Rating: 
Summary: Incredible
Review: An amazing story about life, love, and tragedy. It took me on a journey to another world.
Rating: 
Summary: The book lose a lot because...
Review: Aztec is a very interesting research on mexicas' customs and history... Unfortunately, Jennings is very untrue in his description of the Conquest... Seems that he has following only the Bartolome De Las Casas' version (who was no present in the Cortes expedition, and who had a certain amount of animosity to Hernan), and that he has ignored the rest of chronicles written by the own Conquistadores and by the other contemporary historians (Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Cervantes de Salazar, Tezozomoc, Gómara, Ixtlilxochitl, Sahagún, Gayangos, etc)...
Oh the other hand, the sexual descriptions are almost pornography in an unnecesary way, the main character commits incest and sex with children, facts that are richly detailed. As well as the historical violence of the human sacrifices, also narrated in great detail, the author adds almost gore scenes along the story of the protagonist, Mixtli. I think that this great detail was unnecesary.
On the bright side, the 1000 pages are easily legibles, the differents peoples of the azteque nation are descripted with a wealth of details, and the story of Mixtli, some incredible, is however interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Mixtl The Greatest Mexica Storyteller
Review: From the start this incredible tale of a Mexica known as Mixtl or Dark Cloud tells of his life , his adventures, love, jealousies and passion for the people who were,in a land now forgotten.The story is very gripping, it was almost impossible to put this book down. What I admired most was the depth of research that went into preparing this novel. The detail of the ceremonies, every day life, the language and the sorrounding communities of the ONE WORLD, brought together in a powerful story. This novel would make an incredible movie. I recommend this to people who want to have a true glimpse of life in the time of Mexica, that last great empire of The One World...
Rating:
Summary: Most engrossing historical novel I've ever read!
Review: My headline just about says it all. I won't get into details, but let's just say this book HAS IT ALL. Blood (lots and lots and lots of it, both in war and in human sacrifices), sex (lots and lots of it, mostly kinky) and more plot twists than you can shake a stick at. But the culture explored is absolutely fascinating. The Aztecs are loving shown here, in all their alien rituals. We are repelled by their way of life, yet Jennings makes us understand totally where they are coming from, and we begin to accept that way of life as a perfectly viable one (not one I'd care to live in, but the people are not shown as cowering in fear either). When the Europeans finally invade and make life miserable for the Aztecs (and Incas and Mayans), we are totally sympathetic with their plight and totally engrossed in our major character. If you like historical novels, there is no way you won't eat this thing up, unless you're squeemish. If you don't usually enjoy them, give this one a try. It is far superior to most, in my opinion. You'll learn things you never knew (I guarantee it) and you'll love it. One word of warning...it's a long, long book, and the first 75 pages or so are a bit slow going. Stick with it...the remaining 1000 pages or so will fly by, and you'll be sad when it's all over. (Thank God there is a sequel...actually two sequels, but the third book was not written by Jennings, and is a travesty, I think.)
Rating:
Summary: Incredible read - a must for historical fiction fans!
Review: I read this book several years ago, after a referral from a friend. I still remember the story quite well, and have since read other Jennings novels. This incredible saga traces the life of a fictitious character, "Mixtli", an Aztec, from pre-Spanish conquest, to his death at their hands. Aztec will educate you on Aztec culture and the Conquistadores, while at the same time providing an entertaining epic story of unforgettable remembrances - rituals, war, adventure, sex, gore and suspense.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I've ever read
Review: This may be the biggest book I've ever read but once I started, I couldn't put it down. Gary Jennings is a terrific writer and I am fortunate to have stumbled on his best work. The sequel Aztec Autumn in OK but not quite as good as Aztec. I would recommend this book to anyone with no reservations.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Many books of this length tend to drag on until the reader grows bored and goes in search of another, but I'm happy to say that Aztec is not among them. The book's thousand-page span helps to make Mixtli and, indeed, all of the characters, seem less like characters and more like old friends with every page. Being only thirteen, it's size deterred me at first,(I hate putting down a book once I've started it) though once I began I found myself carrying it with me everywhere- especially at school- so as to get in a paragraph or two before the bell rang. As many people have pointed out, Aztec is not for the faint of heart. Jennings doesn't hold back a bit as he describes bloody ceremonies and oftentimes bizarre sexual situations. These aspects of the book didn't bother me personally, but as they occur frequently in the text, I would advise not trying to simply ignore them. In short, although Aztec might not appeal to everyone, I strongly suggest that you give it a try!
Rating:
Summary: This will be added to my "favorite books" list
Review: If you are faint-hearted, prudish and easily offended, this book is not for you. However, if you love adventure, steamy sex, don't mind vividly gruesome descriptions (I can still see the blood running down the Pyramid), and most of all excellent writing, this book is a MUST READ. The book follows the life of an Aztec named Mixtli, from almost the beginning of his life to the end, and is one of those books that sucks you in and won't let go. As one reviewer so eloquently states on the book's cover, I myself have been dreaming about the Aztecs since I started reading this book. You know that feeling you get when you are nearing the end of a great book, and you start savoring every word, reading more slowly because you don't want it to end? That's what this book is. I loved it. And I will still love it when I read it the for the fiftieth time.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: Gary Jennings ability to carry you into a different time and space is akin to eating a nice cake. The fact that he also includes historical information is tasty frosting.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable and vivid. A world most of us have forgotten.
Review: This is a wonderful novel set in "The One World"--the land of pre-Columbian Mexico/Central America as it was called by the inhabitants. It is about the life of one Aztec adventurer immediately prior to, and then during, the coming of Captain Cortez and the Spanish Conquistadores. Jennings' novel presents a fascinating society utterly unlike our own, but every bit as rational and civilized, albeit that it had certain attributes we now consider barbaric, e.g. human sacrifice as a component of religious rituals. Jennings makes the point that many or most of the Indians disliked this ritual as well, and did their best to simply avoid and ignore it. This novel offers a sympathetic and insightful portrayal of The One World. Whether it is accurate I cannot say. But it is a vivid and engrossing setting and story. The storyline is rather simple: it is about the life of one member of the Mexica nation (Aztecs) from his early youth to the arrival of Cortez and the conquest. It is a wonderful, captivating, and sometimes moving story. The novel does not dawdle--the storyline is brisk, the prose crisp. My only criticism of the novel is that it is punctuated with soft and medium pornography throughout. In this particular novel, this adds nothing. Unfortunately, this is characteristic of most or all of Jennings' novels. It ruined some of them. Here it is only an annoyance--primarily because it causes me not to recommend the book to my children, which is a shame because otherwise this book would be a great way to introduce kids to another culture and civilization. This is a novel well worth reading and keeping.
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