nightmarekitty13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
boxcar's review
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Great telling of Cortes’ assault against the Aztecs. The brutality and human toll is made abundantly clear, and it is not a tale of good guys. Written very compellingly. Absolutely fascinating how an entire culture, the heavyweight of america and perhaps the biggest city in the world can be toppled in a few years. What a damn shame that the meeting of hitherto alien cultures and empires meant the end of one rather than the combination and development of two, together. Devastating, the numbers of human lives lost betrays any possible comprehension.
I appreciated the author’s repeated noting of hypocrisy in the spaniard motivations and justification. Human sacrifice as the justification for torture, enslavement and massacre. Christianity as the supposed motivation to sin in such quantity and at such disgusting lengths.
I appreciated the author’s repeated noting of hypocrisy in the spaniard motivations and justification. Human sacrifice as the justification for torture, enslavement and massacre. Christianity as the supposed motivation to sin in such quantity and at such disgusting lengths.
danang's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
behemotcat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
nikhender's review against another edition
5.0
I did a fifth grade report on Cortes vs the Aztecs and I was enamored with the story as a kid. It’s safe to say I still am much later.
Hernan Cortes is a very devious conqueror. But no one can argue how brilliant and innovative he was. What he accomplished is astonishing. He wasn’t free of evils or unjust bloodshed, but neither were the Aztecs. Montezuma made many enemies before the Spaniards even came, resulting in these enemies rallying with the Spaniards. Cortes would’ve never defeated the Aztecs without the help of the Tlaxcala’s and smallpox, and this is explained well in this book.
Buddy Levy does an amazing job. The book flows well and it does not feel like you’re tackling a monotonously boring history book. It is fast-paced and interesting. It is very informative. And most of all, it isn’t one-sided.
Hernan Cortes is a very devious conqueror. But no one can argue how brilliant and innovative he was. What he accomplished is astonishing. He wasn’t free of evils or unjust bloodshed, but neither were the Aztecs. Montezuma made many enemies before the Spaniards even came, resulting in these enemies rallying with the Spaniards. Cortes would’ve never defeated the Aztecs without the help of the Tlaxcala’s and smallpox, and this is explained well in this book.
Buddy Levy does an amazing job. The book flows well and it does not feel like you’re tackling a monotonously boring history book. It is fast-paced and interesting. It is very informative. And most of all, it isn’t one-sided.