Last of the Amazons

By: Steven Pressfield

Narrated by: Christine McMurdo Wallis, Alyssa Brensnahan, George Guidall

Steven Pressfield is the internationally best-selling author of Gates of Fire and Tides of War. An epic of love and war, Last of the Amazons is a gripping, imaginative novel of the ancient world filled with Pressfield’s trademark extraordinary attention to detail. In the time before Homer, the legendary Theseus, king of Athens, journeys to the nation of proud female warriors whom the Greeks called Amazons.

©2002 Steven Pressfield (P)2002 Recorded Books, LLC

Spectacular, Gripping , suspenseful!

This was an incredibly vivid and completely believable story about what they have happened in ancient history concerning the Amazons. The story draws in to the characters lives, beliefs, and emotions. We feel the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that comes with a failure. Fantastic listen!

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 that the Amazons lose. Or maybe the title does that already.

Would you be willing to try another book from Steven Pressfield? Why or why not?

Yes, Last of the Amazons was entertaining enough. I wouldn't mind reading another book.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Selene was my favorite character. Sincere and stoic, she tells how she violated the rules of her society, gave up her freedom, and saved what was left of the Amazons.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Often the movie made from a book is very different from its source material. There is no guarantee that it will be a good movie or true to the book. And these two maybe mutually exclusive. Generally I like to watch a movie first than read the book. If you fall in love with the book, the movie will never live up to it. If you see a movie and love it, there is still a chance you will love the book.

No friend here but an epic journey

After reading a very well written review of this book, I can't help but agree with its author in saying that you will find no friend here. This book is primarily about the Amazons, and therefore, I would ask the author of that review, would he have likely found a friend in them had he been there himself? In Pressfield's epic story, these warrioresses aren't what I would call friendly to anyone including each other. They love each other deeply, they love life deeply, but friendly they are not.

Steven Pressfield takes you back to a time 800 years before the Athens we are familiar with through its written history, to a time of legend. So have a seat and listen to this tale as the firelight bathes its teller's face. No, you won’t find any friends here, but you will be part of something historic.

I have read just about everything Pressfield has written from The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire, to Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t and The War of Art... and a bunch in between. After Gates of Fire, this is my favorite Pressfield book.

Great Historical Fiction

Well written and superbly read. Highly recommended. Worth the time and worth the money. Enjoy

Interesting world

This is not my favorite Pressfield. I feel like this book lacked some of the depth of his other works. However, it's still an excellent read. I think I would have liked to feel more of a connection with the characters in the story than I did. Also, I think I personally would have liked the book more without the last chapter. Some of the weight of the story of a society of women is destroyed by ending with the letter of a dying man.

The story itself is somewhat interesting, but I find as in many of his works, I don't enjoy the long descriptions of battle. Anyone familiar with his body of work, probably finds it funny that I like them at all, given the amount of detail in the description of such. However, I usually enjoy his depiction of troops working together and living together. It's a clear picture of real military life, as it is to this day. I would recommend the book, but with the caution that it isn't as heartfelt as some of the others. If you come here right after Gates of Fire, you will probably be disappointed.