• Gates of Fire

  • An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
  • By: Steven Pressfield
  • Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
  • Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (870 ratings)

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Gates of Fire  By  cover art

Gates of Fire

By: Steven Pressfield
Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
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Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Steven Pressfield brings the battle of Thermopylae to brilliant life.”—Pat Conroy

At Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army.

Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the greatest military stand in history—one that would not end until the rocks were awash with blood, leaving only one gravely injured Spartan squire to tell the tale....

©1998 Steven Pressfield (P)2000 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Gripping and swashbuckling . . . an exciting, romantic, star-crossed story.”The New York Times

“An incredibly gripping, moving, and literate work of art. Rarely does an author manage to re-create a moment in history with such mastery, authority, and psychological insight.”—Nelson DeMille

“A novel that is intricate and arresting and, once begun, almost impossible to put down.”—New York Daily News

What listeners say about Gates of Fire

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent, but very sad it's abridged

Gates of Fire is a superb book. It is historical fiction at it's very best. I believe this is the best of Pressfield's works, so it is nice to finally see this book in audio. The reading is terrific. In fact, I have only one minor quibble, in that the voice adopted for Polynikes sounds like a 40 year old man rather than a 23 year old. Narrator should have used that voice for Dienekes. But truly a quibble. A wonderful book and a superb story of the bond between men and between men and women. I give it 4 stars vs. five merely because it is abridged, and there are some truly wonderful insights about characters (especially Suicide, Arete, and Dienekes) that are in the book that are not in this abridged volume. Still, if you like this era of history and you like stories of courage, valor, and frienship, you cannot do better. This book has some of the best quotes I am aware of for sacrifice and friendship. It is a literary achievement.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Absolutely the best fiction written on the Battle of Thermopylae. Beautifully performed narration by Derek Jacobi.

I requested this audiobook a year ago, and finally, with the release of 300, we got it.

300, while a fun popcorn movie, and equally fun graphic novel, does not compare to the thrilling, well researched and most historically accurate account of what occured at the Hot Gates.

If you want politics, intrigue, romance and action, mesmerizingly narrated, you will find it here.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Why is it abridged?!

Steven Pressfield is one of my favorite authors, and Derek Jacobi is an absolutely amazing narrator! So wish this had been the full story. I've read the book multiple times, and I have the Geoege Guidel (sp) unabridged reading. I still defer to this edition though.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Better than 300

This book shares many similarities to the recent movie "300"; however, it is better. Covering the same battle at the hot gates of Thermopylae, this version is told by the sole surviving Spartan, Xeo. When Xerxes presses him to tell the story of how 300 Spartans and their allies could hold off his troop numbering over 100,000, Xeo starts at his beginning. He was not originally a Spartan, yet he came to love it and join its army, ultimately getting to fight in this final stand of his comrads. This version explains a great deal of how Sparta was so strong as a nation, as well as why the suicide force was sent to buy time at the gates of Thermopylae. Great battle scenes, terrific suspense, and wonderful storytelling bring this legendary battle to life! Great Job Steven Pressfield!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Phenomenal

This is my favorite book. It is vivid, exciting, instructive, and scrupulously researched. The reader is quite possibly the ablest I've come across. It would be unfair of me to give the book a lower rating because it is abridged, as it is clearly labeled such; but I would certainly buy the unabridged edition as well were it ever made available. I do not think I am alone here.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • C
  • 12-27-07

Top quality audio

Not given to reviews but this book is exceptional. Both the writing - that reminds me of Robert Fagles translation of the Illiad and the Odyssey - and the pitch perfect narration. The battle scenes are brilliant; vivid and crystal clear images without unnecessary violence. Wonderful listen.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Definition of Excellence

I knew that I would like the subject matter and I know that Derek Jacobi is a wonderful narrator, but I was quite unprepared for just how good this book is.

The quality of the writing and the power of the narration are simply superb. The overall experience was totally immersive and at times it almost seemed that I was at the hot gates myself!

Not everthing about Spartan society was admirable, and this book shines an unflinching light on both the good and the bad, in an open and objective manner. The story brings to life not only the Spartans themselves, but the brutality of the times, the hardship of their lives and the strength of their character.

By the end of the book I felt that I had learned something about history, politics, friendship and duty - all while being wonderfully entertained.

In my opinion, Gates of Fire is the very definition of audio book excellence.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellently delivered

Would you listen to Gates of Fire again? Why?

Yes, and I often don't read books more than once

What about Derek Jacobi’s performance did you like?

Derek Jacobi helps to make the amazing works of Steven Pressfield come to life. I was a little disappointed though when I learnt that some of the content in the novel is not in the audio file.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

this book makes you cringe and often due to the great detail Pressfield puts in.

Any additional comments?

Pressfield is an ex-marine and it comes across in this novel because of the unique way he gets into the characters head during wartime.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Quite a journey!

Not only did this book cover the journey of a boy to manhood, but it also covered the journey of a man to a soldier, and a soldier to death. The deep themes of honor, dedication, and selfless service to something greater than one's self rang true in this book, and by the end had me wanting to jump up and cheer for heroes I hadn't expected to arise! Excellent historical fiction!

300 was enjoyable, but this book really makes it look like the comic book it is.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointed...

I was expecting a fact based history, but instead got this melodramatic early-afternoon soap-opera shlock. My fault really, I should have read the description a little more carefully.
If you want "Days of our Lives" set in late Greek history then this is what you want.
Otherwise, steer clear.


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3 people found this helpful