The Gates of Athens: Book One in Conn Iggulden's Epic Athenian Series

James: I’ve read a few of CI’s books and I’m impressed every single time. Gates of Athens is among the best

United Kingdom on Aug 27, 2023

Stephen: Love this author, haven't read a book that is not enthralling, and I have read a lot of the books.

United Kingdom on Aug 20, 2023

Stuart Kohon: Well researched and brings life to events iv only read about.
Good pace throughout the book. Strong characters and great storytelling.

United Kingdom on Aug 07, 2023

Erik Martenson: In 2007 I was on the Greek island of Samos, and I was reading Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield. It was an excellent book, and most of the pages were used on that one battle. Now, The Gates of Athens is different, in a good way. It doesn’t dwell too long on one battle, but spends more time on the whole picture. It explains the Hellenic society and the laws of Athens. It starts with the Battle at Marathon and tells of the years between, before the son of Darius, Xerxes, gathers an army one million strong, at least several hundred thousands of men, and hundreds of ships, to crush the Greek once and for all. In an engineering feat of the century, they build a floating bridge and marches across the Hellespont. The battle is fought on land and sea, and I think the sea battles were the most important ones.

Conn Iggulden is no stranger to me. Many years ago I read the books on Rome, and then the books about Genghis Khan. The author knows history and writes well. I will continue to read his books until there are no more.

It also helps that I’ve been to the city of Athens, and the harbor at Piraeus. From there we took the ferry...

United States on May 20, 2023

Richard A. Snow: A detail oriented, accurate historical fiction of actual events that shaped the world. Informational and entertaining at the same time.

United States on Mar 14, 2023

A Winnetka reader: Eminently readable historical novel on Ancient Greece, specifically Athens. Excellent depictions of two legendary battles: Marathon and Thermopylae. As well as at the true democracy of Athens (each Greek City/State had its own form of government).
How does a true democracy go to war? By a majority vote with all citizens voting.
Had to buy book two (The Protector) and will also buy book 3. Iggulden is a great story teller, creates very plausible as well as interesting characters.

United States on Mar 04, 2023

Mr. T. A. Fenton: I feel after reading this book that although it covered a lot of events, at times, there was simply far too much detail about the characters, conversations and situations that were not at all gripping or interesting. It was a slow start, then a climax with the battle of marathon, and then it didn't really get gripping again until 2/3rd's the way through. This is disappointing considering I loved the Caesar and Khan books, and it seems the author has changed his style... But, it seems to be very well documented and it felt like I was there, witnessing history due to the incredible research, hence why I'm providing 4 stars and not 3. Plus, I will definitely buy the next in the series

United Kingdom on Dec 10, 2022

S. Walters: The key events this books covers are the battles of Marathon and Thermopylae, but the majority of the book is given over to events in between where the politics and life of Athens seem like the author's main interest.
In presenting the war with Persia, especially the latter invasion, Conn Iggulden focuses principally on the sea battle with pretty scant regard given to the amazing stand made by King Leonidas, his Spartans and the small number of other Greeks (a few thousand), for 3 days, against the hordes (hundreds of thousands) of the Persian army. I found the lack of time given over to this to bit very disappointing and a bit of a let down, especially when much of the main story focuses on Xanthipuss' relationship with his wife and the political manoeuvrings of Thermistocles, which were given an overly long, and often quite dull airing.
Conn Iggulden writes really well and his battle scenes in the Roman Caesar and Mongol series (all of which I absolutely loved) are superb. Yet here, the battles seem a mere prologue and epilogue to the meat of Athenian life.

Having read Stephen Pressfield's Gates of Fire, this was a little disappointing in contrast. Less of the dull...

United Kingdom on Nov 22, 2022

M. Cotone: Iggulden has done his homework very well, There are only a few historical errors and no howlers (as we used to call them long ago) in his book, although I am baffled by his wish to introduce Rome into the story. At the time, it was a only small town in western Italy, probably unknown to any Greeks, even those in Italy, and had no impact on the Persian Wars whatsoever. Our author has, however, gotten a firm grasp on a piece of history which has significance for everyone living or thinking in, or making assumptions about, the western cultural tradition. The decade in Greek history between 490-479 B.C. was foundational for the political and cultural direction of western Europe and its offshoots for the next two and a half millennia. And Iggulden has told its story well. Those who pursue their personal or familial ancestry would do well to undertake the same search for the cultural tradition in which they live and about which they rarely ask similar questions. This book, and its soon-to-be-released sequel, are an easy place to start. "We are," after all, as Shelley said, "all Greeks." If the history is solid, the characters are largely historical and are drawn in ways that are...

United States on Oct 28, 2021

Amazon Customer: This book starts in 490 B. C. in Athens, Greece, after the battle of Marathon. This is the second of three attempts the Persians made to invade Greece. The author is a master at giving real characters and real events a life that is not told in straight history. The Persians, under King Xerxes, came at Greece by land and sea with a far superior navy and army. The Greeks combined their city-states to make a proud showing. Spartan King Leonidas held the Persians at the Thermopolae to the death. Xanthippus and Themistocles waged a bitter battle on water. At the book's end, Persians was burning Athens, but many of the citizens were rescued. The author wrote about the Assembly and how laws came from the people.

The book had a slow start that did not last long. On target, the author had my emotions and interest in his hand. I had trouble with pronouncing Greek names, but was my fault. I think

United States on Apr 09, 2021