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105th out of 2,628 books
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9,357 voters
Aztec (Gary Jennings's Aztec Series #1)
Aztec is the extraordinary story of the last and greatest native civilization of North America. Told in the words of one of the most robust and memorable characters in modern fiction, Mixtli-Dark Cloud, Aztec reveals the very depths of Aztec civilization from the peak and feather-banner splendor of the Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan to the arrival of Hernán Cortás and his c...more
Paperback, 754 pages
Published
May 16th 2006
by Forge Books
(first published 1980)
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Jennings was one hell of a storyteller: Raptor was a thrilling and transgressive post-Roman romp, and The Journeyer fleshed out the eastward travels and adventures of Marco Polo with an exotic embellishment, a sexy and spicy pomp; but Aztec was my introduction to his colorful and hot-blooded novels, and remains a fond favorite. Sure, this overlong confession given by a captured Aztec aristocrat to his monastic interlocutors in the aftermath of Great Montezuma's empire being flushed down the toil...more
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if a guilty pleasure can elevate itself to the level of transformative epic, and then come plummeting back down to farce and depravity, and then up again, and then down again, and around and around and around - then this is that novel. there are many things to enjoy. some enjoyments are guilt-free: the sense of wonder, the lavish details, the description of native civilizations - so many aspects of so many cultures, all so clearly well-researched and engagingly depicted. some enjoyments inspire ...more
(this review from my website)
Whew! Man, it's been over two months since I've made any updates and this behemoth of a novel is to blame. As some of you may already be aware, I'm not all that keen on marathon reads.
Losing a month out of your life for something like Stephen King's Insomnia will do that to you.
It's for that reason that after buying Aztec it sat on my shelf for several months before deciding to venture into it.
Well, two months later I can look back on t...more
Whew! Man, it's been over two months since I've made any updates and this behemoth of a novel is to blame. As some of you may already be aware, I'm not all that keen on marathon reads.
Losing a month out of your life for something like Stephen King's Insomnia will do that to you.
It's for that reason that after buying Aztec it sat on my shelf for several months before deciding to venture into it.
Well, two months later I can look back on t...more
The Aztec series is my guilty pleasure. This first book in the series has 900-ish pages of lush, incredibly intricate, dramatic and absorbing detail about Aztec life up to the Conquistadors' arrival. Interspersed with porn. No wonder the Aztecs didn't die out--they worked very diligently to make more Aztecs. Says Gary Jennings. :)
An epic historical novel in the Michener/Clavell tradition, Aztec delivers the goods, transporting the reader to a fascinating world, sadly lost to European conquest. While I'm usually reluctant to read first-person narratives, Jennings' Mixtli had me from the first page, and the novel never dragged.
I have to point out that the misogyny in the novel is ridiculous. Every evil that occurs--from the trivial to the epic--is the result of some devious woman, and yet the narrator never c...more
I have to point out that the misogyny in the novel is ridiculous. Every evil that occurs--from the trivial to the epic--is the result of some devious woman, and yet the narrator never c...more
I finally realized, in this massive novel that goes nowhere, that the best analogy for this steaming pile is Forrest Gump. Oh, no, certainly not on the enjoyment factor, i like me the box o' chocolates, but in the implausibility of this no name individual (Head Nodder, Mixtli, whatever he is going by in that chapter in his life,) being so important in so many pieces of history, and all these gigantic events happening around him, just like Forrest.
Except, it's just about all bad thi...more
Except, it's just about all bad thi...more
This book is not for the faint of heart, but it is simply the best single novel that I have ever read.
Nothing is superfluous.
There is human sacrifice galore as well as graphic (and I mean graphic) violence and sexuality. However, the drama is top notch and there are times when you must stop reading because you are overwhelmed by the spectacle of the story.
I gave this book as an impulse buy to my mother for Christmas one year. I had no idea what it was like, I ...more
Nothing is superfluous.
There is human sacrifice galore as well as graphic (and I mean graphic) violence and sexuality. However, the drama is top notch and there are times when you must stop reading because you are overwhelmed by the spectacle of the story.
I gave this book as an impulse buy to my mother for Christmas one year. I had no idea what it was like, I ...more
One of the most eye opening, intense, and enjoyable books I've ever read. Recommended to me by my grandmother, a devout conservative catholic, I was almost shocked she'd read such an intense book (go grandma!). Gary Jennings spent over a decade researching the Aztec culture and created this non-fiction based fictional story about a culture so incredible different from our own, and yet even more cultured in some ways. The story follows an Aztec man who's captured by the Spanish Inquisition and...more
Did you ever wish that Boogie Nights was a book set in the time of the fall of the Aztec empire? No? Well, don't tell Gary Jennings that because I'm pretty sure it would hurt his feelings. It's not really something I would have thought you'd need to be specific about, but kids are so "creative" these days. This story isn't about Marky Mark’s penis or Montezuma's penis, either, because you might find that too predictable. It's about the penis of this other dude who is able to "...more
A great book that gives us great insight into the world of Aztec's and other tribes that inhabited Mexico just prior to the Spanish coming and when they first got here.
It really makes you feel like you have walked in another world that once was. It does not really come from any point of view that is trying to influence the way you feel about the history. You are able to appreciate the Aztec way of life, while also being shocked at times by their ways and realizing that it was an empi...more
It really makes you feel like you have walked in another world that once was. It does not really come from any point of view that is trying to influence the way you feel about the history. You are able to appreciate the Aztec way of life, while also being shocked at times by their ways and realizing that it was an empi...more
Jennings should be given some HUGE prize for this spectacular book clotted with gore and sex and filled with description. It's in first person and is all told through the eyes of a big, unusual Aztec guy who is so nearly blind that he uses a topaz lens he had made to see the world. The book is seen through this topaz. Fabulous. The author has another book called Raptor and the sex part is so icky that I wouldn't recommend it. I lost respect for the author because of his apparently prurient inter...more
8 months later . . . I'm finally finished! At over 1,000 pages this book was a marathon, and I'm glad to be done with it. I read it in hundred page spurts and sometimes wouldn't touch it for a month or so, so that's why it took so long. The most valuable part of this book for me was learning about the history of Mexico and Central America before the Spaniards and during the conquest. The book also does tell a good story and follows it's protagonist through ups and downs and fascinating journeys ...more
I'd recommend this book to anyone who like historical fictions, or intense fictions in general. I read it for the first time seven years ago, and it still is one of the most memorable books I've read. Jennings' writing is raw and unforgiving; he has an in-your-face style that can make you cringe, feel heavy hearted, and give you an unbelievable adrenaline rush during any given scene. I'm surprised to see that other readers gave his follow up books to this slightly higher ratings; for me, Azte...more
Historical saga of Mexico at dawn of the European conquest. Lengthy and rich detail. Loved it!
I loved it! I will be reading the next installment, Aztec Autumn very soon.
This book may change you. At the very least, it’ll excite your imagination and insult your senses. Full of lust for life, written "in the field" in Mexico, the book is polarizing, and has drawn both admiration and outright disgust from a few generations of readers.
It was the very first book I found when doing the competitive market research for my own writing about 10 years ago. Back then, I wanted to write a novel called “The Aztec”.
Imagine the depths of my emotion...more
It was the very first book I found when doing the competitive market research for my own writing about 10 years ago. Back then, I wanted to write a novel called “The Aztec”.
Imagine the depths of my emotion...more
Erin M.
rated it
Recommends it for:
Fans of Detailed, Epic, Historical Fiction
Recommended to Erin M. by:
Self
Shelves:
historical-fiction-favourites
When I first picked up this book, I was skeptical. The first few pages move fairly slowly and are written as letters in the dry and formal archaic style one would expect from a subject writing to his king. There is also a fair sprinkling of long and unfamiliar words in the Nahua tongue, the primary language spoken by Aztecs, but once one gets the feel for the words and the way they might have sounded, the difficulty with them lessens.
The story is set in the late fifteenth and earl...more
The story is set in the late fifteenth and earl...more
Check out more reviews and SciFi/Fantasy fun at Lions and Men.
Aztec tells the tale of Mixtli, a citizen of the ancient Aztec land known as The Heart of the World. We follow Mixtli throughout his entire life. We experience his friends, his family, his lovers, and his enemies. We congratulate him on his successes and we feel sorrow for his losses. Mixtli begins his journey through life as a your scribe, but quickly attains status as a warrior and then as a council member. Aztec is the...more
Aztec tells the tale of Mixtli, a citizen of the ancient Aztec land known as The Heart of the World. We follow Mixtli throughout his entire life. We experience his friends, his family, his lovers, and his enemies. We congratulate him on his successes and we feel sorrow for his losses. Mixtli begins his journey through life as a your scribe, but quickly attains status as a warrior and then as a council member. Aztec is the...more
A stunning portrayal of possible histories intertwined with actual histories of continent-ranging change taking place.
A journal, so to speak, of an aztec boy who travels far, always travels, in this "Siddhartha" like tale, and sells his wares, or trades them, always in the hopes of trading well, across foreign lands and return home with rare and precious dyes, plumes, jewels, gold..
He finds his way throughout years and rose among his fellow men in stature and f...more
A journal, so to speak, of an aztec boy who travels far, always travels, in this "Siddhartha" like tale, and sells his wares, or trades them, always in the hopes of trading well, across foreign lands and return home with rare and precious dyes, plumes, jewels, gold..
He finds his way throughout years and rose among his fellow men in stature and f...more
Azteca raconte la légende colorée et puissante d'une civilisation qui s'épanouit pendant de longs siècles dans un isolement splendide.
Les rois d'Amérique centrale dominent des pays tout à la fois raffinés et barbares, cultivés et cruels.
Ce monde éclatant, et pourtant condamné, c'est un homme, Mixtli, dit Nuage sombre, qui le décrit dans un récit bouleversant, mouvementé, riche de la beauté et de la violence qui caractérisaient le Mexique ancien.
Né d'un...more
Les rois d'Amérique centrale dominent des pays tout à la fois raffinés et barbares, cultivés et cruels.
Ce monde éclatant, et pourtant condamné, c'est un homme, Mixtli, dit Nuage sombre, qui le décrit dans un récit bouleversant, mouvementé, riche de la beauté et de la violence qui caractérisaient le Mexique ancien.
Né d'un...more
What a great read. You can just get lost in this novel and stay there for days. An excellent description of Aztec society as told through the life story of the lead character. The son of a quarry worker, who becomes a traveling merchant and then a jaguar knight in the court of Montezuma. Set in both the world before the Spanish conquest and immediately after, the King of Spain has ordered the head priest to transcribe an oral history of what life was like before the conquest. Our hero takes gre...more
This was the first Gary Jennings book I ever read--and I was hooked forever! Jennings is one of my favorite authors and Aztec remains one of my top 5 all time great books.
Aztec is a compelling story, unusual in that it is told from the point of view of one of the vanquished, rather than by the conquerors. Mixtli is one of the most memorable characters in fiction. He's noble, he's honest, he sees his own faults and those of the society he's part of. Through his eyes we see not only the grandeur ...more
Aztec is a compelling story, unusual in that it is told from the point of view of one of the vanquished, rather than by the conquerors. Mixtli is one of the most memorable characters in fiction. He's noble, he's honest, he sees his own faults and those of the society he's part of. Through his eyes we see not only the grandeur ...more
Long book and never boring. This is the life story of the Aztec Mixtli (Dark Cloud) who witnesses and survives the fall of the Aztec empire. His tale is commissioned by the King of Spain and overseen by the the Bishop of Mexico. Mixtli has lived the life of a scribe, a warrior, a courtier, a merchant and a spy, and is witness to nearly every momentus occasion in the empire's final decades. It's an epic story, frequently violent and lusty, while providing a vivid picture of what life may have bee...more
Absolutely read all the Gary Jennings books you can get your hands on. (All the ones that were actually written by him that is, as there are several that were ghostwritten which are no where near as good). Don't let the massive page count and onion skin pages deter you... This book is well worth it. Jennings has all the best aspects of good historical fiction: deeply researched, educational, but has enough trash in to keep you going. From what I understand, Jennings spent many years traveling ...more
I know I'm in the minority but I wish I'd never read it! If you're not into blood and gore, don't read this book!
I probably would have forgotten about the blood and gore which permeated the book but two things in the book haunt me more than 20 years later:
1. The visual image of Tzitzilini with the one tear rolling down her face as she sat on display and how she went from being a beautiful, happy girl to a sideshow freak.
2. The sight of the nighttime festival with hi...more
I probably would have forgotten about the blood and gore which permeated the book but two things in the book haunt me more than 20 years later:
1. The visual image of Tzitzilini with the one tear rolling down her face as she sat on display and how she went from being a beautiful, happy girl to a sideshow freak.
2. The sight of the nighttime festival with hi...more
although at times quite gruesome, this book was riveting! while this time in history was exciting enough that it may not have needed the bells and whistles of a narrator, it makes this book difficult to set down for more than a good night's sleep and, perhaps, your job. the narrator, an aztec, is relaying many momentous events from before through the arrival of the spanich conquistadors to mexico. although you must suspend belief in this one individual (and not a necesary influential or extraord...more
This book is completely brilliant.
Let me assure you that yes, it is graphically violent and a tragedy from beginning to end. Perhaps only the last quarter or so involves the Spanish, so anyone who harbors any delusions about the "noble savage" will be greatly disappointed. I myself am not particularly prone to those sorts of romanticizations. Be that as it may, to some degree I can understand the notion of human sacrifice far better than I can understand the actions of the S...more
Let me assure you that yes, it is graphically violent and a tragedy from beginning to end. Perhaps only the last quarter or so involves the Spanish, so anyone who harbors any delusions about the "noble savage" will be greatly disappointed. I myself am not particularly prone to those sorts of romanticizations. Be that as it may, to some degree I can understand the notion of human sacrifice far better than I can understand the actions of the S...more
Tracey
rated it
Recommends it for:
historical fiction buffs with a stomach of steel
Recommended to Tracey by:
local bookseller who knew the author
My GOD this man could write. He's from my hometown, and lived not so far away from my house, and I could never arrange a meeting while (and being I'm not a stalker and respected the crap out of this guy, I didn't try too hard). A complete enigma to me; massive genius. I might have been scared to meet him, in fact — loved his writings, but they were so graphic that I believe I feared meeting someone who could imagine such brutality.
I love historical fiction, and Jennings' works tackle t...more
I love historical fiction, and Jennings' works tackle t...more
Aztec was an enjoyable read. A very well researched historical fiction covering the height and subsequent fall of the once mighty Aztec Empire.
Aztec is not for the faint hearted. Topics it delves into include human sacrifice, rape, incest, child sexual abuse, torture and the list goes on.
This gripping tale is told through the eyes of an Aztec Indian of many names, who in his waning years, readily retells his life story in all it sordid detail to the priests of the victor...more
Aztec is not for the faint hearted. Topics it delves into include human sacrifice, rape, incest, child sexual abuse, torture and the list goes on.
This gripping tale is told through the eyes of an Aztec Indian of many names, who in his waning years, readily retells his life story in all it sordid detail to the priests of the victor...more
azteca es un libro de aventuras de un mexica llamado mixtli, Lo que me agrado de este libro es la descripción total de cada detalle de los paisajes, lugares, personas y sucesos, el autor fue muy explícito en cuanto narrar la forma de vida de los mexicas desde sus formas de ver sexo hasta la manera en que toman la muerte, se describe en una persona como creció el imperio azteca hasta Su caída y Lo interesante es como el autor narra los lugares que aún siguen en pie en la ciudad de México, además ...more
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Gary Jennings led a paradoxically picaresque life. On one hand, he was a man of acknowledged intellect and erudition. His novels were international best sellers, praised around the world for their stylish prose, lively wit and adventurously bawdy spirit. They were also massive - often topping 500,000 words - and widely acclaimed for the years of research he put into each one, both in libraries and...more
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“Of all that I have possessed in my life, my memories are the only things remaining to me. Indeed, I believe that memories are the only real treasure any human can hope to hold always.”
—
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