The Last Days of the Incas

by Kim MacQuarrie

Book Overview

The epic story of the fall of the Inca Empire to Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in the aftermath of a bloody civil war, and the recent discovery of the lost guerrilla capital of the Incas, Vilcabamba, by three American explorers.In 1532, the fifty-four-year-old Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro led a force of 167 men, including his four brothers, to the shores of Peru. Unbeknownst to the Spaniards, the Inca rulers of Peru had just fought...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743260503
• ISBN13: 9780743260503
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Will keep you on the edge of your seat!

This is an incredibly well-researched history of the conquest of the Incan empire, with all the horror and tragedy for the indigenous peoples that that entails. The depravity and truly bottomless greed of the conquistadors shocked me, and i’m not easily shocked…plus their monumental hypocrisy in calling themselves Christians while raping and murdering thousands. But it’s not all doom and gloom- i won’t give anything away though. You’ll have to read for yourselves what happens under Manco Inca. Obviously the Spanish win in the end due to superior technology and weaponry but the Incas don’t go gently. Do yourself a favor and buy this now.

A Must for the Peru Traveler

Just returned from a Machu Picchu trip; so sorry that I hadn't read this book before going, but so glad that I read it shortly after my return. A "must read" for anyone going to Peru, and a "must read" for anyone who has been there. The author captures the beauty of the Sacred Valley, the magnificence of the Incas' structures, the complexity of their culture, the history of the Spanish conquest, the reality of the battles, and brings the reader up-to-date on current discoveries in this historical country. An added bonus: no typos or grammatical errors. Well done!

Engrossing history writing at it's best

I got this on a whim and couldn't put it down. Excellent, well researched tome on the conquering of the Inca civilization, with lots of cultural detail. I heartily recommend this book to folks interested in the Incas, prehistoric American cultures in general and those wanting to know what a complete clash of cultures can portend.

I couldn't put it down...

As an amateur Inca enthusiast 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

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 high stakes immediacy and elegant restraint 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.

Captured by History

I absolutely loved this book. Everyone in my family loved this book. It is a rip-roaring adventure that explains an important piece of South American history in a way that captivates the attention at the same time that it makes that particular period in history understandable. How could a small group of illiterate Spanish explorers change the history of an empire of 10 million people? This book is a real-life example of the ideas proposed in the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel." Although I visited many of the important sites in Peru in which the story takes place a few years ago, I now want to return in order to see those places again from the vantage point of what I learned in "The Last Days of the Incas." This book makes history come alive and the lessons contained therein have relevance in today's world. Dr. Betsy Hesser