A real page-turner

Gripping and as exciting as any novel. The most readable history book I've ever read (and I've read a lot).

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Brisk and informative

Rounds out subject nicely - particularly the political contexts, protagonists and the more human consequences.

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Excellent historical narrative

Rich in detail about military strategy and tactics. Also excellent information about the political machinations throughout the period covered. Well read with a convincing and true feel for the characters involved. Really enjoyed listening to this.

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Simply brilliant, unlike film

This is breathtaking in it's scope and mind blowing in it's detail, how can such an excellent book be associated with such a dumb and inaccurate film. don't judge a book by it's film, this is masterful.

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Very well done

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A fascinating look into the history of the Greeks. Well written documentary on how the Greeks battled Xerxes. A little lacking in information sometimes but there is a lot of information to go through. Thoroughly enjoyed this, highly recommend.

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A great biography, well done.

Themistocles in depth but also super easy to listen to. The craziness that was Greece, it its time of greatest peril.

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Fair historic summary, sadly "lost in narration"

This is a well-researched and solidly-written summary of the Greco-Persian wars with a positive, favourable focus on Themistocles as the defining leadership figure. However, while the content is solid and informative, unfortunately the narration is a really poor fit - turning what is a generally inspiring, exciting and important piece of history into a mechanical, monotonous and mediocre listening experience. I hesitate to criticise the narrator who I am sure had all the best intentions and sincere effort. But his delivery would clearly be far more suited to an explicitly academic or scientific work. As narrative history, this kind of writing requires a more subtle, dramatic and warmer delivery, to bring to life the drama, humanity and excitement of the events and characters described. The text itself does this reasonably well, as it races through the decisive events of Marathon, Salamis and so forth along with a specific and detailed attention to the life of Themistocles, and includes some intriguing and less well-known anecdotes and references. And it is utterly let down by the robotic and repetitive voiceover which seems to deliberately avoid any expressiveness, variety of pacing or range of tones. So, in case there is any chance of revisiting this as a product, my advice would be (a) to move the narrator over to more dry and technical works where his albeit clear and precise monotone will be more appropriate, and (b) to find a voice actor to deliver what is a perfectly worthy re-telling of a genuinely exciting and important piece of history. As a reference point, Peter Noble's voicing of the Christian Cameron Long War series, which contains some similar descriptive narrative and historic exposition, is utterly gripping and memorable - and enables the listener to learn almost effortlessly while being carried along. For anyone interested in this period, I would recommend it without hesitation.

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