Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Persian Fire
- The First World Empire and the Battle for the West
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Persian Fire
Buy Now for £11.89
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
Tom Holland's brilliant new book describes the very first "clash of Empires" between East and West. Once again he has found extraordinary parallels between the ancient world and our own. There is no competing popular book describing these events.
Critic reviews
"Incendiary stuff. Sparkling insight and no less sparkling writing." (Independent)
"Excellent." (Sunday Times)
More from the same
What listeners say about Persian Fire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr
- 13-02-19
Good
I’ll be honest, I did zero research about this book and thought it was going to be about the intricacies of the Persian empire, administration, military might (etc.), but instead got a lovely book about Ancient Greece, specifically the battles of marathon, salamis, Plataea, and of course, Thermopylae, along with an in depth look at Athenian democracy.
Whilst being stuff I was already familiar with, the story and performance was entertaining and gripping.
Lovely stuff.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brian
- 26-05-16
Better than fiction
Holland's rip-roaring book is brilliantly bought to life by Sachs - if you knew a bit about Thermopylae but not the context around it, this is a great book. The relevance to contemporary conflict is covered at the beginning but not two overplayed.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- STEVE
- 15-02-19
Disappointing because heavily abridged!
Should not have been abridged at all! This version does little justice to the book or its eminent author. Not recommended for any serious reader.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr
- 28-01-20
Copy and paste from Herodotus
Copy and paste from Herodotus
One two three four five six seven eight nine ten
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paulo
- 08-03-17
Amazing! one of my favorite books.
I love Tom Holland's books. Thoroughly researched, gripping in the way is told and Andrew Sachs is great. love it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Annie Oakley
- 27-07-16
Great book
This book has had me enthralled from start to finish I cannot wait for the next story
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- T
- 29-04-15
Holland on top form as usual
Any additional comments?
Holland's natural wit and his wonderful narrative history story telling ability makes this a joy to listen to. The best way (in my opinion) to understand the information presented in this well researched and comprehensive book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Peter Smith
- 27-01-18
Excellent! The title is misleading though.
It is more about Greece than about the Persian Empire and is written from the Greek point of view. Not sure how well that notion stands up today that the Greek success in repelling the invasion by Xerxes is what established the foundation of the west, but it doesn't matter. It's a great tale very well told in this audiobook.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- J
- 20-09-21
Enthralling
This is one of the best a audiobooks I have ever encountered. Truly an enthralling and enlightening experience.
The narration by Andrew Sachs is absolutely superb. The perfect voice, tone and performance to bring the text to life. Sachs should have narrated all history audio books as he adds so much to the listening experience.
The book is very well written. A superb experience.
Highly recommended. Many history books can lack energy and can even be dull but not Persian Fire. There is an energy to this narrative that enthralls. The perfect encapsulation of the subject matter.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Andrew UK
- 27-01-15
Enjoyable story, well read, content a bit lobsided
If you could sum up Persian Fire in three words, what would they be?
An ancient Greek perspective of encounters with the Persian empire; and in-fighting between the Greek city states: at a time when history could have taken a very different course if Sparta and Athens hadn't repulsed Xerxes.
Would you be willing to try another book from Tom Holland? Why or why not?
Yes- not for historical information but for a potentially enjoyable story (I enjoyed Rubicon).
Which character – as performed by Andrew Sachs – was your favourite?
Andrew Sachs is a great narrator; a great voice for reading a story
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
nope
Any additional comments?
From the title I was hoping for more of the Persian perspective (I already know a bit of Ancient Greek history). But sadly that's a bit limited. The Persians are referred to as 'Barbarians' throughout- technically accurate as it means 'non Greek speakers' (so most people fit into that category!). However, the occasional Persian viewpoint that's touched on doesn't seem to support the use of 'Barbarian' in its more common usage. The story of Artemisia (Persian woman leader) is interesting (and in marked contrast to the Athenian view on women!|). The book ends on some interesting aspects: Athens becoming a despot through enforced payment protection from other Greek states and the looming clash between Sparta and Athens and the decline of both.It raised my curiosity about the Persian Empire: where it came from; what happened to it after Thermopylae; Alexander the Great and beyond... and I found the title 'The Persian Empire' by J Lee (Great Courses series in Audible) fascinating and informative (and will listen to more of the Ancient History 'Great courses').
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!