After reading the early chapters of , I quickly lost interest and chose to abandon the book, largely because of its glaring logical flaws and unsatisfying overall writing quality.

World, wonder, and detail: ?/9.

The most prominent problem lies in its self-contradictory and unreasonable population setting. The story regards nomadic tribes as a powerful threat simply because their total population is claimed to exceed that of city dwellers. This idea sounds utterly ridiculous from basic historical common sense. Cities boast mature division of labor and stable living environments, which can naturally support a much larger population scale. Nomadic groups live in harsh natural conditions that greatly restrict population growth, so they could never outnumber settled citizens in real history.

I once suspected magical elements might explain this abnormal population gap. However, a conversation in the story ruled out this possibility. A nomadic character talked about the vast lifestyle differences between his hometown and urban areas. He said his people inhabited such boundless wilderness that even husbands and wives barely got to meet one another. This detail clearly indicates nomadic areas have far lower population density than cities, forming a sharp contradiction within the story. The author obviously failed to notice this basic inconsistency.

He did not even carry out basic research on history and military studies, yet he created such implausible and illogical settings. Even an ordinary lay reader like me can easily spot these obvious mistakes. It feels like the author fabricated the storyline randomly without any credible evidence and logic to back up his ideas.

This fundamental flaw is utterly unforgivable. It is such an elementary mistake that even a layman in the history of military like me can spot it effortlessly! The author’s negligence of basic facts makes me lose any trust in his ability to construct a logical and coherent fictional world, let alone to anticipate a magnificent and impressionable fictional world! Honestly, did any historically literate editor proofread his work before publication?

Admittedly, this is not the only reason I chose to abandon the book. Other aspects of the story also fail to satisfy me. I finally decided to stop reading because I could not find any outstanding or praiseworthy strengths in this novel at all.

When it comes to military arrangements, the plot also lacks solid factual foundations. Nomadic armies gain battlefield advantages from superb mobility and strict military discipline. Just like Mongolian troops in history, they occupied vast territories relying on tactical superiority instead of sheer population advantage. So it is impossible for them to have to learn advanced technologies in the city so as to conquer them! Mongolian just conquer cities and then technicians there will naturally contribute their wisdom to the conquerors for the sake of preserving their own lives!

Voice, narration, presentation: ?/9.

Plot, suspense and climax: ?/9.

The narrative rhythm stays flat and dull all the way, lacking thrilling suspense and dramatic tension. The book also piles excessive descriptions of metallurgy and other irrelevant trivial details. These details cannot blend naturally into plot development.

Some readers may praise these parts as superb world-building, yet I do not view them as real strengths. If world-building fails to be written in an appealing way and closely connected with characters, themes or plots, the author has obviously made a major misstep. Why? Because such trivial details require no creative ingenuity at all. Because they can be easily generated by artificial intelligence. Because this kind of wisdom the novel is superficial and easily replicable from the Wikipedia, failing to form unique and irreplaceable literary value.

Character, dialogue and interaction: ?/9.

The characters I encountered before quitting the story held no appeal for me whatsoever. Their portrayals feel superficial and devoid of personal charm. The male protagonist got tangled up in conflicts merely to make a living, which failed to stir my concern or empathy.

Female roles are poorly shaped as well. They exist almost solely as subordinates and helpers to male characters, with no powerful, independent female figures taking centre stage. Most female characters turn to men for guidance and support to seek revenge, and this stereotyped reliance on male strength strikes me as rather unbearable. I didn’t believe no one find out the writer is actually a male.

What’s more, the scholar and other figures in the tale come across as dull and uninspiring, failing to arouse my interest at all.

Theme, conflict, and impact: ?/9.

It is no wonder that this book never becomes a bestseller. The author tries to pose as an intelligent person by filling the story with tedious, pointless details. These annoying descriptions contribute nothing to the storytelling at all. That said, I might change my mind if his later works prove to be more compelling.