Customer Reviews
A thoroughly enjoyable read - By: Mairead Mahon, 05 Dec 2007 
I actually bought this book for my father who is planning a trip to Peru but on reading through the first few pages I was compelled to read it all & let my father wait for his present! I wouldn't normally be drawn to "history books" but rather than a factual account of the demise of the Incas, this historical novel really brings the events to life & really caught my imagination. My knowledge of the conquest of the Incas was limited before reading this book & I was fascinated to learn how such a small number of Spaniards, sanctioned by the Catholic church, overthrew a great civilisationin pursuit of gold & souls.
This book led to great discussions between my father & I once I finally gave him his present!
I would recommend this book not just to people interestedin historyin general orin the Incas but to anyone looking for a good read over the holidays for it's as gripping a drama as you'll get!
A Phenomenal Read - By: Judith Turner, 21 Nov 2007 If you want to read about the conquest of the Incas, one of the two biggest epic storiesin the Americas (the other being Cortes' conquest of the Aztecs, then you really only have two choices: John Hemming's The Conquest of the Incas, & Kim MacQuarrie's The Last Days of the Incas. Hemming's book was publishedin 1970, thus recent discoveriesin Peru during the last four decades are missing--and a lot has happened. It is a very detailed book with lots of footnotes & research, however, it was written by an academic & is averagein writing quality. There is thus no attemptin Hemming's book to bring the characters to life, or even to tell their full stories. MacQuarrie's book, on the other hand, was publishedin 2007 & thus is very up-to-date. You'll learn about recent & important discoveriesin 1999 & 2001, how Machu Picchu figured into the conquest & was discovered, & so on. But what really sets it apart from any other book on Inca history is the writing quality. The Last Days of the Incas is really a phenomenal read, the best that I've come across, period. Not since William Prescott's The Conquest of Peru (publishedin 1847 & a big best sellerin its time, but now very outdated) has anyone achieved what MacQuarrie has achieved, bringing the conquest of the Incas back to life. The Last Days of the Incas is not only well researched & up-to-date, but the book is an amazing page-turner. Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down. The author really succeedsin recreating Pizarro & his conquistadors & the various Inca emperors as full, three-dimensional characters. In sum, if you want to transport yourselfin a time machine back to the 16th centuryin Peru & feel what it was like to be a participantin the sprawling epic that was the conquest of the Inca civilization, there's only one book to get: The Last Days of the Incas. Its a real tour de force.
A very enlightening Book - By: M. Byrne, 19 Nov 2007 HIstorical Books were never my cup of tea but the Inca Empire has beenin the news alot lately & I was curious to find out more about it hence I bought & read Last Days of the Incas. I was absolutely delighted I found it informative, interesting & easy to read which was great as I imagined books with this type of content would be heavy going. Kim Mac Quarrie's research was second to none & it has left me with the desire to go to Peru myself & see some of these sights
I couldn't put it down... - By: Matthew Richards, 25 Jul 2007 Planning my first trip to Peru I purchased a copy of "The Last Days of the Incas" after reading a reviewin the newspaper. I wasn't disappointed. Kim MacQuarrie's prose brings what is one of the most exciting stories that has ever occurredin the Americas to lifein vivid & startling detail. Once I began reading the book, I literally was unable to put it down. Not only does "The Last Days of the Incas" bring the conquest to life, but it also includes chapters on the modern discoveries of Inca ruinsin Peru, & also explains how Machu Picchu (a must see) fits into the history of the Inca Empire. This book does an amazing job of placing you at the heart of the conquest. Francisco Pizarro & his four brothers come completely to life as do a colorful assortment of other Inca & Spanish characters. You'll feel the sharp windin the Andes whipping round your legs, the buzz of bullets from harquebusiers whizzing by your ears as you experience the valiant & brave efforts of the rebel Inca emperor, Manco Inca, struggle against all odds to hold onto his empire. If you are going on vacation to Peru or South America, or just want to experience an amazing & epic story first hand, then I can't recommend this book enough. Really extraordinary.
A rollercoaster Read - By: S. Walshe, 18 Jul 2007 Before I read this book, my knowledge of the Inca Empire was limited to a vague notion that they once had a great civilization that was quickly destroyed by a small bunch of Spaniards. I had no idea of the blood curdling drama that awaited me. Kim MacQuarrie's book is a riveting, thrill a minute tale written with such a skillful combination of elegant restraint & high stakes immediacy that I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter & on some occasions, (like when Manco Inca first mobilized the Incas into rebellion to name but one example), I had to remind myself to exhale. Right up to the end, I was willing the Incas to prevail, all the while knowing that their days were numbered. The fact that all the issues it so painstakingly & beautifully brings to the surface are scarily relevant to today's world does the book no disservice either. Read it.
