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Liked It “Appreciated the nitty-gritty details of Alexander's campaigns. Great descriptions of Alexander's war machine: the men, the horses, the engineers, the equipment and the food supply. The sheer numbers of men, animals and equipment on the march to victory is astounding.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “i was bored” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Appreciated the nitty-gritty details of Alexander's campaigns. Great descriptions of Alexander's war machine: the men, the horses, the engineers, the equipment and the food supply. The sheer numbers of men, animals and equipment on the march to victory is astounding. ”
Quinn W wrote this review Thursday, November 12 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“it was full of action and kept me hanging on a limb waiting for the next battle. It showed me what a good general had to do to win a war and defeat the enemy.”
col a wrote this review Tuesday, November 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“i was bored”
sue c wrote this review Monday, August 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“An imagination of dazzling and epic scope.
ricca wrote this review Wednesday, February 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
With “Steven Pressfield” on the cover, it took less than a heartbeat for me to grab this book—after Gates of Fire, I was more than eager to be caught up again in the author’s enthralling prose of storytelling.
Even with the author’s Note on the Reader expressly stating this as a work of fiction, I soon found myself actually believing that it really was Alexander speaking his own thoughts—as he tasted the first of his numerous victories, received the adoration of his men, and found himself later possessed of an empire that demanded too much for the price of an ambition.
For that alone, I stand in awe yet again of this author’s skill.
Every chapter is vivid with imagery and every conflict a real human drama. The king’s moments of anguish were brutal, eerily honest, and, sometimes, understandable, as he becomes torn between love for his army and the desire to conquer the world beyond India. Indeed, Alexander was thrown in a surreal mix of otherworldliness for his exceptional military prowess and glaring human frailty for succumbing to the snare of arrogance and pride.
There were times when Pressfield’s narration seemed like it was being apologetic of Alexander’s actions towards his men and their growing disquiet, but then I suddenly remember that this book ostensibly echoed only Alexander’s voice; so I suppose it couldn’t help but have that biased feel.
I only wished the book imagined a little bit more outside of the battlefield. Like his relations with his mother during his youth, with his wives (or even just with Roxanne), and with the other soldiers (besides his “dear mates”) who trekked with him across the plains of Asia. There were some parts as well that felt hurried, while others felt too protracted. And, in some instances I was on the verge of becoming almost bored whenever the book took the tone of becoming more of a manual for warfare, what with the winded accounts of the number of infantry, cavalry, archers, etc. But, I suppose you really cannot get to being an exalted commander without being anal about these things…
All-in-all, The Virtues of War is still a highly-recommended read—epic and artistic, an honest-to-goodness page-turner.”“Alexander the Great from the inside out. An awesome journey into the heart of the man who conquered the world by age 27.”
Marc W wrote this review Monday, July 7 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“another triumph by pressfield”
raj s wrote this review Friday, January 18 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The battle descriptions are excellent. The story, however seems a bit rushed, like he was trying to get it out before the movie "Alexander" came out (which was simply awful).”
Aaron A wrote this review Thursday, November 8 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A lot of people try to get Alexander right, and usually fall short (Oliver Stone, for instance - though I still consider his film a worthy attempt and magnificent piece of cinematic art). Yes, this is historical FICTION, but Pressfield captures what Stone and so many others either did not or failed to capture so fully - the Alexander obsessed with duty, his soldiers, greatness through war, arete, his own legacy, and Ocean...and ultimately becoming trapped by it all. Excellent job by Pressfield. On par with his Tides of War and Gates of Fire.”
lightningbaron wrote this review Friday, September 28 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Pressfield begins with his own note about various historical inaccuracies he incorporated, as well as name changes and modern terms he used which never existed then. Although this doesn't help make you feel like you're really back 2,300 years, it does make it easier reading for anyone who's more interested in a basic story of him.
deyganwolf wrote this review Sunday, March 25 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It's written in the first person from Alexander's point of view, so of course Pressfield has to incorporate his own opinions about the man, but this again does it make interesting for those not as well-learned about the era or the man.
For further reading, check out Manfredi's "Alexander" historical fiction trilogy, or Peter Green's amazing bio "Alexander of Macedon".
”
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