This is Conn Iggulden's best book to date. Wolf of the Plains was a magnificent book which can now be seen in context as a very good prologue to this remarkable next chapter in the Genghis Khan story. With military detail, political intrigue, cultural richness and thrills and spills aplenty you cannot help but read this book in double quick time. The descriptions of battle (particularly breaking through the Great Wall for the first time and the battle at Badgers Mouth) are stunning and utterly compelling. But the story lines of the politics, diplomacy and "human interest" are no less readable in their way. There is so much for everyone in this book. The sense of scale is awesomely expressed and again, like Wolf of the Plains, you can almost feel the weather and experience the vibrancy of the Monghol horde. There is brutality in the book, but it is integral and important to the realism of the story and the times; not gratuitous. With rich story lines for the rulers, generals, spies, foot soldiers and assasins throughout this book you build a rich kaleidoscope of image and emotions. You also cannot help but learn historic fact. Granted this is a fictional book, but the technologies, techniques, weaponry, politics and many of the characters were real. I loved this book and it was a shame to finish it. A year to wait for the next one? I really hope not.