This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
From YKTTW Working Title: Temujin Gambit
Vampire Buddha: Cut this:
** Which is, of course, bullshit. The Tatars were always a major enemy for Temujin, since they killed his father. And the majority of the people that fought for him either joined him because he was highly competent and didn't care about social hierarchy, or because he defeated them and let them join him (as opposed to killing them). Even with the Tatars, the majority of the Mongol tribes had to be unified by force, thanks to Temujin's blood brother Jamuqa uniting them against him. Not to mention the fact that Temujin only took the name Chinggis Khan (which is inaccurately written as Genghis) AFTER he defeated the Tatars.
IT'S A NOVEL. Also, the initial proposed title for this trope was Temujin Gambit; it was decided to go with Genghis Gambit for name recognition. He's called Temujin for all of the first book, and does indeed choose Genghis after rushing the Tartars.
\\Later: OK, steppemerc, since you insist on adding that statement, here's why it doesn't belong.
I believe in keeping my examples short and concise. The example posted isn't a summary of the entire book, just something that happened in it. Your natter shows that you clearly haven't read the book, so here's a quick summary:
Summary
Temujin is the second son of Yesugei, khan of the Wolves. One day, he is brought to his mother's tribe, the Olkhun'ut, to stay with them for a year and get to know his future bride. While Yesugei is riding back to his camp, he is poisoned by a group of Tartars. Temujin is recalled from the Olkhun'ut camp and, soon after returning to the Wolf camp, Yesugei dies. At this point his bondsman, Eeluk
* real name Tarkutai-kiril-turk; the author explains that he changed a few names to make the book easier to follow for English-speakers
claims khanhood and exiles the family of Yesugei. As they struggle to survive, Temujin and younger brother Khasar discover that the oldest brother, Bekter, hasn't been sharing the food he finds with the rest of the family and the kill him. Temujin is ostracised from the rest for a while after this deed, but eventually works his way back into his mother's good graces.
Later, a group of Wolves out hunting come across the family's small camp and manage to capture Temujin. Meanwhile, a wandering swordsmith named Arslan and his son, Jelme, make their way to the Wolves because Arslan owes a debt of honour to Yesugei. Upon hearing that the man is dead, he reluctantly agrees to serve Eeluk instead. However, when Temujin is brought in and thrown in a pit, Arslan discovers he is the son of Yesugei and helps him escape. Arslan, Jelme, and Temujin leave and rejoin Temujin's family.
Temujin begins gathering the exiles and wandering herdsmen to him and encouraging them to work together. They spend the winter raiding Tartar camps, during which time Arslan warns him that of he keeps this up, he's face a huge untied Tartar foce come spring. Temujin thinks this would be a good thing, as it would force the Mongols to unite against the greater threat.
Spring comes. Temujin's band has grown to a respectable size, and he goes to the Olkhun'ut to claim his wife, Borte. While on the way back to camp, Borte is kidnapped by Tartars * Historically, it was the Merkit
. Temujin, Arslan, and Jelme give chase and rescue her, but not before she is raped a few times.
Soon afterwards, as Arslan predicted, a huge Tartar army appears. Temujin once again goes to the Olkun'ut, kills their khan and his son, and asserts his own right to khanhood based on his mother and wife. The Olkhun'ut are reluctant the follow him, but decide to put up with him until the Tartars are defeated.
Temujin then goes to the Kerait and persuades their khan, Togrul, to add his warriors to Temujin's own. Through Togrul, he is also able to gain armour and silk undergarments from the Chin ambassador to the tribes, who is secretly attempting to manipulate the Mongols and Tartars into wiping each other out. He also manages to get Eeluk and the Wolves to join him, much to his distaste.
Temujin manages to make himself overall military leader of the alliance, and deliberately deploys the men in mixed-clan groups to avoid clan disputes affecting his counter-offensive. The Mongols successfully crush the Tartars and drive them out out, never to return. After that, Temujin faces Eeluk in single combat and kills him, thus reclaiming his birthright as khan of the Wolves.
Togrul attempts to assassinate Temujin and fails, forcing him to flee with the Chin ambassador. He is killed outside the Great Wall of China * Historically, he was killed by the Naimans
, leaving Temujin as khan of the Olkhun'ut, Kerait, and Wolves. He decides to unite all the Mongols into a single nation, and thinks the name Genghis might me more appropriate to such a station.
The second book opens with Genghis' forces defeating an alliance of the Naiman, Jajirat, and Oirat clans. The survivors are assimilated into Genghis' army, leaving him as the great khan of all Mongolia.
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As for your specific criticisms:
- The Tatars were always a major enemy for Temujin, since they killed his father.
True. This comes across in the book. That's one of the reasons he raids them so much.
- And the majority of the people that fought for him either joined him because he was highly competent and didn't care about social hierarchy, or because he defeated them and let them join him (as opposed to killing them).
This is also what happens in the book. It just takes the threat of the Tartars to persuade the rival khans to join forces with Temujin rather than let him die - if Temujin is beaten, the Tartars will keep marching through and wipe out all the Mongols. Temujin has plenty of good warriors to command, and has established some reputation for good tactics, so it makes sense to ally with him.
- Even with the Tatars, the majority of the Mongol tribes had to be unified by force, thanks to Temujin's blood brother Jamuqa uniting them against him.
Now this is a reasonable criticism. It is strange that Iggulden omitted Jamukha, since that was one of the most dramatic and interesting incidents in Temujin's life. However, I believe their split came after the Tartars were driven out.
- Not to mention the fact that Temujin only took the name Chinggis Khan (which is inaccurately written as Genghis) AFTER he defeated the Tatars.
As happens in the book.
Haven: Took out this from under Code Geass, because the above post specified Nunnally's reason; Schneizel was planning to Nuke 'em, yes, but Nunnally had her hands on the controls, and as she explained to Lelouch, she was trying the same thing he was, except with Damocles instead of a person—her revelation of this is what convinces him to Geass her.
- Nunnaly's and Shneizel's plan was more like peace through superior firepower. They weren't so much setting themselves as a threat the world would unite againt, as they were going to nuke anybody who objected to world peace.
