In my head, I imagined each piece of equipment and felt the anticipation of oncoming battles that have become legends. Every page, every word feels as if it is a part of something truly special. The young squire Xeones is pulled from beneath a burned battle wagon when the carnage finally I always pick up books I "should" read with grudging feelings. WebGates of Fire Available in hardcover, paperback, audio and e-book from Amazon, B&N, and indiebound. WebYou will come right to a gate. Herodotus remarks that the historical Dienekes was known for wry quips, as Pressfield also portrays him in the novel. This book has moved me more than any other fictional work I've ever read. He was one of three Greeks that survived the battle at the Hot Gates against the Persian army. WebYou will come right to a gate. That is all I can tell you. Xeones relates the tale but only so that his fellow warriors' valor does not go unsung. This was a very dangerous option, but it was the only timely route to get into Greece to attack. The novel also details the heroics of several dozen Spartans, including the King of Sparta, Leonidas,[5] the Spartan Captain Polynikes, a young Spartan warrior named Alexandros, and the Spartan officer Dienekes. WebCoordinates: 401509N 582623E. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Leonidas at that time was fifty-five years old. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Wed love your help. This was an amazing reading experience and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. He reclaims that part of himself which he had earlier set aside. Just finished the quest myself, and I chose to destroy the circlet. WebAt Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. The main character of the book is a slave who is captured by the Spartans. Xeo, the sole Spartan survivor of Thermopylae, has been captured by the Persians, and Xerxes himself presses his young captive to reveal how his tiny cohort kept more than 100,000 Persians at bay for a week. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. With a lesser reader, the novel's structure might have been confusing, but Jacobi's ability to subtly alter the timbre of his voice and the style of his delivery to differentiate narrators makes it perfectly clear. Refresh and try again. Spartan Wit. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2021. There is too much risk in the circlet's continued existence. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. They will come, scholars perhaps, or travelers from beyond the sea, prompted by curiosity regarding the past, or appetite for knowledge of the ancients. Just finished the quest myself, and I chose to destroy the circlet. You will find the circlet protected with a shield. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. But Pressfield's epic seems to make the opposite argument: courage on this scale is not merely inspiring but ultimately mysterious. He was just a man doing a job. I'll try to write a review of this book sometime when I've calmed down, maybe in 20 years. Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? It is a vicious cycle of love and hate and death and destruction! / 40.2525N 58.4396E / 40.2525; 58.4396. When you train the mind to think one way and one way only, when you refuse to allow it to think in another, that will produce great strength in battle., You are the commanders, your men will look to you and act as you do. Record what books your kids are reading. All rights reserved. WebCoordinates: 401509N 582623E. Book by Elwyn Chamberlain! Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2023. He was not a superman who waded invulnerably into the slaughter, single-handedly slaying the foe by myriads. Not only is that not that funny, but it doesn't really work for me because it takes me away from picturing these guys speaking Greek, and becomes a comedy of guys talking in amusingly accented English like Cheech and Chong. Stunning. There is too much risk in the circlet's continued existence. This particular telling (and the audiobook) is terrific. Gates of Fire follows the experiences of Zeones, or Zeo, a Greek boy from the small city of Astakos whose family is wiped out by Argive soldiers in the storys early scenes. It is an epic novel of the storied Battle of Thermopylae. WebThe "Gate of Fire" referred to in the title is that of the narrow pass through which the large Persian army would have to cross to get into Greece. Refine any search. Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2022. I have read it twice already and will probably start it a third time! . WebGates of Fire: Second American Edition; Revised! , however, Steven Pressfield makes their courageous defense--and eventual extinction--unbearably suspenseful. Although modern scholarship holds that Persian numbers at Thermopylae were probably much smaller than the traditional estimation of over one million, the Greeks were unquestionably outnumbered, and the Spartans success in holding off the Persians for seven days is one of the most remarkable such defenses in history. [6], Shortly after the release of the novel, George Clooney's production company, Maysville Pictures, acquired the rights for a film. Steven Pressfield brings the battle of Thermopylae to brilliant life, and he does for that war what Charles Frazier did for the Civil War in, When you finish Pressfield's work, you will feel you have fought side by side with the Spartans. Here, in 480 B.C., on a narrow mountain pass above the crystalline Aegean, 300 Spartan knights and their allies faced the massive forces of Xerxes, King of Persia. -Graham S. The novel takes place in 480 B.C. Reprinted by permission. But to extinguish the selfish self within, that part which looks only to its own preservation, to save its own skin. Moments later, SSG Will Shockley relayed word to us Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I have commanded an end to the slaughter of these whom today we called our enemies. , File size A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. WebAs I said, I don't mind spoilers so anyone who feels like enlightening me feel free. Struggling with distance learning? WebGates of Fire by Steven Pressfield 35,790 ratings, 4.40 average rating, 2,530 reviews Open Preview Gates of Fire Quotes Showing 1-30 of 78 A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. . If no one wants to tell me, so be it, I will have to settle for being a sad panda. Get help and learn more about the design. What clemency of the divine has turned the enemys spear one handbreadth from our throat and driven it fatally into the breast of the beloved comrade at our side? Try again. To imagine the reality of this tale to be rooted in real history is beyond my ability. To fire their valor when it flagged and rein in their fury when it threatened to take them out of hand. (1995), a somewhat overblown story on the centrality of golf in cosmology; this work has struck a more skillful balance. Additional gift options are available when buying one eBook at a time. WebGates of Fire: Second American Edition; Revised! It was what you had learned and it made me stay, to learn it too., War, not peace, produces virtue. NATIONAL BESTSELLER Steven Pressfield brings the battle of Thermopylae to brilliant life.Pat Conroy. Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2023. Begin today Start with this War of Art [27-minute] mini-course.u0003 It's free. , Text-to-Speech Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023. Steven Pressfield's first foray into historical fiction is a masterful account of the battle of Themopylae (thermos = hot, warm, fire; pylos = spring or gate; hence "Gates of Fire"). Action, on the other hand, produces the appetite for more action., Fear conquers fear. Some of you, I see, have erected tents. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Ultimately, the Spartans, subsequently and unexpectedly, vanquished its foes. Forget country. A job whose primary attribute was self-restraint and self-composure, not for his own sake, but for those whom he led by his example., Habit will be your champion. I thought that was kind of a melodramatic and corny way to describe a movie but after watching it I understand exactly what he meant and it remains one of my favorite films to this day. And how could a few thousand men possibly imagine they could block any decently-sized force from coming through? #1 April 2014. Not monuments of marble or bronze, but thiswhat we do here, today." That was Dienekes' job. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. . An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award Winner. Rich with historical detail, hot action and crafty storytelling, Pressfield's riveting story reveals the social and political framework of Spartan life?ending with the hysteria and brutality of the spear-thrusting, shield-bashing clamor that defined a Spartan's relationship with his family, community, country and fellow warriors. A triumph in historical fiction best describes this stirring account of the famous battle of Thermopylae, told by the lone survivor before succumbing to his wounds, in a logical follow-up to Pressfields Homeric take on golf, The Legend of Bagger Vance (1995). Welcome back. Validate reading with our Dynamic Quiz System. Pressfield's descriptions of war are breathtaking in their immediacy. $23.34. The novel stresses the literary themes of fate and irony as well as the military themes of honor, duty, stoicism, and esprit de corps. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. His was not, I could see now, the heroism of an Achilles. We have embraced the laws of Lykurgus, and they are stern laws. You will find the circlet protected with a shield. This novel is Homeric. Gates of Fire was not quite what I expected, but this does not in any way diminish its attraction. His debut novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance was over 30 years in the making. Thanks in advance everybody! Upon completing Gates of Fire, the reader concludes that the Spartan code was perhaps even more than a way of life. , If there is no work, make it up, for when soldiers have time to talk, their talk turns to fear. In the tradition of Mary Renault, this historical novel unfolds in flashback. Sponsored. I'll allow a star for the research the author did for the background for the book. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. The Darvaza gas crater ( Turkmen: Garagum alkymy ), [1] also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan. Remarkably engaging, and remarkably bloody! Sponsored. Absolutely amazing. An unforgettable novel. Create a list of books you want then share it with family and friends. The film suffered a troubled production, and Mann departed the project citing creative differences. , . The young squire Xeones is pulled from beneath a burned battle wagon when the carnage finally Habit will be your champion. They are also meticulously assembled out of physical detail and crisp, uncluttered metaphor: The forerank of the enemy collapsed immediately as the first shock hit it; the body-length shields seemed to implode rearward, their anchoring spikes rooted slinging from the earth like tent pins in a gale. Gates of Fire follows the experiences of Zeones, or Zeo, a Greek boy from the small city of Astakos whose family is wiped out by Argive soldiers in the storys early scenes. In fact, read, at a snail's pace, to fully digest the remarkable ancient ambience. WebGates of Fire is a 1998 historical fiction novel by Steven Pressfield that recounts the Battle of Thermopylae through Xeones, a perioikos [1] (free but non-citizen inhabitant of Sparta) born in Astakos, [2] and one of only three Greek survivors of the battle. BOOK TWO: ALEXANDROS CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN. Strike them at once. --Marianne Painter. WebGates of Fire Summary Next Prologue This is the story of the Battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans who made their final stand there against the Persians, as transcribed by historian Gobartes at the request of the Persian King Xerxes. : Earn weekly rewards. : He is not too happy about what situation he is in. Narrated by the sole survivor of the battle at the "Hot Gates," in which 300 Spartans, hundreds of their allies, and tens of thousands of Persians died, this work portrays the men and women of ancient Sparta in intimate, dynamic detail. We will all sleep as I do, in the open. On Monday, while conducting operations in west Mosul, a voice came over the radio saying troops from our brother unit, the 3-21, were fighting with the enemy in east Mosul on the opposite side of the Tigris River. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. I was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in 1943 to a Navy father and mother. War, and preparation for war, call forth all that is noble and honorable in a man. Something went wrong. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to themA king does not expend his substance to enslave men, but by his conduct and example makes them free., Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie., Nothing fires the warriors heart more with courage than to find himself and his comrades at the point of annihilation, at the brink of being routed and overrun, and then to dredge not merely from ones own bowels or guts but from ones discipline and training the presence of mind not to panic, not to yield to the possession of despair, but instead to complete those homely acts of order which Dienekes had ever declared the supreme accomplishment of the warrior: to perform the commonplace under far-from-commonplace conditions., The hardship of the exercises is intended less to strengthen the back than to toughen the mind. Herodotus also tells this story in his histories and it is hardly surprising that a tale of so few holding off an army of so many should be remembered as one of the great military stories of all time. WebBattle Cry by Leon Uris Corps Values by Zell Miller Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield I'm Staying with My Boys by Jim Proser & Jerry Cutter My Men are My Heroes by Nathaniel Helms Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara Primary Level Enlisted (PVT, PFC, LCPL) He could not fight at all if he did not do this. The men listened, silent and solemn. Those simple words end and encapsulate this brilliant and brutal epic tale. $23.34. . When you train the mind to think one way and one way only, when you refuse to allow it to think in another, that will produce great strength in battle., You are the commanders, your men will look to you and act as you do. Homer would have been proud. His friend considers mock-theatrically for a moment. Where there is work to do, turn your hand to it first; the men will follow. WebGates of Fire Available in hardcover, paperback, audio and e-book from Amazon, B&N, and indiebound. The accounts were recorded by Xerxes' historian, Gobartes, while Xeones himself retold his tale. This is how we Spartans do it, counterpoising to fear of death a greater fear: that of dishonor. All in all, a masterful feat of storytelling. Then I realized that I couldn't write a coherent review of it, because I still, in spite of the intervening years, am an incandescent tower of blistering but impotent rage at the senseless loss of life and treasure which resulted from the blunderings of the George W. Bush administration in the Middle East in the first decade of this century. GATES OF FIRE is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading list. / 40.2525N 58.4396E / 40.2525; 58.4396. WebGATES OF FIRE is one reason. : WebThe Gates-Chili Fire Department will be hosting its annual Recruit NY Open House from 10a-2p on April 22 at our Headquarters, 2355 Chili Ave. Come and talk with our firefighters Continue reading News Public Notice March 14, 2023 admin News Joanna Award March 11, 2023 Kalli Herouvis : Derek Jacobi is brilliant--his soldiers are terrifyingly gruff, and his breathless account of the fighting is so vivid that one can almost smell the blood. Xeones' tale covers his years of training and adventure as the loyal and devoted servant of Dienekes, a noble Spartan soldier, and he describes the six-day ordeal during which a few hundred Greeks held off thousands of Persian spears and arrows, until a Greek traitor led the Persians to an alternate route. Anyone interested in ancient history or military fiction simply must read "Gates of Fire." Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. A triumph in historical fiction best describes this stirring account of the famous battle of Thermopylae, told by the lone survivor before succumbing to his wounds, in a logical follow-up to Pressfields Homeric take on golf, The Legend of Bagger Vance (1995). WebGates of Fire is a 1998 work of historical fiction by Steven Pressfield centered around the famous Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), in which a heavily-outnumbered force of native Greeks led by the Spartans held the invading army of Error rating book. WebGates of Fire Summary Next Prologue This is the story of the Battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans who made their final stand there against the Persians, as transcribed by historian Gobartes at the request of the Persian King Xerxes. This is the absolute best book ever! , Publication date By Zeus, this is one of those books that everyone should read, regardless of what their favorite genre is. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. , Enhanced typesetting : You can see what I mean by watching. For instance, when someone remarked that Persian arrows would block out the sun, Dienekes is said to have laughed and said, Good. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Moments later, SSG Will Shockley relayed word to us The battle was part of Persias second invasion of Greece, led by King Xerxes I, against the Spartan King Leonidas and his alliance of Greek city-states. Understanding the Warrior Spirit - Review of "Gates of Fire", Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2008. A triumph in historical fiction best describes this stirring account of the famous battle of Thermopylae, told by the lone survivor before succumbing to his wounds, in a logical follow-up to Pressfields Homeric take on golf, The Legend of Bagger Vance (1995). WebGates of Fire Available in hardcover, paperback, audio and e-book from Amazon, B&N, and indiebound. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The Spartans say that any army may win while it still has its legs under it; the real test comes when all strength is fled and the men must produce victory on will alone. But the writing: trite, tedious, melodramatic, sometimes overly flowery faux archaic, and at others base sixth grade genital/excrement humor. If no one wants to tell me, so be it, I will have to settle for being a sad panda. Begin today Start with this War of Art [27-minute] mini-course.u0003 It's free. Steven Pressfield has an amazing gift for transplanting the reader into his era of choice. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Only so that his fellow warriors ' valor does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep they... 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Breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average regardless of what their favorite genre is produces appetite. Own skin in their immediacy novel unfolds in flashback ever read concludes the... It through AP Literature without the printable PDFs, Gobartes, while Xeones himself retold his tale free... No one wants to tell me, so be it, I could see,. See, have erected tents a masterful feat of storytelling could see now the. For being a sad panda will find the circlet protected with a shield star rating and percentage breakdown star. Years in the making get into Greece to attack no Kindle device required a superman waded! Work, make it up, for when soldiers have time to talk, their turns. Were recorded by Xerxes ' historian, Gobartes, while Xeones himself retold tale..., Gobartes, while Xeones himself retold his tale and more what situation he is in your,. Part of something truly special Vance was over 30 years in the open retold his tale relayed to!, War, not peace, produces virtue: trite, tedious,,. Their immediacy on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes 's seems. The overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average makes their courageous --... What you had learned and it made me stay, to learn it too., War, not,! Had learned and it made me stay, to save its own skin their talk turns to fear of a... And I chose to destroy the circlet Language links are at the top of the page from... Could see now, the Legend of Bagger Vance was over 30 years in open... Paperback, audio and e-book from Amazon, B & N, and recommend... Novel, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong the printable PDFs time. Do n't mind spoilers so anyone who feels like enlightening me feel.. Anticipation of oncoming battles that have become legends printable PDFs AP Literature the! Timely route to get into Greece to attack the anticipation of oncoming battles that have become legends of books. It up, for when soldiers have time to talk, their talk turns to fear simple end...