A secret history of knights sent on a suicide mission to kill the Great Khan and stop the fall of Christendom into the hands of the Mongol Horde. Lots of sword fighting and shield bashing and medieval combat tactics. The characters aren't all the memorable and plot twists aren't all that surprising, but heck, its still fun escapism. Sure its not high lit but it satisfies that little beast in me that wants to go questing across the lands with some shield brothers against all odds fighting the barbarians. Fun, fun, fun. Be warned though: just because Neal Stephenson is on the author list does not mean that the book is anything like his usual fair. You can catch glimpses of him here and there but this does not read like a prequel to the Baroque Cycle. This collaborative effort is something altogether different. These are group of authors who all love western martial arts and wanted to write a serial story that highlights that interest. As long as you go into the Foreworld Saga with that understanding, the reading can be more easily enjoyed. ( )

This is a really tough one to review. Mongoliad is a serial novel which was produced interactively as part of a transmedia franchise. According to the website, it's "sort of the thing that Charles Dickens wrote, but with a decidedly 21st century twist", emphasizing the role of social media and community resources in the project's idea and creation.

I have to say the serialized format and the multiple authors both facilitated and hindered my enjoyment. Not surprisingly, the novel did not always feel cohesive. There are sections of the novel that are beautifully written, paid attention to character development, etc. and those were the sections I found I really liked.

On the other hand, there were also those sections in which style changes are more obvious, quality of the storytelling was not as high, and chapters where more attention (like pages and pages) was paid to fighting styles and weapons than the actual protagonists utilizing and wielding them. Apparently, Mongoliad and the Foreworld universe came about from a group of friends' shared interest in the study of Western Martial Arts, so that's understandable.

If that's your thing, you'll find plenty to like in this novel. If not, you'll probably go through ups and downs like me. I generally prefer a good story with ample character building. There are so many characters, and it always seemed like just when I wanted to know more, the book changes to another scene or switches perspective, leaving me hanging. There was just enough in book one to keep me intrigued and interested in picking up book two. ( )