I really liked this one. It's one of the better Steven Pressfield books thatI've read. There is an "author's note." which is a feature I like in historical fiction. The author explains the historical basis for the story and more or less establishes the historical baseline from which he extrapolates the story. One of the characters, Theseus, was apparently king of Athens roughly 800 years prior to the more historically established times of Socrates, Pericles, and the Peloponesian Wars. Theseus has mostly come down to us as a legendary character; seducing King Minos' daughter, Ariadne, killing the Minotaur, finding his way through the Cretan labyrinth. Apparently there is evidence that he was actually king of Athens during a time when it was beseiged by steppe tribes including or perhaps led by an Amazon army from the steppes surrounding what is now the Black Sea. Pressfield's gift here is the fleshing out of the Amaon culture, belief system, and way of life. He uses several different narrators to make this happen. Greeks, including Theseus and his peers, Amazons, at several levels of Amazon society, and young Greek women being raised in the environs of Athens. In some ways, the Amazon Culture reminded me of that of the Plains Indians in its reliance on the horse as well as its ultimate passage into the shadows of history following the cataclysmic events recounted in the story. The enduring appeal of their way of life as a radical alternative to what was then and in many parts of the world remains the severely circumscribed opportunities for women was shown as the threat it represented for other male dominated cultures. The reader really gets a feel for this culture much in the way his Gates of Fire sketched out the texture of the Spartan military culture. Pressield is very good at this and still keeps the value and interest in the story alive. He manages to integrate the fiction with the history and cultural depiction seamlessly. One becomes a natural outgrowth of the other.
Judging by some of the reviews here on Goodreads, this seems to be a love it or hate it type of book. I'm in the former camp - I found LAST OF THE AMAZONS to be a fabulous read. When I read Pressfield for the first time (GATES OF FIRE, of course), I doubted that I'd ever encounter a better retelling of a great piece of military history. I still stand by that - LAST OF THE AMAZONS isn't better than GATES, but it IS the novel's equal.Previously to reading this, I knew nothing about Amazons or their history, other than a notion of larger-than-life warrior women. Pressfield brings to life their culture, their whole ethos, like no other. Afterwards, I looked at the historical facts surrounding the Amazons, and discovered that historians know very little. To discover that all of this came from Pressfield's imagination means that he has the same unrivalled, grandiose, world-building skill as someone like Tolkien.Life and death play a big part in the story, and slaughter is seemingly a way of life. Once again, much of the text is taken up with a huge battle, this time the siege of Athens. The described warfare doesn't disappoint, and was among the finest accounts I've ever read. This is definitely a heavy read, with lots of unfamiliar terminology and peoples, but once I got into it I was hooked and shedding tears come the ending. You really get the measure of the Amazonian society and their singular heroism and courage. An absolutely outstanding book.
What do You think about Last Of The Amazons (2003)?
This is my Audible.com review:"Love and War (lots of descriptions of war)"What did you like best about Last of the Amazons? What did you like least?I enjoyed learning about the lives of the Amazons and how their lives differed from that of the Athenians. I disliked the way the story ended in such a tidy, sentimental way. The one daughter of the Amazons has to be its champion. The story would have been fine without it. Also, by beginning the story several years after the war, it spoils the fact t
—Jackie
I beg the would be reader to notice that the majority of people who have given this book a one star rating did not finish it. My husband also took this book up and became so instantly frustrated with it that he didn't even make the hundred page mark. The reason is the writing style of this work (sorry Steven you know I love you but this is true) was absolutely atrocious. It was VERY choppy, especially at the start. He changes perspectives faster than the reader can get into the characters. However, with this in mind I must say the book is still amazing. What I would recommend would be a quick read of about the first half. Do a speed read so you know the characters and you get the idea of the plot. Then really indulge in the last half. The last half paints some entirely world wide heroic pictures of these amazon warriors. He unleashes them with serious force. The one on one combat scene between the queen of the amazons and Theseus is probably one of his best written battles that I have read, and the riding out and clashing of arms is epic in scope. The story involves sisters and is well thought out and complex. But damn Steven the perspective was so off on this one. A birds eye view or a single storyteller would have made this work amazing. Be warned, this book is bloody like his others, and frankly the choppiness may ruin it for you. If you can get past that you will have some very amazing images of warrior women running around in your head after reading this one. Choose to pick it up accepting this as it is or don't bother.
—Cassandra Kay Silva
Writing historical fiction is no mean task. Steven Pressfield’s ‘Last of the Amazons’ chronicles the great invasion of Greece by a bunch of fierce warrior women and their allies. It is a tale brimming with butchery, where death follows death like a friend. The writing style is laced with rich historical detail, passion and drama. While I wouldn’t say that ‘Last of the Amazons’ is a must read but those who can digest without flinching about the extremes of warfare and can also accept the idea of strong willed women fighting a war can give it a try. With extraordinary attention to military detail, ‘Last of the Amazons’ succeeds in transporting us back to 1250 BCE Greece into the grime and terror of war. It is a fine tale with a steady balance between wildness and civilisation, patriotism and love, man and woman.
—Akshay
