Temujin of the Wolves has become Genghis Khan.
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Journey with "Temujin of the Wolves," as he unites the tribes of the Mongols and becomes the conquering warlord, Genghis Khan.
When I was asked to review this book, I was filled with anticipation. What could be better than to sit back and dive into a book that tells the story of Genghis Khan? I expected a story filled with Machiavellian intrigue, glorious battles, and bloody revenge, all centered on a slick, iron-willed central character worthy of a legend. What I got was a rather dry retelling of historical events. The book seems to lean more toward a factual account of the many battles and sieges that resulted in Genghis Khan's victory of the Chin Empire. In fact, most of the characters seem devoid of any personality, and it is a struggle to either empathise or even appreciate any of them.
Genghis Khan is as much a figure of legend as he is a figure of history. And, I think any author can be forgiven for including a bit of mythos in retelling the story of the great Genghis Khan. Sadly, the author, Conn Iggulden, has chosen not to include anything he could not prove to be true, and thus, I think his story suffers for that fact.
However, the novel is not all bad, as there is enough blood- and-guts to keep even the most ghoulish reader pleased. Also, the small glimpse the reader has of Genghis Khan's mercilessly competitive and highly suspicious sons is a good teaser for the next book in the series.
I have no doubt that Lords of the Bow will be just a blip in Conn Iggulden's illustrious storytelling career, and by the time he gets to Kubla Khan, he will be back on track.
In short, the author seems to be more concerned with making his book historically accurate than to tell a good story. If you like reading about the history of the Mongols and Genghis Khan, then this is the book for you. But, if you want to read a tale filled with high adventure and passion, then avoid Lords of the Bow at all costs.
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