“Through its deep insights, its careful evaluation of the analyzed situations, and its abundance of information, this book is incontestably one of the best studies on the history of Central Asia now extant.” — The Journal of Indo-European Studies
“… In The Heritage of Central Asia Frye has, quite overtly, attempted to write for Central Asia a book [that] would cover a similar period, and serve a similar purpose for students and other interested readers, as The Heritage of Persia (1962) did for lands to the west. … I have found this a most useful book for undergraduate teaching purposes. It tackles a period and an area unfamiliar to most students in a way that makes its subject both comprehensible and interesting. The book is a worthy companion volume to The Heritage of Persia.” — Journal of Islamic Studies
“Frye’s book addresses a long-felt need among those who teach not only the history of Central Asia but also the early history of the Middle East, India, and China. … A summation of a lifetime of scholarship, this lucid and absorbing narrative brings together such distinct elements as the world of Zoroaster, the Achaemenid ecumene, the Sakas and later waves of nomadic invaders, the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road, the diffusion of Sasanid and Samanid culture into the steppe-zone, and the historic role of the Turks. Frye stresses the importance of the interpretation of archaeological, numismatic, and epigraphic evidence, and of applying the work of comparative linguists and art historians, all explained in language accessible to readers beyond the circle of fellow specialists. This is an outstanding work of scholarly compression. The maps are excellent and the illustrations well chosen. All levels.” — Choice (G.R.G. Hambly, University of Texas at Dallas)