Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield is absolutely amazing. Though it is about a historical battle of which I already knew the outcome, it had a way of gripping me until the very end. I had once learned that the Spartans were cruel people of war, but after reading this book I see them with newly founded respect.Steven Pressfield gives the tale of the battle of Thermopylae humanity as he illustrates the hardships every Spartan went through to gain honor and protect his or her city. The characters he introduces are molded to absolute perfection, formed with incredible realism, almost forcing you to love each one.Magnificent and extremely moving, I recommend this book to even those who have never read ones based on war. More than anything, this book creates a historical, realistic image of how the Spartans lived as a people with profound benevolence and grace.