I have not finished this, but I will say that the first quarter of the book can feel a bit like a dry catalog, but as it gets deeper into the time where written historical documents exist, many more interesting anecdotes are included. So it gets much better after the first quarter or so of the pages. Also, as a warning, the author doesn't shy away from descriptions of torture and gore. It's not fixated on either, but happens frequently enough to warrant mentioning.