Rating: 
Summary: This book humanizes Sparta
Review: Ever wonder why the Athenians get all the press and the Spartans usually get only 2 or 3 sentences?...well this book fills the void with compassion, understanding and style. Pressfield has done a wonderful job of not only describing the immediacy of (almost) hand-to-hand combat but also of illustrating the motivation and reason for Spartan courage in their men, women, and children. One reader complained of the sometimes archaic sentence structure..I thought it contributed greatly to the whole sense of the story. I'm ready to read his new one!
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional ...........
Review: Being a history teacher,world history and western civ, I have to constantly find new ways to get students intrested in the subject matter at hand. Enter Mr. Pressfield. His historical novel brings to life the fears, the courage and the candor of every warrior of every age. His historical accuracy and his prose style enhance the epic tale bringing to life the struggle within each of the characters to perform with Spartan courage under impossible odds.I have used this book in my classes, and the students seem to take away a better understanding of what life was truly like in ancient Greece. I have used the book to exhibit to them the chaos and confusion that is common place in the battlefields of history from Thermopylae to the Gulf War, from the Pelopenesian wars to the epic struggle of the U.S. Army Rangers in Somalia. I understand that some people would be hard pressed to fully understand the writing style of Mr. Pressfield. In an effort to better understand the style in which he chooses to write the novel, one should read; "The Campagins of Alexander" by Greek historian Arrian or "The Age of Alexander" by Plutarch, another Greek historian. Both of these classics are the foundation of the oratory style of Mr. Pressfield's main character, Xeo. Once again, Kudo's to Mr. Steven Pressfield.
Rating: 
Summary: A bore
Review: While the various battle set pieces ring authentic and one really feels they are witnessing first hand the carnage of war, I found this book rather boring. There seems to be very little in terms of character development. Mr. Pressfield's characters seem to be mere stick figures pasted against the backdrop of historical events. The writing is also rather ponderous at times. There were several occasions where I needed to re-read a sentence to understand it's meaning - strange choices in word order, etc. The dialogue strikes me also as anachronistic. Overall, I just didn't care. My attention wandered. It's a shame because I've read such good things about this book. I found it neither compelling nor particularly exciting. But perhaps that's just me... For truly exciting and colorfully written historical fiction set in the ancient world (albeit centuries later than the events chronicled in this book), Colleen McCullogh's "First Man in Rome" series is about as good as it gets.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read
Review: I found this book really interesting and very moving at some times. Pressfiled writes this as if you were standing there with them. The book moves very smoothly, and sometimes the character developement could be a little bit better, but it was not that big of a deal. The way he uses the greek words in there is sometimes annoying because you got to constantly go back and look them up. Some of us just do not know that language. He should have made it a little bit more reader friendly. Other than that the book was amazing with all the details he puts in it. He obviously did the research for this book, and being a fellow writter I understand what he went through. If you like to read about war and inner struggle then this book will be your cup of tea. I absolutely loved this book, and I suggest that you go out and read it right away before all the copies are gone.
Rating: 
Summary: A Gripping Story of Thermopylae
Review: The force of the Persian Empire is poised to overrun the tiny Greek peninsula. Between those vast armies of the Persian despot Xerxes and the cradle of Western civilization is a narrow pass called Thermopylae, whose defense has been pledged by the Spartans. "Gates of Fire" is the story of the Spartans who defended that pass. "Gates of Fire" is a gripping story that is sure to excite and inform. For those who have never heard of this battle, Pressfield presents the battle in its necessary historical context. For those who know the history, there is a thoroughly enjoyable tale that breathes life into familiar historical parts. I have only two objections to this otherwise engaging story. First, Pressfield really does exaggerate the importance of the battle and the worth of the Spartans. The Spartans had been out to lunch earlier, when the Athenians--who here get short shrift--defeated the Persians at Marathon. And these Persians--a monarchy with a taste for blood and slavery--were cultural brothers to the Spartans, at least much more than the Spartans were brothers to the Athenians (who later fought each other). Last, the Spartans didn't even succeed at stopping the Persians, who were able to go on to sack Athens, which deserved saving more than any other city-state. My other objection is that the author very clumsily injected Spartan gender equality in the novel: the role of the women was never believable in the story, though Spartan women really did play an important role in Spartan society.
Rating: 
Summary: The mystery of war
Review: While Pressman's book does not redefine the war novel, his work is well-researched and immersive, taking you into the language and way of life of Greece in the 300's BC. More proof that the settings of the past can be as far from our own experience as Middle Earth. I cannot agree with Ms. Ordway that this book is pro-war. On the contrary, the state of mind of men in battle is examined in several Socratic dialogues that are some of the strongest scenes in the novel. The warrior's emotional state is similar to someone in a rigorous religious retreat: very fragile, but occasionally of surpassing intensity.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting culture, too much pro-war propaganda.
Review: I found the depiction of the Spartan culture to be interesting, though I can't say whether it was accurate or not. I did get really sick of the glorification of war throughout the novel. Any sympathy I might have had for the bravery of the defense of Thermopylae had long since evaporated after all the preceding rah-rah macho attitude about war. I wouldn't have minded if it were the *characters* who felt that killing was OK -- after all, this was a warrior culture -- but I felt that the author was really trying to proclaim that war is great, which really put me off. And, honestly, the story wasn't all that compelling. I didn't care much about the different characters, including the narrator, and I couldn't really keep them straight in my head.
Rating:
Summary: Valor Among Men
Review: You will feel as if you are there, panting and heaving, your comrade's taut flanks pressing with you towards the Persian line at the battle of Thermopyle. As a survivor of infantry combat, I can attest to this book's accurate portrayal of the closeness that only can form among men fighting other men in the Western tradition. You will feel as if you are there, gazing with admiration at the glistening supple loins of the Spartans as they do their morning gymnastics.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Inspiration
Review: Pressfield's novel is a joy to read. It contains all the elements needed to make a great book: detailed descriptions, believable characters, a vast array of emotions, and a story that sweeps the reader along. From the first page the reader is drawn into the everyday life and struggles of the Ancient Spartans. One can see their strengths, weaknesses, loves, disappointments, and determination. All in all an excellent work. Most importantly, however, the book inspires the reader (at least this one) to learn more. It instills in its audience a thirst for the history of the period, and it compels the reader to embark on his own quest to research what happened to these brave men and why. An excellent novel and a great inspiration to further reading and research. 5 STARS!
Rating:
Summary: Thoughts on Gates of Fire
Review: Gates of Fire is an epic novel of the Battle of Thermopylae,written in Homeric style.It is an excellent book that tells of Spartan trianing practices,ancient Greek culture,war and peace,and the like.The author,Steven Pressfield,also did a great job mixing together the elements that make a good,well-written nvel: action, conflict, drama, romance,and historical fact. In my opnion,the auhor did a decent job descirbing and human nature in his novel.You could clearly notice the emoitions of love, lust, greed, grief,lost,and rage being used by the author to give expression and excitment to the storyline.
| 
