Review: good read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 21, 2013
The book was too long and, at times, boring.  The mechanics of good writing were fine.  A few errors did not interrupt the reading flow. There was not a great deal of background on Cortes, so his character was not clearly defined.  That is not the author's fault.  Through his lover, Malinali, a naturale  of some Aztec descent, the story of Montezuma and Mexico City was told.  She was a delightfully deceiving interpreter between the Spaniards and several Indian tribes.  She and Cortes knew that their lives were intertwined from the moment they met.  The Spaniards were in Mexico to convert the natives to Christianity and to stop the practice of human sacrificing.  The natives believed Cortes was a supreme god returned to rule.  Malinali encouraged the latter belief creating all kinds of confusion.  Montezuma even gave his throne to Cortes thinking he was a god.  Cortes had to fight the natives several times, but Malinali told him the secret to winning those battles where the Spaniards were greatly outnumbered.  Without her, Mexico's history may have taken a different tack.  Behind every great man....I wanted more background about the kind of warriors the Spanish were.  Cortes' conquest started in 1520.  Cuba was already an established colony.  Think about the time between 1492 and 1520.  The Spanish did not waste any time claiming their territories in the new world.  I have mentioned the parts of the book that really interested me.  I believe each reader will take away something different after reading the book.  I have found that to be true in reading other books by this author.  Readers, I spent too much time in the dictionary and Wikipedia.  I believe it would be best just to read the book through without getting flustered by name pronunciation and history.  I have taken the liberty of giving the tribes and places the names by which I knew them.Thank you, Mr. Falconer, for another good read.