Borrowing from history and legend, Iggulden reimagines the iconic conqueror on a more human scale larger-than-life surely, but accessible and even sympathetic. The Mongols' insatiable quest to conquer drives the narrative, but Iggulden deftly weaves several intriguing character-driven subplots into the saga, including tales of sibling rivalry between Genghis's two eldest sons and the cupidity of a powerful and enigmatic shaman. Aided by his brothers Kachiun and Khasar, Genghis strikes first against the Xi Xia Kingdom south of the Gobi Desert a route into China that circumvents the Great Wall. Here, Genghis turns to the conquest of the 'bloated, wealthy' cities of the Chin, or Chinese, Kingdom. In the debut volume, the Great Khan rises from the barren plains of central Asia to unify the scattered Mongol tribes into a nation. This is historical fiction of the first order.Iggulden, coauthor of the megaseller The Dangerous Book for Boys, continues his masterful series on Genghis Khan (following Genghis: Birth of an Empire) with another vividly imagined chapter. Building on the fragments of Genghis's life, Iggulden weaves a spellbinding story of an exotic and 'unforgiving land' and the enigmatic young man-charismatic, a brilliant tactician and capable 'of utter ruthlessness'-who sets out to tame it.

As his fame spreads, Temujin launches an ambitious campaign to unite the Mongol tribes 'after a thousand years of warfare' into a single people, defeat the Tartars and invade China. After assembling a core of these 'men scorned by all the others,' Temujin begins raiding Tartar camps. Left behind without resources when the tribe migrates, the family struggles to survive the harsh environment, and Temujin dreams of gathering similar outcasts-wanderers and herdsmen-into a new tribe. When his father is killed by Tartar raiders before Temujin reaches manhood, a rival claims the tribe and banishes Temujin's family. Future conqueror Temujin-'a man of iron'-is born to the khan (ruler) of a fierce Mongol tribe that roams central Asia's steppes in the 12th century. Author of the bestselling Emperor series on the life of Julius Caesar, Iggulden turns to another of history's great conquerors, Genghis Khan, for a new series of brilliantly imagined and addictive historical fiction.

Genghis khan series books