Conqueror by Conn Iggulden

Amazon Summary:
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 his peak, a must read for all lovers of history and storytelling on the grand scale.

Review:
And alas Conn Iggulden's epic Conqueror series is at an end. He had originally planned to cover Kublai's entire story (over multiple books), but decided to end on a "good note" - meaning he ended the series without telling the story of Kublai's final conquest of the Sung, his meeting with Marco Polo, or his two (failed) attempts to invade Japan. Sigh... it's disappointing to see this series end, mostly because it's so DARN GOOD! I had thought it was over when Genghis died in book 3 - a natural ending point, one would think - but then Empire of Silver came out and I was once again swept up into the world of hardy Mongol soldiers and excellent bowmanship. And now the series is truly at it's end and all I can say is "sigh..."
This series has everything. The characters are well developed, the action is epic and intense and the history is accurate (each book contains a historical note at the end explaining what is real and what Iggulden took creative license with).
Overall this book isn't quite as good as the second two about Genghis, but is on par with Empire of Silver, while still being different. Empire of Silver still had the military genius of Tsubodai (Genghis' orlok - highest ranking military commander) from Lords of the Bow (book 2) and Bones of the Hills (book 3) and Genghis' brothers Khasar, Kachiun and Temuge were still alive, giving it more of the feel of the previous two books, but it still lacked a strong protagonist that the reader could really cheer for and feel for. Conqueror on the other hand, has that protagonist in the form of Kublai but lacks the creative military strategy and fun that goes along with that that the other books had. Conqueror also ends with a civil war, and civil wars are always sad, especially when they are brother against brother like they are here. It would have been funner to have it end with Kublai finishing the conquest of the Sung. In any event, these are only minor gripes with an otherwise great book.
I would not recommend this series to anyone who has patriotic feelings towards China or is a Muslim. I know this sounds racist/mean, but I have good reasons for saying this. The main reasons are that in books 2 and 5, the Chinese get their butts handed to them on silver platters repeatedly (in other words, they get pwned over and over again) by the Mongols and in books 3 and 5, the same happens to the Muslims. If you are of either of the two groups I have mentioned, and are fine with reading about that, be my guest, otherwise, don't read this series.
As a tangent, in Empire of Silver the Mongols accomplish what Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler would later fail to do. They conqueror Russia. All of it. In winter.
All in all, a good book in a great series. Highly recommended to any fans of historical/military fiction.
4.5/5 stars
As a PS, here's a link to a fun video giving a brief history of the Mongol Empire:
Wait For It...The Mongols!: Crash Course World History #17