The Worm Reviews

This book is in my top five list. Not sure what the other four are, but this one, definitely. Pressfield's knowledge of ancient Greek warfare is what makes this novel so special. Yes there is great writing and action and Spartans galore. However, it is descriptions of the Spartan regimen that is the true magic behind this book. I studied ancient warfare in college and none of the classes I took gave me a better understanding for Hoplite warfare than this book did. Now I will caution, if you are not a fanboy or girl of ancient warfare, the beginning of the book might be a little difficult for you to get through. Fight the urge to put it down, you won't be disappointed.

Gates of Fire is the tale of the Greek stand at Thermopylae, also called the Hot Gates. It was the site of the battle between the Greek City-States and the Persian Empire lead by Xerxes. It is here where 300 Spartans lead the Greeks against a 10,000 man army poised to invade Greece. But for a disgruntled wannabe soldier betraying the Greeks, who knows how long they may have held out.

If you have seen the movie 300, you know the basics and background of the story. In Pressfield's book however, you are taken intimately into the battle and you feel each victory and loss profoundly. The story is told by Xeones, a lone survivor of the battle who at Xerxes request tells him the story of the Spartans who defeated his elite forces for three straight days of battle. He begins his tale recollecting his training with the Spartans and continues through the battle up until the defeat.

Pressfield has shown himself to be a master storyteller, but Gates of Fire is where he lays out all his passion and expertise in a subject matter you tell he truly loves. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient warfare or even lovers of great stories.