Scan barcode
A review by drakoulis
The Mongol Ascension by Andrew Varga, Andrew Varga
5.0
The Mongol Ascension is Andrew Varga's best book so far. The writing style is better, the characters have more personality (although Dan remains annoyingly thirsty) and the plot is moving quicker.
The departure from the familiar old England background also makes a difference versus the previous books, as well as the back and forth between past and present. This book is an "independent" adventure like the previous ones as but it's also where you feel that the bigger plot is moving and more pieces find their place in the board.
Andrew Varga succeeds once again into making the past feel unpleasant. Glory, nobility and heroics? No, because the truth is that you found yourself in medieval Mongolia, you would have to eat the (honestly disgusting) food of the Mongol horsemen, you could be attacked and killed at any moment, and if you're Sam you would be constantly ogled and harassed by thousands of men.
The bigger picture remains kind of vague: Victor is grandstanding and it's quite unclear how he plans to use the past to change the future yet.
One small remark, it's kind of strange that Dan didn't know who their 17-year old Mongol protector/protegee was, this name is quite known especially to history nerds. Like, I knew immediately.
Thank you NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for the ARC!
The departure from the familiar old England background also makes a difference versus the previous books, as well as the back and forth between past and present. This book is an "independent" adventure like the previous ones as but it's also where you feel that the bigger plot is moving and more pieces find their place in the board.
Andrew Varga succeeds once again into making the past feel unpleasant. Glory, nobility and heroics? No, because the truth is that you found yourself in medieval Mongolia, you would have to eat the (honestly disgusting) food of the Mongol horsemen, you could be attacked and killed at any moment, and if you're Sam you would be constantly ogled and harassed by thousands of men.
The bigger picture remains kind of vague: Victor is grandstanding and it's quite unclear how he plans to use the past to change the future yet.
One small remark, it's kind of strange that Dan didn't know who their 17-year old Mongol protector/protegee was, this name is quite known especially to history nerds. Like, I knew immediately.
Thank you NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for the ARC!