In 401 B.C., a thundering army of mercenaries, camp followers, dreamers, and glory seekers set off to help a rebellious foreign general named Cyrus. In the months that followed, ten thousand men — trained and hardened in three decades of war in Greece — would engage in pitched battles, witness untold horrors, and begin a desperate march across he desert, over raging rivers, and into the jaws of hell itself. By the time it was over, some would be alive, others dead, and one among them would emerge and the greatest hero of all.

In a novel of high adventure and riveting historical drama, Michael Curtis Ford brings to life an amazing true story from Greek antiquity — Xenophon's march of the ten thousand. A tale of war and peace, of loyalties and betrayals, and of a soldier's love for a mysterious and dangerous woman, The Ten Thousand captures the eternal spirit of courage — in the face of impossible odds.

"Ford...combines historical accuracy with eloquent storytelling to create an epic story that will capture the imagination of anyone interested in the history of ancient Greece. A worthy successor to Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire." Library Journal

"Inspired and highly informed, The Ten Thousand may lead many readers back to the original." Kirkus Reviews

"While Ten Thousand has swift pace, a solid story, and realistic characters, it is the fact that the book drops you into the reality of the times, dirt, grit, blood, passion an all, that gives it its strength....It is a book that makes the reader feel the story has been lived, not merely read." The Stateman Journal

"Thrilling, eloquent." James Brady

In 401 B.C., a thundering army of mercenaries, camp followers, dreamers, and glory seekers set off to help a rebellious foreign general named Cyrus. In the months that followed, ten thousand men--trained and hardened in three decades of war in Greece--would engage in pitched battles, witness untold horrors, and begin a desperate march across he desert, over raging rivers, and into the jaws of hell itself. By the time it was over, some would be alive, others dead, and one among them would emerge and the greatest hero of all...

In a novel of high adventure and riveting historical drama, Michael Curtis Ford brings to life an amazing true story from Greek antiquity--Xenophon's march of the ten Thousand. A tale of war and peace, of loyalties and betrayals, and of a soldier's love for a mysterious and dangerous woman, The Ten Thousand captures the eternal spirit of courage--in the face of impossible odds.

Michael Curtis Ford, a native of Washington State, worked for many years as a consultant and banker. He currently lives in Oregon, working as a translator and helping his wife, Cristina, educate their two children at home. This is his first novel.

In 401 B.C., a thundering army of mercenaries, camp followers, dreamers, and glory seekers set off to help a rebellious foreign general named Cyrus. In the months that followed, ten thousand men--trained and hardened in three decades of war in Greece--would engage in pitched battles, witness untold horrors, and begin a desperate march across the desert, over raging rivers, and into the jaws of hell itself. By the time it was over, some would be alive, others dead, and one among them would emerge as the greatest hero of all.

In a novel of high adventure and historical drama, Michael Curtis Ford brings to life an amazing true story from Greek antiquity--Xenophon's march of the Ten Thousand. A tale of war and peace, of loyalties and betrayals, and of a soldier's love for a mysterious and dangerous woman, The Ten Thousand captures the eternal spirit of courage in the face of impossible odds.

The Greek mercenaries of the time of Socrates lost a war to the Persians but gained immortality. Thrilling, eloquent, illuminated by scholarship, comes this retelling of the epic running battle of the Ten Thousand from Babylon to the sea.--James Brady, author of the bestselling The Marines of Autumn

While The Ten Thousand has swift pace, a solid story, and realistic characters, it is the fact that the book drops you into the reality of the times, dirt, grit, blood, passion and all, that gives it its strength . . . It is a book that makes the reader feel the story has been lived, not merely read.--The Statesman Journal (Salem, OR)

There is no more gripping story of desperate courage than the march of the Ten Thousand. Yet few Americans know anything about their astonishing trek out of Asia some 2,400 years ago. Michael Curtis Ford's moving account of the fighting and dying of these heroic Greek mercenaries is not only historically sound, but very human, in making Xenophon's tale come alive in a way that no ancient historian or classicist has yet accomplished.--Professor Victor Hanson, author of Carnage and Culture

Michael Ford is at his best when he is describing or philosophizing. At times, as in his description of a trip to the oracle at Delphi, this can be genuinely thought-provoking . . . Steven] Pressfield's fans will . . . be delighted to discover this new author.--The Historical Novel Society

For anyone interested in thinking about the ancient world, the degree to which cultures have clashed, and the process of survival, this is a thought-provoking book.--Newt Gingrich

An epic story that will capture the imagination of anyone interested in the history of ancient Greece. A worthy successor to Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire.--Library Journal (starred review)

In Ancient Greece, an army of mercenaries, camp followers, dreamers, and glory seekers sets off to help a rebellious foreign general. In the months that follow, these men--trained and hardened in 30 years of war in Greece--engage in pitched battles, witness untold horrors, and begin Xenophon's march of the Ten Thousand across the desert, over rivers, and into the jaws of hell itself. Martin's Press.

Michael Curtis Ford is a translator and novelist. He has bachelor's degrees from the University of Washington and a graduate degree from Princeton. He speaks several languages and is an avid reader of the classics. He and his wife educate their three children at home in Oregon.