Last Of The Amazons
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Amazon.co.uk Review
In historical fiction, the stakes are becoming ever higher. More and more first-rate novels in the genre appear monthly and aficionados can afford to pick and choose. Steven Pressfield has established some copper-bottomed credentials with the vigorously written epics Gates of Fire and Tides of War, and his new novel, Last of the Amazons continues this winning streak. Pressfield's colourful, operatic style may not have the nuance of such progenitors of the genre as Robert Graves, but his populist approach really pays dividends--and without any sacrifice of quality writing. Popular does not have to mean crass, and Pressfield’s prose is lively and intelligent, always conjuring for the reader a brilliantly realised picture of the ancient world with maximum vividness.
Theseus is Pressfield's protagonist, and the year is 1250 BC; setting out on his dangerous odysseys, the celebrated Athenian monarch (best known for his combat with the monstrous Minotaur) has many close calls with death before taking a fateful decision: he marries the fierce Amazon queen Antiope. His action has disastrous consequences: the fearsome tribe of warrior women who spurn contact with men form a massive army and march to Athens to exact a bloody revenge. Their defeat, of course, was written in the stars, but for a remarkable period, their actions transfixed the Attic world before catastrophe overtook them.
Last of the Amazons has a whole slew of virtues, and it’s hard to know where to begin in detailing them. The characterisation, for instance: Theseus is realised with imagination and authority, and his mindset is a clever synthesis of modern and ancient consciousness. The politics, too, are cannily realised, as is the minutiae of everyday life in a much-mythologised era. But it’s the bloody action that, perhaps, most compels--this is not a book for the squeamish. Stick with the slightly artificial opening chapters, and you will find yourself swept up in a tale of truly epic proportions.--Barry Forshaw --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
Plutarch's Life of Theseus tells us that while on his voyages the great Athenian king and slayer of the Minotaur took for his bride the Amazon queen Antiope. The legendary tribe of fierce warrior women (who owed allegiance to no man) raised a vast army and marched on Athens, seeking revenge. They could not win, but for a brief and glorious moment they held the Attic world in thrall before vanishing into the immortal realms of myth and legend. In his most vividly atmospheric novel yet, peopled with flesh-and-blood heroes and heroines and ringing to the sound of brutal, bloody battles fought hand to hand, Pressfield brings the ancient world to pungent life as never before to recount the extraordinary, near-forgotten story of the last of the Amazons.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved this book. Though admittedly at first I found it hard to get into because this is the first book I have read by Pressfield. However once I got used to the diction and the way the tale is told I was simply taken with this great work. It really is such a good book with not only historical themes but also brilliantly written battle scenes and greatly defined characters. It is hard to capture the spirit of people who lived over 3,000 years ago, yet Pressfield does it with grace and skill. What I loved about Pressfield is that he tells the story from afew perspectives hence allows the reader to form their opinions of characters on their own. I for one know I was torn between the loyal and brilliant Amazons and the brave and noble Greeks.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I occansionally like to read historical novels so I can pretend to myself that I'm learning at the same time. Some authors extensively research the era of their novel to get the details and facts correct. However, ancient Greece, in the time of Gods and heros like Thesus survives only in legends. Yet somehow Steven Pressfield has managed to capture the magic and depth of that time.
Although it took me a while to adjust to the style of writing (itself epic, in the style of Homer's Illad), once I had I was hooked. The brave and all too human Greeks and the noble and fierce Amazons. Their discovery of each other. The misunderstandings. The tragic consequences. The love stories that inter-weave throughout. It was simply magnificent. Strongly recommended.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The point of this novel is not exactly to paint a historically accurate description of the period in which the story is set. This novel narrates the clash of two very different cultures, of two drastically opposed views of life and the world. On the one hand, the Amazons are described as a matriarchal nation, highly conservative and very respectful of the ways of nature, so much so that they see horses as their soul brothers and they hate to live in cities, and they have kept this way of life for centuries. On the other hand, the Greek come from a patriarchal society which is consciously bent on change: in Athens, king Theseus is changing the way kingdoms and states are ruled, making the citizens take part in, and assume responsibility for, the state affairs. The Greek arrive as strangers and travellers in the land of the Amazons, where they preach about the moral superiority of their new and dynamic urban society to a wary audience who does not want to change their ancestral ways. But in fact, the role of the Greek in history was to bring change, and this is what Theseus and his companions do, even though unwillingly, with their mere presence which sparks an unstoppable chain reaction of disaster and change. Which of these two civilizations is better? The conservative, respectful of nature Amazons (who, we are shown, can be quite brutal and cruel, in the unconcerned, detached way also of nature)? or the daring, all-for-change, urban Greek(who don't consider their womenfolk as proper citizens and don't allow them the same advantages as men)? The Amazon live among their horses, following the rythms of nature. The Greek live in cities and try to control nature with their agriculture and commerce. We know the result of this culture clash, but we are certainly given food for thought by the author.
This novel reads almost as a Robin Hobb or George R.R.Martin fantasy novel, because of the battle action and the way the clash of cultures and the end of a world are portrayed. And even though the narrative structure (with one narrator who explains the story as it has been told to her by other narrators) makes the reading a bit jumpy, it is very worthwhile and rewarding.
This novel reads almost as a Robin Hobb or George R.R.Martin fantasy novel, because of the battle action and the way the clash of cultures and the end of a world are portrayed. And even though the narrative structure (with one narrator who explains the story as it has been told to her by other narrators) makes the reading a bit jumpy, it is very worthwhile and rewarding.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Epic, Entertaining, Pressfield
I am a complete fan of all Pressfield work, with Gates of Fire being easily the greatest book read in my life. Read more
Published 8 months ago by dave.P
Great !!
I second the first reveiw, at first it was hard going but once you get to the 'Meat' its great, the first say 50 pages took some getting used to but still i say- get it read! Read more
Published 12 months ago by lordC
Inconsistent and stilted
Having heard good reports previously of Steven Pressfield's writing, I have to say that my overwhelming feeling here was disappointment. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Isis
Somewhat over-played
There seemed to be an overwhelming set of rave reviews for this book and on that basis bought it.
The plus points : good story and concept. Read more
The plus points : good story and concept. Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2010 by Axl Furneaux
Out of the mist of Mythology
I count 'Gates of Fire' as one of my all time favourite books, so not sure why I waited quite so long to read another Pressfield. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2009 by Mr. A. I. Harrison
Good fiction/history stick with it though
Very good fiction history, Pressfield recreates the Amazons and their struggle with the Athenians. This book is a bit harder to get into than Gates of fire with Pressfiled jumping... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2008 by S. Glossop
Pressfield triumphs yet again
To garner sympathy to those whose civilisation that embraces savagery of an extremity and uncompromising nature is a testament to the sheer power of Stephen Pressfield's writing. Read more
Published on 24 July 2008 by Mr. M. C. Lee
Good historical fiction
Generally a good read, the battle scenes as always are well written by this author.
I do feel he overemphasises the superiority of the Amazons over the Athenians at times... Read more
I do feel he overemphasises the superiority of the Amazons over the Athenians at times... Read more
Published on 30 May 2008 by D. Stott
History to life....
Pressfield is an author that the reader will either take to or dismiss without any middle ground.
His writing style requires some effort on the part of the reader, but... Read more
His writing style requires some effort on the part of the reader, but... Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2008 by tygris
Absolutely fantastic!
After reading the magnificient "Gates of Fire" by the same author (which I found a bit heavy in parts) I approached this book with some reticence, expecting another heavy book. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2007 by C. E. Magos
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