Gates of Fire - The Battle of Thermopylae

"The qualities of a good battle squire are simple enough. He must be dumb as a mule, numb as a post and obedient as an imbecile. In these qualifications, Xeones of Astakos, I declare your credentials impeccable." - Dienekes in Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

I finished Killer Angels and am carrying the theme "backwards." Last week I started Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - this is an historical fiction novel that explores the great battle of Thermopylae. This battle is the story of the invading Persian army into Greece and the heroic stand of the 300 Spartan warriors against the might of the Persian army.

I know I mentioned previously (in my first post) that I was not a huge historical fiction reader. I guess actions may start to speak louder than words in this case. I definitely never thought I would read two novels about war back to back - especially since I would consider myself as having a strong pacifist streak. The thing about this book is that it is about so much more than just a battle. You learn about the traditions of the Spartans, you read about the adventures of a boy whose home is sacked by an invading army and how he finds shelter and family in Lakedaemon (la-ke-dee-mon), you learn about Greek and Persian history. It (along with Killer Angels) will go on my list as one of the best books I have read.

Publisher Note: I have added a "Reading" section to the sidebar of the blog. Personally, I think the addition of an image over there does something for the feel of the site. Don't worry, no advertisements planned. Enjoy.