“Pressfield’s battlefield scenes rank with the most convincing ever written.”—USA Today
“Pressfield serves up not just hair-raising battle scenes . . . but many moments of valor and cowardice, lust and bawdy humor. . . . Even more impressively, he delivers a nuanced portrait of ancient Athens.”—Esquire
“Unabashedly brilliant, epic, intelligent, and moving.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Pressfield’s attention to historic detail is exquisite. . . . This novel will remain with the reader long after the final chapter is finished.”—Library Journal
“[An] astounding, historically accurate tale . . . Pressfield is a master storyteller, especially adept in his graphic and embracing descriptions of the land and naval battles, political intrigues and colorful personalities, which come together in an intense and credible portrait of war-torn Greece.”—Publishers Weekly
“On every page are color, splendor, sorrow, the unforgiving details of battle, daily life, and of the fighter’s lot. . . . Pressfield produces an even greater spectacle—and, in its honest, incremental way, an even greater heart-tugger, than in his acclaimed tale of the battle of Thermopylae, Gates of Fire.”—Kirkus Reviews
“[Pressfield] continues to excel in depth of research, humanization of antiquity, and power of description.”—Los Angeles Times
“While Pressfield excels at portraying battles and naval contests, the whole pivotal era leaps to life under his skilled and exciting pen.”—Booknews
“It’s a painful tale to read, but the very pain is testimony to Pressfield’s ability to make us feel and believe in his re-creation of the Greek world. Like all great historical fiction, he does not alter the facts, but merely illuminates them with enlightened speculation. Pressfield ends his story with a reminder that his story is fiction, not history. It’s a necessary reminder. After living in his world for 400 pages, it’s difficult to believe it’s not the real thing.”—The Herald-Sun
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