My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books for an advanced copy of this biography on the last years of a man who was never content with what was here, but always wanted to know what was there, and how he used his intelligence, gift for leadership and military thinking to conquer so much area.

At the age of thirty Alexander the Great controlled a huge empire, spanning from his home in Macedonia, to the recently conquered lands of Persia. After defeating Darius III, or more leading to the people under Darius to murder him, and seizing many cities, Alexander's men expected to go home. Four years away had left the men homesick, or create new families in this new lands. Also they were flush with loot, so much loot that the start of the camel train bringing treasure to the capital of Sussa the were separated not by hours but by days. For Alexander this was still not enough. The lure of what was to the East called to him. Alexander wanted to see the oceans he had heard about, the mountains, the deserts. The armies that he could challenge, and the lands that he could claim for his own. For nothing would ever be enough for Alexander, and this is how he spent his last years. Alexander at the End of the World:The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great, by Rachel Kousser is both a history and a biographer of a man who forges a huge empire, an empire that never satisfied his hunger, and in the end lead to his demise.

Alexander the Great could never just sit. Even when resting his armies, or wintering his troops, there were plans within plans, or people who revolted to be put down. Alexander was quick to give people positions of power, and then would have to deal with them when they turned against him. The army that Alexander fielded could move faster than most, and was more than willing to leave equipment behind if they could gain the upper hand of arriving first. This helped Alexander quite a bit in his bid to seize Persia from Darius III, hounding the leader until finally the Persians turned on their leader. Alexander had won, but there were still kingdoms to the East, some that might nibble away at his new prize. Or was this just an excuse, a reason to Alexander's troops, why their war had to go on. To the east went Alexander, crossing barren deserts, dealing with real winters, and seeing the mountains of the Hindu Kush, which were bigger than Mount Olympus the home of the Gods in Greece. And still he conquered.

A book that looks at Alexander when he has so much, the world, wealth, and so much more, and yet it doesn't seem enough. Kousser has a nice writing style, and balances a very large cast of friends, enemies, even frenemies, along with a lot of insight into Alexander and his thinking. Kousser writers powerful battle scenes, and lots about atrocities on both sides, and the brutalities of war, and looks at the many plots that Alexander had to deal with, sometimes with great violence. Kousser is also very good at explaining the places that Alexander found himself in, the beauty, the people, and interesting facts. Sometimes in writing books like this it is hard to balance the two, but Kousser does a very good job, and the narrative never loses momentum. a very interesting and informative book.

Recommended for people interested in both military and classical history. A very good story told well, and one that never loses its place. This is the first book I have read by Rachel Kousser, and I look forward to reading more.

Confession time. I hate reading ancient history. Often I find the authors of this time period are focused on hitting the reader with as many facts and scientific jargon as possible. Sure, I understand that archeologists need to do the best with what they have, but that doesn't mean I have to find it interesting.

So, I had trepidation when picking up Rachel Kousser's Alexander at the End of the World. Not only is it ancient history, but the book is also looking at Alexander the Great AFTER all the super cool battles that most books focus on. Instead, Kousser looks at when Alexander made a long and belligerent march in the direction of the Pacific Ocean (not that he knew what it was or where it was for that matter). Surely, this book would put me to sleep forthwith.

Yes, dear reader, I was once again forced to admit that I am a ridiculous person. Kousser's book is magnificent. She continually finds the most interesting and intriguing parts of the story and presents it to the reader like it's a novel. Kousser even finds a way to mention where the historians argue about what really happened without bogging down the narrative. She has written a book which I can wholeheartedly recommend to every audience. If my cold, dead, ancient history avoiding heart can fall in love, then you can, too.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Mariner Books.)

I selected this title because I thought it might be interesting to read something outside of my usual patterns, and I'm so very glad I did. I was enthralled by it.

I normally read fiction, mostly because I love the rhythms and the sounds of wonderful prose, and sadly most published history seems to be rendered in ponderous, wooden prose that makes me cringe. Not ALEXANDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD. it was beautifully written, as flowing and vivid as John le Carre novel.

My sincere thanks to the publisher for trusting me with Rachel Kousser's book and giving me the chance to broaden my reading horizons.

In this amazing work, the author provides us with a glimpse into the twilight of Alexander's life and the tumultuous events that shaped his legacy. through very enjoyable and captivating writing, the author brings to life the world of the Hellenistic period, vividly recreating the sights, sounds, and smells of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Persia. Besides researching the figure of Alexander himself, the book also examines the broader political and cultural context of the Hellenistic world.

The story of Alexander The Great is well known, but only the broad strokes of his conquest of Persia. Rachel Kousser picks up the narrative after his defeat of the Persian ruler Darius III and the capture of his capital city of Persepolis. At that triumphant success, Alexander's Macedonian army expected to go home, laden with riches. Instead, Alexander led them on a seven year path of continued struggle and conquest. The author zeroes in on Alexander's vision of a bicultural empire, and the tensions that generated between his Hellenic army and the Persians, along with other eastern peoples, which he incorporated into his armed forces. Alexander's forceful, impetuous, and daring personality comes to life in this extraordinarily researched volume. Fascinating.

Much like Napoleon, Alexander was better conqueror than administrator. Follow Alexander as we reaches for the end of the world and dies without reaching it. The Greeks, Iranians and Indians involved and the diplomatic errors and military successes.

So many forget that Alexander ended his career fighting against tribes in the mountains, left some of his troops to garrison and live there, and lent his name to several cities in the region (including Kandahar). This book serves as an exciting coda to Alexander's more well-known adventures, detailing his frustrations and the ways in which he failed to tame this dangerous and hostile country,