Author: F.M. Deemyad

Publisher: History Through Fiction

ISBN: 978-1-73295-086-3

A historical novel is to a history book what a color video is to a collection of black and white snapshots. The snapshots faithfully record scenes, the video lets one live in them. Even when set in a familiar society and time period, a good historical novel can broaden our understanding. And when it deals with an unfamiliar civilization and era, it can be positively enlightening. For me, The Sky Worshipers is just such a novel.

While many in North America have heard of Genghis Kahn and perhaps think of the Mongols as a barbaric horde that looted and murdered their way across Asia and into eastern Europe, most know little more than that. And as often the case with tyrannical leadership, historical chronicles are distorted by their pressure. F.M. Deemyad has spent years of research in an effort to sift truth from distortion and take readers into the heart of life both in Mongolia and the nations that fell to Mongol rule.

There is no attempt to excuse the slaughter of millions, looting and destruction left in their path. Yet, this is not a horror story but one that shows motivations and influences that takes one from Genghis Kahn’s obscure youth to empire builder and on through three generations, showing the gradual transformation to more civilized leadership and rule. This is cleverly accomplished by focusing on a series of royal princesses captured and taken to the Mongolian capital to end up in each case married to a leader. They are linked by a secret chronicle to which they each contribute, in hopes of passing a true account to future generations. Such a chronicle is in fact hinted at in historical records.

While the positive side of the Mongol empire is swamped by its negative aspects, there is one as the book points out. Their military strategies are still studied today, they were tolerant of all religions, adept at taking advantage of captured skills and knowledge, invented paper currency and passports, and eventually learned to govern rather than enslave nations.

Deemyad fills the pages with human interest. You live with the captured princesses, feel their agonies and enjoy their successes and periods of happiness. Even the ruthless leaders show their human side. And The Sky Worshipers has that rare quality of becoming more fascinating as the pages fly by.