Conn Iggulden’s first book in his new series holds the promise of greatness. The story follows Xanthippus of Athens as he navigates the politics of his beloved city and fights off the Persian invaders. This historical fiction is beautifully written and a fascinating commentary on how modern democracy came into being. Though the story is a little slow to start, it builds into a powerful narrative which becomes difficult to put down. As ever with Iggulden, you are left wanting more.

I cannot claim to be a history buff but I enjoy historical stories. I am fascinated by how advanced some of the cultures were in comparison to others. There architectural skills, their politics and the battles that they commanded. This is a book that gets you involved with the characters and no matter how powerful they are they can be brought down so much quicker than they can climb society ladder and politics.
This book tells how history changed course as two giants in Europe come head to head both on land and at sea. Set mainly in Athens, the two main characters in the story were on the same side but had a huge dislike for each other. When an order is disobeyed in battle, which becomes the reason for victory, one of them can’t say he disobeyed his commander without facing dire consequences and the other because he would lose face. The rift between them deepens and both their futures are set.
This author knows how to bring to life the past, as I got a real feel not just for the battles but for the lifestyle, family life and choices that desperate women had to take. It is strange that some problems way back then can still raise their heads today. Somethings just don’t change.
I only have one problem with this story and that was it ended all too quickly. I had been absorbed in the past, transfixed on planning and execution of battle plans and loved to get a taste of the very famous Spartans. Totally wowed!
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

The Gates of Athens is the first in a series of books dealing with the Greco-Persian wars of the fifth century BC. This volume begins with the battle of Marathon and ends with the battle of Thermopylae. It's a slow burner, well-researched and taking the time to establish the political backdrop.

My main reservation is that the focus of the first half of the book in almost exclusively on the character of the Greek general, Xanthippus, but he's not a particularly sympathetic individual and at times Iggulden's portrayal of him feels a bit wooden.

However, once the invasion of Greece by the Persian ruler, Xerxes, begins in earnest, the book develops a much greater intensity. By the end I was entirely engrossed and eagerly anticipating the sequel.

Once again Conn Iggulden pulls it off! The Gates of Athens is a superb book covering the wars between Persia and the Greeks in the 5th century BC. Apart from the battles of Marathon and Thermopylae, my knowledge of Greek military and political history is embarrassingly poor. Iggulden has inadvertently convinced me to do some detailed research.
The story covers the lives of a number of prominent Athenians during that period, Xanthippus Themistocles, Aristides and Miltiades. Each character is well portrayed and Iggulden intriguingly highlights their character flaws as well as their respective strengths. The protagonists forgive past injustices caused to them in order to unite and fight the common enemy – Persia.
I love the way the author details the various senses experienced by the characters, the smell of wild fennel, the feel of the texture of the shaft of a well-used battle spear, the sight of the Persian host, the tasteless Spartan food, the noise of splintering oars. As always, the battle scenes are incredibly well described and drag the reader right into the heart of the individual violent actions. The cruelty of the Persian rulers is quite shocking, even to an avid military historian!
Most of the women in the novel are shown to have quite wretched roles in the Greek hierarchy, they are only in existence to support their men and give birth to babies. However, Iggulden indirectly shows them to have hidden strengths of character, much needed to cope with their often hapless lives.
My only complaint with this book is that it ended before I wanted it to! As always Conn Iggulden’s books leave the reader wanting more.

I, like many, am an avid fan of this author, an Igguldenite in fact, so this book was a must read and I was not disappointed. For me it laid out events around 490 BC, the Persian /Greek protagonists and subsequent war like the Bayeux Tapestry! Whilst I am predominantly a fiction reader I none the less found myself absorbing the history and characters described and was actually driven to finding out more. Roll on the next book in the series and my thanks to all for this ARC.

Conn Iggulden is the supreme battle writer and here he is at his very best! Persians versus Greeks with three very different characters battling to save their beloved Athens from invasion - Themistocles, Xanthippus and Agarithe. I was there with them feeling every emotion, their every heartbeat, their fear, their tension, the toil and the sweat in the total chaos of battle. His words are alive with the sounds of man against man, the sweetness of victory and the despair of defeat. It’s all here in this amazing book which presents a battle in itself for the reader - you don’t want the story to end but the need to know what happens next spurs you on and on. I cannot wait for the next!
P.S. The image of Xanthipuss’ dog disappearing into the distance stayed with me for a very long time. Please could the author arrange for a miraculous reunion somehow, somewhere in the sequel! Thank you!

Conn Iggulden has a knack for making history larger than life and telling a cracking story at the same time. "The Gates of Athens" is no exception. The plot is strong and solid, the writing is superb, the characters are well-rounded and realistic - everything you'd expect from Mr. Iggulden.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.


*** As requested, my review will be posted on the following sites around July 29:

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Once in a while it is fascinating to step back in time and spend a few enjoyable hours immersed in a completely different world. And that is exactly what Iggulden allows the reader to do in the "Gates of Athens". Spanning 27 years, from 531 to 504 BC, we join Xanthippus [ for Athens] and Xerxes [ for Persia} as they battle to decide whether Athens shall survive or fall. Whether you are a historian or not you shall find plenty to enjoy here as the naval and army tactics are vividly described and you are drawn into the many battles that ensue. Heroism, strength, democracy versus authoritarianism all play out in this telling of the battle for Athens and Iggulden's writing style brings pace and excitement to the story. There are many enthusiasts for Greek history and I suspect, after reading this, a few more shall join the fold. The Gates of Athens succeeds in being both enjoyable and educational. Recommended

I wish I could say I enjoyed this, because it's just the sort of thing I love. But I'm afraid I couldn't get into this, perhaps because the details slowed the story down for me rather than enhancing it. I'm sure it will be a huge hit though.

Amazing. I already really liked Conn Iggulden's writing so getting this one was an easy decision. I like that his research is deep and that he is a consummate storyteller. I am fascinated by this period of history and spent a lot of time online at the same time looking up items of interest, like Miltiades' helmet. Fascinating and fun - I look forward to the next two in the trilogy.

Authors who can bring history to life are few and far between. Conn Iggulden is one of those few.

Starting with the battle of Marathon the Athenians and the Persians build their forces and responses to the Persian invasion which is surely on it's way.

A fantastic read from start to finish that brings ancient history to life.

Well, what a brilliantly addictive read this book was. I have read a few books by this author now and he is an author who I can rely on to give a riveting read that is also very well researched. This is an author who definitely knows his history and is also how to weave that historical fact into a story that is an incredible read.

I do like historical fiction and non-fiction books, although my knowledge is only small. What I did find with The Gates of Athens is that it felt right. This is a story that sees the historical battle between the Persians and the Greeks, it is the one that leads up to and includes the stand of the Spartan King at the pass in an attempt to stop the progress of Xerses into Athens.

The story focuses on key figures of the time in Athens, a city of democracy and that no one man can be above all others. It is a city of culture, wealth and politics. Now, wherever politics are involved there is also a certain amount of political wrangling. Of being seen to support certain figures or making a stand against them. I have to say that I really enjoyed this part of the story as I saw how subtle nudges and comments can lead to something much bigger.

There is also a good amount of other details of how people lived, the wealthy households are run from different cultures of the ancient world. Many of the details are brief but they help to show the differences between the various cultures.

If you like historical fiction that is set in Ancient Greece, that is full of battles, intrigue, politics and is simply a fabul9ous read then this is a book I would definitely recommend.

My knowledge of Ancient/ Classical Greek history, can be written on the front of a Post- it note, but, I found this highly fascinating book, to be an enthralling introduction to this genre. It gave a marvellous account of the political machinations that existed in Greece, the supposedly founders of democracy, and as such, some elements were genuinely informative! I love the idea of a eponymous year, the year of Daphne is long overdue! My name is Greek, and we do have a few Laurel bushes in the garden, but an eponymous year, heck yes!!
I had great fun with the pronunciation guide at the front of this book, and I found that some names, I did recognise from doing homework with my youngest son, two decades ago.
We started with the battle of Marathon. I knew that there was a runner who took news of a great victory to Athens, and then promptly died from exhaustion, but when I had the background to this epic battle and heroic run, then I was in awe of the sacrifices made by those in service to great men. There were some very likeable characters in this book. Xanthippus and Thermistocles, brave fighters and loyal Athenians, both ambitious, but given to great pride, which caused a great fallout between them. The Senate, who made legal decisions, exiled people for a period of ten years!! A mere 7,000 votes, and you were away for a decade! These days, people can’t manage a few weeks of social isolation , due to the Coronavirus! Amazing, but a very effective way of controlling dissenters, by using a public vote.
There was a lot of domestic information, ranging from keeping servants busy and household duties, care of children, and apparently, taking care of unwanted pregnancies, herbalists have always been feared and respected, but this book seemed to imply that most women, apart from those at the Oracle at Delphi, were very subservient.
It was an exciting read, plenty of details of battles, training soldiers, and the phrase, ‘Remember the Spartans’ was finally explained to me. Loyalty and treachery were strange bedfellows. The projects that were undertaken were immense, a Bailey style bridge over the Hellespont was brave in the extreme, but when you had so many slaves and captive workers, then no problem!!
I am already looking forward to the next book in this series, in order to further improve my knowledge of Ancient Greece. Now, where / when, does a wooden horse appear? I rate this as a five star read, and will post to Netgalley later. Thank you for my advance copy. My review may seem flippant, but it was a joyous and informative read.

The Lion Shield by Conn Iggulden is an enjoyable and entertaining read, focusing perhaps more on the politics of Athens than the bloody fighting that must take place, for those who are 'in the know.'

The opening few chapters are quite stunning, as the battle of Marathon takes place, and the reader is introduced to Xanthippus, and then slowly, more of the main players come into focus. The threads of betrayal quickly make an appearance and will continue throughout the book, accounting for the actions and thoughts of the main characters.

The author does quite a slow reveal, lingering over some details, and ensuring even the most ignorant (me) understand how the governance of Athens worked. Xanthippus is a rigorous and unyielding man, Themistocles a 'man of the people.' Aristides is a calmer character, more assured of who he is and what he stands for, whereas Miltiades' son is the young counter to the 'older men,' a character to perhaps represent all the hot-heads within Athens.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I had. a little chuckle at the name of Darius (the title of Iggulden's fantasy book) and might well have given this a 5/5 only for it to be lost in the last paragraph. I did not need that lingering image of Xan's loss to tide me over to the next book. Too cruel!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Conn Igguilden has written an exciting account of the battles of Marathon and Thermopylae. I was there! With Xanthippus and his hoplites, I fought against the Persian Immortals on the beach at Marathon. I stood with Leonidas, holding the pass at Thermopylae against the Persian forces before succumbing. I fought with Xanthippus again, this time on a trireme against a huge Persian fleet. Igguilden’s research into these events and life in Athens at the time is meticulous. I’d urge anyone with teenagers struggling to learn ancient Greek history to give them this to read as it brings it alive in a way that a textbook never will. The historical note at the end explains the liberties with the facts but they’re few.

This isn’t great literature but it is a very good read. I’m not sure that my review copy is the finished article as there were a few editing issues but they were minor and didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. A strong 4 stars from me. The best part is that this is the first in a trilogy and I’m really looking forward to the sequel.

Another brilliant historical novel from the master of the craft. This time covering the wars between Athens and Persia from the triumph of Marathon to Thermopylae and the burning of Athens at the end. A strong cast of classical names pepper the story with heroism and treachery never far apart! Highly recommended and one can only look forward to the next episode.

This author never fails to deliver! The research is outstanding, the characters well developed and the stories superb. This book is no exception. It brings to life the glory that was ancient Greek civilisation, assimilated and absorbed in its best parts by a relentless, all powerful enemy. A book I’ll read again.

This makes an excellent foundation for what I sincerely hope will be a long running series.

Thermistocles, Miltiades, and Xanthippus are hero Strategos of the Athenian army who defeated the King of Persia's army at the great battle of Marathon 490bc - the first Persian invasion of Greece.
Xanthippus believes Miltiades is a traitor, but Miltiades is loved by the people of Athens so he keeps his accusations to himself.
The Gates of Athens is the new Historical fiction from Conn Iggulden. The book starts with the great battle with lots of descriptive strategies, which went over my head a few times. There is a list of military terms and a pronutatiotion guide at the front of the book which I found helpful.
Once I got my head around the ancient Greek names, I really enjoyed the story. Looking forward to the next. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

I had heard from an early time of my life of the tales of Ancient Greece and the battles that occurred between them and Persians. Names like Xerces and Leonidas stuck in my mind as did the film 300. This book brought all this back but with one important improvement – the personalization behind the names bringing the whole story to life. The details of the activities of the governance of the Athenian rulers I found fascinating as it brings a better understanding of the decision-making processes of 2500 years ago, some of which are not too dissimilar to what happens in democracies today.
Bringing the family of Xanthippus into sharp relief emphasizes the kind of domestic pressures that can affect powerful individuals throughout history and shows it is not a modern phenonium. In particular, I found that his rather sporadic contact with his family both during his time fighting the Persians and his time in exile was well presented and allowed the reader to become more absorbed in the story.
The detailed descriptions of the land and sea battles despite being gruesome at times, just emphasizes the brutality of the warfare of the day where most of the time the protagonists are battling one on one.
I feel that this book is written in such a way as to bring this short, but important, period of history into stark relief and brings all aspects of life in ancient Greece to our modern world.

Another great read from Conn Iggulden. Once again he seamlessly merges history, fact and exciting fiction to bring alive the lives and times of ancient Persia and Greece.
You can almost taste the blood and horror of battle as the Greeks defend their city from their age old enemy.
I look forward with bated breath to the next book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.