Bones Of The Hills [Mass Market Paperback]

Having vanquished the Chin, the ancient foe of the Mongolians, Genghis Khan turns his attention to a new foe from the west. At the same time, he has to deal with the challenges of leadership in an environment where the nomadic nation he has united from the tribes is being exposed to other lifestyles and where his sons are becoming old enough to have leadership expectations of their own.

`I want them to know that if they resist me they are putting their hand in the mouth of a wolf.'

Full of ruthless action, but never without a purpose, Genghis is courageous, consistent and calculating. He rules with an iron will and does not usually allow sentiment to intervene. But for all of that, he has human foibles and flaws. This is a story about the conqueror rather than the man but both are visible behind the cold face. I am not entirely sure whether I should admit to liking Genghis Khan but I will freely admit to admiring his strength of character. For me, the dialogue and the action both seemed so congruent with the image I have of Genghis Khan that I had to keep reminding myself that this is a fictional representation.

`There is a price for all things.'

At the end of this novel, Mr Iggulden provides some additional reading suggestions for those who would like to peel back the centuries to try to learn more about the man behind the legend. I've read some of these books: I'll be looking to read others. And yes, I'll be re-reading this trilogy.

If you enjoy action-filled fiction in an historic setting which is broadly consistent with known facts, you may well enjoy this series.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Birth of an Empire, the first of the trilogy, was a fine work. Things slipped for Lords of the Bow, the second of the trilogy. Bones of the Hills brings us back to the level of Birth of an Empire. Birth was local: Lords of the Bow centered on the invasion of the Chin Empire, and Bones takes us south and west, to India and Persia, the shores of the Caspian and Black Seas. There are two primary enemies: one an Arab, and the other the leader of the Assassin sect. Genghis Khan is aging, his sons are grown, and the empire would certainly seem to be getting unwieldingly large.

The enemies are getting smarter--they are beginning to adapt to and counter the Mongol war tactics. Temujin must choose an heir: his sons certainly do not see eye to eye with each other. The developing situation is not unlike that of the Diodachi after the death of Alexander--can the empire be held together? Temujin was the focus of the first book. In Lords of the Bow Temujin is more of a spectator--most of the story seems to be about others, not Temujin. In Bones of the Hills Temujin is once again the focus.

You get a fine view of the Mongol war machine, the conquests, the sieges, the tactics. Iggulden can do a fine job when he keeps his focus. If you want some additional reading--additional fiction--Until the Sun Falls by Cecelia Holland is a great novel about the general Psin on the western edge of the Mongol Empire. This is fiction that you won't regret reading if you have enjoyed Iggulden's trilogy.

As with the two previous books in this series, "Bones of the Hills" does not fail to deliver in impact in its sweeping scope of fast moving events and in its stark, raw brutality. Like one or two other reviewers have mentioned, I also found myself liking Genghis the man more and more throughout the series, who despite his brutal, gritty and uncompromising view on life is honest and uncomplicated with a strong code of honour where it really counts. In this, Mr Iggulden has delivered a persona of the historical Genghis which I find to be remarkably in keeping with the image I already had in mind. As pointed out in the book's historical notes, Genghis, for all of his incredible ruthlessness, was never personally sadistic by choice or nature. Greed as we know it was alien to his nature and, as the title of this review suggests, his deeds as well as his word was iron. In short, this is a man shaped by a lifetime of incredible adversity to face challenges most of us in the modern era can only have nightmares of, and what is more, he emerges not just as a ruthless conqueror but a man with a vision ahead of his time.

in "Bones of the Hills" Genghis has subdued the Chin empire, his ancient foes and for the moment honour for old wrongs has been satisfied. But now his attention turns to the Moslem Khwarezem empire with whom his normally astute brother, Temuge, has tried to open trade negotiations. When the Mongol envoys are slain without good cause by a bumbling regional governor in one of the biggest political blunders in history, the stage is set for the Great Khan to exact a terrible revenge on the once great Arab empire. But despite his own personal thirst for conquest, Genghis continues with his personal woes. His sons have now reached manhood and Genghis is now feeling the pressure as he ages to think of a successor. His two general brothers, Khasar and Kachiun, are now too old themselves to be considered any more, and Genghis himself is adamant he wants the next Great Khan to be of his seed. However, he is still wary of his embittered eldest son, Jochi, whose paternity has long been under suspicion, and is bitterly disappointed in his one time favourite son, Chagatai, whose vengeful and spiteful nature becomes more apparent with the years. That only leaves Ogedai and Tolui, his third and fourth sons, both too young yet to have been tested in life and in battle...

As usual in this series, the battle scenes are epic in their description and scope and I for one had my own inner movie playing in the recesses of my imagination as I read on. One of the most memorable episodes of the book concerns the Khwarezem Shah's eldest son and heir, Jelaudin, who takes up the epic fight against the Mongols when his father dies in squalid exile. In history as well as in fiction, Jelaudin was also an outstanding military figure, who won renown and respect especially from Genghis for his epic escape on horseback off a high cliff against crushing odds. For those who have read the previous books, the shady shaman, Kokchu, continues to worm his way through the royal family's favour - but as one already suspects, the increasingly powerful and arrogant medicine man finally goes a step too far (read to find out what happens next!)

These books continue to entertain, inform and enthrall with each new chapter. The next in the series is "Empire of Silver". I for one do not want to miss it!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 14 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars