Customer Reviews

Lords of the Bow (Conqueror, Book 2)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having united the tribes into the unified nation of Mongols, Genghis Khan and his brothers lead their great army into the land of the Chin. They encounter a new type of warfare, besieging great cities with high, strong walls and massive defensive weapons.

Keeping the tribes united is a difficult task and relies upon the brains of the great khan combined with his, sometimes shocking, ruthlessness. It works.

There are many sub-adventures, and there are new surprises for the reader around every corner. The only constant is the cunning plotting of the shaman, Kokchu, who is feared by all, even Genghis.

Once again, Conn Iggulden sweeps the reader along with his wonderful descriptive story-telling. The only disappointment for me is that, having finished this book, I am going to have to wait for the third and final instalment.

This is the second book in a series. I found the first volume, Genghis, very absorbing with the descriptions of the young Temujin to survive and regain his birth-right--the "cold face," the will to power, the harrowing escapes. The Lords of the Bow, I think, over-reaches. It is a good story and well told. But the characters of Temuge, of Kokchu the new shaman, of Genghis' inability to love his oldest son, of the layers of Chin society from the tong chief and slaves to the generals and imperial court. The scope demands Wagnerian treatment (while Genghis required something more like the Carmina Burana) and it does not get it.

I've read the whole Iggulden series about Ghengis Khan now and really enjoyed it.

He creates a real sense of place and time (and smell). Even a squeamish 21st century urbanite like me, was convinced to set aside modern day prejudices and immerse myself in this visceral experience.

I am a difficult person to impress when it comes to historical novels. I insist on historical integrity and abhor sloppy wordsmithing.

So if you love history and a cracking good story, this is a series you'll probably enjoy this one. Will now have a look at his other series.

"Wolf of the Plains" was a hard act to follow for Mr Iggulden, as it set a high precedent for the successive sequelae. But deliver a sure-fire success he has done, with this second instalment in the Genghis series, which if anything is faster paced than the first book.

In "Wolf of the Plains" the reader is treated to the early life and times of the young Temujin (as Genghis was first known), his harsh and often incredible initiation into manhood against soul destroying odds, and the first paths taken on his steps to greatness and a united Mongol nation. With "Lords of the Bow" the unification of the Mongol tribes is complete, if a little shaky at times, and Genghis in his maturity is now Gurkhan (Great Khan) of all Mongolia and able to turn his martial attention to the Chin empire. He is eager to exact retribution for past Chin wrongs, which have pitted Mongol tribe against tribe for hundreds of years through bribery, false promises and ruthless manipulation. But Genghis is to find that his greatest battles are to be found at home from very unexpected quarters. His brothers Kachiun and Khasar, now great generals and khans in their own right, are steadfast as always, and in his youngest brother Temuge, he discovers a shrewd intellect and a skilled politician/administrator he has to finally admit the Mongol nation needs. But after accepting a Chin princess,Chakahai, as a second wife, he estranges himself partially from his premier wife, Borte, and finds his role as a father to four growing sons a difficult one to fill. With Jochi, the eldest, he is particularly uneasy, as Jochi's true paternity is strongly in question. But a new, shady influence creeps into the Mongol royal circle in the form of Kokchu, a clever and manipulative shaman of rare ability who comes to exert a major influence over the Great Khan and his family, and who slithers like a serpent in the background throughout the book (stay tuned to the third book for what happens!) Apart from old friends like Genghis's loyal generals Jelme and Arslan, we are introduced to another individual, Tsubodai, a young and talented soldier who will one day make his own mark on Asian history.

However, despite the simmering tensions on the homefront, there is more than enough to keep the action afficianados gratified. The massive and historic battle of Badgers Pass just beyond Yenking (now Beijing) is epic in its scale and the horrors of the resulting siege makes grim but riveting reading. However, the crushed Chin empire is not enough to curb the Great Khan's ambitions for long...

Books like these are seldom made into movies or mini series, but should be, and deliver on all fronts. It is easy to read, fast paced, honest and stark in its portrayal of events, yet fires the core of the reader's imagination. All this reviewer can say is, keep the books coming!

Genghis Khan is the world's great warrior bar none. The empire he conquered was larger than those of the Romans and Alexander's combined. The odds he met were incredible. Great Walls, internal dissension. Unlike Alexander, he was not born a prince.

In Lord of Bows, Genghis challenges the incredible might of China. There was an element of luck when a Chinese mafia betrays his country out of vengenance, but let's face it...It's not easy for a small nomad to challenge China's walls to begin with. Tsubodai also rocks the scene, playing dead to get behind the walls literally.

I think readers will also identify with the crazy brother Khasar, who rambles on and makes a big risk spying on China and cavorting with funny kung-fu monks.

I think Conn Igulden is the best historical fiction writer, even better than Bernard Cornwell, who has rather narrow themes than only revolve around England, and Lords of Bow is by far his best book. I first read his Caesar series, but even Gods of War was not this fun.

These books are loosely based on historical facts. The author goes into detail at the end of each book to explain where he left history to tell the story. That helps turn what seems like a fantastic work of fiction into an amazing story. Combined with good characters and a good paced story, I have enjoyed both books in this series.