The Way of the Gladiator

Rating:
Summary: Exciting!!
Review: This book is a reprint of "Those About to Die," which was published back in the late 50's, when Mannix was in his heyday as a writer. I came to know Daniel P. Mannix through his many articles for the 50's publication "True: The Man's Magazine." He was a competent writer on many subjects, and his stories were always entertaining. "The Way of the Gladiator" is nothing if it is not entertaining. But it is NOT a piece of sober history.

The book is not so much historical fiction as it is fictionalized history. Historical fiction is a make believe story told against the backdrop of historical events. Mannix takes historical events and relates them in "documentary" fashion, but unabashedly invents details and descriptions which, if they are accurate, are accurate only by accident.

If you understand from the outset what you are dealing with, "The Way of the Gladiator" can be great reading. If you're looking for a well researched, scholarly study of gladiators, check out Michael Grant's "Gladiators."

Rating:
Summary: Exciting!!
Review: This book is written in such an exciting style that one feels rather disappointed to have already finished reading it; much like the Roman mob gaping at the activities in the arena, the reader craves for more. The Roman games are vividly brought to life through the author's particularly gripping writing style. All types of games and their evolution throughout the Roman era are discussed. Since gladiatorial combats are only a subset of these so-called games, the title of the book may be somewhat misleading. All that is missing: a variety of illustrations to complement the descriptions that are given. Otherwise, an excellent book!