Pyramid of Skulls

Pyramid of Skulls: A Novel of Timur, Warrior and Emperor
Martin Fruchtman
Martin Fruchtman-publisher
Las Vegas, Nevada
2012
ISBN: 978-90-859886-0-1
Paperback
$ 9.99
528 pages
You've probably heard of many of the great conquerors of the world such as Julius Caesar, Attila, Alexander, William the Conqueror, and Genghis Khan, but have you heard of the Turkic warrior, Timur-i-Lang known as Tamerlane in the West?
Timur ruled in the early 1400s from the Black Sea to the Aral Sea into the Persian Gulf and as far southwest as Delhi including much of modern day Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and into India with his main city of Samarkand being in what is now located in what we know as Uzbekistan.
As the victor, Timor and his armies did not take prisoners, but raped, pillaged, and beheaded their enemies creating pyramids with the skulls of the men, women, and children.
Pyramids of Skulls is the story of this legendary fighter, Timur who idolized his ancestor Ghengis Khan and dreamed of restoring this dynasty. This historical perspective is from his Jewish minister and doctor, David Ha-Tzadik who really did exist.
The author, Martin Fruchtman fictionalized gaps surrounding the known facts about this leader who is believed to be the catalyst for the entire Renaissance period throughout Europe. The novel is gory and brutal, speaking of numerous beheadings and rapes that are very descriptive.
Much of the first half of the book deals only with the fighting which involves rape, pillaging, and beheadings. The second half is more of a story focusing on David Ha-Tzad. This half also focuses on the divisions within the Muslim faith that has caused numerous rivalries and prejudices towards others as well as those towards Jews and Christians.
Pyramid of Skulls speaks of Timur during the time of most of his battles and basically through his Jewish doctor and Grand Visier, David Ha-Tzadik using historical fiction to fill in the undocumented gaps in his legacy.
Pyramids of Skulls is basically about Timur's battle years and definitely about his doctor and advisor, David Ha-Tzadik. The book was more about David than Timor as it spoke more about his background and created him as a realistic person. There were numerous questions that were not answered about Timor, such as his birth, younger years, how he rose to power, a description more of his influence with the Renaissance, and how he died that were not in this text.
The author, Martin Fruchtman is the former President of the International College of Technology and Business and dean of the DVS College-Renji Hospital and University Consortium in Shanghai, China.
Pyramid of Skulls is informative with a realistic story of David Ha-Tzadik and how he became an influential person on this eratic and tempermental ruler, Timor. Little is written of this time and Martin Fruchtman has definitely begun filling in the history of Timor.