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A review by odbasford
The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara
5.0
Absolutely redeems the disaster that was the prequel! Michael Shaara captures the depth and nuance of personality in some of the Civil War's most important characters. Chamberlain shines as the unexpected hero, but even the portraits of the Reb generals (especially Longstreet) pulled me into their shoes without even once seeming to justify their Lost Cause.
While I certainly knew the outcome of the battle, this narrative was so intense--I raced through the first day's pages because the sense of luck and timing and drive and destiny felt so monumental. The land surrounding Gettysburg becomes an important character in itself, as we see from the treetop perspective of the pompous Englishman who follows the Confederate generals. The depth of tiredness is made so evident as Chamberlain falls asleep beneath the bursting shells just before Pickett's Charge. And the utter hopelessness of the Confederate position is brought home in the end--it's a wonder the war lasted for another year beyond this.
Probably my favorite work of historical fiction I've ever read. It rests on a solid foundation of historical accuracy, but paints the vivid colors that happen in between the facts. It answers the question--how must these men have felt, living through some of the most consequential days of American history?
While I certainly knew the outcome of the battle, this narrative was so intense--I raced through the first day's pages because the sense of luck and timing and drive and destiny felt so monumental. The land surrounding Gettysburg becomes an important character in itself, as we see from the treetop perspective of the pompous Englishman who follows the Confederate generals. The depth of tiredness is made so evident as Chamberlain falls asleep beneath the bursting shells just before Pickett's Charge. And the utter hopelessness of the Confederate position is brought home in the end--it's a wonder the war lasted for another year beyond this.
Probably my favorite work of historical fiction I've ever read. It rests on a solid foundation of historical accuracy, but paints the vivid colors that happen in between the facts. It answers the question--how must these men have felt, living through some of the most consequential days of American history?