The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War
Book Review: A Great Book
Summary: 5 Stars
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!
Book Review: A Great Civil War Novel
Summary: 3 Stars
The Killer Angels does a great job of explaining the Battle of Gettysburg in great detail, but still manages to keep you interested the whole way through. It gives you a feel of what it would have been like to fight in the war. Unlike some other historical books, the Killer Angels is very interesting, and is easy to learn from. The book starts out when both the Rebel and Union forces are almost to Gettysburg, and tells what happened in amazing detail through some of the key people in the war. I was amazed at how Michael Sharaa was able to tell all of the details of the battle, while still keeping the book interesting, and easy to read. He can almost take you into the battle, and let you feel what the people were feeling, and what they were going through. This is one of the best historical novels that I have read, because it was easy to follow and understand, and it taught me a lot about the Battle of Gettysburg.Book Review: A Killer Book
Summary: 4 Stars
The Killer Angels by Micheal Shaara covers the most important days of the Civil War, the 4 days at Gettysburg. Shaara shows besides the war tactics and maneuvuers on the battle field there was something much more important presented off of it. Friendship, love, companionship, these were all elements of life that kept men sane and althought these were intangible things, they were casualties of war as well. Overall I thought the book was well written and gave you an aspect of the war no one has shown before.Book Review: A Literary Masterpiece
Summary: 4 Stars
Killer Angels is a literary masterpiece written by Michael Shaara. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel is suitable for all mature readers. Shaara's work accurately describes the events of Gettysburg. The novel discusses things from the armies' weapontry to the lives of the soldiers. Shaara uses both fiction and history. The historical facts do not change, but things such as the dialogue and the emotion of the soldiers is fictional. In the first chapter, Shaara gives several brief biographies of the commanding officers of both sides. Beginning in the second chapter, the reader is given the name of the commander of either the north or south and then is given the view of the battle from that side. The next chapter is the same except in the perspective of the other side. Although this happens ever chapter, it is not hard to comprehend or follow. Even though the perspective changes, the novel remains in real time. If the north is advancing the south, the next chapter begins with the south defending their fortification. This allows us,the readers, to feel as if we were in the battle ourselves. I recommned this book for both the adventure reader and the history lover. It is able to accuratley show the horrible battle of Gettysburg with an adventurous spin.Book Review: A MASTERPIECE
Summary: 5 Stars
There is nothing bad I can say about this extraordinary piece of work. Shaara has accurately and vividly described the actual events, lifestyles, and people of the Gettysburg campaign. This explains the many reasons why men would give their lives for a cause. Great dialogue compliments the plot with intimate characterization of the men who led from the rear or charged from the front line. ANY person would LOVE this book. A history bluff would be ADDICTED to it!