Rating: Summary: An Enjoyable Read Review: Jeff Shaara does a credible job mining his father's field: the novelization of civil war leaders critical to the Battle of Gettysburg.His characters are well rounded in this prequal that covers the years before 1863. I particularly enjoyed his treatment of Gen. Hancock. The dialog is believable and his characters never seem out of character to those familiar with the historical accounts of the same men. It's an interesting book that gets beyond the history of the early Civil War. It lets the reader feel that they are witness to a plausible behind the scenes treatment of men compelled and called upon to do terrible things in support of their vision of America. I would rate this a notch below "The Killer Angles." That was such a superb book in my mind that the son's book still merits mention as a very enjoyable read.
Rating: Summary: Gods and Generals Review: Jeff Shaara is a very skilled author, and has an excellent grasp of the history. This book deals with the first part of the civil war, and focuses on the prominent commanders such as Chamberlain, Longstreet, Jackson, Lee, and Hancock. It reaches the high standard of the other two books in the trilogy (The Killer Angels and The Last Full Measure). Very comparable to excellent authors such as Michael Shaara, David McCullough and Barbara Tuchman. In the tradition of Catherine Drinker Bowen, this book keeps the reader turning the page. Excellent. Very interesting.
Rating: Summary: Punctuation mars otherwise good read Review: It may seem strange to say that you wouldn't buy another of an author's works because of three little dots, but that's the case here. Shaara's habit of trailing off practically every piece of dialog with an ellipsis makes all his characters seem rather vague and simple-minded, which for me ruined the effect of the story. Surely the likes of Lee and Longstreet were decisive people who would end all their sentences with periods, if not exclamation marks! I was hoping he had mended his ways, or had them mended by an editor, for the sequel, but on picking it up I saw that it was not so.
Rating: Summary: Good but not great Review: This is a good unraveling of some unique Civil War characters. The road to Gettysburg is a little less foggy now thanks to Jeff Sharra. His literary style, however, is not quite up to his father's fine standard. His sentence style is very repetitive, and eventually annoying.
Rating: Summary: Oops! This review is for Gods and Generals. Review: I just posted a review for Killer Angels and posted it here. Oh well. If you've read Killer Angels and you liked it then you will like this book as well. Gods and Generals covers everything that happened BEFORE Gettysburg. This is an extremely good book. It is easy to create a little movie inside of your head of what is occuring while reading and the level of reading is not extremely difficult.
Rating: Summary: Hardly fiction... Review: This was an amazing book that any one can read and enjoy...not just Civil War buffs. If anyone has seen the movie Gettysburg, this book was what the movie was based on. Shaara brings the characters to life and gives a good interpretation of the battle of Gettysburg.
Rating: Summary: A gripping story that brings history to life Review: It is a pleasure to read a novel that successfully combines the details of fiction with the realities of history. As we all know, history books tend to skim the surface of even the most important events. Mr. Shaara declines to follow that road. His talent shines through in the ability to bring depth to both the characters of history and the feelings of a country at war. I enthusiastically recommend this book to any lover of literature or history. It is a delight to read.
Rating: Summary: Gods and General Review: This book told what the Civil war really was. It was an outstanding book and everyone should read it.
Rating: Summary: I thought it was great Review: If you ask me there can never be enough films or books about the Civil War. Gods and Generals stands out because of its superlative realism, suspense, and historical accuracy. It ranks right up there in my mind with the best of the genre, I put it on an equal level with great war novels like All Quiet on the Western Front and The Triumph and the Glory. Schaara has written a gem.
Rating: Summary: A brillianly crafted novel of the saddest of times. Review: I couldn't put it down. A truely, saddening novel of the men who acted out one of our nation's lowest and heartbraking times. The characters are convincingly real. The situations are portrayed in heartbraking fashion. Not a single detail is missed, Shaara has written a very good novel.
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