The Gates of Fire

By Steven Pressfield
1998

ISBN 978-0385492515

An historic fiction concerning the Battle of Thermopylae as told by the sole survivor of the Spartan defenders. There are a few glaring historical inaccuracies but nothing that is so overwhelming that I wanted to stop reading. The action starts very close to the beginning of the story and does not let up until the last page.

We start the story, as told by a Spartan regular named Xeones while on his deathbed in the Persian camp, from his childhood days as a Spartan. His training and the friendships he forges are the prominent elements of the story up to the battle. If I said any more I fear that I would be taking away some of the magic that comes from a first reading of this compelling story.

A wonderful depiction of Leonidas and his band of brothers as they pledge their lives to the survival of their homeland.

A must read for Martial Artists and Soldiers everywhere.

"Go, way-farer, bear news to Sparta’s town
that here, their bidding done, we laid us down."
--Translation of the monument at the Gates of Fire

* Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
* Publisher: Pocket (October 1, 1997)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0671891685
* ISBN-13: 978-0671891688


This is another book I just finished – for the second time <g> It’s pretty good reading – just don’t take it as totally factual!

Basically I read the back cover of this book and since it mentions some of my long ago relatives (the Sixkillers) I just had to read it. Most people are well aware that Larry McMurtry is a good author of western type books so I won’t go into much about that. I thoroughly enjoyed this book – it’s written in typical McMurtry style (altho Diana Ossana is listed as co-author) Low key but filled with details that would seem to be typical of life back then in Oklahoma territory, it tells the story of Zeke Proctor and his friend, Ned Christie. Both men existed in real life – there is a lot of info on the web especially about Ned Christie, a kind of folk hero at the time. The two men were good friends and the book tells the story of their lives during a rather lawless time of history not long after the civil war. Loosely based on facts, this novel still gives one a good feel for the times and the place where it all happens. Neither man is portrayed as a typical hero which gives the novel the feel of an autobiographical book. Lots of gun play and action along with down home humor and talk – great book about the Cherokee people at that

Okay – this is a new one that I just read and it was very very good – so here is a review for you to post – I can probably send you a ton of them since I read like 2-3 books a week but I’ll start with this one (and relax I don’t intend on sending that many reviews in every week!)

**Cover of book will be uploaded shortly**

From Publishers Weekly
The originality of Rothfuss’s outstanding debut fantasy, the first of a trilogy, lies less in its unnamed imaginary world than in its precise execution. Kvothe ("pronounced nearly the same as ’Quothe’ "), the hero and villain of a thousand tales who’s presumed dead, lives as the simple proprietor of the Waystone Inn under an assumed name. Prompted by a biographer called Chronicler who realizes his true identity, Kvothe starts to tell his life story. From his upbringing as an actor in his family’s traveling troupe of magicians, jugglers and jesters, the Edema Ruh, to feral child on the streets of the vast port city of Tarbean, then his education at "the University," Kvothe is driven by twin imperatives—his desire to learn the higher magic of naming and his need to discover as much as possible about the Chandrian, the demons of legend who murdered his family. As absorbing on a second reading as it is on the first, this is the type of assured, rich first novel most writers can only dream of producing. The fantasy world has a new star. (actually taken from Amazon site)


This book was a real find – caught me up in it’s world within a few paragraphs and kept my interest til the end. It’s the first in a trilogy with the second due to come out in 2009, so I must wait a long time to see the next one but no matter, I’m willing to wait for something that I felt was good. The book jacket compares Patrick Rothfuss’s book to the Arabian Nights, the Harry Potter series and the Lord of the Rings. My own opinion is it belongs up there with the Lord of the Rings type of books (but I’m not willing to say it belongs next to it yet) and can compare it more to Terry Goodkind’s series. Easy to read – nice and long so it doesn’t end quickly and altho there are more to come, doesn’t leave you feeling like you are still missing something. Believable world, great characters that are well fleshed out and a continuous story line that holds your interest.

If you are a fantasy buff, and like trilogies, this one is a good bet. Kvothe – the main character is not a perfect person but his characterization is well done and the other members of the story line are believable and entertaining. The author does use some humor in appropriate situations but basically this is a great fantasy novel. Give it a try, I’m sure you’ll like it.