Wow, I loved this. To imagine the reality of this tale to be rooted in real history is beyond my ability. I’m writing this short and inconsequential (in historical perspective) review with tears in my eyes, tears of awe and respect for the warriors of Sparta. May the memories of their deeds of honor, bravery and valor never be lost. This particular telling (and the audiobook) is terrific. If historical fiction is something you might enjoy, do not miss this book. 5.0/5.0 stars.

This book is too long. It took me four days to clear.

It's also spiritual. I couldn't understand the story though

Read this book in 2011, and its the absolute best standalone book that I've read about the battle of Thermopylae.

Written with passion and verve it takes us readers to the pass of Thermopylae, and by using the narration of the sole survivor of this momentous Battle it will alive with all the usual horrors and deaths.

Thus set in the year 480 BC, Persia invading the Greek lands, and King Leonidas and his three hundred making ready to march to Thermopylae to fight for freedom and democracy.

Six days of heroic Spartan culminating defiance against the millions of Persians is brought to us in a most wonderful and superb fashion by the author, and in which the Spartans will reach their end after having given all, and that heroism of all the Spartans will inspire later on the rest of the Greek City-states to a new resilience against these invaders from Persia.

Highly recommended, for this is a top-class retelling about the Battle of Thermopylae, and that's why I like to call this epic tale: "A Glorious Gates Of Fire"!

Bitka kod Termopila bila je jedna od onih koje su promenile zapadnu civilizaciju - istoričari tvrde da je zbog tog poraza helenskih državica od Persijanaca, kasnije sačuvana antička kultura, evropski začeci demokratije i onoga što je kasnije nastalo u Evropi.

Ognjene kapije predstavljaju priču na realističniji način od stripovskog 300 - branilaca naravno nije bilo samo 300, već preko 4,000 - ali Presfild i dalje temelji delove svog istraživanja na Heroditu, koji tvrdi da je Persijanaca bilo preko dva miliona (noviji izvori smatraju da je Grka bilo nekoliko desetina hiljada, a Persijanaca ne više od 300,000.

Osim same bitke, Ognjene kapije nam predstavljaju romantičku verziju Sparte, društva koje temelji na surovom vojnom treningu, ali pre svega na časti. Spartanci su idealizovani do te mere da čovek poželi da nastavi da čita o njima, pa i postane deo takve kulture. Iako ovo nema bliže veze sa istorijskom realnošću, kao deo fikcije je potpuno na mestu i meni kao čitaocu koji se potpuno prepustio autoru, dalo ne uzvišen osećaj ponosa, a neki od likova ostaće mi među omiljenim likovima Antike.

This is a story about one of the most interesting cultures and one of the most spectacular battles of the ancient world. And yet the book somehow managed to undermine all of that. This is a laborious read. It's heavy on detail that bogs down the story line (as well as the historical context itself) and tortured sentence structure. I finally quit on this book 36% of the way through it (according to my Kindle) after reading the following phrase:

Nonetheless I might, without violating the sanctity of the law, yet vouchsafe to her, a mother understandably concerned about her son's welfare and future, some indication, if not the precise words and actions of the aforesaid event, then perhaps some portion of its tone and flavor.

Wait, what? Yeah, I'm out.

Having just finished all the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books, this was a strong change of perspective and tone. I was initially disturbed by the depictions of war and life in ancient Greece. Whether I adjusted over the first hundred pages or it's simply that the most disturbing material is in the beginning, I can't say. I do know that I quickly became engrossed in both the story and setting.

Now I want to see the armor and weapons from the time period so I can better understand the phalanx fighting style of the Greeks. I want to learn more about the Persian military to understand why their weapons and armor differed so greatly. I am fascinated by the descriptions of Spartan psychology (though I certainly lack the physical attributes, perhaps mentally I might've made a good Spartan!).

This being the first Steven Pressfield book I've read, I can only hope this isn't his one hit wonder. Even if that is the case, it's brilliant enough for me to consider him an amazing author of historical fiction.

„Ne preziri rat, mladi moj prijatelju, niti zavaravaj sebe da su milosrđe i sažaljenje vrline uzvišenije nego andreia, muško junaštvo“

Od istorijske fikcije se ne može poželeti mnogo više od onoga što Presfild nudi u Ognjenoj kapiji. U pitanju je detaljna ispovest zarobljenog Spartanskog štitonoše koji je svedočio o legendarnom okršaju Grka i Persijanaca kod Termopilskog klanca. Ostavljajući po strani činjenice, kao i odsustvo činjenica (ni istorijski izvori njima ne barataju), koje se tiču samog istorijskog zbitija, ratničke i uopšte, univerzalne vrednosti, ovde su verno prikazane, ako ne tačnošću podataka (što se od romana nužno i ne očekuje), onda zamašnošću podviga i snagom duha koja će dok je sveta i veka biti ideal.

Spartanci hrabrost ne nalaze i ne podstiču halabukom – to je pseudoandreia, trenutno „veštačko“ kuražje – već suprostavljanjem strahu od smrti strah od obeščašćivanja. Oni se pre svega bore za čoveka u neposrednoj blizini, za svoje saborce, i požrtvovano sledeći ovu maksimu, usaglašeni, uvežbani, u stanju su da se odupru brojčano i materijalno nadmoćnijoj sili.

Ratnik nosi kalpak i oklop radi sopstvene zaštite, a štit radi bezbednosti cele bojne vrste.

Samosavlađivanje je veština koju ovi ratnici uče i vežbaju jer se po svaku cenu mora izbeći gubitak kontrole usled besa ili straha (katalepsis). Jedna od vrednih pouka koja se može izvući je značaj telesne discipline i rutine jer je rat (a ovo se, verujem, može primeniti i na druge životne oblasti gde je stres faktor) „ispunjavanje uobičajenog pod neuobičajenim okolnostima“ te proces koji stvara fizičku čvrstinu armira i duhovnu.

Imajući ovo na umu, jasno je zašto se Ognjena kapija obrađuje u zapadnjačkim vojnim školama i zašto je priča relevantana čak i danas kada je andreia na udaru. Iako se na „muci poznaju junaci“ nije nužno pohrliti na dva miliona čeličnih oštrica; kako stvari stoje, dovoljno će junaštvo jednoga dana biti, umesto Grčke i Termopila, braniti same vrline, muževnost i viteštvo, od hordi koje bi da ih obesmisle.

Presfildovi junaci su dopadljivi, a čak i oni koji isprva deluju nedostojni naklonosti, pod pritiskom dokazuju – očekivano ali uprkos tome dobrodošlo – da su dorasli svojoj sabraći. Horor borbe je prikazan iscrpno i na način koji ne ostavlja suviše naporima mašte, te je čitalac sa lakoćom prenesen na bojno polje, u falangu, međ’ planine naslaganih leševa, u reke krvi.

Postojanje se pretvorilo u prokop čije je zidove činila smrt i u kome nije preostala nada u spas ili izbavljenje. Neba više nije bilo, ni sunca ni zvezda. Preostala je jedino zemlja, izdrobljena, izrivena zemlja koja kao da je pod svakim čovekom čekala na njegovu prosutu utrobu, smrskane kosti, na krv, na život.

If you like your historical novels on the bloody side, this one’s for you. (The gore begin in earnest in chapter 24.) Apparently the book is a favorite of people in the military -- although I suspect if Pressfield had covered the Spartan man/apprentice “mentoring” program in a bit more depth the military might not be as crazy about the book. That said, it hits many of the points they try to instill in people in the various leadership schools.

Along with battle tactics and weapons, Pressfield did a very good job describing Spartan women but, I would have liked to have seen a bit more about Diomache. I wasn’t clear on how she ended up where she did.

It’s an extensively researched book, written by a first-rate storyteller. It’s well worth your time if you don’t mind buckets of blood and guts. As with many historical novels, I think it’s too long. I like books around 300 pages or shorter. Although I suspect most readers of historical fiction will disagree with me on this point.

One final thought: What is the opposite of fear? If you want the answer it’s the last sentence of chapter 31.

Tristemente Eroi

Romanzo storico che affronta l'epica battaglia delle Termopili, in cui perirono 300 valorosi spartani contro l'immenso esercito Persiano, mantenendo sobria la parte dello scontro e approfondendo le personalità dei protagonisti.

L'autore ha uno stile scorrevole ma crudo - come è giusto che sia, trattando soldati dediti alla guerra – e allo stesso tempo applica ai dialoghi punte di filosofia di indubbio interesse: belle le discussioni sulla paura e sul suo contrario. Alla fine ci si affeziona alle sorti – già segnate dalla Storia – di questi uomini e donne che costituiscono un vigoroso affresco di umanità, lasciando in chi legge una sensazione di partecipazione e solidarietà nei confronti di un ineluttabile destino.

Oh this book. One of, if not the best book I’ve ever read. Gripping my heart so much that it pounded throughout the book with thrill and excitement. So good, that I thought of returning to the pages constantly throughout each day. It’s been a while since I’ve read through a book for my own pure joy and this one was spectacular.

Přála bych si, aby víc autorů dokázalo takhle popsat bitvy. Protože - ach - tak šíleně živé! Beznaděj proudící skrz slova, těla a krev.

Ale Pressfield nevytvořil dílo jen o bitvě, jak by se mohlo zdát, to vůbec. On uchopil Spartu a v románu ji přiblížil lidem. Sparťanské způsoby, obyčeje, myšlení, bydlení, víra, odívání. Všechno tam je.

Až mi zase někdo bude tvrdit, že dějepis je nuda, strčím mu pod nos Ohnivou bránu a donutím ho, aby si ji přečetl.

“You have never tasted freedom, friend," Dienekes spoke, "or you would know it is purchased not with gold, but steel.”

Poignant and powerful words from an equally cutting, poignant and powerful book. Pressfield writes of the Battle of Thermopylae not as a glorified, exploitative war novel, but delves into deeper humanistic themes and commands excellent character development. Through the account from a unique character’s point of view, we see the training and psyche of a soldier, the gravitas and sacredness of service, community, family, and self-sacrifice.

As this book had been recommended to me, I now recommend it to you. -Sara S