Lords of the Bow by Conn Iggulden
I saw this just last weekend, and it is not very often that a book leaps to the top of my reading list, even replacing the book currently underway, but this one did. My excuse, of course is that I knew lots of people would be waiting for me to finish so they could begin.
Now if you haven’t read Wolf of the Plains, stop here and go read it. This review, even this book will make no sense until you are done. For those still with me, this is the next in the continuing story of our friend Temujin, now Ghenghis. We last met encountered the young man as he first took the title Khan of Khans as he united all the tribes of the Mongols into one fighting force. This book tells the story of the conquest of the Chin.
Within the story the reader gains a real appreciation for the intelligence of this man. He encountered walled cities for the first time, realised that he did not have the equipment, tactics, or skills to win, so he sent his brother off to find someone who could help. Patience, a willingness to learn, these are not usually qualities associated with Ghenghis Khan.
And the pace of the story reflects the pace of the battles. Yes there is plenty of blood around, but often it is a matter of internal discipline rather than sweeping battles. There are action high points, like the battle for the pass and the reinforcements/supply convoy for Beijing. But this is also a story of developing tensions within the family. When the assassin comes for Ghenghis, and nearly succeeds, the question arises about the line of succession. And the many sons of the Khan are promising to provide their own excitement as they reach manhood.
I have seen this is going to be a trilogy. If my memory of history is correct, there is going to be a lot of ground to cover in the last book. But I will patiently wait for another year to give poor Ghenghis a chance to return to his tribal lands to rest and heal before he heads for Europe.
