Gates of Fire
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4.3
(750)
Steven Pressfield
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Steven Pressfield brings the battle of Thermopylae to brilliant life.”—Pat ConroyAt Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army.Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the greatest military stand in history—one that would not end until the rocks were awash with blood, leaving only one gravely injured Spartan squire to tell the tale. . . .
Historical Fiction
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More Details:
Author
Steven Pressfield
Pages
400
Publisher
Random House Publishing Group
Published Date
2007-01-30
ISBN
0553904051 9780553904055
Ratings
Google: 4.5
Community ReviewsSee all
"The Battle of Thermopylae is the ultimate story of martial heroism, featuring possibly the most famous last stand in history. This book is a very well done fictionalization of the battle and the days leading up to it from the perspective of a squire to one of the Spartan 300, with flashbacks to fill out the characters of King Leonidas and some of his closest knights. It sticks much closer to the known historical facts than the ridiculous movie "300." "
"A very compelling read on the Battle of Thermopylae - the subject matter of the 300 and the 300 risen movies. Mr. Pressfield has done a very nice job of providing historical context for the philosophy and education of the Spartans which ties in very nicely with the roles and obligations of a citizen of Sparta. The main tale is told by a prisoner of King Xerxes who wants to understand how 300 could have possibly stood up to such overwhelming odds - so from a place of respect.<br/><br/>Well written and a page turner."
J W
James S Wilson