Birth of a Warrior
by Michael Ford

Release Date: 23rd Jun 2008
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 0 7475 9387 4
RRP: £6.99

A perfect follow-on to the successful Fire of Ares...

In the second of the Spartan Warrior series, Lysander has tentatively picked up the pieces after the failed uprising of the Helot slaves against the Spartans. Although, remonstrations are clearly not over, as he is forced to whip his best friend, Timeon to near death and the Ordeal (a five-day survival crash course up in the mountains) is soon upon him.

Against all odds, Lysander survives his Ordeal and miraculously comes out with a new friend in his arch enemy from The Fire of Ares, Demaratos. Together they form a formidable team – a partnership that is to be put to the most rigorous of tests as suddenly Sparta is under attack from the Persians.

A coming of age sequel to The Fire of Ares, Birth of a Warrior follows Lysander as he confounds all his doubters and not only succeeds at the Ordeal, but leads the boy warriors towards the great Persian army.

Energetic, vigorous and teeming with action; Birth of a Warrior is a worthy sequel to its predecessor. All the ingredients are there as before: the adventure imbued with ancient history, testing of friendship and shifting of opinions, trials and tribulations and the emergence of Lysander as a true Spartan warrior. As ever, Ford does not disappoint us. This is enthusiastically written and that passion for those ancient times hits you headlong as you read it. An immensely enjoyable and wonderfully entertaining read.

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