Sizes vary by edition: listings show heights from about 8.6 inches up to 14.6 inches. Weights range from roughly 0.9 pounds for a single slim hardcover to about 12.83 pounds for a four-volume set, reflecting formats from compact paperbacks to large multi-volume editions.
Reviews emphasize exhaustive, meticulous research and richly detailed narrative storytelling—using phrases such as “dazzlingly exhaustive” research, “peerless research,” and a “breathtakingly dramatic story” told with consummate artistry.