Reviews

Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden

bader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

قصة عن حياة القائد جنكيز خان 
الكتاب ممتع وأحداثه سريعة ومميز انصح به لكل من يري التعرف على حياة جنكيز خان 

mrbear's review against another edition

4.0

Started this last year as an audiobook while driving to Chelan, WA. Finally picked it up again and finished the last 1/4. Overall, if you want to read it, it wont disappoint. Good, atmospheric story about the early life of Genghis Khan, based on the sources we have. 4/5 mainly because it’s hard for me to “love” it, its a bit too dark/violent and there’s an aspect to the characterization that is quite sparse (which suits the setting, but still). Will keep listening though! Still more to the story I’m curious to know.

tobymacl's review against another edition

5.0

Rollicking mongol emergence

mjporterauthor's review against another edition

4.0

I found this book to be initially intriguing, and then quite boring, before picking up again at the end. The biggest problem with the book is that I felt no connection with any of the characters. The 'cold faces' that they all employ, according to the author, reverberated far too well into the author's portrayal of the characters and denied me from connecting with any of the characters. Its meandering nature also left me unsure what the author was trying to accomplish. Perhaps I should have read the 'blurb' a bit more carefully.
I did end up enjoying the majority of the book, although perhaps more because I've been watching Marco Polo on Netflix, and I could envisage the scenery more vividly because of that.

booksofgayle's review against another edition

DNF 60%

it is a book for bros

sebren's review

adventurous challenging informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

xavierdragnesi's review against another edition

5.0

Coming back to this series after first reading it over a decade ago, this rendition of the story of Genghis Khan still feels just as engaging and satisfying. Conn Iggulden does a fantastic job at both bringing the reader into the world of the steppes and the harsh way of life of the Mongol tribes, and also telling a rivetting story about the early life of Temujin and the events that would shape him into the leader and conqueror that he became. Despite the taking of some historical liberties, the Wolf of the Plains retains its general sense of realism and it is obvious that it is also meticulously researched. I could knock a half star off for underdevelopment of some of the secondary characters and pacing in the second half of the book, but the nostalgia of re-reading and it just genuinely being a good read bump it back into the 5 star range for me.

katsoa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

despenkhenk's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No

3.5

waqasmhd's review

5.0

its been a while since i read some great historical fiction, and i am a sucker for history books especially the medieval age when swords ruled the hearts.

we all know Genghis khan to be one of the greatest conquerors but i had never read a book about Genghis khan, so i was very interested and knew that i was going to like this book.

this is a solid book. highly entertaining and almost read like an adventure movie.

this book takes you to the origins of Genghis khan. from the time he was born (as Temujin) and the day he called himself Genghis khan.

the good thing about this book is that its not written only from Genghis khan's perspective. you are given the chance to understand what goes on in the mind of most of the characters, especially the villain (Eeluk- Genghis father's loyal bondsman). you are left to decide whether what Eeluk did after Genghis's father died would be a natural reaction of any trusted bondsman in the event of a tribal leader's death.

whatever you decide, Genghis believed in the unity of all people.

it was great to know how Temujin became Genghis and the great conqueror as we know him today.