Rating: 
Summary: For all civil war fans
Review: Being a civil war buff, I think this is an excellent piece. Congrats to the author. Are there any more coming from him?
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating "what if" alternate history novel
Review: Civil War expert Dennis McIntire's Lee At Chattanooga: A Novel Of What Might Have Been is a fascinating "what if" alternate history novel about Robert E. Lee and Braxton Bragg. Lee At Chattanooga is an intriguing and imaginative exploration of the perennial question: what if it had been Lee who was involved in the Chattanooga campaign? A heavily researched and fascinatingly explored scenario unfolds in the resulting intricate chronicle, Lee at Chattanooga. Dennis McIntire's makes his characters come alive and this unusual story unfold with such compelling realism that he has created a work of historical fiction which totally engages the reader from first page to last -- and makes Lee At Chattanooga a "must read" for all dedicated Civil War buffs.
Rating:
Summary: The way alternative History ought to be
Review: I bought this book on a whim, and boy am I glad I did. I'm not much of a fan of the Harry Turtledove stuff (I do read it, it's just that I'm not *that* impressed) wherein the author attempts to follow all aspects and angles of a particular period of "alternative" history. Here, retired FBI agent Dennis McIntire (reportedly a life-long Civil War buff) attempts less, and winds up with more of a book as a result.The book is told in the form of a memoir. It begins, in a brief introduction, with the narrator (Jed Hotchkiss, Stonewall Jackson's Cartographer) recounting the surrender of the Confederate army in 1864, then shifts to 1867. In the latter section, Hotchkiss meets Jefferson Davis' secretary at General Lee's funeral, and recounts to him the events surrounding General Lee's participation in the battle of Chattanooga, and the results that came from these events. I will tell you no more: you should read the book yourself to find out how things get screwed up. This book essentially turns the genre of Civil War Alternative History (so far anyway) on its head. Instead of the Confederates winning the war and living on in glory, Lee's presence at Chattanooga actually hastens the end of the war. To my mind, it's the equivalent of the David Downing novel The Moscow Option, which purports to show that even if Hitler's generals had been directing strategy in WW2 things might not have gone as well as they'd hoped. I enjoyed this book a great deal. McIntire is a good writer, and the prose is more than serviceable. The plot is interesting, and makes sense, and the characterizations of the generals involved are in line with what we know of them. I would recommend this book to all Civil War buffs, though the rest of the public would have to know something about the war and the battle to get the full import of what the book is saying.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong historical portrayal and an overall good read
Review: I picked up a copy for two reasons: I enjoy alternate history, and I'm a Chattanooga native. The more I read, the closer it brought me to the actual battlesites-which I haven't visited in over a decade. The characters were well written and seemed alive; I thoroughly enjoyed the details. A Sidewise Award Nominee for 2002. For Civil War fans I also recommend Ward Moore's Bring the Jubilee and Harry Harrison's Stars and Stripes Trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Strong historical portrayal and an overall good read
Review: I picked up a copy for two reasons: I enjoy alternate history, and I'm a Chattanooga native. The more I read, the closer it brought me to the actual battlesites-which I haven't visited in over a decade. The characters were well written and seemed alive; I thoroughly enjoyed the details. A Sidewise Award Nominee for 2002. For Civil War fans I also recommend Ward Moore's Bring the Jubilee and Harry Harrison's Stars and Stripes Trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Lee at Chattanooga-a perfect blend of history and the novel
Review: Mr McIntire`s masterful blend of recorded history and the "what if" intrigue of this type of novel genre is a must read not only for civil war buffs but all people who are admirers of heartfelt writing.His intimate knowledge and passion for the period and the chosen events are evident throughout the book but the special value is embodied by the wonderful dialogue which is not only believable but highly entertaining.In some books,the "what if" style of writing can often go so astray that the reader is left to question the basic premise and authenticity of the piece.In this case,however,the author brilliantly interweaves the known with the "could have happened" in a way that is riveting and highly satisfying to both the civil war aficionado and the casual reader of history.If this is indeed his first novel,I can only patiently await his next rendition.During the interim,I highly recommend this initial effort.
Rating:
Summary: Not sour grapes, a good premise handled well
Review: Somewhat of a historical novel buff, I picked up McIntire's book on a whim. While the subject matter looked promising, I later wondered if I'd picked up some kind of southern "yeah, well if Lee had been at Chattanooga . . ." sour grapes drivel (even being a southerner myself doesn't make me want to read THAT). It didn't take but a few moments - his prologue in fact - to realize that what I was reading was an impartial "what if", one which just happened to pick a Civil War battle as its subject. And McIntire chooses his battles well. The battle of Chattanooga is widely know for its gaffs and heroics (on both sides) as well as its strategic importance. The North had the opportunity to completely strangle the South, and the South desperately needed to bounce back after devastating losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. As someone who does not read textbook history well, I was pleased to find that McIntire writes both knowledgably and comfortably. The battle scenes are realistic and most characters are developed very well. Simply put, it is a good blend of history and the author's imagination, and that makes for a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Not sour grapes, a good premise handled well
Review: Somewhat of a historical novel buff, I picked up McIntire's book on a whim. While the subject matter looked promising, I later wondered if I'd picked up some kind of southern "yeah, well if Lee had been at Chattanooga . . ." sour grapes drivel (even being a southerner myself doesn't make me want to read THAT). It didn't take but a few moments - his prologue in fact - to realize that what I was reading was an impartial "what if", one which just happened to pick a Civil War battle as its subject. And McIntire chooses his battles well. The battle of Chattanooga is widely know for its gaffs and heroics (on both sides) as well as its strategic importance. The North had the opportunity to completely strangle the South, and the South desperately needed to bounce back after devastating losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. As someone who does not read textbook history well, I was pleased to find that McIntire writes both knowledgably and comfortably. The battle scenes are realistic and most characters are developed very well. Simply put, it is a good blend of history and the author's imagination, and that makes for a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Not sour grapes, a good premise handled well
Review: Somewhat of a historical novel buff, I picked up McIntire's book on a whim. While the subject matter looked promising, I later wondered if I'd picked up some kind of southern "yeah, well if Lee had been at Chattanooga . . ." sour grapes drivel (even being a southerner myself doesn't make me want to read THAT). It didn't take but a few moments - his prologue in fact - to realize that what I was reading was an impartial "what if", one which just happened to pick a Civil War battle as its subject. And McIntire chooses his battles well. The battle of Chattanooga is widely know for its gaffs and heroics (on both sides) as well as its strategic importance. The North had the opportunity to completely strangle the South, and the South desperately needed to bounce back after devastating losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. As someone who does not read textbook history well, I was pleased to find that McIntire writes both knowledgably and comfortably. The battle scenes are realistic and most characters are developed very well. Simply put, it is a good blend of history and the author's imagination, and that makes for a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Lee At Chatanooga
Review: Very intersting. I highly recommend this book. A good "what if".
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