Falcon of Sparta

By: Conn Iggulden

Narrated by: Pete Bradbury

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Conn Iggulden, the best-selling author of the Emperor, Conqueror, and the Wars of the Roses series returns to the ancient world with a ferociously bloody epic....  

In the ancient world, one army was feared above all others.  

It's 401 BC. The Persian King Artaxerxes rules an empire stretching from the Aegean to Northern India. As many as 50 million people are his subjects. His rule is absolute. Though the sons of Sparta are eager to play the game of thrones.... 

Yet battles can be won - or lost - with a single blow. Princes fall. And when the dust of civil war settles, the Spartans are left stranded in the heart of an enemy's empire, without support, without food, and without water.  

Far from home, surrounded by foes, it falls to the young soldier Xenophon to lead the survivors against Artaxerxes' legendary Persian warriors.  

Based on one of history's most epic stories of adventure, The Falcon of Sparta masterfully depicts the ferocity, heroism, and savage bloodshed that was the ancient world.  

©2019 Conn Iggulden (P)2018 Recorded Books

Great retelling of a little known part of history.

This good book by Conn Iggulden is about the exploits of the Athenian nobleman Xenophon, with also a very main part for Prince Cyrus, and important parts for Hephaestus, King Artaxerxes and not to forget the Spartans Clearchus and Chrisophus. I did not know much about this incident and that is why I love Historical fiction so much.

I disagree with some of the other reviewers. I enjoyed the performance of Pete Bradbury.

There is a completely (for me) surprising twist in the middle of the book, and then the whole direction of the book changes. Very well presented, and matching true history.

Truly a fabulous tale, superbly told by Iggulden.

Get the sample first

I like Conn Iggulden a lot. I've read his series books and found them entertaining and exciting. I bought this Audible book without sampling first, and I regret it. The reader, Pete Bradbury, is so mumble-mouthed and so inconsistent with volume, trailing off at sentence endings, I was quickly frustrated and abandoned the book.

the story felt so vague.

the narrator is extremely talented but..... the story felt so vague, almost as if disconnected

Good But Not Great

It was an interesting story but it keeps jumping through characters. In the end you forget how it even started or the random people in between that you thought were important. More character development on a few people would have made it more interesting.

damned annoying narrator

this is one of those narrators that drives me crazy who will shout the beginning of every sentence and then drop to a whisper at the end of every sentence and repeat this pattern over and over and over so that you cannot turn the volume up or down but must endure the shouting at the beginning of every sentence and the barely audible conclusion of every sentence. terrible audio engineering which should have balanced out the volume at the very least or corrected the narrator and ask him to use a uniform voice. I don't know if I'll be able to finish.

Fantastic Book Mr. Iggulden. Congratulations!

I hesitated many times before purchasing because some reviews said it was dry. A history lesson without story. That is ridiculous bunk. I do wish it had been a 3 book series so that more characters could have been followed deeper but there was not room in one book for that.
SPOILER ALERT: The Good Guys don't always win and they don't always get the girl - but some do :)

Not Iggulden’s best

I enjoyed this book, but it does not live up to the standard of the author’s Rise of the Tudors series, which are better stories with excellent narration. This historical novel tells the story of Cyrus the Younger's campaign to claim the Persian throne from his brother Artaxerxes II of Persian 401 B.C. and the Spartans who fought with him. It is best suited for fans of military history and those with a deep interest in ancient history. I listened to this while driving and found that the narration was difficult to hear and understand at times.

Worth a listen if you can get it during a 2 for 1 sale or at least 50% off.

Great Story terrible performance

The story is awesome wish they had another narrator. The performance by the narrator is awful.

booked

Another great from Conn Igguldon. An amazing story brought to life, makes real history come alive.

Gripping and well written

I wondered what would come next when a main story ended half way in. The second half was just as memorizing as the first.