In the head of the Spartans hot gates

-480 BC. Xeones only survivor of the last battles of the Battle of Thermopylae is seen praying in the Great King in person to tell him her story, her native Astakos became squire (used weapons might be more appropriate) the Spartans. This is Xerxes wants unravel the mystery of the brazen soul of these Greeks who held so obstinately face myriads of his army. And so it was that through his Xeones narrative exposes the master of Asia all the rigor and originality of the Spartan way of life, he learned to love through the person of his master Dienekes.
Suffice to say at the outset that Gates of Fire me completely excited. Beyond the minutiae of reconstitution (although the author allows himself to take a few liberties with the facts), this novel shines virile by the ability of the author to transcribe the mentality of the time. The soul of the Spartans, the foundations of their warrior philosophy so original are presented with talent. If the characters sometimes give way to political and cultural issues of the time they are no less compelling. As for the action itself is wild, bloody and very realistic. The clash of phalanxes, fear of combatants, their doubts are beautifully transcribed, the author demonstrating a real sensitivity about the intimate experience of combat. The tone of the whole is black, sometimes desperate and is a tribute to the Spartans without the heroize nor demonize their opponents. Note also some beautiful passages about women's place in all this, much more important than one might think at first. The style is desired, downright lyrical references to many classics.
In short a great historical novel that is not simply content to transcribe events, but plunges us into a different way of seeing the world, cruel but fascinating.