Lords Of The Bow
by
Conn Iggulden
This, the follow-up to Wolf Of The Plains and the second of the Conqueror trilogy, is a fictionalised account of how Genghis Khan, still not quite 30 years old, united the warring Mongol tribes into one nation and led them across the Gobi Desert to wage war on the all powerful Chin.
The story follows the journey of Khan and his mighty horde as they encounter massively fortified cities, the like of which Genghis has never before seen and how, using all of their strength, cunning, bravery and firepower, the Mongols lay siege to each, overcoming the mighty obstacles one-by-one until they reach the city of Yenking where Khan will not rest until the Emperor kneels before him.
When it comes to historical fiction, Conn Iggulden is really in a league of his own. The Emperor series, which charts the rise and fall of Julius Caesar, spawned no less than four best-sellers and is utterly engaging from the first book to the last. Wolf Of The Plains was every bit as good and with this book, that run seems to be continuing.
What sets them apart is that he tells the stories with the minimum of fuss. He has a sparse style that avoids overly florid description in favour of brilliantly crafted action making his books compelling and absorbing from the get-go and while they are clearly not the whole truth, they are as accurate as any account can be. He characterises Genghis as a complex man but a man of his times, listening to those who may help, rewarding those who excel, ruthless and unforgiving - even amongst his own people - when crossed, but at all times wholly dedicated to wreaking vengeance against the Chin.
The supporting cast are equally well drawn, their behaviour at once a reaction to the Khan's and a means to curry favour - achieving honour being the highest accolade - and, without labouring on any particular point, the settings, the way of life, the customs and the people are are beautifully realised in the telling of the tale.
A true boys-own adventure (not surprising coming from one the authors of The Dangerous Book For Boys) it will grip you from the first page and pull you along for the ride and when it's sequel comes - for surely it must - we'll be in the queue to see what happens next.
We have two signed hardback copies of Lords Of The Bow to give away! To enter the draw to win one of them just answer the following question:
What was Genghis Khan's birth name? Click here to e-mail your answer by February 28 2008.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW AS YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST.
Lords Of The Bow is published by Harper Collins and is available from Amazon priced £8.99
Conn Iggulden
This, the follow-up to Wolf Of The Plains and the second of the Conqueror trilogy, is a fictionalised account of how Genghis Khan, still not quite 30 years old, united the warring Mongol tribes into one nation and led them across the Gobi Desert to wage war on the all powerful Chin.The story follows the journey of Khan and his mighty horde as they encounter massively fortified cities, the like of which Genghis has never before seen and how, using all of their strength, cunning, bravery and firepower, the Mongols lay siege to each, overcoming the mighty obstacles one-by-one until they reach the city of Yenking where Khan will not rest until the Emperor kneels before him.
When it comes to historical fiction, Conn Iggulden is really in a league of his own. The Emperor series, which charts the rise and fall of Julius Caesar, spawned no less than four best-sellers and is utterly engaging from the first book to the last. Wolf Of The Plains was every bit as good and with this book, that run seems to be continuing.
What sets them apart is that he tells the stories with the minimum of fuss. He has a sparse style that avoids overly florid description in favour of brilliantly crafted action making his books compelling and absorbing from the get-go and while they are clearly not the whole truth, they are as accurate as any account can be. He characterises Genghis as a complex man but a man of his times, listening to those who may help, rewarding those who excel, ruthless and unforgiving - even amongst his own people - when crossed, but at all times wholly dedicated to wreaking vengeance against the Chin.
The supporting cast are equally well drawn, their behaviour at once a reaction to the Khan's and a means to curry favour - achieving honour being the highest accolade - and, without labouring on any particular point, the settings, the way of life, the customs and the people are are beautifully realised in the telling of the tale.
A true boys-own adventure (not surprising coming from one the authors of The Dangerous Book For Boys) it will grip you from the first page and pull you along for the ride and when it's sequel comes - for surely it must - we'll be in the queue to see what happens next.
We have two signed hardback copies of Lords Of The Bow to give away! To enter the draw to win one of them just answer the following question:
What was Genghis Khan's birth name? Click here to e-mail your answer by February 28 2008.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW AS YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST.
Lords Of The Bow
is published by Harper Collins and is available from Amazon priced £8.99
Posted 05 Feb 2008 by robert
by Ann Carline - 16 Feb 2008 08:55 pm
