Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable, though not the author's best work
Review: I rate "Gone For Soldiers" slightly below the author's two previous works, "Gods & Generals" and "The Last Full Measure." The narrative is a bit slow at times, but on balance, I found the book entertaining. The Mexican War has been a recent interest of mine, but I have been unable to find too many books on this subject. This book -- though a novel -- filled a void for me, and seemed to be reasonably accurate historically, based on the previous non-fiction books I've read on this era.
Rating:
Summary: Shaara still wins
Review: I was wondering what Shaara's next release would be without the civil war connection. Actually, I have enjoyed this book as much or better than the trilogy. The battle scenes are fantastic and it really brings to life the characters. I have to admit that the middle of the book slows a little bit, but the last 100 pages or so really cause the book to finish well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period or teaching the Killer Angels. I am an 11th grade history teacher in North Carolina and have used the Shaara books in class. I find that a lot of my students (after reading Angels) are now reading the other books.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great Effort!
Review: Having brought the Civil War to life through his continuation of his father's classic, "The Killer Angels," Jeff Shaara has now ressurected one of America's most forgotten wars, the Mexican War.In his latest novel, Mr. Shaara introduces us to many of the Civil War's greatest leaders as they learn their craft under fire in Mexico. The book follows the exploits and deeds of one General Winfield Scott as he leads the campaign to defeat Santa Anna's army. At his side is a young engineer, Capt. Robert E. Lee. Shaara's portrayal of Lee as a young officer, unsure of his untested abilities and his place in the command structure, is truly wonderful. It is a whole different Lee than the polished General of the Civil War. With each new mission Scott assigns him, we can see Lee grow and mature as an officer. Many of the other men who would later become Generals are also with Lee in Mexico, Grant, Jackson, Meade, Johnston, Pickett, Longstreet, albeit as Lieutenants. They are not given the same in depth treatment as Lee, but already you can see their abilities developing for command. General Scott and Santa Anna are also portrayed in manners rarely seen. Few modern Americans have heard of Scott, which is a shame since he was one of the best Generals in our early history. Santa Anna is usually mentioned only in conjunction with the Alamo, but here he is given a very fair treatment. Overall I would say this book is every bit as good as the Shaaras' works on the Civil War. Once again Jeff Shaara has restored life to a long dead period of our nation's history.
Rating:
Summary: Gone for Soldiers
Review: This book was excellent. The author's character development is great. The book lays the ground work for a rereading of the trilogy. Hopefully there is another book coming soon.
Rating:
Summary: The Son Also Rises
Review: I first fell in love with The Civil War period when I was a girl reading The Killer Angels. Since then, I have read MANY historical novels of this period, and as a literature teacher, literally thousands of many historical periods and cultures. Jeff Shaara continues in his father's tradition but with more heart. I not only enjoy his books for myself, but have watched as my students have become hooked, as well. One of my students' favorite assignments is contrasting the Shaara view of war with Crane's. Shaara's language is accessible to all readers and his characters believable and sensitive. They are no longer vague names in some history text. They come alive. I see my students really CARING about history. No longer is the North always right and the South always evil. They understand the conflicts people like Lee and Hancock felt. History is not just a series of dates to memorize for a test. It is the story of a real people; OUR people; US. Shaara makes his readers want to delve into the non-fiction to compare and contrast. They want to examine the issues and virtues that define Man. THAT is good literature, and, I would argue, its purpose. Shaara's gracious reader notes make clear that this is fiction, not intended to be taken as gospel. However, his meticulous research, solely of primary sources, lends credence to his interpretations. How wonderful to have a writer so clearly paint these people that the reader is compelled to read the diaries and letters himself! This latest, Gone for Soldiers,is a fast-paced page-turner examining a war so often overlooked in our history. We not only meet the younger Lees, Grants and Longstreets, but also are confronted with the disturbing similiarities to Viet Nam, as well. We see the idealism and fraternity between those who would become major players in our history. If not for the protests against Manifest Destiny in the Mexican War, would the South have seen it necessary to secede? What if Lee hadn't had the experiences he had in that war? Would the Civil War have gone on as long as it did? What if Scott hadn't been there? What if they hadn't been tested as younger men? Might the South have won? Just what IS the definition of honor? Glory? Patriotism? Manifest Destiny? At what price, freedom? I cannot recommend this book highly enough, though beware! If you have read his others, you will find yourself wanting to reread them. If this is your first Shaara, you will be beginning a quartet that you will be compelled to complete.
Rating: 
Summary: A so-so
Review: This guy isn't a real writer, he just caries on his father bussiness. It's a good book, but a little boring at times.
Rating: 
Summary: A Dutiful Son
Review: My biggest beef against Jeff Shaara is that he's not really a writer, but a dutiful son carrying on the franchise started by his father, a real writer, who wrote one great book, The Killer Angels. That said, Gone For Soldiers is an adequate read, though certainly not on the par with Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell, or others of that genre. The dialogue is forced and the research is shoddy, and it really drags at many points. Also, the characters are not beleivable. If you want to read a truly well written book in the same general time frame, pick up Stephen Harrigan's Gates Of The Alamo or The Borderlands by Edwin Shrake.
Rating:
Summary: Shaara Give Insight to Pre Civil War History
Review: Having read Mr. Shaara's previous works about the Civil War ( The Last Full Measure and Gods and Generals) I was drawn to his historical novel about the Mexican American War. His new novel did not let me down. Focusing on the lives of Gen. Winfield Scott, hero of the War of 1812 and his right hand aid Robert E. Lee, it shows the development of Lee into the military man who would dominate the Civil War. It was interesting to see the interaction of many of the young officers who would fight on both sides of the upcoming war. Jackson, Grant, Longstreet and others learned about war in the foreign land of Mexico. In addition, the army of Santa Anna was shown to be a stern rival often taken lightly by historians. In the end it was a great read as a primer for Mr. Shaara's earlier works.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Effort!
Review: Having brought the Civil War to life through his continuation of his father's classic, "The Killer Angels," Jeff Shaara has now ressurected one of America's most forgotten wars, the Mexican War. In his latest novel, Mr. Shaara introduces us to many of the Civil War's greatest leaders as they learn their craft under fire in Mexico. The book follows the exploits and deeds of one General Winfield Scott as he leads the campaign to defeat Santa Anna's army. At his side is a young engineer, Capt. Robert E. Lee. Shaara's portrayal of Lee as a young officer, unsure of his untested abilities and his place in the command structure, is truly wonderful. It is a whole different Lee than the polished General of the Civil War. With each new mission Scott assigns him, we can see Lee grow and mature as an officer. Many of the other men who would later become Generals are also with Lee in Mexico, Grant, Jackson, Meade, Johnston, Pickett, Longstreet, albeit as Lieutenants. They are not given the same in depth treatment as Lee, but already you can see their abilities developing for command. General Scott and Santa Anna are also portrayed in manners rarely seen. Few modern Americans have heard of Scott, which is a shame since he was one of the best Generals in our early history. Santa Anna is usually mentioned only in conjunction with the Alamo, but here he is given a very fair treatment. Overall I would say this book is every bit as good as the Shaaras' works on the Civil War. Once again Jeff Shaara has restored life to a long dead period of our nation's history.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but narrowly focused, addition to Shaara's narrative
Review: "Gone for Soldiers" focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between and experiences of General Winfield Scott and Captain Robert E. Lee during the Mexican-American War. Readers looking for much more will be disappointed. The war at large and the exploits of many of it's primary figures, including General Zachary Taylor and his major role in the conflict, are virtually ignored. However, when viewed as a prequel to Jeff Shaara's "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure", as well as his father's "The Killer Angels", this book is a worthy addition to the narrative thread the two men have woven. "Gone for Soldiers", while the least exciting of the narratives, is still an engaging and enjoyable read. Shaara, like his father, breathes life into the sometimes one-dimensional figures of history by using the historical fiction genre to give voice to their unrecorded musings and conversations. For readers looking for a more balanced history of the war, John Eisenhower's "So Far From God" is strongly recommended for it's thorough treatment of the subject. The "Class of 1846" by John Waugh is also an outstanding book for those interested in the pre-Civil War story of that war's participants.
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