The Mongol Empire

Wonderful... what sets it apart is the way the tale is told. Quirky digressions and fascinating anecdotes pepper a narrative of wonderful dramatic energy. -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *
Excellent and profoundly committed ... Man provides a vivid, lucid and economical picture. A worthy addition to the burgeoning popular literature on the centaurs of the steppes. -- Frank McLynn * Literary Review *
[Man] does a splendid job of conveying the sheer opulence and grandeur... [and tells] a rollicking good story, his historical narrative interspersed with high-spirited travel-writerly digressions. Lively and engaging. -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator *
A very lively and enjoyable book. -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *
One could not wish for a better storyteller or analyst than John Man. * Simon Sebag Montefiore *
His ability to put us in the picture, to feel, smell and almost touch the surroundings he describes, is matched by his ability to tell a good story. * Michael Palin *
Man, who has travelled widely in the region, focuses on the distinctive features of the empire which these unscrupulous conquerors founded, and the legacy that they left behind. -- John Ure * Times Literary Supplement *
John Man’s history shows that, while the Mongol hordes were bloodthirsty, Genghis also instituted an enlightened form of government based on religious toleration. He also shows how Genghis’s grandson, Kublai, succeeded in unifying China, laying the groundwork for the modern superpower. Man’s account is fast paced. -- David Evans * Independent *