Customer Reviews:
 Excellent February 11, 2006
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
This book whilst historical is written in an easy to read style and is hard to put down. Excellent book and highly recommended to anyone wanting to get a feel of the story of the conquest of Peru.
 The conquest of the incas July 11, 2001
50 out of 51 found this review helpful
In the 1850's the first history of the conquest was written by an American called Prescott who collated over candlelight lost documents and letters sent back to Andalucia by the conquistadors. Hemming took over this forgotten history, writing it for our times. This is the modern version; fast moving, all action, easy to read and difficult to put down. If you enjoy adventure novels, take a look at real history. The Inca's surrendered to the Spanish was as amazing as it was fatalistic, their legends predicting the coming of the white gods. Their ruler Atahualpa surrendered himself to the Pizarros. The Spanish brothers greed for all the gold evident around them, led to them forcing the native people to fill a room full of gold as ransom for their ruler.Legend or fact? Gold crafted during that period remains rare in that country. Once completed, the brutish Pizarro brothers murdered the Inca after a mock trial. This story is reviewed well by Hemming, with all the gentleness of one side, all the harshness and greed in the other. It has all the elements required to facinate and revolt the reader, and only the reader can nominate his or her own hero. The conquest of Peru remains one of the most thrilling areas of adventure history, is pure escapism, and enough to get you on the plane out there!
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