An extraordinary book about an extraordinary time in history. Meticulously researched and crafted this book crystallises many of the fissures in east/west relations that remain to this day. The Mongols at the gates of Christendom is a thrilling image and it is without doubt that they were in many ways in which they were an infinitely more successful culture than the brutal and ignorant crusader knights they faced. The Mongol empire was magnificent and this book provides an invaluable insight.

This audiobook was absolutely fascinating. I had only read about events on the edge of this epic empire previously and there was so much more to it and had a much deeper impact than I had anticipated on the Middle Ages. The text was accessible even to someone like me who really had a minimal previous knowledge to use as a starting point and the narrator was clear and read at a tempo and rhythm which was easy to keep up with, with a cadence which kept your attention during some of the more dense passages with multiple names to keep track of. I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of the Middle Ages past the Crusades and learn more about this incredible empire.

This is an epic and detailed work which I’ve approached a bit at a time and thoroughly enjoyed. I read a book about Ghengis Khan a couple of years ago and found his story absolutely incredible. I know very little about the Mongols, but the more I learn, the better I understand and see the extent to which their legacy has influenced and shaped European culture.

This audiobook is very well narrated and I found it an enjoyable listen. The scale of their adventures and the way in which they persevered against every adversity is mind blowing. The research seems to be both extensive and impeccable and there’s a great deal to take in. Listen to this and you will look at food, architecture and some European customs with new eyes. The Mongols have truly shaped the West.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Brilliantly researched and an engaging listen around the history of the Mongols. The history is presented in a really accessible way and made important elements easy to recall.

My fault: changed phone, forgot to redownload the audiobooks, got them out of Netgalley.
I've always been fascinated by the Mongols, Gengis Khan and this well researched and informative book made me learn more about them.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Read courtesy of NetGalley.
The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East by Nicholas Morton

This type of book is actually outside of my normal choice of reading, but I have always been fascinated with the history surround “the Mongols”.
My understanding and knowledge mainly stemmed from a number of films and then the historical fiction tales from Conn Iggulden.

What this book gave me was a true insight to the histories of The Mongols, with a level of detail I hadn’t anticipated but truly appreciated.
I would say this book is closer to an educational book than anything else. It does read as a dissertation on Mongol affairs. This I guess can potentially mean it comes across as a bit dry in places
But I was truly fascinated and in awe of the knowledge shared and the entire Mongol Empire.

The history of the Mongols truly is incredible , and the impact they had on the world at the time and how that has fed into civilisation since, did blow my mind.
Would recommend for someone who really wishes to learn more about the Mongols and is not expecting a fast paced, delivery. The narration is slow and it needs to be as so many facts, places and people are thrown at you.