Gates of Fire : An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae

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Summary: And dying, died not.
Review: This book is taking the nation by storm. I have seen in in the airport and in farmer's trucks, on rural booksellers shelves and in malls. In an Age of relativism and sophistry that runs to the highest offices, its crucial to present evidence of human greatness and the good things that result from it and how it can permeate a culture from top to bottom. Not only is this a book about growing up facing real choices, but it asks what leadership is from the bottom to the top of society, of man and woman. Its sure to open the floodgates of Hellenic revisionism further. Readers of Victor Davis Hanson will like this book as will most farmers and soldiers.

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Summary: Powerful story telling of mans courage facing a known death
Review: This book literally transports you to the battlefield of Thermopylae where the reader camps with the 300 Spartans and their allies. The invading Persian Army will sweep across Greece unless valuable time is bought. The combat scenes are powerful, brutal and show the courage of men fighting for their homeland.The saga of brave men in conflict reminded me a great deal of the writings of Stephen Ambrose whose recent books about American soldiers in World War II showed us how men fighting for a cause they believe in can accomplish almost anything. This is a wonderful story that is well told.

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Summary: Great story well told
Review: I'm not a fast reader, but I finished this one (400 pp. or so) the day after it arrived from Amazon. I've always had an interest in this battle, but when I saw the book was by Pressfield I had to have it. As soon as I finished "Gates" I re-read "The Legend of Bagger Vance" Pressfield's first novel, which deals with many of the same themes as "Gates." You do not have to have a particular interest in Greek history, or in this battle, to enjoy the book. Pressfield just tells a great story.

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Summary: A strong introduction to a fascinating time in World History
Review: An overall fan of military history (especially WW II), I found this book to be a great introduction to another era of warfare. Xerxes, the Persian King, is so overwhelmed by the courage and tactics of the Spartans, he commands that, if a Spartan warrior is found alive, he must be saved so he can learn as much about the Spartan lifestyle of war. The book provided a strong historical background on military weapons, training, and tactics as told by that Spartan warrior found barely alive after the final day of fighting. Very entertaining.

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Summary: An excellent novel of That Which Must Be Done
Review: What makes this novel so affecting is that the reader cannot help but admire the courage of the Spartans (and their allies) who face death and defeat in order to win a larger victory. A major theme of this novel is : Duty Calls. There are few individual choices made by characters here. The chief narrator, Xeones, is forced by circumstances to flee his home city and live in the mountains. Eventually, he chooses to join Sparta--yet that choice is compelled by his desire for the solidarity of a city, especially one that is secure. The Spartans do not freely choose to be warriors, as that is their lot in life decided long ago by Lykurges. Their women cry as their sons and husbands march off to war, but that is their lot as it keeps their farms and homes from the devastation war brings to others. The novel frequently mentions the gods, sacrificial offerings, and omens; even the skeptical find comfort in them in the stress of campaigning. This is a worldview far from our own, and it is tro Pressfield's credit that he presents the characters alive within it.

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Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: Having read thousands of books, it is rare that a book transports me the way this book did. An epic. A riveting story of courage and love. If you don't have it yet, buy it. You will not regret it.

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Summary: Riveting tale of warfare and comraderie
Review: Steven Pressfield's "Gates of Fire" is a tremendous example of historical fiction. The story it tells is thoroughly engrossing while it supplies an in-depth look into the heart of Spartan culture. Although the reader knows from history what happens at the Battle of Thermopylae, this novel still maintains its sence of excitement as it builds toward its climax. The reader becomes engrossed in the life of Xeo, the squire, and the tale he tells about the warriors of Sparta and their women. For war buffs, this novel is a treasure. It presents a detailed picture of warfare in ancient times. But more importantly, it successfully taps into the mindset of the warrior, examining heroism and fear as well as any story I have read. Pressfield does a terrific job of illustrating the unique bond that exists only between men that have gone into combat together. Any person that has ever served in the military will appreciate the emotions that are stirred by the characters in this novel. "Gates of Fire" touches the heart of the reader the same way that the film, "Braveheart", does. It takes history and transforms it into a thrilling drama filled with human characters who, in the face of overwhelming odds, perform epic deeds. "Gates of Fire" is a must read for anyone that appreciates stories of valor.

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Summary: A special novel about a special time and place
Review: I'd put this novel on that short shelf of keepers - along with "From Here to Eternity" and "The Killer Angels" as novels that draw a picture of a place, a time and an ethos so well. Yes, this is a war story and the battle scenes are intense, even graphic in a few small spots; but more than that it is a novel about finding one's self, about selflessness, about the bonding that shared work and danger brings, and perhaps above all, about the terrible price we expect the best and bravest of us to pay. It is also a novel about humanity, about understanding people who don't think and feel as you do - and respecting them for it. I can think of of few war novels - or war books - that have so well discussed the special valor of women and the key role they play in giving warriors something to believe in.

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Summary: A great tale of what happens in the wall of battle.
Review: I have always wondered about what the experience of battle was like, and whether my own experiences in military training were universal, not only throughout the world but through time. If Pressfield has given us a true picture then my answer to the second question is yes, and this is the first time I have actually felt as if I could understand what happens in the wall of battle. It isn't pretty, heroic, or glorious, but those terms are reserved for the ones who remain- and the ones who sacrifice themselves on the field. I found the characters so real, the dialogue so unexpectedly well-drawn, and the events depicted so riveting, I read the book in a few hours without rest. My favorite scene is when an Egyptian unfolds his map of the Persian empire to impress upon the characters the futility of resistance: land upon land is revealed with stranger and stranger names till finally, the seat of empire is revealed... And Hellas, land of the Greeks, is a puny spot on the other end. Scenes like that made it a wonderful page turner. Tom Clancy couldn't write this.

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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Gates of Fire is one hell of a book and one I strongly recommend. Quickly and effectively the book takes you to the Battle of Thermopylae and provides a ring side seat to this beautiful period of time in ancient Greece. Ah, to have been a Spartan . . . . .