The Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

The Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield is about the historic battle of of Thermopylae. The battle involves the Spartans, the persians and Greece. The Spartans fought ferociously killing many Persians to protect Greece. Although, only one man out of all the Spartans survive, his names is Xeones.

The story is told by the man named Xeones, a man participating at the battle at Thermopylae. Thermopylae was the absolute only realistic gateway into Greece for the Persian army, and provided the perfect choke point or bottle neck, a narrow pass bordered by an enormous mountain wall on one side and a cliff drop off to the ocean on the other side. This area hindered the Persians' advantage of having larger numbers. Delaying the Persian movements here would give the Greek allies enough time to ready a larger, heavier force to defend against the Persians.

Xeones’ village was invaded when he was a young boy, his home was destroyed and his parents were killed in the attack. He fled to the mountains with his cousin and his older friend because they had nothing left after the invasion. They learned to live on the lands and would occasionally sneak into near by town to steal food and supplies. Xeones was once caught trying to steal food, they mangled his hands as punishment. He would now never be able to wield a sword and gain revenge on the men who caused the death of his family and the rape of his cousin. Devastated by this Xeones went into the woods to die, but the god Apollo shot a flaming arrow near him and he took as a sign that bit was not time for him die. After this he and his cousin decided that it was time for them to find a community to become a part of.

His cousin decided not to follow Xeones to Lakedaemonians, instead she decided to make something of herself and stay behind. But Xeones persisted, and continued on. Xeones talks about his dreams to be a Spartan, to avenge his family. In the end, in his mind he knows