Vroege RecensentenConn Iggulden

Stormbird: the last birds in the air before a great storm. Country folk would see them flying alone on the wind and know a tempest was on its way. In 1422, the Lancaster King Henry V - the great Lion of England – dies suddenly after his final, successful campaign against the French. Along with him, goes the peaceful transfer of power in England. Now it’s 1437. His son and heir, Henry VI the Lamb, is coming of age, putting an end the regency of the past decade. He is young, famed more for his gentle and pious nature than his father’s famous battle-field exploits. Already he depends heavily on his closest men, the Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom. But with Britain’s territories in France under threat, and rumors of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. When a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real. Murmurs begin to descend on the royal court. Of a new king, a stronger king, a stronger and more royal house. Lancaster is not the only line descended from the Plantagenet house. Their rival line, the House of York, is waiting in the wings for a reason to end the line of Lancaster. When Henry’s bouts of insanity increase in intensity and frequency, Margaret is forced to step up and rule the kingdom in his stead. But in doing so she unwittingly ignites the spark of dissent that will lead to a devastating civil war. The members of the House of York see not only opportunity in the mentally unstable monarch but their patriotic duty in ousting Henry VI from his throne. As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who or what can save the kingdom before it is too late?

Intrigue and treachery roil the vast Mongol nation as the heirs of Genghis Khan fight for control of his unprecedented empire—and of his mighty armies. History will turn on the outcome of their struggle. But only one man, dismissed by all the others, will boldly rise to the challenge with the courage and vision to forge the future, and with the strength to be called . . . CONQUEROR The novels of Conn Iggulden bring the past to thrilling life, from ancient Rome to thirteenth-century Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Now he delivers the spectacular story of the rise of Genghis Khan’s grandson, a man destined to become one of the most remarkable rulers who ever lived—the legendary Kublai Khan. A succession of ruthless leaders has seized power in the wake of the great Khan’s death—all descendants of Genghis, but none with the indomitable character that led a people to triumph. One grandson, Guyuk, decadent and vicious, seeks to consolidate his position through bribery and murder, pitting powerful factions against one another and straining the loyalties of the tribes to the breaking point. Next comes his cousin, Mongke, who eliminates all possible opposition with breathtaking brutality and dispatches his younger brothers Kublai and Hulegu to far-flung territories, to test their mettle and their allegiance. Hulegu displays his barbarity with the savage destruction of Baghdad and his clash with the Khan’s age-old enemies, the cult of assassins, who will strike deep into the heart of the nation. But it is Kublai—refined and scholarly, always considered too thoughtful to take power—who will devise new ways of warfare and conquest as he builds the dream city of Xanadu and pursues the ultimate prize: the ancient empire of Sung China. His gifts will serve him well when an epic civil war breaks out among brothers, the outcome of which will literally change the world. Brilliantly researched and imagined, unforgettably told, Conqueror is a magnificent achievement from an enthralling writer at the peak of his powers, a must read for all lovers of history and storytelling on the grand scale.

The Great Khan is dead. His vast empire hangs in the balance, an empire he forged with raw courage, guile, tactical brilliance, unswerving dedication to his people, and the force of his own indomitable will. Now the very qualities that united the fierce Mongol tribes threaten to tear them apart, as the heirs of Genghis maneuver for dominance. In the end, only one can command . . . THE EMPIRE OF SILVER Conn Iggulden's #1 internationally bestselling epics of historical fiction have enthralled millions of readers around the world. In his spectacular novels about the life and legacy of Genghis Khan, he has traced the path of the legendary conqueror from the harsh grasslands of his youth to the pinnacle of an unprecedented empire. Now, even as they struggle for supremacy among themselves, Genghis's sons and grandsons extend the reach of his vision, taking their armies farther than ever before, into southern China and across the steppes and rugged mountains of Russia to the vulnerable heart of Europe, where they will face the most courageous warriors the West commands. Genghis's tough and canny heir, Ogedai, is on the verge of being proclaimed the new Khan. But Ogedai has mysteriously delayed his coronation ceremony to complete a fantastic project many deem a folly: the building of Karakorum, a magnificent city amid the wild plains. His puzzling decision emboldens his arrogant brother Chagetai to violently challenge him, while their noble sibling Tolui and his beautiful, wily wife, Sorhatani, will be caught between the two. Chagetai's attempt at rebellion reveals shocking truths about Ogedai's health and imperiled future. As one brother awaits his fate, another awaits his moment to seize power, while spies and assassins play out the ambitions and destinies of their masters. With his celebrated synthesis of riveting storytelling and peerless historical detail, Conn Iggulden takes his saga of the great Mongol khans to unforgettable new heights, bringing these fabled conquerors and their singular people to vivid life for a new generation of readers.