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Preview
  • Persian Fire

  • The First World Empire, Battle for the West
  • By: Tom Holland
  • Narrated by: Mark Meadows, Tom Holland
  • Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (318 ratings)

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Persian Fire

By: Tom Holland
Narrated by: Mark Meadows, Tom Holland
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Summary

Tom Holland's bestselling account of the world's very first clash of civilisations between the Persians and the Greeks in 480BC

'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
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about Persian Fire

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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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    5 out of 5 stars
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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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    5 out of 5 stars
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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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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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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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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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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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    5 out of 5 stars
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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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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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