Reviews

A brilliant story, which doesn’t take the typical route of telling Just Leonidas’s story, or just the perspective of Xerxes. Having multiple perspectives, all centering around Xanthippus makes the story unique. This isn’t just the story of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, as I expected it to be. I have never read a story about this time with such attention to detail when it came to early Greek democracy, where people followed its rulings but with a lot of heavy hearts and frustrations. The ending was incredible, and reading the historical notes shows just how historically accurate the book is. Bridging the gaps of history was to be expected, but I now find myself wanting a life-size Miltiades helmet...

tobymacl's review against another edition

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3.0

Good yarn but probably one of the weakest of CFI’s books. The plot is very linear, the characters pretty flat, and it feels like a rattling off rather than a truly considered or well loved story. There is little tension as the historical events form the thrust of the narrative: Greeks win at marathon then the 300 Spartans hold up the Persians for a while a bit later on. Fun, but felt more like an airport book than many of his others.

mjporterauthor's review against another edition

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4.0

The Lion Shield by Conn Iggulden is an enjoyable and entertaining read, focusing perhaps more on the politics of Athens than the bloody fighting that must take place, for those who are 'in the know.'

The opening few chapters are quite stunning, as the battle of Marathon takes place, and the reader is introduced to Xanthippus, and then slowly, more of the main players come into focus. The threads of betrayal quickly make an appearance and will continue throughout the book, accounting for the actions and thoughts of the main characters.

The author does quite a slow reveal, lingering over some details, and ensuring even the most ignorant (me) understand how the governance of Athens worked. Xanthippus is a rigorous and unyielding man, Themistocles a 'man of the people.' Aristides is a calmer character, more assured of who he is and what he stands for, whereas Miltiades' son is the young counter to the 'older men,' a character to perhaps represent all the hot-heads within Athens.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I had. a little chuckle at the name of Darius (the title of Iggulden's fantasy book) and might well have given this a 5/5 only for it to be lost in the last paragraph. I did not need that lingering imag . Too cruel!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

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