zena_ryder 's review for:

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

4.0

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Initially, I was a bit worried because the speech seemed too modern, but I got used to it and this turned out to be the great classic I was expecting before I started reading. The characterization is excellent. Shaara does a very good job of distinguishing a whole bunch of soldiers (mostly officers) and the reader is easily able to keep track of who is who. However, I was thankful for the list of the main characters at the front of the book to help with this. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of Robert E. Lee — the reader can both see the adoration he received and also see how this skilled general made grave mistakes that resulted in pointless deaths. This book captures the sheer waste of war. Every individual death is a tragedy and a waste of human life, and the awful battle of Gettysburg was a tragic waste on a phenomenal scale.