Tides of War - Steven Pressfield > Reviews (2)

After nullifying the latest Persian threat and enjoying a few golden decades of supremacy, Greece did what Greece does: broke out in a ruthless civil war. Athens battled Sparta for the rule of Ancient Greece and the 27-year struggle's physical and spiritual toll was irreparable.

As the momentum of the conflict continually veered from one side to the other, one man's life reflected these, ever-changing, tides of war. Relentless on the battlefield and cunning in politics, Alcibiades' combination of qualities made him that era's most instrumental individual. Through the eyes of two almost ordinary men, Steven Pressfield shows us how close genius is to insanity and true heroism to despiteful treason, as we see Alcibiades coldly changing sides throughout the Peloponnesian War.

***The Author***

Although there fortunately are many authors who write exceptionally and produce very enjoyable books, only a margin of them has a truly unique writing style, utilizing different techniques and methods. Steven Pressfield is one of those select few and his approach is truly refreshing and educative.

His epic recounts of monumental battles are always the center of all praise, his depictions often compared to those of Homer. He recreates the ancient world with historic fact and selective use of native vocabulary, spicing it up with knowledgeable fiction to unveil the mindsets of the legendary figures of a time long past, yet immortal through their world-defining actions.

A trademark technique of Pressfield and personal favourite, is the telling of the story using the point of view of a lesser companion or ordinary soldier, rather than the standard "hero prespective". It actually allows for a more interesting, seemingly unbiased view, of the main protagonist and adds even more depth to the novel as readers come to care for yet another fleshed-out character's agenda.

Obviously the subject matter of war can't be universally appealing, but Steven Pressfield's skillful writing style offers a lot of tricks and techniques, so reading one of his books is guaranteed to be interesting for that reason alone.

***The Story***

Following the successful recipe of "Gates of Fire", "Tides of War" is mostly a recounting of past events using two different narratives.

In Italics, we see a caring grandson reflect on the conversations he had with his late grandfather, Jason. As his time was nearing its end, Jason found his thoughts more and more returning to a single story which, although it didn't centre on a revered hero as a lot of his adventures were, was the one he most wanted to preserve and carry on. It was the story of a man he was asked to defend for murder and treason. It was the story of Polemides, the man who assassinated Alcibiades.

The normally-typed words of Polemides are the core of the book. His conversations with Jason uncover the man behind the assassin, how he came from eager soldier to cold mercenary. Despite being appalled by the crimes Polemides has committed, Jason is immediately intrigued with his story and can't help to eventually sympathize with him.

They both are, he reckons, the product of the same cruel times, they simply happened to walk different paths.

The star of the book is, by all means, Alcibiades. We see him as a friend, idol, mentor and enemy throughout Polemides' life and as a legend overall. Fate got Polemides very close with Alcibiades in various expeditions and it's fascinating to see how someone who would gladly give his life to protect the gifted general was the one ultimately responsible for his death.

The lives of Jason and Polemides are excellent backdrops to the "unraveling" of Alcibiades. As the build-up to the trial continues we also witness, as a special touch, the final moments of the great philosopher Socrates who was also held at the very same jail.

Indeed, quaint and thrilling moments are aplenty in "Tides of War", which can only be faulted when compared to the other masterpieces Pressfield has written. The book travels far and wide, describing battles and events all over Ancient Greece and even Persia, so it is easy to get lost. The Peloponnesian War itself isn't as well known to the average reader as the battle of Thermopylae, the Amazons or the exploits of Alexander the Great and feels more confined in relation to the world.

As such, "Tides of War" isn't likely to be someone's favourite Pressfield book. Still, it is an excellent work and probably the one that most successfully conveys the tragedy of war, without even resorting to graphic depictions of the drama. As always, Steven Pressfield's creative liberties are well thought out and the more far-fetched events are those that have actually happened.

It isn't slightly difficult to imagine the gentleman assassin detailing his life to the grandfather, Jason, in an effort to see if he, or the land that raised him, is guilty of his crimes. It's a very poetic way to look at history.

***The Other Works***

Steven Pressfield wrote a variety of screenplays before publishing his first book "The Legend of Bagger Vance" in 1995, which dealt with a capable golfer trying to make a come-back and was transcribed to a Hollywood movie in 2000.

The amazing "Gates of Fire", the story of the battle of Thermopylae, published in 1998, the first of the best-selling war epics Steven Pressfield is most known for. It was recently reviewed, a full 8 years later, by a rather dashing young fellow.

"Tides of War" followed in 2000 slightly lowering the bar, which was eventually restored to greater heights by 2002's excellent "Last of the Amazons", featuring the Athenian King Theseus and the fearful descent of the remarkable Amazons.

Both his latest books highlight Alexander the Great. "Virtues of War" is notably narrated by Alexander himself, while "The Afghan Campaign" is "traditionally" narrated by the average infantryman.

Steven Pressfield has also written the insightful "The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle", offering some of his creative wisdom.

***OVERALL***

Steven Pressfield's unique style marks him as a mandatory read for literature aficionados.

Anyone who enjoys history and uncovering the workings of war will happily devour the body of his work, but even if that isn't your cup of tea, an one-time read of one of his books will still be an enjoyable experience. That said, "Tides of War" may not be the best "introductory" book. It sports most of the quality found in Pressfield's other works, but is slightly lacking in terms of pace and direction. "Gates of Fire" and "Last of the Amazons" are better suited to fill that particular role. If you've already taken your first steps into the world of Pressfield, however, and liked what you found, then "Tides of War" is another sound installment that certainly entertains.