A Blaze of Glory

With A Blaze of Glory, Jeff Shaara returns to the Civil War with a vibrant re-creation of one of the war's bloodiest engagements-the Battle of Shiloh.  It is the first in what is said to be "a trilogy of lesser known battles of the Civil War."  If you have an American history fan at home, this newly published book is a must.

My son picked it up for our trip to the beach and devoured it.  Like Shaara's other novels, A Blaze of Glory dramatizes the events of the battle through the voices and thoughts of the Officers, senior and junior alike, conscripts and enlisted men on both sides of the conflict.

Here's how the book begins:



 CHAPTER ONE

SEELEY

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

February 22, 1862

“Keep those men out of there! They will not pass!”

Seeley’s words were harsh, loud, the men around him doing all they could to obey. The shotguns hung by each man’s side, and the lieutenant felt a shaking nervousness, was not ready to give the order that would point the long guns at these civilians. Like him, most of these troopers had never fired their weapons at anything but crude targets. Now the targets were men, surging toward him through the darkness, pushing their way toward the gaping doorways of the supply depot, a massive warehouse close to the river. Seeley had positioned his six horsemen in an even line, to block the way of the crowd, but the crowd was a mob, desperate and mindless, their goal the precious food and bundles of supplies that lay in the warehouse. A few cavalry meant nothing at all, and quickly the mob pushed into them, some slipping past, between the horses. He felt his own frustration rising, could feel the tinder­box explosiveness of the mob, and he shouted out again, could not help the higher pitch, his voice betraying the fear.

Killer Angels

My son, Miller, has chosen Jeff Shaara's new novel Blaze of Glory for his beach novel this summer.  It is the first installation in a new series about the Battle at Shiloh fought during the Civil War.  He first fell in love with this genre when he read Michael Shaara's, father to Jeff, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Killer Angels. This novel tells the story of the Battle at Gettysburg and would be good for older readers (7th-12th).

Killer Angels is wonderfully written. I read it last spring as we were driving to Pennsylvania to see the battlefield at Gettysburg for ourselves. The dialogue flows authentically and gives you a more intimate look at many of the biggest names of the Civil War.  Shaara relies heavily on the actual military personnel that were known to be present during the four days of battle.  He focuses on many of the key assaults, like Little Round Top, that determined the final outcome of what we have come to call simply Gettysburg. There is but one fictional character in the story-Buster Kilrain.  He is assigned to Joshua Chamberlain during Little Round Top and proves a friend and worthy warrior. Buster is a beautifully imagined and developed character.

If you haven't made your summer plans yet, you might consider checking one of the many Civil War Battlefields that are part of the national and state park systems.  It is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the war, so all of the associated parks have special events planned.  If you are making your way to Gettysburg or Shiloh, pick up the Shaara's novels for a little insight and adventure.

Gettysburg Novels

• Gods and Generals
• Killer Angels
• The Last Full Measure

Shiloh

• Blaze of Glory