If you read only one macho right-wing war novel in your life -- read this book!

Steven Pressfield has written a masterpiece about the ancient warrior state of Sparta. This is a society that almost any modern person would loathe on sight. It was a military dictatorship where all power belonged to soldiers and no one had any rights. Slaves were routinely murdered as part of military training. Young boys were conditioned from early childhood to brutalize each other to the point of serious injury.

Yet somehow Steven Pressfield brings this strange society to life, and creates Spartan warriors who are not only admirable and powerful but at times almost lovable.

It helps, of course, that the narrator is a slave from another part of Greece. His perspective is gentle and humane, yet truthful about the price of freedom. As he grows up among the Spartans, you can gradually see the human decency behind the rigid discipline. The training scenes are brutal. The battle scenes are electrifying. And there's so much more!

Most historical fiction books, which I do enjoy reading, seldom grab my attention as intently as this book by Steven Pressfield. There are many reasons why I recommend this book. Here are a few of them:

1.tThe writing carries with it the essence of past days. The writing style of writers like Homer, Plato, and Plutarch have clearly influenced the voicing the author chose to characterize this book.

2.t“Gates of Fire” is incredibly researched. Not only is a great story being retold in an imaginative way, but the entire warrior culture is on display.

3.tThe story is humanized through the narrator Xeones, a mixture between a book on history and an interesting novel. It is easy to get wrapped up in the story, and it was hard for me to put it down.

4.tThe characters stay true to who they are, and the main ones are fleshed out, showing their weaknesses as well as their strengths. The author gently reminds us who a minor character is if her or she only has a tiny bit to add to the story at different times.

5.tEven though almost everyone knows this story and how it ends, the tension builds from early on and the last quarter of the book is a page-turner.

Anyone who loves to read history, historical fiction, or a well-written book of any genre will find “Gates of Fire” will fit all those descriptions. Five stars.

Monumental, inspiring and epic.

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.