From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10–Color is the most striking feature in this survey of the three great pre-Columbian civilizations of Latin America. Full-page color photographs of the ruins of the Maya city of Tikal or the sacred Inca site of Machu Picchu are examples of what can be found throughout. Two introductory chapters and a prologue discuss the Meso-American precursor civilizations, such as the Olmecs. As the title indicates, the author does not shy away from the gruesome aspects of the cultures he describes, in particular the widespread practice of human sacrifice, devoting an entire chapter to it. Ackroyd describes the bloody rituals within their cultural context and attempts to enlighten readers about various practices of all three civilizations that seem alien to modern sensibilities. A useful appendix ("Reference section") includes a time line; glossary; and listings of ancient rulers, pyramids, and gods; but there is no bibliography. Nonetheless, this is a solid choice where materials on pre-Columbian civilizations are needed. Elizabeth Baquedano's
Aztec, Inca and Maya (DK, 2000) is comparable in terms of illustrative material, but is not as detailed or comprehensive as Ackroyd's text. A fuller treatment of the Aztecs can be found in
Aztecs: Reign of Blood and Splendor(Time-Life, 1992).
–David Pauli, Hillsboro Public Library, OR
Gr. 7-10.
The Beginning (2003) and
Escape from Earth [BKL My 1 04], the first two volumes of Ackroyd's Voyages through Time series, covered prehistoric life and space exploration. The latest installment guides readers through less familiar territory: Mesoamerica and its lost civilizations, from the Olmec "mother culture" to the flourishing societies of the Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas. The gory title, while a bit gratuitous, is also basically accurate; the gleefully vivid descriptions of human sacrifice, ritual flaying, and cannibalism suggest that Ackroyd's occasional apologetic asides ("It is not pleasant to record these details") may be disingenuous. But Ackroyd doesn't neglect the less lurid aspects of these rich civilizations. Extraordinary comparisons (by the early sixteenth century, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan was the largest outside Asia) rightly place the pre-Columbian peoples on equal footing with ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Even readers who find themselves occasionally bogged down by Ackroyd's florid style will enjoy browsing the abundant and varied visuals. Uncommonly useful end matter concludes.
Jennifer MattsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
