Rating: 
Summary: "Killer Angels" on the Little Bighorn.
Review: After reading the reviews here, I agree totally with the comparisons of Frederick Chiaventone's "A Road We Do Not Know" to Shaara's "The Killer Angels." This book is that good!Chiaventone's wonderful dramatization is simply the best fictional account of the Little Bighorn that I have ever read. The reader is taken from moment Custer's scouts spot the hostile village's pony herd in the pre-dawn darkness of June 25, 1876 to the burying of the torn, mutilated remains of 265 American soldiers on June 27. In between the men and events of that battle are brought vividly to life with terrific historical detail and well-thought out conjecture. Chiaventone goes into the thought processes of the commanders, both white and Indian, and the emotions of the average soldier or warrior. It is refreshing to see Lakota and Cheyenne leaders portrayed as able tacticians, and not just inspirational leaders without any thought of how to engage the enemy. Chiaventone shows Gall and Crazy Horse outthinking the 7th Cavalry as well as outfighting and outnumbering them. It is also refreshing to see Chiaventone trying to rehabilitate the military reputation of General Custer. Over that last fifteen years, many historians (Utley, Hutton, Wert, Barnett ect.) have tried to tear down the current popular image of Custer as a blustering, racist, glory-hunting fool, and some novelists, such as Chiaventone and Michael Blake, have followed suit. In "A Road We Do Not Know", George A. Custer is shown as a very capable and experienced commander. (You don't become a brevet major general at the age of 25 for being an idiot!) Is he portrayed as Errol Flynn? No! But he is also not portrayed as a one dimensional, cardboard villain like on "Dr. Quinn." However, Custer's image is so intertwined with our national guilt over the treatment of the Indian that I don't think his reputation will ever fully be rehabilitated, but I do take my hat off to Chiaventone for trying. It's a shame that Simon and Schuster really did not support this book when they published it, it deserves a far bigger following. It also deserves to be ranked with "The Killer Angels" as one of the finest pieces of historical fiction on the subject of men in combat.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for any person interested in this battle
Review: Although fictional, this book is so uncannaly accurate in its attention to detail on the know facts and the characters that fought on that day, the reader does believe that they are finally uncovering the truth behind Custer's final moments. It is a thrilling read, both for a Custer buff or for a fan of Western/Military novels. The combatants on June 25th 1876, up to now one dimensional history book figures, become 'real'. The book should form the basis for a movie script, which would finally see the film studios complete an accurate portrail of America's most compelling battle.
Rating:
Summary: The definitive fictionalised version of events
Review: An impressive novelisation of the much-written about 'Last Stand'. The author captures the mood and the horror of the actual event in such a way as to suggest that he has acquired inside information about the battle. The book illustrates superbly the research which clearly went into the task of 'fictionalising' this historic encounter. Rumour has it that another Custer movie is in the pipeline - let's hope that this book is the inspiration for that film. Any other source would be an injustice to the writer of this excellent work.
Rating:
Summary: Truely Brings Historic Characters to Life Accurately
Review: Chiaventone's research had to be extremely thorough to bring the key historic characters to life from the LBH. Seen through the eyes of the young Chief of Scouts Lt. Varnum and major participants such as the acerbic Captain Benteen, Reno, Gall, Sitting Bull, Scout Mitch Bouyer, Crazy Horse, Captain Keogh, Charlie Reynolds, and on. Benteen's dialogoue particularly captures the spirit of Benteen for anyone that has read Benteen's sarcastic and bitter sounding letters in reference to Custer. The final battle scenes of Custer's battle ridge seem as probable as anyone else's theory. The portrayal of the actions of Keogh's company is particularly fascinating and could explain their unique groupings (headstones) where "I Company" fell. Recommend reading a few excellent Custer books first like Utley's or Gray's to fully benefit from this engrossing action oriented book that is framed with historical accuracy. As another reviewer stated, it's on par with "Killer Angels", the other best well researched and plausible historical fiction book.
Rating:
Summary: Truely Brings Historic Characters to Life Accurately
Review: Chiaventone's research had to be extremely thorough to bring the key historic characters to life from the LBH. Seen through the eyes of the young Chief of Scouts Lt. Varnum and major participants such as the acerbic Captain Benteen, Reno, Gall, Sitting Bull, Scout Mitch Bouyer, Crazy Horse, Captain Keogh, Charlie Reynolds, and on. Benteen's dialogoue particularly captures the spirit of Benteen for anyone that has read Benteen's sarcastic and bitter sounding letters in reference to Custer. The final battle scenes of Custer's battle ridge seem as probable as anyone else's theory. The portrayal of the actions of Keogh's company is particularly fascinating and could explain their unique groupings (headstones) where "I Company" fell. Recommend reading a few excellent Custer books first like Utley's or Gray's to fully benefit from this engrossing action oriented book that is framed with historical accuracy. As another reviewer stated, it's on par with "Killer Angels", the other best well researched and plausible historical fiction book.
Rating:
Summary: The best account of the fight on Greasy Grass ever done.
Review: Even though this book was written by a wasichu, it is truly the best account of the Greasy Grass that I have ever read. True to the spirit of the times, this is a gripping and heartbreaking book. Even we Lakota find it without peer among the thousands of books written. My Great-Grandfather was the Wicasa Wakan of the Oglala and I believe he would agree. Hokahe! (Tatanka Ptcele
Rating:
Summary: A ROAD WE DO NOT KNOW - 1999 Colby Award Winner
Review: Fred Chiaventone's novel, A Road We Do Not Know: A Novel of Custer at the Little Bighorn, was awarded the prestigious Colby Award on April 16, 1999 at the 1999 William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium, Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont. The Colby Award, named in honor of the former Ambassador and CIA director, is presented for a first work of fiction or non-fiction which has made a major contribution to the understanding of intelligence operations, military history or international affairs. Presenting the award was symposium co-founder, W.E.B. Griffin. On hand for the 1999 event were authors Ralph Peters,Harold Coyle, Bill Harlow and CNN's Frank Sesno. The William E. Colby Military Writers Symposium -- founded in 1996 by the late Ambassador Colby, W.E.B. Griffin and Carlo D'Este -- holds events at Norwich University, the nation's oldest private military college, in April and at the National Press Club, Washington, DC., in November each year. Among the top authors and historians in the Colby Circle are: W.E.B. Griffin, Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts, Dale Brown, Phil Caputo, Bill Harlow, Thomas E. Ricks, Ralph Peters, Harold Coyle, Ed Ruggero, H. R. McMaster, Admiral Stansfield Turner, Cole Kingseed, Carlo D'Este, GEN Gordon R. Sullivan, USA (Ret.) and Winston Groom.
Rating: 
Summary: You have to love the cavalry
Review: I gave this two stars but it is a matter of taste. I was looking for straight historical fiction. To enjoy this read you must really be an avid fan of military fiction. For people with this interest, this might be five stars. For my taste, the author dwelt too much on the details of the military custom and practice that he reconstructed for the circa 1870s Seventh Cavalry. This amounted to the first half of the book and I got bogged down in it. But this preoccupation with military details ran through the remainder of the book and I think had the effect of dampening the climax. It seemed like there was more militaria than characterization so it was hard for me to be personally drawn into the climax. But I realize that this is exactly what some people want. I also felt that the characterization of Custer was a little too charitable based on the history I have read. I am a Native American and I got the impression form this book that Custer was almost benevolent in attitude towards Indians -- just a little egotistical. That's a stretch.
Rating: 
Summary: Take This Road
Review: I have read many books about Custer, both fiction and non-fiction, and am happy to say that "A Road We do not Know" is by far the best novelization I have read to date. A page turner, the book is both easy to read and gripping. If you are looking for a Custer book that is factual and makes you feel like you are there, you will not go wrong with this. You can just about smell the gunpowder and hear the arrows whizzing by. It's hard to believe this is the author's first novel. Hopefully he has continued to write others since. I could not put this down.
Rating:
Summary: Take This Road
Review: I have read many books about Custer, both fiction and non-fiction, and am happy to say that "A Road We do not Know" is by far the best novelization I have read to date. A page turner, the book is both easy to read and gripping. If you are looking for a Custer book that is factual and makes you feel like you are there, you will not go wrong with this. You can just about smell the gunpowder and hear the arrows whizzing by. It's hard to believe this is the author's first novel. Hopefully he has continued to write others since. I could not put this down.
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