Book Review - Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden
This is the first book in a trilogy by Conn Iggulden covering the life of Genghis Khan.
As regular readers will know I read quiet a bit of historical fiction, firstly because often the subject times appeal to me and it's a good way I feel to get some appreciation of history through an entertaining format - although you have to accept the regular use of literary licence of the author.
Anyway this is a reasonably good read if you like historical fiction. We're introduced to Genghis as a young boy competing with his brothers to show his worth in the tribe and to gain the affection of his father. His father is very off hand with his sons largely as a way to make them the warriors and leaders he wants them to be.
His father is murdered early on (in true history there is little known about his Dad's death so some licence is employed here) and he and his family are cast out from the tribe by a new khan who takes over. Against the odds his family survive and in time he is able to raise a new tribe, take on his old enemies to avenge his fathers death and eventually depose of the usurper who took his fathers place and claim his tribe back.
So on the whole a reasonable read if not maybe the reverting page turner I get with Bernard Cornwell or Simon Scarrow - possibly the subject possibly the authors style I don't know which. I'll probably look for part two in the second hand shop at some point no doubt.
As regular readers will know I read quiet a bit of historical fiction, firstly because often the subject times appeal to me and it's a good way I feel to get some appreciation of history through an entertaining format - although you have to accept the regular use of literary licence of the author.
Anyway this is a reasonably good read if you like historical fiction. We're introduced to Genghis as a young boy competing with his brothers to show his worth in the tribe and to gain the affection of his father. His father is very off hand with his sons largely as a way to make them the warriors and leaders he wants them to be.
His father is murdered early on (in true history there is little known about his Dad's death so some licence is employed here) and he and his family are cast out from the tribe by a new khan who takes over. Against the odds his family survive and in time he is able to raise a new tribe, take on his old enemies to avenge his fathers death and eventually depose of the usurper who took his fathers place and claim his tribe back.
So on the whole a reasonable read if not maybe the reverting page turner I get with Bernard Cornwell or Simon Scarrow - possibly the subject possibly the authors style I don't know which. I'll probably look for part two in the second hand shop at some point no doubt.
Very detailed review there. I read a similar review of his ‘Wolf of the plains’ at this url
ReplyDeletehttp://www.book-review-circle.com/Wolf-of-the-Plains-Conn-Iggulden.html
It seems the author is really successful among children and teens for his novels based on history- the Genghis Khan series for example (Wolf of the Plains is one of them). It is quite a rage.