Sword of Apollo: A Novel (Nikias of Plataea Book 3)

The action-packed finale of the trilogy set during the epic war that tore apart ancient Greece from the award-winning author of Spartans at the Gates.Nikias of Plataea has survived battle, shipwreck, and torture. But now the young warrior must face his greatest challenge: leading the people of his city-state on a desperate exodus to Athens while being hunted down by the largest Spartan expeditionary force in history.From the burning forests of the legendary Mount Kithaeron, to the plague-ridden streets of Athens, to the dreaded Prison Pits of Syrakuse, Nikias has to use his fists, sword, and wits to defeat his enemies, and bring aid to a citadel cut off from the rest of the world by merciless invaders.Praise for Spartans at the Gates"Noble Smith brings the gory political struggles of fifth-century [B.C.] Greece vividly to life in a way that I haven't seen since the novels of Mary Renault. A superb historical novel by a master storyteller." —Angus Donald, author of Fire Born series"A high-adrenaline tale of battle and intrigue, honor and treachery, that once under way never lets up its pace . . . Smith's passion for his subject shines through, and the struggles against the odds of his young heroes, Nikias and Kolax, are told with verve and a keen eye for the detail of life in ancient Greece." —James Aitcheson, author of The Splintered Kingdom"Smith employs excellent research skills to populate the narrative with entertaining historical factoids about food, sex, dress—some of the best centering on Spartan life and ethos—not to mention the assorted duplicities and fragile political alliances among the city-states." —Kirkus Reviews Read more