Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield
1 review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’d always wanted to read this novel of the Battle of Thermopylae and it didn’t disappoint. Author Steven Pressfield focuses on a handful of characters over a period of at least ten years, so we get to know them well. Even the least appealing is a hero by the end.
I was really impressed by the level of detail - Pressfield clearly did a great deal of research. The battle scenes are easy to follow while still being tense and exciting. He brings the horrific sights, deafening sounds, and revolting smells to life, emphasizing the battleground churned up with blood and gore, the bodies of dead piled into battlements.
My only quibble is the structure of the tale, where a captured Spartan, the only man left alive, is tasked with telling his story to King Xerxes of the Persians. While the first person brings immediacy to the book, the third person would have served as well without the clunky structure. That said, I loved the book.
I was really impressed by the level of detail - Pressfield clearly did a great deal of research. The battle scenes are easy to follow while still being tense and exciting. He brings the horrific sights, deafening sounds, and revolting smells to life, emphasizing the battleground churned up with blood and gore, the bodies of dead piled into battlements.
My only quibble is the structure of the tale, where a captured Spartan, the only man left alive, is tasked with telling his story to King Xerxes of the Persians. While the first person brings immediacy to the book, the third person would have served as well without the clunky structure. That said, I loved the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Gore, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism