Tides of War: A Novel

"Steven Pressfield’s breakout novel was Gates of Fire , which was a close up look at the Battle of Thermopylae. In Tides of War , the canvas is much larger. We have the 27-year Peloponnesian War, and the life of Alcibiades— It’s largely narrated by Alcibiades’ bodyguard, the man on death row who is believed to have assassinated him. So it’s a very visceral novel that doesn’t shy away from the more brutal aspects of ancient Greek society. Alcibiades is this completely mercurial character who is constantly switching sides. No one really knows what he thinks. That’s still a mystery—what were his motivations? He’s fascinating. And this story is narrated by this bodyguard, a person who was both devoted to him and then became deeply disenchanted. Like the other novels on this list, it is vivid and well researched, and it manages to blend complex history with engaging narrative. I think there should be more novels about Alcibiades. He was essentially the reason for the Sicilian expedition, then he was recalled for defacing sacred statues of Hermes. Rather than go back and face trial, he defected to Sparta, told them all the state secrets, had an affair with the Spartan king’s wife, then returned to Athens. Apparently, Socrates was in love with him as well. You almost couldn’t make it up."