Malazan Empire: Gates of Fire/Thermopylae - Malazan Empire

Jump to content

Help

Page 1 of 1

You cannot start a new topic
You cannot reply to this topic

Gates of Fire/Thermopylae

#1 No-God

Fist

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 220
Joined: 29-April 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 01:42 AM

Ahoy.

I've read Gates of Fire from Steven Pressfield and it's amazing. Are there any other fictional books on the Battle of Thermopylae (or any other books with a plotline similar)?

I've read the other Pressfield novels, and they're equally as good. The movie 300 has me excited.

#2 caladanbrood

Ugly on the Inside

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 10,819
Joined: 07-January 03
Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 23 February 2007 - 03:12 AM

No-God;161828 said:

The movie 300 has me excited.

Really? It has me wishing they'd adapted Gates of Fire instead of a comic...

O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.

#3 No-God

Fist

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 220
Joined: 29-April 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 07:05 AM

I wish that, too, but I'd sooner this 300 than none.

#4 Guest_figroll_*

Group: Unregistered / Not Logged In

Posted 23 February 2007 - 11:00 AM

No-God;161828 said:

Ahoy.

I've read Gates of Fire from Steven Pressfield and it's amazing. Are there any other fictional books on the Battle of Thermopylae (or any other books with a plotline similar)?

One of the Druss books is an obvious reworking of the Thermopylae tale. Can't remember which one though.

#5 Dr Trouble

Pug Life

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 1,198
Joined: 10-July 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 11:41 AM

http://en.wikipedia....rmopylae#Novels

Some on there.

#6 polishgenius

Heart of Courage

Group: LHTEC
Posts: 5,309
Joined: 16-June 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 02:16 PM

figroll;161917 said:

One of the Druss books is an obvious reworking of the Thermopylae tale. Can't remember which one though.

Legend and The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend both involve Thermopylae type events, though I imagine you're thinking of Legend, as it's less a part of the latter one.

I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.

#7 Abyss

abyssus abyssum invocat

Group: Administrators
Posts: 22,322
Joined: 22-May 03
Location:The call is coming from inside the house!!!!
Interests:Interesting.

Posted 23 February 2007 - 02:23 PM

Totally enjoyed this book, tho skipped most of the slave's story on re-read.

- Abyss, no, THIS is Sparta!

THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT

#8 polishgenius

Heart of Courage

Group: LHTEC
Posts: 5,309
Joined: 16-June 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 02:39 PM

Recommended, then?

I've been reading a proper history of the Greco-Persian wars (Persian Fire, by Tom Holland, if anyone's interested). It's not long, but non-fiction books always go heavy for me. It's cool, mind.

I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.

#9 stone monkey

I'm the baddest man alive and I don't plan to die...

Group: (COPPA) Users Awaiting Moderatio
Posts: 2,369
Joined: 28-July 03
Location:The Rainy City

Posted 23 February 2007 - 03:54 PM

I read that a few months back. Has anyone read his book Rubicon, on the fall of the Roman Republic? (It turns out that it's not as obvious as you might think -ie. Caesar wasn't entirely responsible)

If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. … So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants. Bertrand Russell

#10 Mithfanion

Lieutenant

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 128
Joined: 08-November 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 06:52 PM

Yes there is one other fiction book that I know of that deals with this battle and setting. It's called "Spartan" and is by Valerio Manfredi.

http://www.amazon.com/Spartan-Valerio-Mass...ie=UTF8&s=books

#11 caladanbrood

Ugly on the Inside

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 10,819
Joined: 07-January 03
Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 23 February 2007 - 06:58 PM

Aye, it's a shame Manfredi is nowhere near as good a writer as Pressfield, because his books touch on some great stories.

O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.

#12 No-God

Fist

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 220
Joined: 29-April 05

Posted 23 February 2007 - 09:43 PM

polishgenius;162038 said:

Gates of Fire is very highly recommended. Equally as good as Pressfield's next, Tides of War.

#13 Tsundoku

A what?

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 4,932
Joined: 06-January 03
Location:Maison de merde

Posted 25 February 2007 - 03:06 AM

Such a pity "300" looks like a wire-action Over-The-Top piece of shit. I mean, Spartans are heavy infantry - what's with the flying and lack of chest armour? It all looks like a big gay chest-flex and shout-a-thon.

The vague scholar in me shudders at this mangling. What worked for Sin City won't necessarily work for 300. The true story is just so much better than anything Hollywood could ever come up with.

Cheers,

La Sombra, purist

"Fortune favors the bold, though statistics favor the cautious." - Indomitable Courteous (Icy) Fist, The Palace Job - Patrick Weekes

"Well well well ... if it ain't The Invisible C**t." - Billy Butcher, The Boys

"I have strong views about not tempting providence and, as a wise man once said, the difference between luck and a wheelbarrow is, luck doesn’t work if you push it." - Colonel Orhan, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City - KJ Parker

#14 No-God

Fist

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 220
Joined: 29-April 05

Posted 25 February 2007 - 07:48 PM

I do agree that it'd be better with a realistic plot, centered on what actually happened rather than a graphic novel's interpretation.

The movie still looks amazing, though. It's not a historical fiction, like Alexander, Troy or Kingdom of Heaven were, and it shouldn't really be seen as one. Nobody claimed it's going to be historically accurate - they're using Frank Miller's version of it as their big reference.

I think the visual style of the film will actually work well. It's very unique, and I think it'll work well in that sort of setting.

#15 Tsundoku

A what?

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 4,932
Joined: 06-January 03
Location:Maison de merde

Posted 26 February 2007 - 02:57 AM

I read a book many, many years ago called "The Leaping Song" by Stephanie Plwman that was about Thermopylae and Salamis. It's for young adults, but I recall I enjoyed it at the time.

Cheers,

La Sombra, old adult