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    Bones of the Hills
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    Bones of the Hills
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    Bones of the Hills
    Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

    Bones of the Hills

    Written by Conn Iggulden

    Narrated by Russell Boulter

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The powerful and exhilarating third novel in Conn Iggulden’s No. 1 bestselling Conqueror series, following the life and adventures of the mighty Genghis Khan

    As well as discovering new territories, exacting tribute from conquered peoples, laying waste the cities which resist, this policy is also a way of diffusing the rivalries between his sons and heirs and working out who should succeed the khan.

    This, the third book in the Conqueror series, is once more an epic story. Genghis Khan is an exhilarating and heroic figure. The sense of his ambition and his power, the relationships with his wives, sons and trusted aides, the sweep of his conquests, is all brought together by a masterful storytelling. It is a compelling read. With each book, you are left, even more, longing for the next.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 1, 2008
    ISBN9780007291144
    Unavailable
    Bones of the Hills
    Author

    Conn Iggulden

    Born in London, Conn Iggulden read English at London University and worked as a teacher for seven years before becoming a full-time writer. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and their children.

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    Reviews for Bones of the Hills

    4/5

    303 ratings31 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the first in Conn Iggulden's "Genghis" series. He created a lot of depth of character for Genghis (or Temujin as he's originally called) and his family, a solid foundation for his motives, and his core cadre that make up the base of characters for all three books in the series.In broad strokes, "Birth of an Empire" traces the rise of Genghis Khan from his birth through his first melding of tribes to unite against a common Asian foe. It's a bit of your typical rags-to-riches: Temujin grows up as son of a mongol tribe leader who's deposed (and probably murdered); he and his family are then exiled and hunted and he's forced to grow up sooner than he should, but because of it is stronger. Come to think of it, the story is less rags-to-riches, than it is rags-to-different-rags-and-charismatic-brooding-power.The story is rife with action and adventure and Iggulden creates an enjoyable ride out of the snippets of his early life that motivate a young Temujin to emerge leader of the Mongol empireIggulden freely admits that he takes liberties with history to make better fiction. I don't have much background on Khan, but in a couple of quick comparisons, I didn't feel that Iggulden stretched too far to make his story work well. I also believe that there are relatively few solid historical resources on the young Genghis which leaves a lot of space for Iggulden to explore.By comparison, I struggled to get through the author's first historical fiction series on Julius Caesar. Caesar's motivations were mild at best, and the changes in history seemed rather random and unnecessary. But such is the nature of historical "fiction" - the extent of "fiction" will have varying appeals based on the pre-existing knowledge and interest of the reader. So, to my taste, I didn't mind the liberties taken with Genghis, but found the liberties taken with Caesar bothersome.I thoroughly enjoyed "Birth of an Empire" and was taken in enough by the story to gobble up the second in the series "Lords of the Bow" and buy the hardcover 3rd in the series "Bones of the Hills" as soon as it was released. I even jumped into Mongolian non-fiction with Weatherford's "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World".Iggulden hit on a number of recommendation-worthy elements with his book: 1) as a standalone novel it is fun, engaging, exciting and contains solid depth of character; 2) I was drawn into the storyline enough to want to read the rest of the series; 3) the historical nature of the story was strong enough to draw me out of the Genghis fictional realm and into non-fiction.
    • 5/5
      Brilliantly written. Conn tells a imaginative and invigorating tale. Genghis comes alive in the telling. His brilliance and tactical genius flow from the pages. You can't help but to become entranced by the story. It will keep you up till late in the night.
    • 5/5
      A fantastic epic start to a series I can´t wait to finish.
    • 5/5
      Quite possibly the best book about the Mongol savage I have read. Looking forward to reading the whole series now.
    • 3/5
      right above the author's name, the cover proclaims "from the author of the dangerous book for boys!!" at first, that seemed rather odd to me, that they'd want to highlight the prior kids'-book resume on the current adult fiction novel. all during the first third of the book, though, the similarities are quite evident: call it historical fiction for the YA set. this tale of the boy that would become genghis khan starts out with plenty of sibling rivalry, rough-n-tumble boys stuff, and attempts to win dad's attention (if not affection). it gets more than a little repetitive, but just about the time i was getting disinterested with it, the story took off wonderfully. the remaining chunk of the book is an exciting adventure story, outlining a rough-edged life without being oppressive. if the remaining books in the series take their cues from the latter half, it'll be good.
    • 5/5
      I think this is probably the best book i have ever read.
    • 5/5
      great book, it is interestig how some of metaphors still remaind in mongolian language (see Metaphors and Nomads book)
    • 4/5
      I have a strange and un-natural love for Genghis Kahn, so with that said I loved this book. Based on histories I have read previously this book stayed pretty true to life of Genghs Kahn, of course all the emotions and conversations are fiction. But the meat of the story grasps both the legend and the history fairly well. In short the story of Genghis Kahn is a amazing read and this book doesn't deter from that at all.
    • 5/5
      This was another great read written by a new favorite author I have found thanks to librarything.This book is about Gengis Khan growing up until just the begining of his power.I loved this book! It is historical fiction but well researched by the author.Get ready for lots of action,battles,and double crossing.One of my favorite things about this author is he writes authors notes at the end to tell you what he changed and why.This is book one of the series and I am proud to say I own them all.
    • 5/5
      Iggulden has an engaging page turn style, and this is one of his best
    • 4/5
      This is the first book by Conn Iggulgen I read and, I'm happy to say, it was well worth reading, even though it isn't the "best book I've ever read." If only the author paid more attention to what and how his characters speak! Of course, he couldn't have made them speak in their native tongues, but still ... why a 13th century AD Tartar warrior would say something like "yack penis"? "Penis"?! Are there no English monosyllables with the same meaning available? And why Temujin (an uneducated Mongol, after all, his talents notwithstanding) speaks with the same voice as a refined and sophisticated Chinese ambassador? Mr. Iggulden makes him to admit that he doesn't know many words used by the Chinese diplomat, but how does Temujin know what "alternative" is, then? Could it be that, after several novels about the ancient Rome he has written, Mr. Iggulden's thinking is still in a Latin "groove"?
    • 5/5
      Fascinating historical dramatization of the life of Genghis Khan. I was immersed in the voice and imagery so deeply that both the reader and the storyteller were secondary to the experience. Life was brutal, yet Genghis was a mixture of ruthlessness and brilliance. Tribal life of the Mongols contrasted with that of the Chin in a very yin/yang extreme way. While abhorrent in many respects, the strength of will and struggle for survival in such a tribal society has much to teach about the nature of mankind. Elements of religion, customs, human relations - all seen raw and basic. I admire the sublime heights of cultured society, but the earthy trials of existence has an austere beauty as well. Well told, well written, and highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      I stand by my opinion that Iggulden writes with guys in mind, but even as a woman I found this book impressive. Lots of adventure and excitement with a true flavor of the Mongolian steppes. While I'm not sure that I would have wanted to meet Ghenghis there can be no argument that he was an intelligent visionary with true grit. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Recommended.
    • 3/5
      Having recently read a biography of ghengis khan I started this book expecting a bit of a let down, but was soon captured by the excellence of the story-telling. I see little point in carping about such matters as whether Temujin would have spoken in a particular way or would have known sophisticated words - if you want that king of historical accuracy, read history rather than fictionalised versions!
    • 3/5
      Fun historical novel about Genghis which covers from the height of his empire to his death.
      I read the other two previous ones earlier (the first one about a year ago).
    • 4/5
      The third volume in the series is brings Genghis to the west and sees him head to head with the armies of Islam. Well written and thought it out we see the generals and Genghis growing and learning. Tsubodai is an amazing character. His ability to work around the enemy and use their own tactics is unparalleled. The stories in general seem to kind of gravitate towards him. Well, without him the Mongols might not have achieved all they did. Conflicts from within and from the outside put all the characters in precarious situations. I found myself seriously mad at the Khan for his treatment of Jochi. But what can you do. You cannot blame Genghis for feeling the way he did, but the overall treatment of his son, regardless of his lineage is sad to watch as it unfolds. This is a great series. I will be glad when they are done, not because I am tired of reading them...but because I have an entire shelf of Iggulden books to devour.
    • 4/5
      Another great chapter to one of the greatest conquerers of all time. No pity for his enemies, and a thorough strategy to overcome odds and a very mobile nation that can respond to any threat.
    • 3/5
      Not as engaging as the first two in the series. Genghis is insulted by a Shah on the western border of his growing empire and once again proves that to underestimate him is to die. Curious to see how his legacy is upheld by his successors, but worried that this book will mark a downward slope in the series.
    • 3/5
      Having lived in Central Asia for 3 years, I was disappointed with Bones of the Hills. While the battle descriptions and drama between Genghis and his sons was well written and compelling, this book was far more fantasy and less historical fiction. Describing the Turkic and Persian people of Central Asia as "Arabs" was not only inaccurate, it was unnecessary. Would the reader really be turned off if the "souks" of Central Asia had been written as "bazaars" as they are known in Turkic and Persian. Labeling all the people and rulers of Central Asia as "Arabs" bothered me every time. It was as if you wrote a book about Scotland, and the author labeled the people living there as Irish or English. Berbers and Bedouins don't live in Central Asia, they live thousands of miles away in North Africa. For me the draw of historical fiction is to educate and entertain at the same time, this novel did little of both. A missed opportunity...
    • 4/5
      The third book in the series, this one slows down considerably, and keeps the reader far less engaged than the first two. It's still really good storytelling, I just got the impression that the author had decided to make x number of novels, and each one to cover y period and events, and he just wasn't that excited about this particular time in the history of Genghis.

      I took a little break when I finished it, reading something else in-between, so that tells you how much "I couldn't wait" for the story to continue. I have since, however, picked up the fourth in the series.
    • 4/5
      Iggulden further develops his series to paint Genghis and his followers in a mixed light - with the capability of greatness and destruction at the same time. Where the first two works painted Genghis' exploits as against a heavily armed and repressive enemy, this work instead shows how the Mongol Empire evolved into a destructive and terrifying force in its own right.
    • 4/5
      The third book in the Conqueror series. An older and wiser Genghis Khan has nearly broken the Chin (China) when people to the West in the Persian society of Khorosan refuse to submit. He fights his was through Korea, all the way to the territory of Shah Ala-ud-din Mohammed in central Asia. There Genghis meets his match in the Shah's thousands of warriors and armed elephants.Genghis is also dealing with the infighting amongst his son's and must make a decision on an heir before his nation is divided into factions. Revenge also burns for the murder of his younger sister until justice is finally served.A well told conclusion to the series that provides an intriguing insight into the life of this important historical figure.
    • 5/5
      Can't get enough.
    • 5/5
      The third book in this series does not disappoint. Iggulden takes characters from the pages of history and breathes new life into them. Through his words, we see life for the Mongols as close to how they saw it as we can get.
    • 3/5
      The third book in the Conqueror series is again first rate historical fiction though considering quite how impressive the first two were, this is the weakest offering. Still, that is only because Wolf of the Plains and Lords of the Bow were quite so impressive that Bones of the Hills is a poorer relation. In its own right, the concluding part of the tale of Temujin is a gripping, fast paced, and emotionally involved epic. Genghis Khan's incursion into the settled world had seen China defeated but not eliminated. This book charts the events that took place when his eyes were cast west and the mighty Persian society of Khorosan. I'll state up front that I had real difficulty with Iggulden's continued description of these as an Arab people. Historical fiction should not make such obvious mistakes. Right from the start with the description of Pashtuns as being Arab, this was a problem. I would have thought given the current western interest in the Afghan region, this was easy to spot as an error and why an editor did not fix this is beyond me. Even the Shah of Khwarazem himself was not an Arab in reality. With this unnecessary faux pas in mind, Bones of the Hills is still awesome. The battle scenes are often a little reminiscent of those from Lords of the Bow but what is excellent is the way Iggulden adapts the conflicts to meet the Shah's tighter discipline and more advanced tactics. The Mongols had conquered at will before but now they faced up to some of the mightiest armies in the world and to Iggulden's credit he does not portray his characters as all-conquering heroes and at times they are lost. Iggulden recognises the skill of the Persians - after all these were the people who had kept an empire alive right next to the most powerful nation on Earth in the Abbasid Caliphate - and Ala-ud-Din and Jalal-ud-Din are given as much character as many of the Mongols are themselves. The battlefields are so different from those of the Orient, and their features are described effectively. The winding path up to the stronghold of the Old Man of the Mountains is a world away from the plains the first battles of Wolf took place on and Iggulden's battles reflect those differences. Despite this being the defining campaign of Genghis Khan's lifetime, the book is really about Genghis as a father. The loyalty of Jalal-ud-Din to his father Ala-ud-Din is a clear and stark contrast to the relationship between Genghis and his eldest son Jochi. Iggulden portrays Jochi as a hugely sympathetic character, a man who was as strong and with more potential even than his own father but who was denied the ability to take up his father's place because Genghis believed Jochi to be illegitimate. The conflict between father and son is seldom exercised in physical form but it is the most cruel and heart rending element of the entire series. In reality it is Ogedei who succeeds Temujin as the head of the Mongol forces and Iggulden gives the second son Chagatai short shrift. Chagatai went on to found a reasonable dynasty of his own so perhaps Iggulden's character portrayal is a little too unsympathetic. Other characters though are extraordinary. The development of Tsubodai into the foremost general of his age, one of the few generals that history recognises in spite of a great leader above him, Tsubodai's generalship skills are drawn by Iggulden alongside a person who understands the motives and expectations of his enemy. This skill is seen elsewhere in the series but not in a person granted dignity and strength. This is the eastern view of wisdom and Iggulden reflects it brilliantly. The western view of the wormtongued villain is not the only portrayal of cunning in history. Tsubodai's character reflects the symbol of intelligence and ruthlessness in a man of great honour. This character is a real treasure to read. Ultimately though this is only a good, not a great book. It is torn between the descriptions of the battles against the Shah and the internal battles bewteen father and son. Though the link in the relationship between the Shah and his first born and the Khan and his first born underlie much of the book, the focus is not all that effective. The battle against the Hashashins for instance, the quelling of rebellion and the destruction that took place in Afghanistan that still impacts today are underplayed far too much. The internal politics were superb in books 1 and 2 but book 3 loses its way marginally. The role of women and the challenges of leadership are again excellently exposed in Bones. The death of Temulun comes in a raid by the Khwarazem against a camp of women and children and this is rightly cast as a terrible act though it is just one of many in the world of the Conqueror series. As a leader, Genghis has to make horrific decisiosn and he does not shy away from them. The survival of his nation is at stake against a formidable foe and these decisions are reflected in the deaths of named characters whose lives are almost discarded by the decisions Genghis makes for the good of the wider community. This plays into Iggulden's understanding of the people and the times. Despite the shortcomings of the book, this is still terrific historical fiction because it generates emotional attachments to the characters involved. This is not some faceless horde of monsters, it is a group of people who have to make tough decisions and who forge relationships with one another. The series as a whole is magnificent and it is because of Iggulden's fantastic blending of realistic people with the historical events of the times. As a whole, this series is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
    • 3/5
      Typical I picked up the third book in a series without knowing it was a series.The characters as dictated by history are really too unpleasant to make the story very enjoyable. But they come close to life and the story helps to explain the way mongols behaved. In most of my studies were were focused on a society (like that of Russia) invaded by the Mongols and one tends to accept their mystification at the Mongol behaviour.This helped me to understand the mongol motivation, but it is just too much to be enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      In his third book of the series, Conn does not disappoint. If you enjoy historical fiction filled with adventure, exotic settings, family feuds, and great military battles this book is for you.Genghis Khan and his Mongol army continue to mercilessly conquer new lands, as an aging Genghis Khan deals with the feud between his two older sons, and the Arab armies of the Shah- the Mongols strongest enemy yet. The story is well written, well paced, and filled with believable characters. Definitely worth the read.
    • 4/5
      In the last book of this series we read about Ghengis Khan adventures in the arab lands.Provoked by the defiance of a sha ghengis turns his armies toward the hot deserts of arabia and soon finds that he bit off more than he can chew and what started as an act of reprisal soon turns into a fight for survival. And in all this chaos the wedge between his sons deepens more and more...The book is a good finish for the series even if you feel like ghengis compromises on his iron bound principles that held him aloft in the first two books quite a bit. As in the other two books [[Iggulden]] finishes with a chapter where he explaisn his historical sources and which parts have been fictional.
    • 5/5
      This is as close as historical fiction gets to fantasy. The world the Mongols came from is hard to believe and their lifestyle equally bizarre. The book is well written and you can almost smell the horses. The battle scenes are brutal and vivid. It's a great read and a good way of learning/imagining a bit of history. This is the third book in the series and it follows Genghis as he invades and fights in new territories. A cracking read.
    • 5/5
      Outstandingly good. Iggulden sure knows how to draw you into a story. The action is fast and bloody and the pure power of Genghis is thrown out of the pages and right into you. Excellent read pick up his books!