The Gates of Athens by Conn Iggulden

The great city from ancient history, Athens, that spurred so many into a love of history, (me included) is brought to life in this finely detailed account of the  struggles to keep the democracy. Athens is one of my favourite cities in the world for many reasons, but especially because of its rich and vital history.

Conn Iggulden is no doubt the master of the genre and his knowledge and attention to detail is astounding. His writing style at times is almost like reading a textbook, in a good way, but he has the skills to tell a good story, too. This means that his work will never become dated.

The story is told from the points of view of the most significant figures of the time and include the famous Persian and Spartan conflicts. The battle scenes are excellent and the political aspects, corruption and ambition are covered well. The highlight though is the battles at sea. Not read anything like that (fiction-wise) before.

​This book is an intense and well rounded slice of history that covers the life and attitudes of the folk from that time as well as the warfare, ideology and politics. Fantastic must-read for fans of this period. Recommended.

Published by Penguin UK Michael Joseph on 4 August 2020.
Advanced review copy supplied by the publisher. 

Conn Iggulden is one of the most successful authors of historical fiction writing today. Born in London, he read English at London University and worked as a teacher for seven years before becoming a full-time writer. Married with three children, he lives in Hertfordshire. Since publication of 'The Gates of Rome', Conn has written a further thirteen books including the wildly successful 'The Dangerous Book for Boys'.

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​Also by Conn Iggulden: