Another great from one of the best historical fiction writers out there. Gripping and immersive this book manages to really transport you back in time to live amongst another civilisation. The depth of knowledge of that era that the author provides is incredible and really builds the world.

I bought and read The Gates of Athens in paperback form in order to get the background to the "The Protector". I find it impossible to read historical fiction in any other way. The first novel was excellent as was the second in the series. I really rate Conn Iggulden as an author: all the books which I have read written by him are top notch. Great research, believable characters take you back to the times of Ancient Greece. I would thoroughly recommend the series to all lovers of historic fiction..

Protector, the second book in Conn Iggulden’s Athenian series, picks up straight from the ending of book 1. I wrote last year how I found Gates of Athens a difficult book to review, and the same goes with this one. To such an extent that I thought id leave my review for a few weeks to allow for a clearer picture to emerge. Sadly in that time I’ve found my thoughts more confused over the story.

I feel like the characterisation in this series is nowhere near as strong as Conn’s previous series. I’m struggling to care about the characters, and their interactions with each other. That being said, the action sequences throughout are up there with the best Conn has written, which does enough to propel the story onwards, and even make it gripping enough to leave me wanting more.

Will be interesting to see how the third book pans out. It wont be at the top of my TBR pile any longer, but its still a series I’m interested in continuing.

Conn Iggluden’s latest masterpiece, Protector, is the second book in his Athenian series. It picks up the battle where The Gates Of Athens leaves off. We join Thermistocles and Xanthippus on their ships battling against the Persian warships to save their home and people, as the armies of Xerxes - the young Persian King - burn Athens to the ground. The story that follows is a political commentary on the time, enveloping Sparta and the allied Greek states battling against the Persians both on land and at see.

Survival at stake, can the hugely outnumbered Greeks win against the tyrannical Persians?

The King of Persia, Xerxes, is determined to subjugate all the Greek peoples especially the Athenians and the Spartans.. His huge army falls upon Athens and the people flee to a nearby island whilst the navy defend them. Thermistocles is not a noble but he is an able commander and wily with it so he fools the Persians and the battle of Salamis is fought. The Persians retreat and the free Greek people take battle to them, however Thermistocles may be a brilliant leader of his troops but he makes enemies closer to home and after the battle of Platea there may not be a future for him.
This is a typical Iggulden 'ancient world' novel in that there are long and detailed descriptions of battles, all well-researched and all full of small pieces of knowledge as well as visceral description. In addition here there is a nice political twist with machinations off the battlefield as important as those on it. That's what raises Iggulden's books above the usual 'sword and sandals' fare in this genre.

Protector by Conn Iggulden is the second book in the Athenian series.  You can read my review of The Gates of Athens  here .

Protector is set after the Persians have taken Athens, and it's burning.  Themistocles is ready to go to war with the Persians again to reclaim Athens.

This is an action packed book, with lots of fighting, and descriptions of men fighting with swords, but there are also fights of words. 

I found this book to be very battle heavy, and have realised that this isn't something that I always want in my books, but I enjoyed the classical Greek history that inspired this book. 

 Protector  was published on 13th May 2021, and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and  Bookshop.org .

You can follow Conn Iggulden on the official  fan facebook page, run by his publishers .

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  Penguin Michael Joseph .

The Second in the Athenian Series. This book picks up where the first left off. Athens is overtaken by the Persians and a series of wars result.
The author maintains the sense of action and adventure, continuing drama, hope and despair effortlessly as a seasoned juggler. His creation of characters is extremely well done. Themistocles and Xanthippus are so well drawn that the reader almost feels them as part of their own family. While much of the narrative is the savagery of battle there is still a fabulous depiction of home and family for these characters and a creation of the politics of the City and indeed the area.
There is not spare word or phrase, or a page where the reader is not fully bound up in the acttion.
I think this series far surpasses others of the same author in really bringing the people and the times to glory

This book gets off to a action packed start straight away and does not let up with the tense descriptive battle scenes.
The characterisation was brilliant and well described. .
Conn Iggulden has away of bringing history to life and this latest novel did not disappoint.

For me this book was just a bit off pace compared to The Gates of Athens. I'm not sure what it was. The characters were just as well written, the history interesting, the battles exciting. But I wasn't as gripped by this one. Conn Iggulden is definitely one of the best historical fiction writers out there, particularly when it comes to ancient history. The authors notes at the end hint that a third book is coming and I will definitely be looking forward to reading it

Once again, Conn Iggulden has surpassed himself with this second book on the history of Athens. The characters from the first book in the series are developed in a meaningful manner as they mature in this follow-up story. New characters are seamlessly introduced as the story moves towards Alexander The Great which will be greatly anticipated.
The ability of the author to keep me engrossed has not receded despite the number of his books I have read.
A great read!

I feel I have had to wait a long time for this second book in the Athenian series but, of course, it was well worth it.

I love Conn Iggulden books as he researches well and certainly brings history to life.

This book is set 10years after the Battle of Marathon and Themistocles continues to fight his many enemies within the Greco- Persian wars.

Loved it all with plenty of action and corruption!

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Michael Joseph Books UK for the chance to read and review.

I really like Conn Iggulden's novels and this one didn't disappoint. I haven't read the first book in this new series but it didn't matter. The action starts straight away and the book maintains a good pace throughout. The characters are well developed and I thoroughly enjoyed following their stories, in particular Themistocles. The more I read the more I really wanted to know more about them and this period of Greek/Persian history, the mark of a good historical novel. Really enjoyable.

Conn Iggulden bring historical characters to life and makes them human. The characters in this book are those I studied long ago. They were warrior but also political animals and the book does a good job in describing them in these two aspects
This is one of those book that makes you relearn what you studied long ago in an entertaining way.
Once you start reading you cannot stop and i loved the impending sense of doom as everything could have gone wrong.
This is a gripping and highly entertaining book. You know what's going to happen but you cannot help sharing the fears and the emotions of the characters.
I liked the descriptions of the battles and the well researched and vivid historical background.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What an epic series this is! The story continues with three massive forces in history, the Greeks, the Persians’ and the Spartans. This chapter in history will determine the way that nations will be moulded. The balance of power is literally on a fine line. The Greeks were facing defeat from the Persians, as Athens is burnt to the ground, while they hide out on one of the islands and helplessly watch. Cimon, Xanthippus and Themistocles, takes on the impossible task to turn the tables, not on land but by sea.

The battle scenes are a work of art that comes alive in every detail. The vastness of the armies and the choreography of the battle plans that play out. The gruesome aftermath of the dead and dying, the smells of blood and body fluids. It is all brought to technicolour life. The impossible had happened in the battle, that should not be lost. Themistocles is like no one else, the square peg in a round hole. His battle skills are second to none, but he is not noble like the others.

I like the fact and fiction blend in these books. The way the author plucks out parts of history to give it a little theatrical flair because he is so darn good at it. From opening these books, I felt part of the different communities. I don’t know where the last book will take me, but this will take some topping. Superb, shocking and utterly gripping.

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Victory at Sea, Triumph by Land

This is the second of Conn Iggulden’s novels which focuses on the Greco-Persian Wars. The story begins with the Persian King touring the captured city of Athens before it is set ablaze by his troops – an effective opening scene. The reader is then thrust into the midst of the Battle of Salamis – an abrupt and unsettling experience, for one who had not read the first book.

For a novelist who is well known for writing fiction specialising in warfare throughout history, the account of Salamis is strangely unsatisfactory. I wonder why he avoids the drama and tension among the commanders of the Greek forces before the battle, why he chooses to have Themistocles send his misleading letters to Xerxes during the heat of conflict, thus destroying the high points of the narrative of Herodotus, the ancient historian of Salamis.

No, the most convincing and interesting part of this novel for me was not the battle scenes, although the battle of Plataea is well done, but the interplay between the three Athenian patriots and erstwhile political rivals, Themistocles, Aristides the Just, and Xanthippus. The account of the drawn-out attempt of the Athenians to lure the Spartan army out from behind its defences and confront the Persians head-on is fascinating; when the personality of the Spartan regent, Pausanias and his soothsayer, Tisamenus, are added, as well as the complex politics of the Persian high command, this whole central section of the novel reads very well. In addition, the portrayal of the workings of the often fickle Athenian democracy is well presented, leading to the unfair but understandable ostracism of Athens’ saviour, the cunning and pragmatic Themistocles.

There are decisions the author made to depart from the known accounts of the year of Greek victories: the letters of Themistocles mentioned above; the manner of the death of the Persian commander Masistius; the timing of the ostracism of Themistocles; the events of his flight to Persia. I did wonder at times why he made these choices. Was it simply to avoid a slavish adherence to the narratives of Herodotus and Thucydides? Be that as it may, to my mind the long section from the end of Salamis to the bloody brutality of the battle of Plataea brilliantly made up for any shortcomings elsewhere.

Protector is the second instalment in the epic historical fiction series known as Athenian and is every bit the bloody battleground and violent hubbub as further wars rage on. It takes you on a vivid adventure where Themistocles will risk everything--his honour, his friendships, even his life--to protect his country. The Battle of Salamis: Persian King Xerxes stands over the smoking ruins of Athens, an army of slaves at his back. Come to destroy, once and for all, everything that the city stands for, he stares pitilessly at the hopelessly outnumbered Greeks. Veteran soldier Themistocles cannot push the Persians back by force on land, and so he does so by stealth, at sea. Over three long days, the greatest naval battle of the ancient world will unfold, a bloody war between the democracy of Athens and the tyranny of Persia. The Battle of Plataea: Less than a year later, the Persians return to reconquer the Greeks. Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides ready themselves for war. For the Spartans, Plataea is a chance to avenge their defeat at Thermopylae. For the people of Athens, threatened on all sides, nothing less than the survival of democracy is at stake.

And once again Themistocles, the hero of Salamis, will risk it all to protect the country he knows as home. This is a compulsive, enthralling and exciting read from the moment you turn the first page, and I don't believe anyone does historical fact meets fiction quite like Mr Conn Iggulden does. Iggulden is a phenomenal writer. His historical fiction is outstanding. It doesn’t matter what period of history he writes about, he brings it to life and makes the events and people of the past real, exciting and vital. The novel is framed by well-known and familiar battles, but they are given fresh treatment here because he takes his sweet time to make us really care about these people while also making us fascinated by their society and culture. The research not only for the gruesome battle sequences but also the everyday lives of average citizens is depicted magnificently and with great care, detail and articulation; nothing is neglected. A vivid, absorbing and profoundly immersive story and one that entertains for its entirety. So well-executed that I believe Iggulden could trick a history-phobic person into reading and loving it. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Following the Battle of Thermopylae at the end of book one (The Gates of Athens) the Athenians are forced to evacuate their city to the massive Persian army of Xerxes.

The city's leaders mustgather their troops to strike back at the invaders and this book traces the rise and fall in fortunes of each of those leaders.

Another masterpiece by Conn Iggulden who is a worthy successor to Bernard Cornwell as the master of historical fiction.

Protector picks up from where the Gates of Athens left off. The Athenians have abandoned Athens and fled to Salamis. From there they watch their beloved city sacked, pillaged and burned. How can the Greeks take back what is rightfully theirs, and overcome the inevitable defeat? By making mere men into immortal legends.

Gates of Athens introduced me to a fuller picture of Greek history. For the most part the only details I could remember of Persia's invasion of Greece is the battle of Thermopylae. But the history surrounding Greece's victory over their foes is much richer. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel to see what transpired next. Iggulden provides that in his retelling of the events by bringing the history to life. He captures the torment of a civilisation on its brink of collapse and details the despair that brought to the thousands who watch their city being destroyed, not once, but twice in quick succession. But at their lowest, heroes are born in Themisticles, Xanthippus, Cimon and Aristides. Without the guile and cunning of Themisticles, there is no way their fleet could have so routed the Persian’s. Or the genius of Xanthippus and his flag system of communication. The battle at Salamis features as the opening act of the book, but the realities of the battle are not described in gratuitous, bloody detail. The sense of dread of being chained to a rowing bench as the ship sinks is played out for your imagination to fill in the blanks.

We then come to the middle of the retelling, and this for me is where the book begins to stall. We deal with the intricacies of politics between the Athenians and Spartans. How the Athenians had to manipulate the Spartans into taking to the field of battle, needs telling, but it slows down the pace of action. The one good point in amongst this, is the introduction of Pausanias, the acting regent of Sparta and nephew of Leonidas. How do you fill the gaping hole left by a warrior king and growing legend? This is the challenge facing Pausanias, and the effect that has on his committing the full complement of spartiates to the ensuing battle.

You get the feeling this all leading to the big battle we've been waiting for, the battle of Plataea. Which is over all too quickly, the story flits between the battle being fought here and the one at Mycale, led by Xanthippus. I was hoping for more details of individual battles, the pushing and shoving of two armies coming together, the clash of sword on sword, but it’s over as quickly as it begins.

There are morals also to be learned from this historical account. How fickle fame and fortune can be. Themisticles, once so beloved, finds himself at the mercy of spite and anger of a people looking to blame someone for their losses of family, wealth and homes. His ending being forced into exile, is both at once fitting for a man who caused the same fate on others, but also demeaning to his accomplishments in his part of the defence of Greece. Man can come together, despite their differences, to be united in one common goal. Also, how grief can break us, make us do terrible things and push away the ones we love most dearly
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That all being said, I am waiting eagerly to see what is in store for the men and women of Athens and all of Greece in the next instalment. There are writers who stand apart in historical fiction for different time periods, be it the Roman Empire or the Viking invasion of Britain, but Conn Iggulden stands out for me, in the telling of Greece's rise to power.

VERDICT: 4****/5 A brilliant rip roaring read, that continues the story of Greece and its bitter battle with Persia. Full of cunning, courage and loss, Protector tells the untold story of Greece's path to a world power

I absolutely adore Conn Iggulden books he brings history to life and Protector is no exception.
Make the battle commence between Themistocles and his enemies of which there are plenty.
Bloody war and ancient Athens with corruption a plenty Iggulden brings the past back to life.

I didn´t read the first in the Athenian series, but they can be read as stand-alones, if you know a little about the Greco-Persian Wars. This one deals with the battles of Salamis and Palataea. Our characters are Aristides and Mardonius, Themistocles and Xanthippus, Cimon and Xerxes.

It´s definitely well researched and well written, but the description of the batlles can drag, especially if you´re not a fan. There are moments of emotion and political parts though, and you see the cruelty of war and its aftermaths.

I also liked the historical explanations Iggulden gives in the end note.

Thanks for the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.