The Mongoliad: The Foreworld Saga, Book 2

By: Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo, Nicole Galland, Erik Bear, Joseph Brassey, Cooper Moo

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

In the aftermath of the Mongolian invasion of 1241, beleaguered Christians struggle with the presence of a violent horde and a world turned upside down. Apocalyptic fever sweeps through Europe, infecting even the most rational individuals, leaving all to wonder if they are seeing the end times - or an hour when new heroes will emerge from the ruins of cataclysmic defeat.

An order of warrior monks, the Shield-Brethren, refuses to yield, plotting to overthrow the invaders despite insurmountable odds. Father Rodrigo Bendrito receives a prophecy from God and believes it’s his mission to deliver the message to Rome. Along with the hunter Ferenc, orphan Ocyrhoe, healer Raphael, and alchemist Yasper, Rodrigo sets out to reclaim Europe. But to save Christendom, someone must slay the fierce Khan of Khans.

Brimming with intrigue and colorful characters, The Mongoliad: Book Two is a riveting, expertly rendered tale about the will to survive.

©2012 FOREWORLD LLC (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Very well narrated, story is ok.

It is a decent listen. I don't find the character very interesting and there are a lot of them. Excellent narration saves it.

wounderful writing

The Mongoliad : Book one of THE FOREWORD SAGA was the best so far. I listened to it twice just for the joy of it. Book two is very good also. I am looking forward to book three. Well worth the credit or money not to mention the treat of the adventure . Enjoy

Good, not spectacular

As suspected, the second book basically picks up right where the first one inexplicably and suddenly stopped. I truly believe these were written as one book and just chopped up by the publisher into three. This book does add another fun story line and continues the previous story lines from book quite nicely.

My comments from the first book, i.e. writing by committee, turns of phrase, number of languages spoken by the characters, still hold true for this book. (See my review of the first book).

Overall, it's still a fun historical fiction story to listen to and I'm enjoying it. I've already moved straight into book three.

An already dense story is reaching critical mass

If you've read part 1, then get ready to have very little of the characters you've grown attached to. A new plot line involving the Pope, a deranged priest, and Vatican shenanigans dominates this rather ill-paced sequel. Since I've already spent this much time on it, I'm somewhat obliged to listen to part 3, which I'm hoping has a bit more oomph to it.

Excellent Listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It is gripping, thought provoking and very visual.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of the characters were engaging and deep

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

Percival

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

Great story. Very intricate and suspenseful.