Whilst Frank Miller's 300 may have captured the spirit of the battle of Thermopylae - elephants and wizards not withstanding, Steven Pressfield takes a much more realist approach. Greece in 480 BC is presented as a place of constant warfare united only by the prospect of imminent Persian invasion. The Spartans are as brutal and oppressive as they are stoic and courageous, so much so in fact that the Persians seem a relatively civilised and cultured lot in comparison. Despite the repugnance much of Spartan life may arouse in the modern mind, it's hard not to feel some admiration for their utter refusal to accept subjugation in any form. History lessons aside, it's in the battle scenes that this book really comes to life, the physical strain and merciless nature of close quarters fighting in the age of the hoplite has never been more vividly captured, even without the battle elephants.

rating: 5/5 (more like 4.75 but I'll round)

The story didn't really grip me (although it was still interesting)until the last 3 books (the novel is split into 8 "books" or sections), which were filled with jaw droppingly amazing battle and camp scenes from Thermopylae. I am a sucker for well written battles and soldier camaraderie and this was it, one of the best I've read so far.

It was filled with a ton of historical accuracy, from the events to the historical people and through battle techniques, Spartan battle training and laws, through to how ancient Greece looked, felt, and even smelled. The description and details were captivating.

The character development was good as well, I fell in love with Xeo and his telling of Alexandros, Dienekes, Leonidas, Suicide, Polynikes, and others.

However, the story was told by Xeo, looking retroactively at the battle and the lives of the Spartans, as told to the Persian Great King Xerxes and involved jumping through time in a non-linear fashion. It also included some notes from a Persian historian, as if he were recording the story and happenings currently, post Battle of Thermopylae. I understand why the author made those choices, there were things that Xeo couldn't witness and an understanding we could only get from a Persian POV. I get it. Still, it served to drag me away from the story and my emotional involvement with it, and sometimes even caused confusion as to the timeline. The disruption wasn't terrible but it was enough to strip this novel of its potential to be one of my all-time favorites.

Despite this, it was still amazing, brilliant, and breathtaking; a worthy read and one of the better ones on ancient Greece. I would recommend it to everyone, especially those that love historically accurate detail and ancient military history, tactics, and battles.

Highly recommended to me, but highly disappointing. This is a romanticized historical fictional account of the Spartans' stand at Thermopylae against the massively superior forces of Xerxes. It does offer a depiction of the warrior culture of Sparta. But the writing: trite, tedious, melodramatic, sometimes overly flowery faux archaic, and at others base sixth grade genital/excrement humor. One of the major humor touchstones was a character whose catchphrase was "Wake up to this", which cracked everyone up because it sounded like "Weck up to thees". Not only is that not that funny, but it doesn't really work for me because it takes me away from picturing these guys speaking Greek, and becomes a comedy of guys talking in amusingly accented English like Cheech and Chong. I'll allow a star for the research the author did for the background for the book.

Absolutely amazing. Anyone interested in ancient history or military fiction simply must read "Gates of Fire." By Zeus, this is one of those books that everyone should read, regardless of what their favorite genre is. Steven Pressfield has an amazing gift for transplanting the reader into his era of choice.

I could attempt to spend hours writing a witty review, but ultimately it would not do this book justice. So do yourself a favor and add it to your "To Read" shelf, or the gods will surely curse you and your offspring from this day until the end of time.

Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2KBFAty

Steven Pressfield's first foray into historical fiction is a masterful account of the battle of Themopylae (thermos = hot, warm, fire; pylos = spring or gate; hence "Gates of Fire").

Told from the perspective of a captured, critically wounded Spartan helot (all the Spartans died, after all) who is being questioned by Xerxes (King of Persia) for information about the Greeks, the story presents a sympathetic, insider view of Spartan society and accurately presents the values of Greek civilization in contrast to that of the Persians. Pressfield is intimately familiar with the major historical accounts of the battle and fills in the many gaps with events and conversations that could have, and possibly should have, happened.

Leonidas, one of two kings of Sparta, leads 300 Spartans to Thermopylae in the attempt to delay the Persian army from reaching Greece before the Greeks have time to prepare the resistance. In ancient times, Thermopylae was the site of a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea, only wide enough for a few men to walk shoulder to shoulder. Joined by allies from other Greek cities (Argos and Thespis, as I recall), the total number of fighting men was approximately 1,200 to face Xerxes mighty army, which ancient accounts number in the millions. The Spartans use superior technology (bronze armor and weapons), superior training, and superior tactics (the deadly phalanx) to hold the Persians for three days. Even Persia's elite fighting force, the dreaded Immortals, are unable to defeat the Spartans.

Treachery, however, proves the undoing of the Spartans. Ephialtes (not the misshapen expatriate Spartan of the moview "300") sells information to the Persians, revealing a hidden path through the mountains. Surrounded, the Spartans refuse to surrender, preferring to fight to the death in order to demonstrate their superiority and to strike fear into the hearts of the Persians, who will soon have to face larger Greek armies. The death toll for the Persians is in the high thousands.

(Although not in the book, the sacrifice of the Spartans ultimately pays off. For, after sacking Athens, Xerxes is defeated in two decisive battles: Salamis, in which the Athenian navy destroys the Persian fleet, deprives Xerxes of much needed supplies; Plataea, in which the combined armies of Sparta and other allies defeats the Persian army. Greece, and along with it, Western Civilization is saved from Persian slavery, and the path is paved for the Golden Age of Athens.)

The book is an incredibly good read. I have recommended the book to many different people of various backgrounds and interests. None have been able to put it down.

What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said here on it's review page...ah, not much. :-)
It is a terrific book. Dense, and detailed and clever and, in many places, exhilarating. Sometimes I felt that the author was being too clever. Sacrificing flow for sometimes not so relevant story background. There is quite a lot of too-ing and fro-ing in this book. Jumping backwards and forwards between different times and sometimes it worked for me and sometimes it didn't. That is why I nearly gave Gates of Fire 4 stars instead of 5...but I didn't.
I didn't have a problem with the backwards and forwards through the meat of the book, but by the last third of the book, once it was time to leave for Thermopylae, and once they were there, the flow was often a bit too constricted by Pressfield jumping out of the tense rushing storyline, into other slower laid back storylines. It took a long while, it seemed, before the real battle of Thermopylae was fought. And when it was. My heart broke.
It is odd. You know the story of those three hundred. Knew their fate, but it didn't make it any easier when the time came for the end. They went to the Hot Gates to die, and die they did.
Pressfield is a man of high talent when it comes to writing and I can't believe it has taken me this long to finally read this book. But boy am I glad I did.

Xerxes, de Perzische koning, vraagt na de slag bij Thermopylae aan een gevangen genomen
Griekse slaaf, om zijn kant van het verhaal te vertellen.
Deze Xeones zegt dat hij, om alles duidelijk te maken, moet beginnen bij het begin, en zijn hele levensverhaal moet vertellen.
En zo begint het verhaal. Als lezer werd ik vanaf het begin erin meegezogen. Het leven van deze Griek, en van de Spartanen en hun bondgenoten, wordt zo levendig beschreven, zo vol emotie en toch ook kracht, dat mijn aandacht constant vastgehouden werd.
Alhoewel een groot deel van het boek bestaat uit de strijd die geleverd werd, eerst de oorlog met de Spartanen en al hun bondgenoten tegen de Perzen, en dan de laatste beslissende slag van de 300 bij Thermopylae, de Warme Poorten, bleef het spannend en bleef mijn inlevingsvermogen groot, wat meestal wat moeilijk is bij oorlogsbeschrijvingen.
Ik kan met zekerheid zeggen dat ik dit één van de beste historische romans is die ik al gelezen heb.

n  BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynnen
n  My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynnen

Gates of Fire is one of the most extraordinary books I have ever read. This is a book about friendship, camaraderie, purpose, sacrifice, fear and love. It is a book that examines the human condition, exploring three themes through a cast of incredibly vivid characters who each leap off of the page with a feeling of authenticity. It is, simply put, one of a kind.

“The hardship of the exercises is intended less to strengthen the back than to toughen the mind. The Spartans say that any army may win while it still has its legs under it; the real test comes when all strength is fled and the men must produce victory on will alone.”

Gates of Fire tells the tale of Thermopyalae. How a small number of Spartans and allies historically stood against the hordes of the Persian Empire at "The Hot Gates". This is told as a chronicle, by a survivor of the battle, so that they are recounting their own small role in this landmark and history-changing battle as well as the roles of those around him. It is a coming of age story as we learn how our narrator found himself in this position, from his childhood to the battle itself.

“Fear conquers fear. This is how we Spartans do it, counterpoising to fear of death a greater fear: that of dishonour. Of exclusion from the pack.”

Despite of course already knowing how Thermopalae ends, Pressfield still manages to craft a story filled with such tension and immersion. He uses this dramatic irony masterfully, manipulating our emotions as we swiftly become immersed in this world and the concepts it is circulating. If you feel hesitant to read this for fear of the end having no payoff, please reconsider. It has one of the most powerful endings I have had the pleasure to read.

This is a character driven story. It is about what drives us as individuals, and how important friendship is. It looks at the power of being a part of something greater than itself, and it discusses these philosophical topics in such a natural and organic way. It comes straight from our characters, so that these themes do not detract from the story, but are used to enhance our emotion and understanding of the cast of characters.

“As all born teachers, he was primarily a student.”

Gates of Fire is such a brilliant book. It is about comradeship, belonging, sacrifice and love. The way Steven Pressfield tells this story has such an enchanting quality about it. It is written masterfully. But that magical quality does not detract from the brutality and horror that is also shared within these pages. We see moments of absolute virtue, to those of a despicable nature. But all of these are captivating, and amalgamates to create one of the best books I have ever read. Some of the best moments in any book. Some of the best characters. One of the best premises. All comes together to form a story that is truly masterful, in every way.

My brother and I talk about Gates of Fire on our channel... The Brothers Gwynne

Υπέροχο βιβλίο. Το δανείστηκα και το διάβασα, μετά το αγόρασα για εμένα αρχικά και ακολούθως πολλές φορές για δώρο.

Υπάρχουν βιβλία που με τη διήγησή τους σε κάνουν να "ζεις" τα γραφόμενα. Με αυτό το βιβλίο έπιασα τον εαυτό μου να κλαίει με ένα θάνατο.. κανονικό κλάμα, με λυγμούς. Και δεν το έχω εύκολο το κλάμα.. Αγάπησα τους Σπαρτιάτες, κόλλησα με την ιστορία τους, αλλά άλλο βιβλίο ισάξιο με αυτό (για ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα μιλάω) δεν βρήκα.

I read this entertaining 1998 historical novel, which glorifies the ancient military dictatorship of Sparta, in part because it cost only $7.99 for a Kindle download. Then I realized that I couldn't write a coherent review of it, because I still, in spite of the intervening years, am an incandescent tower of blistering but impotent rage at the senseless loss of life and treasure which resulted from the blunderings of the George W. Bush administration in the Middle East in the first decade of this century. This rage colored my every word and thought. It's not the book's fault that some people seemed to view it as a justification of the U.S.A.'s bumbling militarism. I'll try to write a review of this book sometime when I've calmed down, maybe in 20 years.

later

OK, I've taken some medication and had a nice lie down.

Why bother to read books? After all, there's no money in reading, and it will not help you to obtain a fashionably well-developed musculature. I don't understand why other people read books, but then again, I don't understand why people do pretty much everything, including but not limited to going to flea markets, voting for defenders of the rights of the well-to-do, and having interest in the lives of movie stars, to name just a few.

I read books because my mental picture of myself is a piece of meat in a cage. I am a prisoner, stuck like a bug in amber in a class, time, space, nationality, residence, psychology, and function. I often flatter myself that my place in the world is of my own choosing but it is really the result of forces which were in motion long before I was born and will continue to influence the world long after everyone's forgotten that I ever lived. Animated with that cheerful thought, I wonder if life appears this way to everyone else. Many people seem to be acting and behaving very differently from me, most relevantly, in this case, soldiers. Since it is not yet possible to engage in Matrix-like entry into soldiers' consciousnesses, the closest that I can get to understanding why soldiers act so completely different from me is to read books about them.

It's still difficult for me to understand why anyone would willingly ignore the pointless bullying, the tedious machismo, the cynical grasping and snatching after pathetic shreds of power, and the sheer unadulterated lunacy (all adequately portrayed in this novel) that seem to invariably accompany military life. However, I think that I caught while reading this book certain glimpses of a rationale, if something mostly disconnected from reason can still be called a “rationale”.

Why get up in the morning? Why take one route to work and not the other? Why order a croissant and not a banana nut muffin? Why do a good job at work when a crummy job will suffice? Why sit? Why stand? Why write a review for Goodreads that three people may read instead of, say, listening to Alma Cogan sing “Never Do a Tango With an Eskimo” on Youtube for the umptee-umpth time?

When you are a part of a team, any team, it helps everything else to make sense. If you are part of a fighting team, life not only makes sense, but you have a purpose as well. You get up in the morning, you have a place to go. It makes a difference whether you shine your shoes. There's a right way to lay your shield on the ground, and a wrong way. You have friends and colleagues to admire, and to be admired by. You can't let them down by staying home on the couch and watching reruns of “America's Next Top Model”, because you promised to be at hoplite formation drills. You are a nobly small part of a fine upstanding tradition, without which the Persians would overrun civilization, leaving us to wallow in our own filth while listening to goateed Brooklyn hipsters complain about the deficit of adequate post-apocalyptic arugula.

I guess it's just about time for another dose of medication.

Before I join the line at the nurse's window, I'd like to say that reading this book about people with a purpose was a worthwhile use of time, but I'm not sure that present-day people who read this book and see their purpose reflected in the life and achievements of the Spartans actually understand the Spartans, or themselves.

Gates of Fire is one of my favorite books...ever. I first read it back when I was in the Marine Corps. It was on the Commandant’s Reading List for a time - required reading for any motivated teufelhund. The author himself is a former Marine, and draws upon his experiences to create a compellingly insightful look at the mental and psychological makeup of a soldier. The concepts of self-sacrifice, service, community, camaraderie, and duty are the thematic core of this historic novel.  Steven Pressfield does more than just tell the story of what happened during the battle of Thermopylae (which in and of itself is a phenomenal story), he uses it as a backdrop for studying the psychological makeup of what a soldier should be. There is more philosophy in this book than one would expect from a war novel, but this is why I consider it both insightful, and at times inspiring…even after the fifth read. This is a great book for anyone who is thinking of, or soon will be joining military service. Anyone wishing to gain insight on how a military is supposed to function should read this book. Anyone wishing insight to the mind of a soldier should read this book. Those who are confused as to why a friend or loved one wants to join the military can very likely gain their answers from this book.

«Οι πύλες της φωτιάς»

Μια ωραία προσέγγιση που αφορά στην επική μάχη των Θερμοπυλών! Ενώ κυλάει γρήγορα σε δυσκολεύουν τα ονόματα και οι ιδιότητές τους. Επίσης, κάποια κεφάλαια μου άρεσαν αρκετά κ σε κάποια χάθηκα, κουράστηκα! Περίμενα βέβαια, κ οι περιγραφές κ οι αφηγήσεις της μάχης να είναι πιο λεπτομερείς.

Παρ’ όλα αυτά είναι ένα βιβλίο που προτείνω να διαβαστεί από αναγνώστες που αγαπούν τα ιστορικά μυθιστορήματα! Θα το απολαύσουν!