغول في كل أنحاء العالم كانت إجبارية لتقديم فروض الولاء، فتطلب ذلك وقت يُقارب العامين، بنى فيها الخان الجديد عاصمة اسمها كواكورم، لتصبح للمغول عاصمة للمرة الأولى في تاريخهم. لم تخيب الرواية ظنّ القارئ الذي توقع انهيار في مستوى الحبكة والإثارة بعد اختفاء جنكيز، إلا أن الكاتب يُفاجئنا بإثارة مُشتعلة بلهيب الترقّب، وذلك بالدخول إلى معمة المؤامرات، ورجس السياسة، وحكمة بعض القادة وحماقة بعضهم الآخر.

الصراعات الداخلية كانت ممتعة للغاية خاصة أنها بين عدة شخصية ولم تنحصر بين شخصين أو ثلاثة فقط، أما الشيء الساحر في هذه الرواية فهو التصوير المُذهل لتصميم المعارك المُدهشة وبراعة التخطيط لها.

الحدث البالغ الأهمية في هذا الجزء وهذه المرحلة التاريخية بشكل عام كان اجتياح المغول للعالم الغربي بدءً من روسيا ومرورًا بصربيا وبودا وبست وحتى مشارف النمسا. وإني أزعم أن هذا النجاح المبهر للمغول لاجتياح العالم الغربي وقبله العالم الشرقي، لم يكن ليحدث إلا بوجود القائد الفذ ذو العبقرية العسكرية المذهلة سوبوتاي ( تسوبودي – كما في الرواية). هذا القائد العسكري الذي أذهلني من نجاحاته المُبهرة والتي لم تتوقف أبدًا إلا بعد موته. سوبوتاي قائد جيش جنكيز خان، وقائد جيش أوجيدي خان، قاد أكثر من عشرين حملة عسكرية، غزا فيها 32 اثنين وثلاثين دولة، وفاز ب 65 خمسة وستين معركة منظمة، ليتمكن من اجتياح أقاليم تفوق ما اجتاحه أي قائد آخر في التاريخ.

نستطيع أن نرى في أحداث الرواية الخطط الخيالية والاستراتيجيات المتطورة التي قام بها، يكفي أنه صاحب الهجوم الشتوي الناجح الوحيد على روسيا. روسيا التي أجبرت جميع من حاول الاعتداء عليها في الشتاء بالتراجع. روسيا التي يقبع جيشها هو الآخر في ثكناته أثناء الشتاء القارس. يأتي تسوبوتاي ليهجم على الأراضي الروسية في وسط الشتاء، كان عنصر المُفاجأة عنيفًا على الروس، ولم يستطيعوا إيقاف الاجتياح أبدًا، قوة الإرادة المُذهلة والاستراتيجية المُبهرة في قرار تسوبوتاي بالهجوم شتاء كان لسبب قلب موازين القوى، فقد هاجم المغول في الشتاء كي يستطيعوا استخدام الأنهار المُتجمّدة كشبكة طرق بين المدن، ليفاجئوا الروس الذين يظنون أن الأنهار تفصلهم عن أعدائهم. يصعب علينا أن نصدق كيفية اجتياحه لاثنتي عشرة مدينة روسية مُحصّنة خلال شهرين فقط. ويكفي أن نعرف أنه قد دمّر الجيش الهنغاري ووفقًا لمصادر مختلفة، ذبحت القوى المغولية 40,000 إلى 65,000 من الجيش الهنغاري، وأنهت وجوده بوصفه كيانًا لجيل أو أكثر. الجدير بالذكر أن كتيبة من فرسان المعبد – أقوى فرسان في العالم الغربي – تواجدت مع الجيش الهنغاري لنجدته، وتم تدميرها أيضًا على يد المغول. لنا أن نتخيل أن جيش المغول الذي كان على أبواب المجر، كان يمتد حتى 500 خمسمائة كيلو متر للخلف!

استمرت حملة تسوبوتاي ضد الغرب من عام 1232 إلى عام 1241، واجه فيها المغول روسًا وبلغارًا ومجريين هنغاريين، واستولى على بودا وبست، وهاجم بولندا وصربيا، وأرسل مستطلعين حتى شمالي إيطاليا استعدادًا لاجتياح قلب أوروبا. وكادت النمسا والقدس أن تُجتاح لولا موت الخان لتعود القوات إلى كواكورم.

في المقابل يجب أن ندرك أنه على الرغم من العقلية الفذّة للقائد تسوبوتاي، ونجاحه المُبهر في حملاته والتغلّب على جميع الفرق التي واجهها، خاصة حملاته في الغرب، إلا أنه يجب أن أوضح سبب نجاح المغول بشكل عام – وتسوبوتاي بشكل خاص – في القضاء على جميع الجيوش التي واجهوها.

السبب الأول هو اهتمام المغول بالدراسة العميقة لجميع التضاريس المحيطة بأي ساحة حرب، وتطويعها لمساعدتهم في مفاجأة أعدائهم، حتى أن المغول كانوا يعرفون بعض التضاريس التي لا يعرفها أصحاب الأرض أنفسهم.
السبب الثاني هو استخفاف أعدائهم بهم، نجد أن الصينيين والعرب ودولة خوارزم والغرب بأكمله، تعاملوا مع المغول على أنهم مجرد رعاع وبدو رحالة لا يملكون أي أفضلية قتالية، ولهذا لم يحترموا عدوهم الذي استغل هذه النقطة جيدّا وأطاح بهم جميعًا.
السبب الثالث... يبدو أن العالم بأسره كان يتنازع مع بعضه البعض، فالصينيين كان حكامهم على خلاف دائم، والدولة الإسلامية كان الخلاف على أشده، أما الغرب فلم يختلف المشهد كثيرًا، فقد كانت المدن الروسية على خلاف أيضًا، وكان هناك صراع قوي بين ملوك إنجلترا والنمسا وبين بابا الكنيسة أيضًا. كان وجه التشابه واضحًا جدًا، حتى أنني اعتقد بأن في الأمر مبالغة بسبب تكرار تخاذل الجيران بمساعدة الطرف الآخر بقوات لمؤازرته، وتركهم لتم تدميرهم على يد عدو مشترك، غير مدركين أنهم سيتم اجتياحهم لاحقًا. إلا أنني للأسف وجدت أن هذا التخاذل كان سمة ذلك العصر بين أغلب الممالك والدول الكبرى حينها، وقد جاء في صالح المغول تمامًا.

إمبراطورية الفضة... استمرت في نسج حكاية أمة المغول في حرفية بالغة، دون الإخلال بأي من الحبكة أو الأحداث التاريخية، لتقدّم للقارئ وجبة تاريخية مبهرة مليئة بالأحداث التاريخية بشكل درامي ممتع. ولكنها على الأجانب الآخر قدّمت جانبًا سلبيّا واحدًا... ألا وهو الإسهام في حيرة القارئ -بعد الانتهاء من قراءة الرواية- في اختيار كتاب جديد ليقرأه. لأنه حتمًا سيصاب بالحيرة.


مُراجعة الجزء الأول – ذئب السهول
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

مُراجعة الجزء الثاني – سادة البراري
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


مُراجعة الجزء الثالث– عظام على الهضاب
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



تقييمي للرواية 5 من 5
أحمد فؤاد
29 آذار مارس
2019

[Ron Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth book in the series tells about the conquests of the Mongols after the death of Genghis Khan.

Plot. Rating 5
The book contains a voluminous and varied plot. It doesn't have one main character, and I think that hasimproved the storytelling. It is impossible to tell in detail about all the significant events of the Mongol Empire by concentrating on only one person.
For that reason, there are several storylines in the book. As in previous books, the campaigns of the Mongols are shown very well. Military campaigns and battles in China, Ancient Russia and Europe describe various strategic and tactical techniques. In addition to the actual military operations, there are various intrigues of the Mongolian commanders.
The book also has a lot of clever political intrigue and unexpected plot twists. They are shown reliably. For example, I liked the revolt of Chagatai in the first half of the book, as well as the wise rule of Khan Ogedei.

Characters. Rating 5
There are seven or eight main characters in the book. Almost all of them differ significantly in their personal qualities, behavior and habits. For example, the sons of Genghis Khan are completely different from each other: Ogedei, Chagatai and Tolui are described well; their images are well complemented by the dramatic events of the plot. Genghis Khan's grandchildren are also very diverse.
In addition to them, characters from past books and episodic characters create a complex detailed history of the Mongol Empire and those states that were attacked by the Mongols.

Dialogues. Rating 4
The dialogues are well connected with the characters’ personalities. For example, the personal qualities of Ogedei, Batu, Tolui and some other heroes are reflected in their dialogues. There are many intense dialogues in the book that keep the reader's attention.

Writing style. Rating 5
It was an exciting read. The book has a dense writing style, but it is very easy to read. The narrative develops consistently and logically. I liked the excellent description of the battles.

Worldbuilding. Rating 5
The fourth book in the series sets a record for describing the various aspects of the life of the Mongols and other peoples. It contains elements such as the construction of a huge city in the steppe, a military revolt, Mongol competitions, kurultai, Mongol nomad camps, various rituals of sacrifice, the significant role of women in the politics of the Mongol Empire, a short but nevertheless clear picture of neighboring states, differences in military tactics in the war with different opponents and much more.
I did not downgrade the rating despite some artistic fiction, since this book focuses on the fate of individual characters and complements the real story well, and does not change its major events. For example, the solution to the problem of succession to the throne in the book seemed to me very successful.

Conclusion. Overall rating 5
In my opinion, at the moment this is the best book in the series, and it is significantly ahead of the rest of the books.

[Jefi Sevilay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bence Conn Iggulden'in Conqueror serisi, gelmiş geçmiş en iyi Tarihsel Kurgu serilerinden olabilir. Zamanında Christian Jacq'ın yine 5 kitaplık Ramses serisini okumuştum ama yok, bu çok çok daha iyi.

Seriyi çok sevmeme rağmen nedense araya hep uzun zaman girdi. Bir önceki (üçüncü) kitap olan Tepelerin Kemikleri'ni de Kasım 2019'da okumuşum. Dolayısıyla son olayların birçoğunu unutmuşum. Olaylardan daha da önemlisi karakterleri unutmuşum. Burada Cengiz Han'ın hanedanı altında kardeşler, eşler, çocuklar ve torunlar var. Yeni nesil sağlam geliyor ancak ilk başta kim kimin oğluydu, torunuydu, veziriydi, eşiydi (ki itiraf ediyorum isimler farklı olduğu için kimi zaman erkek mi kız mı anlamadım), komutanıydı? Ancak yine de kısa sürede olaylara hakim oldum.

Bu kitap tarihsel açıdan çok önemli çünkü yalnızca Moğollar için değil, dünya için de bir dönüm noktasını anlatıyor. Moğollar sonunda göçebe hayattan şehir hayatına geçiyor (Cengiz mezarında dört dönmüştür) ve Ögeday yeni şehri Karakurum'u kuruyor. Ressamlara tablolar yaptırıyor, buluşmaları kaydetmesi için katipler tutuyor, Çinden (Jin) hekimler ve şamanlar getiriyor. Hikaye 1230 yılında başlıyor ve Batu'nun 36 yaşındaki annesinin çürük dişlerle yaşlı bir kadın olarak betimlenmesi beni şaşırtıyor. Evet, o dönem 36 yaş demek ki yaşlı kabul ediliyor.

Spoiler vermemek adına söylemeyecektim ama nasıl olsa benden başka kimse bu seriyi okumuyor ve zaten hikayenin temeli gerçek olaylar. Evet, dünya açısından çok önemli bir dönem çünkü Ögeday'ın beklenen-ama-ani ölümü teee Polonya ve Macaristan'a kadar ilerlemiş Moğol ordusunun (Altın Ordu) geri dönmesine sebep oluyor. O dönemde belki teknolojik ve sayısal olarak değil ama stratejik ve taktiksel olarak Moğol ordusuna denk bir ordu yok. O zaman ordunun başındaki komutan Subutay'ın hedefi denizi görene kadar fethetmek. Ve önlerinde durabilecek bir ordu yok. Ta ki yasal varis Karakurum'a geri dönüyoruz diyene kadar. İşte burada Avrupa bir nefes alıyor ve tek bir adamın ölümü belki bugünün sınırlarının çok farklı çizileceği bir tarihin akışını değiştiriyor.

Konu olarak olabildiğince gerçek (ki Conn Iggulden kitabın sonunda ne kadarı gerçek ne kadarı kurgu açıkça anlatıyor), savaş sahneleri olabildiğince doyurucu, gayet başarılı bir Tarihsel Kurguydu. Tarihsel Kurgu demişken Historical Fiction da en sevdiğim türler arasında ama türün en iyi yazarlarından Conn Iggulden, Ben Kane, Steven Pressfield'ın piyasada bir tane kitabı yok. Neden yayınevleri bu türe bu kadar duyarsız acaba? Kendi tarihi de savaşlarla yoğrulmuş bir ülkenin insanları bu türe hiç mi ilgi duymuyor?

Yeni ve başarılı eserlerin de dilimize çevrilmesi dilekleriyle,
Herkese keyifli okumalar!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden. This has been a great Historical Fiction series that I have enjoyed so much. I loved how the author portrayed the people, tribe life, and how the different nomadic tribes became united, not to mention how they became a strong and a fearsome people.

This book was a continuation of the story of the people in Genghis Khan's rule, but I wasn't loving this one as much as I have the others. This was less about the people and more about the governing powers.....and their conquering finesse. However, this was still enjoyable. I have the next one in this series and I'm hoping to get to it this coming week. So 3 stars.

[Mizuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review for the prequel: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Recently I read that the name 'Mongol' means 'Sliver' or 'Eternal River' or 'Brave Warriors', that helps to partly explain the title of this book.

At first, the main character is Ögedei Khan, the second Khan of the Mongol Empire. I warm up to this guy after he spears his younger siblings (children of the Xi Xia princess who assassinated Genghis Khan) from death in the end of the third book, I warm up to him even more when he takes Jochi's orphaned son in as one of his kin. I also like the setting that Ögedei Khan is eager to build the Mongol's new capital and expand the borders of the Empire because he suffers a heart disease and wants to leave his marks in a short time before he dies.

In Ögedei Khan's court, we have more power struggle and schemes than before, and it's rather entertaining to read.

As Ögedei Khan's health worsens, we see something rather unimaginable takes place in the Mongol court: under the instruction of a shaman, Ögedei's younger brother Tolui becomes the willing sacrifice so Ögedei can live longer!? I must wonder in reality just how 'willing' the historical Tolui was about giving up his life for his older brother.

Aside from Ögedei, I am actually glad to see women getting more roles to play in the story! For instant, we have Töregene khatun and Sorghaghtani Beki, two extraordinary women who must use their wits and influence to stand in power and protect their families. I like reading about how these women working together, overcoming one crisis after another, weathering all sort of plots, schemes and assassination..

This fourth installment of the Conqueror series is still a satisfying read, even when it might not be as great as the first three books.

PS: the battle scenes about the Mongol Army storming Eastern Europe are also well written! I almost feel sad for General Subutai (one of my favorite characters) for NOT able to conquer the rest of Europe! LOL

[Mohit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the penultimate instalment of Conqueror series in my personal opinion, weakest so far. But not for the writing as that’s been right up there, but for too many sub plots in parallel. In this book, the war of Khanate settles with Ogedai taking over the reins of the most vast empire ever created, with armies in all directions. However just one news by the end of the novel changes the course of entire world map and thus the world is as it is today.

Quite an interesting one.

[Ivie dan Glokta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember starting this series and thinking to myself just how little information we usually get about the Eastern cultures trough our educational system. Just the basics really. Truth be told, not a lot of people would just sit and research some random piece of history either. It takes precious time, that we really don't have these days.

So once you find an author who can so creatively rouse your interest and get you invested into researching it's a brilliant thing.

This is the final installment of a very well researched history of one man that managed to call the wandering Mongolian tribes under one banner. King of the Sea of Grass. This series has been an eye opener for me, something new and something i really enjoyed. What makes me smile that even today there are nomadic Mongolian tribes that still cling to the elements of the past lives described in this book. Truly amazing.

Would i recommend this series? Of course i would. Honestly i haven't found a writer yet that would impress me as much as Conn Iggulden when it comes to historical fiction.

[Mariya Mincheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Страхотно продължение на историята за Чингис и пълководците му, мечтаещи да съборят портите на Виена и Париж, след като са сринали и опожарили кралството на онзи Бела,който няколко години по-рано нападнал Влашко на Иван Асен.
Надявах се да зърна български царе по страниците, но уви, споменават се само сърби. Единственият недостатък на този роман е, че захващам петата книга, която е и последната, утеха ми носи фактът, че ще препускам из степите със забележителния Кублай хан :)

[Lance Greenfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had read this book as a standalone, without its three predecessors, I think that I may have awarded it five stars. It really is a wonderful work of historical fiction. However, it is just not up to the standard of the other three in this series.

There is quite a lot of politics in this one, and the rivalries between the secions of the family continue. There is a fair share of savage brutality, and some of it is shocking, but you expect that by now, don't you?

Ogedai is the new Khan, but only just. There is an unsuccessful attempt on his life on the eve of the oath-taking which will confirm his supreme position in the Mongol nation. Some skilful manipulation resolves the splits and rivalries between the most powerful, and makes all of the protagonists relatively happy.

The Khan continues the expansion of the empire, and the building of cities. This may not be the way that Ghengis would have operated, but it works. Sadly, Ogedai is ill. The radical solution is beyond anything that you can imagine, but Iggulden makes it totally believable.

The torrid pace of all of the books in the Conqueror series continues, but I just felt that this was one book too far. Don't let me put you off reading it though. It is still a superb read, and I commend it to you.

[Nikhil Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genghis Khan is dead. Tensions grow as two of his sons claim to be his heirs, the stakes being control over the largest empire ever built during that period. Subotai marches his army into the frozen depths of Russia and further into Hungary to battle with knights and the Teutonic Order. Also, there's this Chinese claimant to the throne. Not really relevant here.

It's difficult not to compare this book with its prequel, which I thought was incredibly well written, subsequently making this seem like a letdown. It's not really because the main reason why we picked up the series is dead, but rather because the character perspectives aren't captivating. The story itself seems rather simplistic and stretches on, also concluding plotlines unexpectedly at times. I just wasn't as invested in this one as I was in the previous one.

At this point, I'm inclined to think that I'm being enthralled by every other Conn Iggulden book, because I loved the first and the third one. Here's hoping the final book blows me away and wraps up Conqueror with a flourish. Or more bloodshed. That works too.

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Novelando cómo se va acercando a su cénit el Imperio Mongol.-

Género. Novela Histórica.

Lo que nos cuenta. Ogedai ha visto cómo la ciudad de Karakorum se construía a partir de la nada en medio de la estepa con las riquezas conseguidas en las diferentes conquistas mongolas, pero tanto su salud como los movimientos políticos de otros mongoles, algunos de su propia familia y con derechos teóricos a dirigir a los suyos, hacen que el khan no sepa cuánto tiempo más va a vivir. Los Chin y los Sung no están dispuestos a dejarse conquistar con facilidad, y mucho más al este, al otro lado del Volga y todavía más allá, hay tierras que una vez se libraron de la presencia del Imperio Mongol pero que no van a volver a tener esa suerte. Cuarto libro de la serie Conquistador.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...