Gods and Generals

Rating:
Summary: A must read for all Civil War buffs.
Review: Gods and Generals was an excellent precursor, chronologically, to The Killer Angels. It was very informative as to the background of a few of the key men who fought in the Civil War. From Lee's own personal struggles with his family to T.J.Jackson's strict adherence to what he believed God wanted from him, Shaara took us into the minds of many a great soldier. There were also numerous tidbits of information on what influenced the outcome of the war. Shaara also provided vivid discriptions of the battle of Fredericksburg and the men's moral at that point in time. In my humble opinion, the only downfalls were a couple trivial factual errors and the lack of battle scenes. Were it not for my reading of Shaara's own father's Civil War masterpiece, I would have given this a 9.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Storytelling
Review: The style and format of this book permits the reader to get a better picture of the battle scenes than many other Civil War publications. I am not particularly fond of fictionalized history BUT I think the benefits to the reader outweigh my own personal bias. This type of literature and this book in particular are great vehicles to get younger readers interested in a very important period of American History. Well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the best Civil War novel ever read!
Review: I recommend this novel to anybody who is the slightest bit interested in the life and times of Civil War heros. I, personally, was brought to tears at the description of Gen. Jackson finding his mother's grave in West Virginia. So Jeff has a way of wrenching the emotions out of you as you read of the heart-wrenching battlefield experiences of these great men. Just read it now before the movie hits the streets!

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Summary: Thanks, Jeff Shaara for writing this book
Review: After reading this book I felt as if I had talked with the participants. The only regret was that I wish it could have covered more personalities and other battles of the American Civil War. Thanks, Jeff Shaara for writing this book.

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Summary: Fantastic Companion to Killer Angels
Review: This book is a wonderful introduction to the Killer Angels. It seems to have been written by the same hand - and it almost was. The book gives us more background on the characters we came to follow with bated breath in Killer Angels. It reinforces the mistakes of the Union generals and the luck and courage of the Southern leaders. If you loved Killer Angels you'll love this!

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Summary: WOW WHAT A BOOK
Review: WOW WHAT A BOOK. JEFF NOT ONLY IS A GREAT WRITER BUT A GREAT HUMAN BEING AS WELL. THE SEQUEL TO KILLER ANGELS IS NEXT AND I CANT WAIT!!!!!! MARK

Rating:
Summary: Shaara genius lives on!
Review: Jeff Shaara inherited a great deal from his father. Foremost is the ability to write great books. Gods and Generals in a wonderfully woven tale about the men that command the forces leading up and into the war. Shaara brings a personal side to the names. The reader see's that these were men and not just famous names. Their lives come to life and General Lee seems so real and believeable. A great read for anyone. A must read for Civil War buffs

Rating:
Summary: An excellent historical novel
Review: I have been studing the Amercian Civil War for some years and was deeply moved by Killer angels by Micheal Shaara (Jeff Shaara's father). In my opinion Gods and Generals is a better book than Killer Angels. And both together are an excellent insight into the civil war and some of the personalities of this period in history. The day to day problems and emotional conflicts facing these exceptional characters are very clearly portrayed. This book (along with Killer Angels)is one of the best examples of telling history through the characters of the day.

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Summary: Killer AngelsFans: Read this!!
Review: Jeff Shaara would have made his father proud!! To anyone who has read Killer Angels, you must read this book!! It takes you into the lives of the men introduced in Killer Angels and it will take you through the Civil War upto the Battle of Gettysburg. To all those who haven't read Killer Angels, you are missing out!! If you want to know what happened with the men of the Civil War, their thoughts, their lives, their interactions with one another, this is the book!! You will not be able to put it down until you have finished!! You will smile, you will cry, you will be there up close and personal as each of these men shared their lives in a war that changed America forever. It is written just as they would have told it, had they been alive today. You must not miss this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: It's no "Killer Angels"
Review: I probably would grade this book higher had I not read Killer Angels shortly before this. Thoroughly entertaining and engrossing, but like most sequels/prequels, this doesn't match the depth, novelty, and unique qualities of the original. I agree with a previous reviewer - - Read this book, but read it before Killer Angels. -- P.B., male, age 40, not a Civil War fanatic