A thoroughly enjoyable read, 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 and 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 and really caught my imagination. My knowledge of the conquest of the Incas was limited before reading this book and I was fascinated to learn how such a small number of Spaniards, sanctioned by the Catholic church, overthrew a great civilisation in pursuit of gold and souls.
This book led to great discussions between my father and I once I finally gave him his present!
I would recommend this book not just to people interested in history in general or in 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, 21 Nov 2007
If you want to read about the conquest of the Incas, one of the two biggest epic stories in 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, and Kim MacQuarrie's The Last Days of the Incas. Hemming's book was published in 1970, thus recent discoveries in Peru during the last four decades are missing--and a lot has happened. It is a very detailed book with lots of footnotes and research, however, it was written by an academic and is average in writing quality. There is thus no attempt in Hemming's book to bring the characters to life, or even to tell their full stories. MacQuarrie's book, on the other hand, was published in 2007 and thus is very up-to-date. You'll learn about recent and important discoveries in 1999 and 2001, how Machu Picchu figured into the conquest and was discovered, and 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 Not since William Prescott's The Conquest of Peru (published in 1847 and a big best seller in its time, but now very outdated) has anyone achieved what MacQuarrie has achieved, bringing the conquest of the Incas back to life.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 and 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 succeeds in recreating Pizarro and his conquistadors and the various Inca emperors as full, three-dimensional characters. In sum, if you want to transport yourself in a time machine back to the 16th century in Peru and feel what it was like to be a participant in 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, 19 Nov 2007
HIstorical Books were never my cup of tea but the Inca Empire has been in the news alot lately and I was curious to find out more about it hence I bought and read Last Days of the Incas. I was absolutely delighted I found it informative, interesting and 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 and it has left me with the desire to go to Peru myself and see some of these sights

I couldn't put it down..., 25 Jul 2007
Planning my first trip to Peru I purchased a copy of "The Last Days of the Incas" after reading a review in the newspaper. I wasn't disappointed. Kim MacQuarrie's prose brings what is one of the most exciting stories that has ever occurred in the Americas to life in vivid and 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 ruins in Peru, and 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 and his four brothers come completely to life as do a colorful assortment of other Inca and Spanish characters. You'll feel the sharp wind in the Andes whipping round your legs, the buzz of bullets from harquebusiers whizzing by your ears as you experience the valiant and 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 and epic story first hand, then I can't recommend this book enough. Really extraordinary.

A rollercoaster Read, 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 and high stakes immediacy that I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter and 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 and beautifully brings to the surface are scarily relevant to today's world does the book no disservice either. Read it.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, 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 and 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 and really caught my imagination. My knowledge of the conquest of the Incas was limited before reading this book and I was fascinated to learn how such a small number of Spaniards, sanctioned by the Catholic church, overthrew a great civilisation in pursuit of gold and souls.
This book led to great discussions between my father and I once I finally gave him his present!
I would recommend this book not just to people interested in history in general or in 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, 21 Nov 2007
If you want to read about the conquest of the Incas, one of the two biggest epic stories in 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, and Kim MacQuarrie's The Last Days of the Incas. Hemming's book was published in 1970, thus recent discoveries in Peru during the last four decades are missing--and a lot has happened. It is a very detailed book with lots of footnotes and research, however, it was written by an academic and is average in writing quality. There is thus no attempt in Hemming's book to bring the characters to life, or even to tell their full stories. MacQuarrie's book, on the other hand, was published in 2007 and thus is very up-to-date. You'll learn about recent and important discoveries in 1999 and 2001, how Machu Picchu figured into the conquest and was discovered, and 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 (published in 1847 and a big best seller in 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 and 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 succeeds in recreating Pizarro and his conquistadors and the various Inca emperors as full, three-dimensional characters. In sum, if you want to transport yourself in a time machine back to the 16th century in Peru and feel what it was like to be a participant in 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, 19 Nov 2007
HIstorical Books were never my cup of tea but the Inca Empire has been in the news alot lately and I was curious to find out more about it hence I bought and read Last Days of the Incas. I was absolutely delighted I found it informative, interesting and 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 and it has left me with the desire to go to Peru myself and see some of these sights

I couldn't put it down..., 25 Jul 2007
Planning my first trip to Peru I purchased a copy of "The Last Days of the Incas" after reading a review in the newspaper. I wasn't disappointed. Kim MacQuarrie's prose brings what is one of the most exciting stories that has ever occurred in the Americas to life in vivid and 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 ruins in Peru, and 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 and his four brothers come completely to life as do a colorful assortment of other Inca and Spanish characters. You'll feel the sharp wind in the Andes whipping round your legs, the buzz of bullets from harquebusiers whizzing by your ears as you experience the valiant and 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 and epic story first hand, then I can't recommend this book enough. Really extraordinary.

A rollercoaster Read, 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 and high stakes immediacy that I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter and 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 and beautifully brings to the surface are scarily relevant to today's world does the book no disservice either. Read it.

good basics, but frustrating, 22 Nov 2008
I bought this book, as I imagine most do, just before heading off on my dream holiday to Ecuador and the Galapagos. We visited mountains, cloud forest, amazon rainforest and the Galapagos and I wanted a book to cover it all for mammals, birds and lower vertebrates. In principle that is what I got, the information on habitats and the basic ID's for most species were there, all in one portable book.
However, I felt let down by the generalness of the species ID section, it really needs to be bigger. I am not a die hard birder/biologist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to actually have some scope in which to identify common species and I found myself time and again putting this book aside to borrow other material from the lodges/hotels and other travellers, which was a shame. If I went again, I would not take this book with me.
It still gets 3 stars as the information it contains is interesting and it is by no means a bad book, just didn't do what I wanted it for well enough!

Good general guide to Ecuadorian wildlife, 05 Nov 2000
This book was very useful in identifying wildlife in Ecuador and it was nice to have one book with a selection of amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and even a few invertebrates rather than carrying lots of different books. It is a good size to carry when travelling and the text is much more interesting than in your average field guide and a good introduction to the ecology of Ecuador. However there are so many different species in Ecuador that unsurprisingly it can sometimes be frustrating when you can't even identify an incredibly colourful bird using this book. There are about 1,600 species of birds in Ecuador and only 350 or so in this book! So if you are very serious about your birding I would recommend Birds of Columbia (until Birds of Ecuador is published, it is apparently on the way). However then you will need a separate mammal, amphibian, reptile guide as well if you are interested. I haven't been to the Galapagos, but I believe that there are quidebooks that cover all the species found there which are probably more useful than this one.

However all in all I would highly recommend this book for a holiday to Ecuador as long as you are not obsessed with identifying everything you see to species. On the whole, most animals you will see will be the more common ones and therefore will be found in this book.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, 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 and 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 and really caught my imagination. My knowledge of the conquest of the Incas was limited before reading this book and I was fascinated to learn how such a small number of Spaniards, sanctioned by the Catholic church, overthrew a great civilisation in pursuit of gold and souls.
This book led to great discussions between my father and I once I finally gave him his present!
I would recommend this book not just to people interested in history in general or in 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, 21 Nov 2007
If you want to read about the conquest of the Incas, one of the two biggest epic stories in 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, and Kim MacQuarrie's The Last Days of the Incas. Hemming's book was published in 1970, thus recent discoveries in Peru during the last four decades are missing--and a lot has happened. It is a very detailed book with lots of footnotes and research, however, it was written by an academic and is average in writing quality. There is thus no attempt in Hemming's book to bring the characters to life, or even to tell their full stories. MacQuarrie's book, on the other hand, was published in 2007 and thus is very up-to-date. You'll learn about recent and important discoveries in 1999 and 2001, how Machu Picchu figured into the conquest and was discovered, and 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 (published in 1847 and a big best seller in 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 and 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 succeeds in recreating Pizarro and his conquistadors and the various Inca emperors as full, three-dimensional characters. In sum, if you want to transport yourself in a time machine back to the 16th century in Peru and feel what it was like to be a participant in 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, 19 Nov 2007
HIstorical Books were never my cup of tea but the Inca Empire has been in the news alot lately and I was curious to find out more about it hence I bought and read Last Days of the Incas. I was absolutely delighted I found it informative, interesting and 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 and it has left me with the desire to go to Peru myself and see some of these sights

I couldn't put it down..., 25 Jul 2007
Planning my first trip to Peru I purchased a copy of "The Last Days of the Incas" after reading a review in the newspaper. I wasn't disappointed. Kim MacQuarrie's prose brings what is one of the most exciting stories that has ever occurred in the Americas to life in vivid and 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 ruins in Peru, and 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 and his four brothers come completely to life as do a colorful assortment of other Inca and Spanish characters. You'll feel the sharp wind in the Andes whipping round your legs, the buzz of bullets from harquebusiers whizzing by your ears as you experience the valiant and 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 and epic story first hand, then I can't recommend this book enough. Really extraordinary.

A rollercoaster Read, 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 and high stakes immediacy that I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter and 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 and beautifully brings to the surface are scarily relevant to today's world does the book no disservice either. Read it.

good basics, but frustrating, 22 Nov 2008
I bought this book, as I imagine most do, just before heading off on my dream holiday to Ecuador and the Galapagos. We visited mountains, cloud forest, amazon rainforest and the Galapagos and I wanted a book to cover it all for mammals, birds and lower vertebrates. In principle that is what I got, the information on habitats and the basic ID's for most species were there, all in one portable book.
However, I felt let down by the generalness of the species ID section, it really needs to be bigger. I am not a die hard birder/biologist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to actually have some scope in which to identify common species and I found myself time and again putting this book aside to borrow other material from the lodges/hotels and other travellers, which was a shame. If I went again, I would not take this book with me.
It still gets 3 stars as the information it contains is interesting and it is by no means a bad book, just didn't do what I wanted it for well enough!

Good general guide to Ecuadorian wildlife, 05 Nov 2000
This book was very useful in identifying wildlife in Ecuador and it was nice to have one book with a selection of amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and even a few invertebrates rather than carrying lots of different books. It is a good size to carry when travelling and the text is much more interesting than in your average field guide and a good introduction to the ecology of Ecuador. However there are so many different species in Ecuador that unsurprisingly it can sometimes be frustrating when you can't even identify an incredibly colourful bird using this book. There are about 1,600 species of birds in Ecuador and only 350 or so in this book! So if you are very serious about your birding I would recommend Birds of Columbia (until Birds of Ecuador is published, it is apparently on the way). However then you will need a separate mammal, amphibian, reptile guide as well if you are interested. I haven't been to the Galapagos, but I believe that there are quidebooks that cover all the species found there which are probably more useful than this one.

However all in all I would highly recommend this book for a holiday to Ecuador as long as you are not obsessed with identifying everything you see to species. On the whole, most animals you will see will be the more common ones and therefore will be found in this book.

definetely for the conrad reader, 26 Oct 2000
Thomsen's style captivated me from the moment I read The Saddest Pleasure and so I ended up with Living Poor which was written a few years before. This title, which doesn't lack power of expression by any means is a must read for the Conrad follower; in the high-tech/fast-lane life of nowadays there are still events happening like they happened hundreds of years ago though many of today's writers have lost touch with the basics; this masterpiece describes how the author, an American, unlike most Americans detached himself of wordly possesions and the lure of money and went to live in the backcountry in Ecuador more or less like any other Ecuadorian after his experiences with the Peace Corps; unlike a typical narration of what happened down there, this book is a journey through the author's mind in gripping situations where only judgement and intelligence count.