Cute and catchy. Good characters, good story.

Interesting, engaging and informative book. Packed full of facts but in a very accessible way that both adults and children will enjoy.

It definitely was an Adventure in Time and reading this I felt like I was experiencing the life of Alexander the Great in detail. So much information and insight given into his life, character and accomplishments. Children who are interested in historical characters to really get into the background rather than just key facts will love the level of detail in this.

Up-t0-date and recent research is brought together here for a great retelling of the adventures of Alexander the Great, with thrilling tales and descriptions written specially for the younger reader.

WOW!! This wasn't what I was expecting at all -like Alexander it's great!
I learnt so much whilst reading it of history, myths and fate.
It tells the story of Alexander, and life in those times.

Written in a way that helps bring the story to life
With explanations when something might give you strife
It is superb way to learn about this man.

History can be dull and boring - but now that's not true
When it is shared like this it is enthralling, too.
This is a book for anyone, a pleasure to read.

It has so much detail of life and events in those years
Of things that Alexander enjoyed and did - and what he fears.
The people who were involved and what they sought.

With details of gods and goddesses, life, food and more
This book is great for anyone who Ancient Greece wants to explore.
It is written in a way that has you turning the pages, not wanting to put it down.

What a great way to learn without it being a chore
This is the kind of book as a child I would adore
In fact, it still is one of the best historic reads I've read.

I chose to read my complementary copy of this fascinating book
And honestly highly recommend you open it and a give it a good look
I think you'll find it enthralling, what a superb read!
Something for all ages, that anyone could need.

I didn’t know much about Alexander the Great before reading this book and now I feel like I have a much better understanding of his life. It started with a great intro and this book was quite in depth - but still written in a way that had great explanations and that children could understand. It had quite short chapters which was perfect for children. I didn’t realise quite how young he was and how good at strategy he was too. It also gave a good outline of others from that time like the people he battled with and that set the story well. If there was more books like this about different historical figures I would definitely pick them up.

Entertaining and informative! Written in a very accessible style with lots of interesting footnotes. It really does read like an adventure tale, bringing history to life in a way young readers will enjoy. I would have liked a few maps included to illustrate and clarify differences between geographical areas then and now.

Good for people who like: adventure, battles, ancient heroes.

This is a great and exciting read for anyone interested in the ancient world. I would have loved to read this as a child, but reading it as an adult is the next best thing!

A gripping and easy to devour book. Alexander the Great’s tale sounds like Greek mythology - it’s difficult to believe that all events are true and based on historical records. This book reads like a story, not a history lesson, but you learn so much. You get a real insight into Alexander the Great’s life and what it might have been like to battle his way across northeast Africa and southwest Asia to build one of the biggest empires of the ancient world.

One of the most famous names from history is brought to life, and his tale and achievements are told from his early years right up until his death. The book may be a bit challenging for younger readers due to the complexity of events and in-depth history, but I think everyone will learn something from this read.

The battles are many, and there is a bit of violence involved, but nothing too gory. This is a book about a hero to rival Hercules (originally known as Heracles) after all.

As the author says in his notes, no matter what we think of Alexander the Great - whether we see him as blood-thirsty and hungry for power, or a liberator of captured lands - he achieved a huge amount in his short life. Highly recommend for children learning about ancient civilisations at school, or anyone who wants to know more about the life of Alexander the Great.

This book was reviewed by Cathy.

With thanks to Penguin Press UK and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Shelves: Children’s Nonfiction; History; Mythology; November 2021

I found this to be both an absorbing and well written narrative non-fiction book charting the life of Alexander the Great. From birth to death, this describes Alexanders world, culture, conquests and legacy in a style that reads like a novel, full of adventure and interesting characters. You get some good descriptions of the lands he conquered and the attitudes of the people he encountered as well as those of his Macedonian army. I had a very general understanding of Alexander prior to reading this and I'm pleased to say that I did learn quite a bit more through reading this, particularly about his legacy. I really enjoyed this and I'm sure children will too.

I've always wanted to know more about Alexander the Great, his life and his many adventures. His story is fascinating and I was surprised to learn so much that I didn't know. His legacy really did continue for a very long time even after his death.
The book seemed a little bit childish at the start but got a lot better and was very interesting.

This was a brilliant book. I read it with my 9 year old and she loved it until just over half way before she didn't want to finish it. This was through no fault of the book she was obviously because she was slightly to young for this level and length of book. I would say it was more and 11 year old plus book. But as an adult I loved the book I read it until the end and I would really recommend it for adults aswell as its a brilliant history book. I would of loved to see the pronunciation of names of people and places in brackets. We had loads of fun trying to pronounce them through and asking Google aswell. it was a very good engaging book that we learnt so much from. My daughter loved going to school after reading sections telling all her friends about what she had learnt. I really do recommend this book as its really exciting and gripping,  page turner.  I can't wait to read more from this author.
So much praise goes to the author and publishers for producing such an amazing fact filled story that both children and adults can learn and enjoy.

I really enjoyed this book, which was a very accessible retelling of the story of Alexander the Great. Well researched and very readable, I shall be recommending it to my 12 year old son.

This is the type of book i would have wanted to read when I was a child.
First thing first: it's a gripping, well researched and fascinating story about the life of Alexander the Great.
It's well researched, excellent storytelling and engrossing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This superb work of non-fiction aimed at an MG or early teen audience is written with so much verve and flair that I found myself racing through it as if it were a fictional adventure story. From the opening scene of the 20 year-old, newly appointed King Alexander, hurling his spear into Persian territory as a symbolic act of intent, I was utterly hooked. The author, Dominic Sandbrook, presents his learning and research with a lightness of touch that is sure to engage his target audience and will likely be enjoyed by many adults too.

Alexander the Great is one of those historical names that many of us are familiar with but, unless we have studied classics, have a sketchy knowledge of his life and achievements. As someone who dropped history before O level in order to study sciences, I learnt so much from this book. Firstly, the realisation that “Ancient Greece” was not just one country but a collection of rival cities and kingdoms fighting for supremacy over centuries. The book makes clear that the mythical twelve Olympians of Mount Olympus were woven into the everyday fabric of life for everyone within the Greek world. Although Alexander was the product of the marriage between King Philip of Macedonia and one of his wives, Olympias, he believed his mother’s story that he was actually the son of Zeus.

It appears that this belief in his immortality drove him to follow his dreams and ruthlessly pursue the conquest of the Persian empire. The compelling narrative explains how the vast wealth of Persia under the reign of King Darius III paid for a fearsome military strength, and how Alexander’s small but highly disciplined army fought their way from the Mediterranean to eventually gain control of the entire empire over the span of a decade. In between the descriptions of battles and military tactics there is a wealth of knowledge imparted about the structure of society, the architecture and the bureaucracy of the greatest single empire in history.

I like the way that throughout the book the historical facts are presented in the context of modern comparisons, making it relatable for its proposed readership. The scale of Alexander the Great’s achievements, in leading his conquering army on horseback or on foot across Asia is brought starkly to life when the modern day names of the lands that he amassed are mentioned. We learn that Greek coins have been found in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India! Of course as a librarian, my favourite part of the book was the brief mention of Alexander’s loyal friend Ptolemy’s eventual reign over Egypt where he laid the plans for the Great Library of Alexandria.

This book will appeal to confident readers of 10+ who have enjoyed the fictional portrayal of the ancient world in books such as Who Let the Gods Out by Maz Evans, The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence or the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Dominic Sandbrook lists his sources in an Author’s Note so that readers can pursue further research if their appetites for classical history have been whetted. I would highly recommend this book for non-fiction collections in Key Stage 2 or Secondary School libraries.

My daughter read and enjoyed this over the last week. I had to read some of the sections to her as she found the format tricky at times and some of the descriptions of battles a little confusing.
Apart from that she really enjoyed the book and learning about the life of Alexander the Great. Having read a fiction number of books about Ancient Greece she was fascinated by the history and countries in this book and it prompted her to look up old maps online and more about this time.

Entertaining, very accessible and very much one to enjoy on paper. I will buy her a copy when published and she would definitely read other books in the series. Well written, engaging and informative.

What a fabulously written book! Seriously spectacularly penned and a great account of Alexander the Greats life. With all of his battles, achievements and accomplishments throughout his time, the book does such a brilliant job at relaying the epic tale of Alexander the Great.

Written in a wonderful story telling format, this book immensely informative in a very easy to read way. It flows so well and is absolutely effortless in its retelling. It’s so enjoyable to read and you actually learn so much but it really doesn’t feel like learning!

History can sometimes be arduous and trudging to read but this was a joy. I got stuck into the book almost right away and within only a few pages I could tell I was going to love it.

It was seriously such a good idea of dispelling history to the masses and get more people reading about history! It’s brilliant for a young audience and also for older audiences too. I think just about everyone will enjoy this!

I can truthfully say now, that I feel like I know Alexander the Great and the stories of his life. It’s written like a brilliant epic, and will have you wanting to read more. I devoured the pages and loved it! Thoroughly recommend.