Genghis: Birth of an Empire ~ Conn Iggulden

Funk Rating: 8 out of 10

In my continuing quest to get outside the normal thriller fare, I put this one in my bag for a long flight. and I enjoyed it! This is historical fiction done well -- Iggulden brings Genghis to life from his birth to the beginning of his reign as uniter of the nomadic Mongol tribes. It casts him a generally positive light, and is anchored in surviving accounts of Genghis Khan's early life.

I readily admit I knew nothing about Genghis Khan, other than the bare facts that he was a ruthless enemy, and built the largest continguous empire in world history. And this isn't one of those detailed histories covering everything. This is designed as an entertaining and educating read on the first 18 years of his life -- what made him, motivated him, etc. It's human, and it's told well.

If you like these kinds of stories, I think you'll enjoy this one.