Life on the steppes of northeastern Asia in the 13th Century was tough. On a backdrop of endless frozen tundra traveled by fierce Nomadic tribes, Conn Iggulden winds an entirely engrossing saga of Temujin, the son of a local warlord, who is destined to become the legendary conqueror and scourge of the west, Genghis Khan.
Following the death of his father, twelve-year old Temujin, his mother, Hoelun, brothers, and infant sister are cast out by the treacherous new leader of his native Blue Wolf tribe, left on Mongolia's barren plains without food, shelter, or weapons with winter approaching. Through Hoelin's ingenuity and sheer determination, the family survives against all odds, strengthening Temujin's already-iron will and igniting the spark of vengeance in him and his brothers. Iggulden follows up with a swashbuckling drama of cliffhangers and suspense as gripping, and certainly more bloody, than the best pop thrillers. Told at a lively pace without unnecessary baggage as Temujin, now merely eighteen, succeeds in uniting the disparate and warring Mongol tribes to stand down the Tartar raiders from the north.
"Genghis: Birth of an Empire", is one of those rare gems of historical fiction that is as entertaining as it is illuminating and educational. The research was exceptional, from Mongol "sky burials", to a uniquely brutal brand of cannibalism, to the life the northern Asian warrior's life on steppes - able to survive for days on end using their ponies not only for transportation, but also by tapping into a vein for sustenance. Since the details of Genghis Khan's childhood are sketchy at best, my initial assumption was that most of the author's content was speculation, heavily embellished to maintain a lively pace and hold reader interest. To my surprise, further checking confirmed the basics of the young khan's early days as depicted here, while not without some well placed poetic license, sticks closely to the facts as recorded, painting a vivid and noble portrait of the young general.
In short, authoritative and inspirational, told in light and easy prose; a fun read well worth the time, and a worthy opening to the epic of Genghis Khan that Iggulden will clearly be continuing in subsequent volumes. I'm looking forward to the encore.