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Summary: The 20th Maine are my heroes
Review: This book is one fine piece of literature. The battle scenes are very well written, as well as the chatter between them, which usually is very bland in most books. Chamberlain's speech to his men is a fine example of this. Shaara's writing style is very appealing and keeps you occupied. A must buy for any Civil War buff.
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: This is a book which is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' reading list for junior officers, and as an active duty Marine with 18 years of experience, I can say it is one of the best all around leadership stories that I've read. The characterization is wonderful, the plot is coherent and concise, the writing is particularly fine. Michael Shaara has depicted the Civil War in its full detail, down to the hunger and pain of Lee's men in their bare feet and to the impact that the loss of Jackson will have on the battle. Stuart's truancy is accounted for, and not only is the heroism of the great names depicted, but also that of the ordinary soldier. Warfare has changed significantly. We no longer do frontal assaults on defended positions, and for good reason. But the bravery required of military members everywhere is a common and constant thread throughout this book. If you only read one fiction book in your life about the military, this should be it. Beautifully written, it is the basis for the movie "Gettysburg," and the only complaint I have of this book is that it ends too soon.Read the sequel and prequel, too!
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Summary: Simply the best
Review: I have read a lot of books on the Civil War and this is simply the best. It makes the conflict and its participants come alive in a way no dry historical work can. You will really feel the ebb and flow of the battle as it is fought over every inch of the landscape of Gettysburg. Especially interesting is the account by the author of the exploits of Joshua Chamberlain, a professor of rhetoric from Maine who is one of the central heroes of the battle. The only problem with this book is that, after you finish, you will feel an overwhelming urge to jump on a plane to visit the battlefield. Don't resist -- it is a wonderful historic site that has been well preserved since the battle. It is an unbelievable feeling to look at the field where Pickett's charge took place, or to stand on Little Round Top, with the words of this masterpiece fresh in your mind.
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Summary: The Killer Angels
Review: Michael Shaara's book should be ranked as one of the best books written. It is written beautifully. It has a video called Gettysburg which is also very good. Shaara weaves his book together in an excellent manner. The best historical fiction, next to his son's book Gods and Generals, that I have ever read. I encourage everyone to read it. Excellent.
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Summary: One Heck of a Book!
Review: Michael Shaara is able to do what few writers of historical novels can: infuse characters with invented drama and dialogue without wrecking the history. His story of the three days at Gettysburg as told through the eyes of Chamberlain, Longstreet, Hancock and others is superb. His novelizatioin of their thoughts and words serve to flesh out the history -- at no point do they overwhelm it. I always go into historical novels with low expectations because too often authors flesh out their charactors in ways that seem implausable to the fan familiar with the history. Shaara does not make that mistake. The Killer Angles makes the Battle of Gettysburg come alive. I would be surprised if it takes you longer to read the novel than the time it took to fight the battle.
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Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I was first encouraged to read Michael Schara's "Killer Angels" by my high school history teacher more than 15 years ago. It remains one of my favorite historical novels. While the book is a work of fiction, it presents the battle of Gettysburg so convincingly that you will swear you are there hearing the gunfire and making the decisions right alongside the generals. The film "Gettysburg" was, of course, based upon this novel, but the book is far, far better. It's reading I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Civil War history, especially students in middle or high school.
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Summary: The War That Haunts Us Still
Review: Bear in mind that when Schaara wrote this novel, The Civil War barely registered in popular cultural interest. Also, Schaara had never addressed anything remotely close to this subject matter in his prior writings. Being a creative writer first and a historian second, he strove to tell us the story as he felt it. His accomplishment is immense. The passage that most deeply affected me personally is the conversation between Longstreet and Lee as they survey the ridge, planning for the next day's battle. Here Lee observes that in order to be a good officer, one must be willing "to order the death of that thing which he loves above all others", namely his men. Such is the terrible irony of war.
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Summary: Great Historical Fiction
Review: I am not much of a fan of historical fiction, but I make an exception for this book. Shaara is so effective at recreating the battle of Gettysburg that you often forget that its a novel. The authenticity is absolutely amazing. The book was used as the basis for TNT's superior film "Gettysburg," and it is easy to see why. Shaara's descriptions are so vivid, they're like screenwriting just waiting to be filmed. Just like the movie, Union Colonel Joshua Chamberlain is the most memorable character. His story, like this book is for anyone who wants to know what it truly means to be an American.
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Summary: An awesome tale of the turning point of the war
Review: Shaara does a masterful job of helping the reader look into the minds and souls of the men, both gray and blue, who fought at Gettysburg. The story follows well-established historical chronologies of this massive, dreadful battle. The characters are real, and their attitudes, actions, and intentions are protrayed well. I was drawn into the book and the events surrounding and involved in the battle at Gettysburg. The characters became real to me, as did their suffering, defeats, and successes. If you have any interest in American History in general, or in the American Civil War (or the War Between the States, as you may prefer), I heartily recommend this book. It is captivating and well-written. Top marks! 5 stars.
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Summary: A magnificent novel of the Civil War.
Review: This is a wonderful fictionalized account of the battle of Gettysburg, told from the perspective of many of those principally responsible for fighting it. Author Michael Shaara based his characters on the actual historical figures themselves, and it's obvious that he took great pains to present his characters with historical accuracy. I really felt I got to know men like Joshua Chamberlain, Robert E. Lee, John Buford, and James Longstreet. The same is true for his descriptions of combat: they are vigorous, colorful, tough, gritty and realistic. I could almost smell the gunpowder and hear the musketry as I read along. For me, the book's greatest strength was the powerful way it conveyed the tragedy of war in general, and of the Civil War in particular. "The Killer Angels" is certainly the best Civil War novel I've ever read, and maybe the best novel about the war between the states ever written.
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