My brother and I now have a booktube called The Brothers Gwynne. Check it out! The Brothers Gwynne

Another great Pressfield read - this time taking on the monumental task of portraying the supreme Alexander the Great.

Pressfield is a superb writer, one of the best at conveying war, leadership and comradeship. His portrayal of Alexander is incredible, painting this god-like figure of war and empire into a man. He is a genius tactician, someone who considers all possible outcomes before making his move and it is fascinating to read.

As we've come to expect from Pressfield, the battles are visceral and intense, the characters in the face of all odds is impossible to look away from and it's a very entertaining read.

I have read this book exactly nine times. Enough said.

This novel tells the epic story of Alexander the Great. Alexander's military prowess is legendary; the book reflects that. The battles and many of the supporting scenes are fascinating, often riveting. Yet the book as a whole didn't captivate me. In part, this is because I didn't find Alexander likable. Brave, yes. Impressive, undoubtedly. But not likable, except in the depth of love he felt for his warhorse, Bucephalus, which was very moving. I wished the book conveyed a similar depth of feeling between Alexander and his human companions, such as Hephaestion, but, for me at least, it fell short of doing so.

I note that I found the conceit that Alexander was telling his story to Itanes, his young brother-in-law, unconvincing. Moreover, knowing in advance the scope of Alexander's success, and having the first-person narration emphasize this (by saying he won every battle he fought), reduced suspense. While my reaction to this book is mixed, I wholeheartedly love another of the author's books, "Gates of Fire," an account of the battle of Thermopylae. If you haven't read either book, I'd recommend "Gates of Fire" over "The Virtues of War."

Fictionalized account of Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire and the lands to the East. The story is told from Alexander’s perspective and covers his youth, his great battles against Persia, and the following years and his death. Although a work of fiction, the novel is historically accurate with vivid descriptions of battle. The novel also explores Alexander’s motivations and the motivations of his men (which weren’t always the same). A good read.