112th out of 182 books
—
96 voters
Marathon
The epic tale of theoriginal marathon runner—just in time for the 2012 Olympic Games
It was a turning point in ancient history. It inspires men to greatness. It was the foundation of one of the greatest and most prevailing global peace efforts of the 20th century. It was the greatest feat—and the tragic death—of a man whose legacy will never be forgotten. In 490BC, an Athe...more
It was a turning point in ancient history. It inspires men to greatness. It was the foundation of one of the greatest and most prevailing global peace efforts of the 20th century. It was the greatest feat—and the tragic death—of a man whose legacy will never be forgotten. In 490BC, an Athe...more
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
June 19th 2012
by First Second
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3.5 stars.
THE MONTH: AUGUST, 490 BC.
TEMPERATURE: 108 DEGREES, FAHRENHEIT
DISTANCE FROM ATHENS TO SPARTA: 153 MILES.
When I was younger, there would come a point, every summer, where I wouldn’t see my dad for about 21 days.
Jo- “Dad, can we go out to the park? It’s actually sunny today!”
Papa W- “Open a window or something then.”
Jo- “Dad, I just got my shoelaces caught in my bike and I just fell over my handlebars and landed in a patch of nettles and I’M BLEEDING TO DEATH.”*
Papa W- “Go and ask your...more
THE MONTH: AUGUST, 490 BC.
TEMPERATURE: 108 DEGREES, FAHRENHEIT
DISTANCE FROM ATHENS TO SPARTA: 153 MILES.
When I was younger, there would come a point, every summer, where I wouldn’t see my dad for about 21 days.
Jo- “Dad, can we go out to the park? It’s actually sunny today!”
Papa W- “Open a window or something then.”
Jo- “Dad, I just got my shoelaces caught in my bike and I just fell over my handlebars and landed in a patch of nettles and I’M BLEEDING TO DEATH.”*
Papa W- “Go and ask your...more
I would like to give this title at least four stars and be more willing to recommend this graphic novel if it were not for the oft-times confusing artistry. The story itself is very interesting (especially as someone who has enjoyed his first two experiences running marathons) and learning about the true meaning of the 26 miles gives me even greater pride as a distance runner. The problem comes from the inability to tell many of the characters apart - not based on their Athenian/Persian/Spartan...more
Eucles is the son of slaves who has a gift for running. This is his story. Set within the tumultuous time of war between Greece and Persia, what unfolds is the legend of the beginning of the marathon race. As Persia is set to invade Greece, Eucles is sent with a message to Sparta. He runs there and back, takes place in the battle at Marathon, and then runs back to Athens to warn the city of an impending invasion by sea. These miraculous events are the base for legends that have been passed down...more
Reason for Reading: I love Ancient Greek history and the many legends associated with current day events. I had just finished reading about the Persian conquest of its great Empire at this time (to my son) and this story serendipitously ended up being a logical progression of my reading.
I had a few problems with this book, but I first want to say that it is a very good book. My main problem is my own; I do not really have a head for the military, logistics, co-ordinations, planning side of war a...more
I had a few problems with this book, but I first want to say that it is a very good book. My main problem is my own; I do not really have a head for the military, logistics, co-ordinations, planning side of war a...more
The run that gave the marathon race its name was actually part of a much longer trek that the runner was making to save Athens from an invasion by the Persians. The graphic novel Marathon, by Boaz Yakin and Joe Infurnari tells the story of the runner, a former slave named Eucles.
Eucles was granted his freedom as a boy when he was allowed to compete in a race with other free children. When he won, the king’s illegitimate son paid a terrible price. And when Eucles was granted his freedom, it came...more
Eucles was granted his freedom as a boy when he was allowed to compete in a race with other free children. When he won, the king’s illegitimate son paid a terrible price. And when Eucles was granted his freedom, it came...more
Marathon retells, at a furious clip, the legend of the first marathon run ever: that of a tireless Greek, here called Eucles, whose nonstop running helped Athens gain victory over the Persians who sought to conquer them in 490 BCE. Eucles runs from Athens to Sparta in a failed attempt to garner timely support from the Spartans, then runs from Sparta to Marathon, there to join the embattled Athenians in their assault on the Persian invasion force, and thence runs to Athens (that fabled 26-mile di...more
May 22, 2012
Mark
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
action,
death-and-dying,
graphic-novels,
history,
survival,
suspense,
young-adult-literature,
war
This graphic depiction of Eucles, the Athenian runner whose exploits saved the city from the Persians, and who inspired the Olympic marathon event, specifically focuses on the key Battle of Marathon. Here, the Athenian army, hopelessly outnumbered, held the Persian army at bay for five days, to keep the Persians from sailing on to Athens. This was a huge moment in the Greco-Persian wars, because it showed the Greeks that they could defeat the mighty Persian military. Eucles is a major figure in...more
ARC provided by NetGalley
Athens faces its greatest battle...the Persian army has come to conquer them, and accompanying them is their ex-tyrant king Hippias. The Athenian army will respond to the challenge, but they cannot hold the city and the Persian army off by themselves. They need assistance from the Spartans, who live 153 miles away. The Athenians send their greatest and fastest runner, Eucles, to ask them to come and fight and then lead them back in time to defeat the Persians. And thus b...more
Athens faces its greatest battle...the Persian army has come to conquer them, and accompanying them is their ex-tyrant king Hippias. The Athenian army will respond to the challenge, but they cannot hold the city and the Persian army off by themselves. They need assistance from the Spartans, who live 153 miles away. The Athenians send their greatest and fastest runner, Eucles, to ask them to come and fight and then lead them back in time to defeat the Persians. And thus b...more
Jul 17, 2012
Reed Raab
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Hubs
Recommended to Reed by:
Goodreads
How could I not pick this up when two of my favorite things, running and graphic novels, collide?
Knowing a little bit of history about the reason the marathon came to be (courtesy of my history buff husband), this story was sure to satisfy. Yakin takes us through the events surrounding the Persian Empire on their quest to invade Greece literally mile by mile. The mileage is covered by Athenian messenger, Eucles, while he darts from Athens to Sparta to Marathon and back to Athens with messages o...more
Knowing a little bit of history about the reason the marathon came to be (courtesy of my history buff husband), this story was sure to satisfy. Yakin takes us through the events surrounding the Persian Empire on their quest to invade Greece literally mile by mile. The mileage is covered by Athenian messenger, Eucles, while he darts from Athens to Sparta to Marathon and back to Athens with messages o...more
I have become a big fan of graphic novels over the years. Starting out with my childhood love affair with comics, I found the transition to novels easy, and as my tastes grow more diverse, the better I have come to appreciate the way a story can be told with few words and sparse pictures.
Boaz creates an immensely enjoyable telling of the story of Eucles, the man who was born a slave but through his running prowress becomes a free citizen of Athens. Hippias, the former king of Athens who slew Euc...more
Boaz creates an immensely enjoyable telling of the story of Eucles, the man who was born a slave but through his running prowress becomes a free citizen of Athens. Hippias, the former king of Athens who slew Euc...more
Marathon is the most classical of chase sequences. A perfect precursor to the Frank Miller film, 300, in both tone and realism, Boaz Yakin and Joe Infurnari’s graphic novel is a page turning account of the 240 kilometer, 2 day run of the soldier, Pheidippides, and the ensuing Battle of Marathon that is considered to be a pivotal moment in the preservation of western civilization and the democratic ideal. It is this story that inspired Robert Browning to pen the poem which induced the founders of...more
Feb 06, 2012
Bill Tillman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
art,
battle,
culture,
fiction,
graphic-novel,
history,
kindle,
netgalley,
picture-book,
poetry,
reference,
sports,
war,
ya,
young-adult
A fabulous tale of the original marathon, "The Battle of Marathon is considered the pivotal moment in the preservation of Western civilization and the democratic ideal."
Boaz Yakin, illustrated by Joe Infurnari; Boaz Yakin is an American screenwriter and film director based in New York City. He has written and/or directed many major Hollywood movies such as “The Punisher,” “The Rookie,” “A Price Above Rubies,” and “Remember The Titans.”
Joe Infurnari is an acclaimed comics writer and illustrator...more
Boaz Yakin, illustrated by Joe Infurnari; Boaz Yakin is an American screenwriter and film director based in New York City. He has written and/or directed many major Hollywood movies such as “The Punisher,” “The Rookie,” “A Price Above Rubies,” and “Remember The Titans.”
Joe Infurnari is an acclaimed comics writer and illustrator...more
This is the story of the battle of Marathon and the runner, Eucles, who was tasked with making an impossible trek. This messenger was sent to run to Sparta and back to Athens in order to gather the support of the Spartans from the Persians and when he fails to convince the Spartans he must then outrun the Persians to warn Athens. The story is told through flashbacks to Eucles past as the reader learns about this former slaves tough childhood and his burning hate for the former King of Athens (wh...more
I can see how every book has its reader and I am simply not the reader for this one. As a person who finds war stories tedious, this book initially grabbed me with the character of Eucles as a child and an adult. But then the war parts started. I had an extremely hard time telling characters apart, as that the brush-like art style was great at conveying the movement of men in battle and terrible for distinguishing between people. While there continued to be bright spots of character development...more
I seriously enjoyed this Graphic Novel!
This was my very first "First Read" so I was so thrilled when I opened the package and it was Marathon.
I literally had to pry it out of my husbands hands because his comic book obsession is a million times worse than mine. =p
The art-work was amazing!
Plus I just love the history of this story. I felt that since it was in comic form almost anyone could enjoy it.
It was very violent but I don't think it was exaggerated violence. If you are familiar with Greek...more
This was my very first "First Read" so I was so thrilled when I opened the package and it was Marathon.
I literally had to pry it out of my husbands hands because his comic book obsession is a million times worse than mine. =p
The art-work was amazing!
Plus I just love the history of this story. I felt that since it was in comic form almost anyone could enjoy it.
It was very violent but I don't think it was exaggerated violence. If you are familiar with Greek...more
book 137 of 1000
What Frank Miller did for the Spartans in 300, Boaz Yakin does for Eucles the messenger of Athens. Mixing historical fact with imaginative fiction, the tale of the first Marathon runner is brought to life in bloody detail and how his sacrifice managed to save Athens from the ravages of Persia.
While not as well known as 300, this is still a rousing and violent tale, sure to find a home in historian and/or action buff's libraries.
What Frank Miller did for the Spartans in 300, Boaz Yakin does for Eucles the messenger of Athens. Mixing historical fact with imaginative fiction, the tale of the first Marathon runner is brought to life in bloody detail and how his sacrifice managed to save Athens from the ravages of Persia.
While not as well known as 300, this is still a rousing and violent tale, sure to find a home in historian and/or action buff's libraries.
Jun 12, 2012
First Second Books
marked it as first-second-publications
This book is thrilling, and also historical! Two great tastes that go great together.
Boaz Yakin and Joe Infurnari's graphic novel _Marathon_ is the story of the desperate run that inspired our marathons today. But this original run wasn't for exercise or for sport -- it was a last-ditch attempt to save civilization as we know it from marauding barbarian hordes.
Will civilization be saved? Will everyone die in attempting this first-ever marathon without doing any training? Only reading this book...more
Boaz Yakin and Joe Infurnari's graphic novel _Marathon_ is the story of the desperate run that inspired our marathons today. But this original run wasn't for exercise or for sport -- it was a last-ditch attempt to save civilization as we know it from marauding barbarian hordes.
Will civilization be saved? Will everyone die in attempting this first-ever marathon without doing any training? Only reading this book...more
This graphic novel features Eucles, the Athenian messenger whose history-making actions saved Athens from Persian invasion and inspired the modern Olympic marathon event. This re-telling focuses on the Battle of Marathon, when the Athenian army, hopelessly outnumbered, staved off the invading Persian horde for five days, in order to prevent the Persians from launching a naval attack on Athens.
“The month: August, 490 BC.
Temperature: 108 degrees, Fahrenheit.
Distance from Athens to Sparta: 153 M...more
“The month: August, 490 BC.
Temperature: 108 degrees, Fahrenheit.
Distance from Athens to Sparta: 153 M...more
May 20, 2012
Karen Yingling
added it
I had such high hopes for this book, since the history of ancient Greece is covered in our 7th grade curriculum, it's a graphic novel, and I like to have books to inspire my runners. I was a bit put off by this title, however-- it was VERY violent. I know the ancient Greeks weren't the most peaceful of people, but the various beheadings and other killings put the GRAPHIC in this graphic novel, and I think I'll pass. Do take a look at it for high school, or if your stomach isn't as weak as mine.
Pretty enjoyable. I like Infurnari's art a lot (although a touch more distinction between the different battling sides would have been helpful). The story is really engrossing, and well plotted (leaving me wondering how much is 'truth' and how much embellishment - and I normally take it as a good sign that I'm interested, and that I can't tell). Some bits of the dialogue seemed a touch disjointed - I think a slightly heavier hand on the editing would have helped.
This is a graphic novel. It is about the first war at a place called "Marathon". Eucles ran from Athens to Sparta and back again in order to fend off an invasion by the Persian emperor Darius, and through his nearly superhuman effort he helped rescue the fledgling democracy of Athens, and alter the course of history. I thought the way the book was set up was confusing. It was hard to tell which group was talking and the graphics were redundant.
The Adobe version of this graphic novel is hard to read so that might be part of the problem, but I had a lot trouble following the story. The illustrations are fantastic, and the dialogue is intense. However, it is difficult to distinguish the characters and the plot is quite complicated. The historical summary at the end of the book is not adequate to inform the reader. Again, the print version of this story might be easier to comprehend.
Being very interested in the events surrounding the famous run from Marathon, I enjoyed seeing the action played out with some juxtaposition of the adult run vs. how the child came to be in his position. Few people realize the actual number of miles run by this famous Greek. It was over 200 in just a few days, not merely the 26 run at the end to declare Athenian victory. I don't generally pick up graphic novels so I cannot make a fair comparison between this one and others, but I did find it a l...more
This was compelling and moving, but I still had some issues with it. I had a lot of trouble at the beginning trying to figure out who was fighting who and why. I also had trouble discerning some of the characters from one another, especially as they aged. I almost stopped in the middle because I really had no idea what was going on, but I grasped a few salient points in the second half.
I'd give this 2.5 stars. This book gets good midway through, which is unfortunate that the first part didn't feel so routine. The art has a sketchyness that I really like, especially because of the paper it's printed on, but the storytelling sometimes suffers as action scenes become hard to follow and the panels end up being snapshots instead of telling you what's happening.
This is what graphic storytelling is all about! This is the perfect marriage of a writer who knows how and when to shut up and let the illustrator tell the action, and of course the illustrator is absolutely brilliant! So much of this story is conveyed through the imagery, and I am amazed on many levels at the skill with which it was executed. The illustration itself helped set a thrilling pace that is not only rare in comics but it is extremely rare that it is successfully established by the il...more
I had some trouble following the storyline here. I'm generally familiar with the story of Marathon, but the creative license aspects tripped me up. The side characters were tough to keep straight. But really, it stays true to the spirit of the story. And the art does a fantastic job of representing the kinetic pulse of battle.
boaz yakin does not suffer fools (like me). If you don't know much about ancient greek historical figures you may feel lost while reading this, but if you want a lot of military action and running sequences and don't care about history, you could probably get into this, too. I dug the etching style of the artwork.
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“If at the end of the day the people of our city escape, it will be good.But if somehow our democracy remains standing - it will be even better.”
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