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- Referencenod to comics or other movies
- Cameoa familiar face shows up
- Setupplanted now, pays off later
- Behind the scenesproduction trivia
- Behind the scenesResearch on the steppe
Iggulden wrote this book after finishing his Emperor series about Julius Caesar. For research he traveled through rural Mongolia, and he describes the trip in his author's note.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesNot much on record
Almost nothing was written down about Genghis Khan's youth: 12th-century nomads didn't write. The author fills the gaps around the few known facts, which explains some liberties with history.
source ↗ - SetupKeep an eye on the Chin
Watch the Chin emissary who shows up offering alliances. The walled empire beyond the desert will matter a lot in this series.
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- Behind the scenesOpening with the enemy
The book opens from the point of view of Kokchu, shaman of a tribe Genghis defeats. The story switches viewpoints often and shows both sides' strategy before each battle.
source ↗ - ReferenceYenking is Beijing
The Chin capital the Mongols besiege, Yenking, is modern-day Beijing. The Chin counted on their walls to keep the raiders out.
source ↗ - SetupWho fathered Jochi
Doubts about who fathered Jochi strain Genghis's family. Remember it: Jochi's bond with his brothers comes back hard later on.
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- Behind the scenesReal history in the west
The book fictionalizes the Mongol invasion of Islamic Central Asia: the war against Shah Muhammad II of Khwarezm and his son Jalal al-Din, and the massacres at Urgench and Merv.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesArmored elephants
On the Shah's side, the Mongols face something they had never seen: armored war elephants.
source ↗ - SetupWatch Ogedai
With Jochi and Chagatai fighting over everything, it's easy to forget Genghis's other sons. Watch Ogedai.
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- Behind the scenesGenghis leaves the title
In the US, the first three books have "Genghis" in the title. This one came out as Khan: Empire of Silver. The focus is now the next generation.
source ↗ - ReferenceAll the way to Buda and Pest
While Ogedai builds Karakorum, Tsubodai's army defeats Russian and Polish forces and sacks Buda and Pest, the two cities that now form Budapest. In southern China, the Mongols run into gunpowder.
source ↗ - SetupKeep an eye on Sorhatani
Sorhatani, Tolui's wife, seems like a background figure. Pay attention to her and to her sons.
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- Behind the scenesAlmost a screenplay
A Mail & Guardian profile said Iggulden's novels read almost like film scripts. He admires James Clavell, the Shogun author, who started out as a screenwriter.
source ↗ - ReferenceXanadu and Baghdad
Kublai builds the city of Xanadu. Meanwhile, his brother Hulegu destroys Baghdad and takes on the Assassins.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesThe grandson in the subtitle
In the US, the hardcover came out in December 2011 as Conqueror: A Novel of Kublai Khan. In Spain, the subtitle spells out whose story it is: "la épica historia de Kublai Khan, nieto de Gengis".
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