The Lion in the Gateway

Mary Renault has the most evocative writing style, you feel like you are there. Simple story telling at its best

Everything as expected.

The children like it!

Good for children and adults, a history of the origins of Athens and its wars with Persia, including the stand of the Spartan 300 and the defense of Delphi apparently by Apollo himself. Where did democracy first flourish in the world? How did it arise, what threats arose against it, how did its citizens stand against would-be conquerors? This is great history, for it is a story not a lecture.

I read this book while hiding in the corner of the school library, skipping class; it's still one of the best, most influential books I've ever read. It gave me a real connection with the deep roots of European history and influenced me to read more about history in general. A true education, I highly recommend.

I did not realize this was written for youthful readers, but it was the usual high quality of Mary Renault's work. I found it entertaining if not exactly new information. Her storytelling style is perfect for the age group she was targeting.

Mary Renault has been my favourite novelist since I was a child, so I was not surprised to be enthralled by this telling of the story of the Persian Wars for older children. It is the fusion of genius for story-telling with historical authenticity that make her novels incomparable and the same mix is present here. Though not a novel, it is not quite a straight history either. That is not to say her account of actual events is not clear and accurate, but to point out it is richly embellished with imaginative flights, of which the original "Marathon" cross-country run of Pheidippides is a breath-taking example.It is also imaginative in that what really interests Renault is the character and motives of the people involved, which she admiringly calls the underlying idea of Herodotus, her main source. For a history designed to inspire children rather than scholars, appealing to the imagination is surely exactly what one wants.Her title refers to the famous defence against absurd odds of the narrow gateway of Thermopylae by King Leonidas ("or Lionheart, as we might say") and his band of three hundred Spartans. But though she does full justice to their cool courage, she is not enthralled by their motive of obedience, however useful it was, and is scathing about Spartan closed-mindedness. We are left in no doubt her preferred heroes are rather the astute Themistocles (despite his human foibles) and his enterprising Athenian compatriots. She believes passionately in freedom and independence of thought, and her deeper success lies in showing how it was not only through these Athenian values that the Greeks ultimately won, but, much more importantly, why it has mattered so much for humanity that they did.Considering Renault has probably done more than anyone to bring home to modern readers the beauty of Hellenic ideals, it is a little bewildering to find her thrice implying these were inferior to Christian ones. To be fair, in two of these cases ("only the Jews had the moral justice to put a limit on revenge" and "it was five hundred years and more before Christ taught forgiveness"), her primary concern seems to be to ensure Greek behavior is understood in the context of the times, but it has still left me wondering how far a pro-Christian tone was as late as 1964 a prerequisite for success in the super-politically-correct world of children's book publishing.In a last reference to the religion that finally undermined the Hellenic quest for immortality through earthly deeds, she notes of Plutarch, her second source, that "he never became a Christian, but the virtues he valued in his heroes ring just as true today." Her book illustrates this most vividly. I cannot think of a better one to enthuse a child to want to know more about ancient Greece.Edmund Marlowe, author of Alexander's Choice, www.amazon.com/dp/1481222112 , a novel for which Renault has been a great inspiration.

An enthralling story, it tells of the crossing of the Hellespont by Xerxes' army and the battles fought against the invaders by the courageous Greeks; Pheidippides marathon run from Athens to Sparta and the heroic stand at Thermopylae by a handful of Spartans. The rich, detailed background of vengeful gods and venerable seers gives this brilliant version of the ancient myth a living realism.

Was originally written for children and an incredibly exciting book to introduce children and adults into the world of the Ancient Greeks. Without the sacrifice of the 300 our world would be a very different place. Mary Renault was a brilliant writer, this book is a great introduction to all her other books, particularly those about Alexander the Great.

Mary Renault schreibt grossartige historische Romane aus der griechischen Antike. Ich habe das Zeug studiert und kann daher beurteilen, ob ihre Schilderung der Dinge ,der Umstände und besonders der Geisteswelt der Personen stimmig ist. Und das sind sie! Ich liebe Mary Renault!Bei diesem Buch handelt es sich um mehrere kürzere Geschichten aus der griechischen Antike. Auch da mit Tiefe, berührend und historisch vollkommen korrekt, aber eben für Kinder und Jugendliche: etwas einfachere Sprache, weniger kompliziert und eine Geschichte, kein ganzer Roman. Für diese Altersgruppe also: grossartig, toll! Fangt an zu lesen, Kinder!

I read this book when ,many years ago ,,I was about 10 or 11years old and my old copyfell apart. It is good to have sturdy and new!