|
Loading...
LibraryThing recommendationsMember recommendationsLoading...
won't like
will probably not like
will probably like
will like
will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. Maybe I'm alone in this, but I really found this book to be rudimentary and frustrating, although I found The Rising Tide to be okay. The characters were shallow - I just did not really care about them at all. How much of his research included watching famous films? I really felt like numerous scenes were lifted - almost word for word - from award-winning movies such as Patton, The Longest Day and the mini-series Band of Brothers. He retold one of the most famous stories in world history while adding NOTHING to it. I really cannot recommend this book at all. ( )Interesting portrayal of the key personalities involved in D day landing from an American viewpoint. I particularly enjoyed the description of how Eisenhower dealt with the conflicts between the various generals under him. The book would have been improved by the addition of more, and more detailed, maps. This was a very enjoyable book. I do not typically gravitate to historical novels, preferring non-fiction. This work, however, was well done and filled in the unknown conversations in a manner that was entertaining and true to actual events. The juxtaposition of Eisenhower and Rommel was a good structural choice. I also appreciated the use of character names in lieu of chapter numbers. This is my favorite of all of Jeff Shaara's historical novels. There is something about the character's of the American flyers, the members of the Lafayette Escadrille, and even the Red Baron, that were so engaging, much more so than the characters in his other books. These characters kept me reading into all hours of the night, and I was sorry to see the book end. The D-Day story has been told many times in books and movies. The gold standard for years was probably S.L.A. Marshall, until he was displaced by Stephen Ambrose. The Steel Wave complements Ambrose by portraying the personal, emotional side of the events. As with the rest of Shaara’s novels, this is not light fiction. It is interesting, accessible history. My complete review is on my blog, Nate's Library, specifically at: http://nates-library.blogspot.com/200... no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0345461428, Hardcover)Jeff Shaara, America’s premier author of military historical fiction, brings us the centerpiece of his epic trilogy of the Second World War.General Dwight Eisenhower once again commands a diverse army that must find its single purpose in the destruction of Hitler’s European fortress. His primary subordinates, Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery, must prove that this unique blend of Allied armies can successfully confront the might of Adolf Hitler’s forces, who have already conquered Western Europe. On the coast of France, German commander Erwin Rommel fortifies and prepares for the coming invasion, acutely aware that he must bring all his skills to bear on a fight his side must win. But Rommel’s greatest challenge is to strike the Allies on his front, while struggling behind the lines with the growing insanity of Adolf Hitler, who thwarts the strategies Rommel knows will succeed. Meanwhile, Sergeant Jesse Adams, a no-nonsense veteran of the 82nd Airborne, parachutes with his men behind German lines into a chaotic and desperate struggle. And as the invasion force surges toward the beaches of Normandy, Private Tom Thorne of the 29th Infantry Division faces the horrifying prospects of fighting his way ashore on a stretch of coast more heavily defended than the Allied commanders anticipate–Omaha Beach. From G.I. to general, this story carries the reader through the war’s most crucial juncture, the invasion that altered the flow of the war, and, ultimately, changed history. (retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:24 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||