Rating: 
Summary: Not too Bad, but not accurate
Review: The book is well written but not accurate. The Spartan Life is not described accurately nor is the homosexuality of the Spartan Warriors dealt with in any real way. The Spartans great strength in battle was due to the pairing of "love bonds" between soldiers. This is not dealt with at all. It weakens the story. I had heard that this book is to be made into a film. I do hope that this inaccuracy is corrected. In our times of anti gay biases, we do well to see that gays are very capable soldiers (indeed, the best in history). If the Spartans had not died at Thermopylae, then Western Civilization would not have flowered. There would not have been Rome nor anything else. We would be speaking Persian now. Just a thought..
Rating: 
Summary: What a good book!
Review: This is a fictional account of the Battle of Thermopylae from the point of view of one helot soldier of the Spartan army. The book starts with how he was orphaned at a young age, spent time hiding in the forests with his cousin and their mentor, then how he came to Sparta. A lot of the book involved the training of Spartan soldiers and how the philosophies of Sparta differed from the philosophies of the remainder of Greece so that the Spartans had such a fearsome military. It also told the story of how Spartan women were trained and were considered different from the other Grecian women, how Spartan women were actually trained in military matters and were freer than their contemporaries in Athens and elsewhere. Then the last quarter of the book deals with the actual Battle of Thermopylae. The 300 Spartan warriors knew before they marched out of Sparta that they were to die in this battle, that they were a sacrifice to buy the rest of Greece time to plan a major battle against the Persians, that they were to hold out as long as they could but to die fighting. It was an excellent book! I could hardly put it down. A comment to the reviewer who complained that there was no mention of homosexual love -- there was also no mention of heterosexual love.
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: A great story of not only a battle, but the people who took part in the greatest stand in history. the story of a boy who grew to manhood ready to die in the name of his adopted city.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice Action, But Lacks Candor
Review: As you can see, this book has attracted many admirers. All in all, I thought it well done, but lacking in any honest examination of the cruelty of Spartan military training. This is addressed, but is sugar-coated somewhat. However, the issue of homosexuality isn't even mentioned.
Rating:
Summary: Real heros, great book.
Review: You got to read this book if you liked the movie '300 Spartans' or you are into historical battles. This is the one best 3rd person voice type books that I have ever read. You will think you was there not just to see it but to die with the Spartans.
Rating:
Summary: Occasionally vulgar, but very entertaining
Review: I truly enjoyed this book, which blended a detailed description of the Spartan warrior's ethos with a nice narrative about the squire, Xeones. Therefore, I recommended it without reservation to friends, some of whom told me that they liked the book, but were put-off by the characters'occasionally vulgar language. Because of that, I didn't feel like I could recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone. Personally, I didn't find the language to be an impediment to enjoying the book. If anything, the characters' speech added to the book's realism. Under the worst of conditions, you can't expect people to display their best manners.
Rating:
Summary: A masterful tale of the classical world
Review: Steven Pressfield does something here that very few historians (and not many novelists, either) are able to accomplish: Create a compelling yet historically accurate tale of the Classical World. He brings exquisite life to the Spartans, eschewing the base stereotypes and embracing the noble stereotypes of these remarkable people. He also empowers the women of Sparta (oft overlooked) without coming off as a feminist (it is obvious he conveys their status for reasons of historical accuracy, not political correctness). The only minus is the digressionary voice that sometimes finds its way into the work; I feel a chronological tale would have revealed more of the development of the narrator's person. I also disliked the Persian voice in the book, but I understand its necessity as many readers are not familiar with the events of the aftermath of Thermopylae. Do not let these minor details distract you from a great read; I recommend it heartily.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not *that* good
Review: Great book for quality, detailed battle scenes.However, that's about as far as it went for me (which is really good, most authors can't write engagingly about warfare). Characters and dialogue flat at best, ridiculous at worst, something like comic book superheroes: pompous and unnatural. Characters and dialogue also remind me of what you find in Jack Whyte's books or the soldier caricatures in old World War 2 movies. I certainly didn't give a rip about these guys dying and I wasn't swept with emotion over their "noble warrior ethos". I might have rated this at 5 stars when I was in junior high. These days I'm looking for more than battle scenes, and there are "historical fiction" books out there with battles and much more. For example, try B Cornwell's Arthurian series, or even his Sharpe books. Parke Godwin is also a good one for battles and believable characters and dialogue.
Rating:
Summary: Heroism at its finest!
Review: Mandatory reading for those who wish to know the warrior's ethos, and the answer to the question: why do we need Spartans standing guard at the gates of freedom? The history, especially from 480 BC, is difficult to substantiate, but Pressfield's GATES OF FIRES should probably be defined as a classic and a model for historical novels. While the early chapters are a bit laborious to wade through, the hook is soon set, and you will not shake it. For those who understand the meaning of duty, honor, country and sacrifice, there is special significance to this story -- the epic stand of 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae.
Rating:
Summary: Gates of Fire
Review: This is an excellent story of the Battle of Thermpylae. It truly is Historical Fiction at its best. Any one who is remotely interested in Military History or just looking for a good story should read this.
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