Persian Fire
The First World Empire, Battle for the West
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Persian Fire
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Narrated by:
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Mark Meadows
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Tom Holland
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By:
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Tom Holland
About this listen
'Magisterial... told with great authority and a novelistic colour and verve'
Books of the Year, Independent
'Holland has a rare eye for detail, drama and the telling anecdote'
Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph
'An unequivocal argument for the relevance of ancient history'
Observer
'Holland brings this tumultuous, epoch-making period dazzlingly to life'
William Napier, Independent on Sunday
In the fifth century BC, a global superpower was determined to bring truth and order to what it regarded as two terrorist states. The superpower was Persia, incomparably rich in ambition, gold and men. The terrorist states were Athens and Sparta, eccentric cities in a poor and mountainous backwater: Greece. The story of how their citizens took on the most powerful man on the planet is as heart-stopping as any episode in history.©2005 Tom Holland (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK
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What listeners say about Persian Fire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Charles Bertoia
- 18-02-21
Excellent narrative history of the Persian Empire
As always, Tom Holland produced a magnificent narrative history. He lays out the development of two empires interwoven by geography and ambition.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nick Jarvis
- 07-03-21
Gripping from start to finish
Really interesting and brilliantly narrated. History told as a story. Awakened an interest in a period of history I knew little about. Highly recommend
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diane
- 18-12-23
Persian history
Really enjoyed the viewpoint expressed in the book. Could al most be at the battles and see how they were won.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris I
- 29-09-22
Excellent history, brilliantly narrated
Excellent history of a pivotal period in history. Amazing how much we know about a period so long ago. Brilliantly narrated; a very enjoyable listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- carl crocher
- 27-03-24
First Tom Holland
The depth of detail, and the lessons were still learning from them today. Having heard many of these histories before, it's always interesting to hear another take, and find out something of the perspectives of the time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 29-01-22
Excellent
Brilliant prose brings the Persian's attempts to conquest Greece to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely listen again.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr Michael V Baynham
- 13-12-23
Persian fire or Greek history?
Maybe it was inevitable that Greece history would feature so much as that is what we are all steeped in. Persian history is so foggy.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- frank carey
- 21-02-22
Persian fire
very good, what else can I say. A Greek and a Persian walk into a bar
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nicholas Bolton
- 03-05-23
Almost refunded, glad I didn’t.
I’ll be honest. The transition from the author reading the introduction to the main narrator at the start of chapter 1 was very jolting and I almost sought a refund.
At first, I found the narrator annoying and difficult to focus on. It felt like I was being read a story by a teacher or a parent rather than being presented with a serious history.
But…
once I adapted to his voice (and played it at 1.2x speed) I actually really enjoyed his narration. So if you have that experience too, bear with it.
As a history, it was fabulous. Holland has a beautiful ability to communicate serious history in an almost novelistic tone. For instance, his descriptions of battle scenes and characters clearly relies unashamedly on imagination, and is not told as dry, objective fact. He imagines the emotions and the sounds and smells and all this brings to life what is an incredible story.
In retrospect, I can see why this narrator was chosen since he too brings a storytelling feel to history.
Right, now onto the next Tom Holland book!!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 18-12-23
a history of the World
encompassing the key players in a vital time of history, good coverage of background and a nice level of personal stories included.
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