Epic and magisterial, John Hemming's account of the conquest of Peru should be required reading for anyone who hopes to understand how 168 Spaniards prevailed over one of the most accomplished and extraordinary empires the world has known. Though more recent scholarship provides more up-to-the-minute information, none matches Hemming's masterful storytelling. Read it and weep! ( )

If you want to understand the subcutaneous anger of contemporary Peruvians, read this book. ( )

I began this book just before my visit to Peru and read it along the way - a great way to prepare for the trip and to absorb more during an incredibly educational experience. It really was a key part of my enjoyment of the trip, because I was able to glean more from our various guides and better appreciate the ruins and spanish buildings, particularly in and around Cuzco. The book is an interesting read, but note that the fall of the Incas is essentially completed during the first 100 pages - a good thing if you want a thorough understanding of the history in a very brief time, a bad thing if you were looking for more detail. (I actually liked this aspect of the book.) Another key to this book's success is Hemming's ability to convey who was actually writing the history since of course the goings on would be viewed and recorded differently by spanish conquistadors vs. religious types, to say nothing of the difference of opinion about what happened between the Spanish and the native quechuas. He does a good job of illustrating the different views and allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions about what may have actually happened. I found out about this book from Lonely Planet-the key travel book for the area-and I agree with them and thoroughly recommend it. No trip to Peru should be taken without it! ( )