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Genghis. Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden I am khan of the sea of grass, and they will know me by that name, as Genghis. Genghis Kahn was born Temujin, second son to Yesugei, the khan (or leader) of the Wolves, one of the many tribes of Mongols that at the time populated the wind-swept steppes of inland Asia. He was raised in the safety of his father’s tribe until Yesugei was killed by Tartar raiders. Upon Yesugei’s death, his first bondman declared himself khan and moved the tribe, leaving Temujin, then twelve, with his mother and five other siblings, unprotected in the unforgiving plains. They were expected to die that winter, but somehow Temujin and his family endured in a frozen land that gave nothing. Out of that fierce struggle for survival Temujin emerged, ruthless and unstoppable with a vision: to become the khan of all the tribes of the plains. As Temujin tells one of his brothers at the end of this, the first book in the series: “We are the silver people, the Mongols. When they ask, tell them there are no tribes. Tell them I am khan of the sea of grass, and they will know me by that name, as Genghis. Yes, tell them that. Tell them that I am Genghis and I will ride.” Genghis. Birth of an Empire tells an impressive, epic story, even if the writing itself is just serviceable, and only in a couple of occasions, like the one quoted above, stands on its own. Overall the story was compelling enough to keep me reading, and the characters, especially Temujin, come alive, as does the time and the harshness of a way of life hard to imagine.

2022-11-14 14:07