The Virtues of War- Pressfield

[lucian]

Is anyone reading, or has read this book, and have/is finding it particularly boring? It's taking forever for me to get into it, let me know if it gets better.Post your opinions!Cheers!

[marcus]

Hi Lucian,I haven't read it yet, save for the excerpts on Pressfield's website.The excerpts I read I did find a bit dull, but it's difficult to form an opinion when you are just reading small excerpts. One of my friends has been reading it and he found it difficult to finish it - he, too, found it rather dull.I shall read it, however, but I think I'll wait until it's out in paperback, so as not to waste too much money on it! :-)All the bestMarcus

[ruthaki]

I read it last summer and loved it. I've since read two more of Pressfield's books and enjoyed them very much.

[yiannis]

I've read it a year ago. It wasn't as good as "Gates of Fire" (I think that nothing that he'll ever write will surpass it), but it was a nice novel and quite well-written, I think..Worth reading, but preferably in paperback

[wmp]

I found it hard in the middle, but finished it as I'd been given it to
review by the Journal of Classical Teaching. My final review will be
kinder than previous one I've written about Pressfield (mainly
concerning the tedium of Tides of War - if an author can make
Alkibiades boring, I feared what he'd do to Alexander) - needless
to say, we kept my review out of the issue of the JCT which
included a "how I write historical novels" interview with Pressfield...
I did like Gates of Fire - except I have a mis-placed sense of
humour & found bits of it funny when I really think I should not
have...I'm reading Jakob Wasserman's "Alexander in Babylon" at present -
any one else read it? I can see where Stone got his version of
Hephaistion's death... wmp

[xxx]

It's rather distracted and dull. Not quite as bad as Tides of War, but not nearly as good as Renault. it's the kind of book you can put down and not care whether you got back to it in a week.

[kate]

Hi,I got this as a Christmas present and started reading it this week. I'm about halfway through and finding it rather heavy going. For me, the problem lies with his characterisation of Alexander, who comes across as rather priggish, and the fact that he isn't really telling a proper story. Instead, he is giving us a sort of history text book filled with highly detailed battles and I think that's why the book is dull, there's just not enough "human" interest to draw us in.I do intend to finish it, mainly 'cos I like reading about Alexander and at least it is much better than his last couple of books - "Tides of War" and "Last of the Amazons" were terrible in my opinion. Such a pity though that he couldn't manage to repeat his success with "Gates of Fire", which was wonderful. Cheers,Kate

[marcus]

I didn't find "Last of the Amazons" too bad, although not a patch on "Gates of Fire".I have to go completely with the majority opinion, that "Tides of War" was a load of rubbish. Not only did he manage to make Alcibiades boring, but working through umpteen generations of narrators was complete idiocy, extremely confusing, and not at all relevant to the plotting. After such a fantastic book as "Gates" he should have been more ashamed of himself. :-)all th ebestMarcus

[ruthaki]

Contrary to what everyone else here has to say, I'm finding "Tides of War" quite fascinating. Pressfield has a very different style of story-telling and for me it works alright. For one thing, generating a keener interest in the Peloponnesian Wars than I'd had before.

[jan]

Lucian, I am reading this novel as well, and am about to begin the chapter on the Battle of Granicus. I spedread it through at the bookstore, but am doing it slowly now to see if my first impression was fair or not. He is using shock and awe techniques so that I believe this book is intended for the current military problem in Iraq. I will know better when I finish it if that is the case or not. But I noticed that he had lots of personal appearances at army bases which he had had posted at his website. He is a former Marine, and I suspect that he is speaking from his own experience and projecting his own training in this book. Just as the movie was Stone's fantasy, so this book is probably Steve's fantasy. It is slow going for me too!Jan

[lucian]

I haven't read "Gates" but now I will! My problem with this book is the extensive battle descriptions that are just never ending. And I don't like the language he uses, and I don't mean curse words or anything like that, but he makes Alexander seem coarse. There is no comparison between Pressfield and Renault, but at least with Renault I was dying to finish one of the books in one day, they are just that good, with this one I'm just looking at it as I type this, trying to figure out how to tackle it.
I also read (jumped to it fast when I couldn't read "Virtues") Amazon Queen by Tarr - same concept as Lord of the two lands, and practically the same plot. I tried reading Manfredi's line of books, and I had issues with how he pretty much made Alexander a womanizer. In all honesty, seems to me that Renault was the only one able to capture the magic of Alexander. Although I do recommend for those interested in period novels- Iggulden's Emperor The Death of Kings, very good in my opinion.

[marcus]

Hi Ruth,Maybe you've got better concentration than I have! :-)I did read the entire book, but it was a struggle. Unfortunately, it didn't do anything to further my interest in the Pel. War - I suppose the plus side is that it didn't *damage* my interest in it.Happy reading.All the bestMarcus

[canto]

I am so glad that some other people found it hard to finish the book. I have picked it up to read, then put it down for long periods of time. I still need to finish it.

[jan]

Lucian, I wrote a note to Steven once upon a time, and he was courteous enough to respond to me. I have some idea now of his feelings about criticsm of this book, and that is why I am careful to read it slowly. I just finished the description of the Battle of Granicus which I must admit I am happy that he wrote as it gave me another visual image of the times. ( I relapse into that time period occasionally and this was an occasion.) So for that reason, I am happy to be reading the book, but his desription of end of the battle with the destruction of the armor, and the savage injury to Bucephalus's hindquarters annoyed me no end! Steven loves sadistic prose, and he did it again! Only this time, I am objecting! He will hear from me on it once I finish it to the end.