|
In Kithairon's Shadow: A Novel of Ancient Greece and the Persian War | 
 enlarge | Author: Jon Edward Martin
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
Buy New: $14.35
New (18) Used (13) from $9.70
Media: Paperback
Edition: 0
Pages: 242
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6
ISBN: 0595299067
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780595299065
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
In 480 B.C., Xerxes I, king of the Persian Empire, led a vast and uncountable army intent on the domination of Europe. Only a tiny collection of Greek city-states stood in his path. At Thermopylae the Persians annihilated a small holding force commanded by King Leonidas of Sparta, then quickly marched on to Athens, reducing the city to ruins. Outnumbered and beset by treachery, Sparta, Athens and their allies gathered near the town of Plataea for one final battle. The future of Western civilization hung on the outcome. In Kithairon s Shadow is the story of five men from ancient Greece and the parts they would play in determining their future, and ours.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Great historical novel March 30, 2009
Yaran (Secaucus, NJ United States)
This is a quick paced, not too lengthy, robustly described story of Persian invasion of Greece in V century B.C. If you like books about real historical events with less fiction and more history, this is a story for you. There are few protagonists (not very well developed but in this case this is not a problem at all) who are 'eyes and ears' of several nations contending the war. We have heroes of Sparta, farmers of Teague and Megara, nobles of Athens, warriors of Thebes and Asiatic invaders of Persia well represented in their views on the conflict and future of the civilization. There is some gore of war, description of battles and enough human elements to keep the story intriguing and interesting. And you don't find here too much picturesque descriptions of countryside, romances and swashbuckling like in some other historical books, but real 'lance and sword' war. And that's why this book is much more real and appreciative.
 Certainly Not All That!!!! March 2, 2009
Jason Mcintyre (Australia)
I read some of the other reviews for this book, and being very interested in the time and the setting, was looking forward to my copy of this book arriving.
I really wanted to like this book.
In truth, the characters are hollow and there is next to no time put in towards more than a cursory glance at each of them, the storyline flicks between the characters from each side in a jagged, hap-hazard way that ultimately results in confusion over characters and sides of the story.
The writing style of the author seems to be more interested in 'showing off' particular details of Ancient Greek and Persian life that he has learnt rather than capturing the subject in an imaginative and creative way.
Ultimately I was left with no emotional investment in the story and no desire to read other novels of the same Author, which is sad because I love the setting and the time period.
As I said, I really wanted to like this book. Sadly, it fell too far short.
Really? September 23, 2008
Vincent T. Purcell
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had to read this book for a history class I am taking on Ancient Greece. Yes, it is interesting to see a novel that is somewhat historically accurate, but honestly. There is a complete lack of character development or any sort of action to move the story along.
Perhaps this is Martin emulating the suspense that the Greeks and Persians experienced in their 10 day stalemate, but it seems more to me an excuse to get something written and published.
This book is really a joke. Little attention is payed to politics of the time, the internal thoughts of what may have happened during the wait time, or how any of the people responded. Reading Herodotus is more fun than this novel. Perhaps some insight to the characters in the novel and why they are the way they are (or even, making them do something other than sip wine and talk of manners) may have been an effective novel of the battle.
The summary of the book makes it to be an epic story of an epic battle. Not that I expect anything as grandiose as say 300, I expected something more creative. Perhaps a few paragraphs should be removed here and there and this published as a condensed, boring-ified version of Herodotus' account of the battle.
This book just makes me furious. And I'm not even getting started to talk about the typos on every other page (such as varied spellings, and worst of all random quotation marks).
Martin should stick to reading and writing about History, and stop trying to be creative.
Herodotus was more exciting June 2, 2008
Stuart Eivers (Seattle, WA United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Well, sometimes the history books are better. This book was slow paced, the characters were underdeveloped and the action was not that gripping. The battle of Plataea was a momentous and significant event. It was the culmination of a dramatic stand against an overwhelming force from a foreign land. The subject matter should have been handled with a more dramatic approach. Instead, I was left not caring who lived or died. This is an uninspiring tale about a very important time. The author obviously knows his history but should leave the historians to tell it.
Well Worth Reading May 25, 2008
J. Chippindale (England)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Novels about Ancient Greece are not exactly falling off the bookshelves into the laps of prospective reader's, so whenever I find one I usually snap it up as Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt are among my favourite reading material. The author Jon Martin is the advisory editor of the magazine Sparta. This is a journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek history. Such a position leaves little doubt of his love and knowledge of the subject he writes about. He has travelled to many areas of Greece with the sole intent of adding as much authenticity to his novels as possible.
The book is certainly not lightweight, in fact its historical content is so accurate that it is required reading as part of the Honours History curriculum at a major university in the United States. This is not said to put people off the book, quite the reverse. it is a meaty book that should be read by anyone who has a love of history and general and Greek history in particular. it is not a book that uses Ancient Greece as a glamorous backdrop for a throw away story from the author's imagination. This is about real people and real events that too place in history.
If you enjoyed reading Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire or Virtues of War you will certainly enjoy reading this book.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
top