The Last Days of the Incas

By: Kim MacQuarrie

Narrated by: Norman Dietz

Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1532, the 54-year-old Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro led a force of 167 men, including his four brothers, to the shores of Peru. Unbeknownst to the Spaniards, the Inca rulers of Peru had just fought a bloody civil war in which the emperor Atahualpa had defeated his brother, Huascar. Pizarro and his men soon clashed with Atahualpa and a huge force of Inca warriors at the Battle of Cajamarca. Despite being outnumbered by more than 200 to one, the Spaniards prevailed - due largely to their horses, their steel armor and swords, and their tactic of surprise. They captured and imprisoned Atahualpa. Although the Inca emperor paid an enormous ransom in gold, the Spaniards executed him anyway. The following year, the Spaniards seized the Inca capital of Cuzco, completing their conquest of the largest native empire the New World has ever known. Peru was now a Spanish colony, and the conquistadors were wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.

But the Incas did not submit willingly. A young Inca emperor, the brother of Atahualpa, soon led a massive rebellion against the Spaniards, inflicting heavy casualties and nearly wiping out the conquerors. Eventually, however, Pizarro and his men forced the emperor to abandon the Andes and flee to the Amazon. There, he established a hidden capital, called Vilcabamba. Although the Incas fought a deadly, 36-year-long guerrilla war, the Spanish ultimately captured the last Inca emperor and vanquished the native resistance.

Kim MacQuarrie lived in Peru for five years and became fascinated by the Incas and the history of the Spanish conquest. Drawing on both native and Spanish chronicles, he vividly describes the dramatic story of the conquest, with all its savagery and suspense.

©2007 Kim MacQuarrie (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Vivid and energetic....Riveting." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A first-rate reference work of ambitious scope that will most likely stand as the definitive account of these people." ( Booklist)

I loved this book

This book brought home the importance of steel, in the guns, germs, and steel theory of the spanish conquest. The strategies of both sides are made clear in this well written history. It starts with the discovery of Machu Pichu, covers the history of the conquest, and then ends with a brief history of recent archeology into the locations of several places mentioned in the book. It is all well worth listening to.

Enjoyable story, but...

I really enjoyed listening to this book, but was frustrated with the use of the word "indian" to describe the native peoples throughout the book, with no discussion about how this term is a misnomer.

Comprehensive and engaging historical masterpiece

I read more history than any other genre on audible and some books come along that are unbelievably comprehensive and thorough. This ranks with” admiral of the ocean sea” as work that is long and super detailed but that I cannot put down. Congratulations, and I have already purchased this for several friends.

Excellent

All but the last two chapters were excellent and made fir an easy listen. The last part regarding the discovery of the ancient city did not fit the title and preceding material, last days of the Incas

Truly Excellent!

I really enjoyed this! I was initially a little intimidated by the length, but it was an amazing history the entire way through. Highly recommend for those interested in the Inca and have found other more general South American historical books somewhat lacking on the subject. The author is an excellent historian and a great storyteller as well.

Worth a Listen

Starts off a bit slow. I actually found it pretty tedious to begin with but it wasn't long before I was hooked and couldn't wait to hear more.

I opener

I’m sure the impression I gained from this book is similar to others: I knew nothing of the Inca’s 40 year struggle to maintain their sovereignty after the Spanish invasion. The author does not indict but simply provides historical facts Mostly derive from Spanish sources,it is difficult for the reader to fathom the
cruelty of the Spanish. Their Catholic endorsed brutality reminds me of modern day ISIS’s tactics.
The author offers a readable story that to me was a real page turner. Kudos!

A Unique History

An interesting storyline in that it attempts to layout the destruction of the Inca's civilization from the point of view of the Spaniards ie the Pizzaro brother's as well as the last Inca rulers.
It's also interesting when the 20th century discovery are documented.

Reads like a lab adventure novel!

Amazing story! You could not make this up-- no one would believe it as fiction! MacQuarrie's book reads like an energetic novel of a small band of conquistadors conquering an army of thousands. The author deftly builds historical context within a framework of intrigue, betrayal and sheer luck. Learning history could never be more exciting!

I had no idea...

...that the Inca, a short lived society,, fought for about half of their existence, for their existence.
A great reader and intense research gives us this exciting listen!