Despite his victory at the annual Festival Games, Lysander struggles as the responsibilities of his Spartan heritage come into conflict with his old life as a Helot villager. Forced to prove his loyalty to Sparta by inflicting a deadly beating on his best friend, he is determined to keep his strong connection to his mother's people a secret. As he fights with the challenges of being a child of parents with different backgrounds, he isn't quite sure of how to prove his worthiness to his father's family while holding on to his old friends from his mother's village. In this sequel to The Fire of Ares (Walker, 2008), Ford continues the story of a son's brave attempt to embrace his father's warrior culture. From the brutal beatings to the life-threatening training at the hands of the cruel leaders of their Spartan academy, Lysander must use a combination of cunning and wit to overcome the many enemies who surround him. When he joins the battle with his father's people in a war against a mighty Persian army, readers are taken on an exciting journey through this young man's coming-of-age. Packed with action and adventure from start to finish, this story is designed to appeal to a wide range of middle-graders, who will surely look forward to another installment of this exciting tale set in ancient Greece.-Caryl Soriano, New York Public Library