Astonishing...brings to life the smells and tastes of distant lands

Daniel Brooks, The Daily Telegraph

Jack Weatherford, an anthropologist and specialist in Mongol history, is an informed and lively guide to this extraordinary transformation.

Michael Prodger, the New Staesman

sparkles with energy, insight and passion... difficult to put down.

Nicholas Morton, BBC History Magazine

Weatherford puts Kublai's accomplishments in full context, following up with a summary of China's maritime history right up to the present day. Readers will find this a valuable treatment of a part of history previously familiar primarily to specialists.
A detailed look at one of history's most powerful rulers, and his impact on a huge swath of the world.

Kirkus Reviews

His life and accomplishments are utterly compelling, and Jack Weatherford does full justice to how Kublai Khan transformed China and world commerce centuries before Europe mastered the sea.

Jim Kelly, Air Mail