Galveston (Far Western Civil War) (original 2002; edition 2010)

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It's a fascinating era, and these books take in a corner of it not usually seen. I've read a great deal of fiction set in the 1800's, but surprisingly little set in and around the Civil War (apart from Abel Jones). And even in the non-fiction I've read and watched the war in the West is largely a blank – even Ken Burns's Civil War only touched on it glancingly. I appreciate this book, and in fact this series, for putting the spotlight where few others seem to have.

I was surprised at how unfamiliar the Confederate setting was to me, and I wonder if it's because some writers prefer to stick to the side that won in the end? (Sorry about the spoiler, there.) There was a certain fatalistic quality to it all, and a queasiness when Colonel Forrest was mentioned, and no surprises in how the causes of the War were viewed. The surprise to me was the reaction among Wheat's crewmates to the Emancipation Proclamation. I knew it was far from universally popular in the North, but this … It felt accurate, and it felt … sad. You know in the larger scheme of things there's not going to be a happy ending ... Unfortunately there wasn't much of an ending at all: to be continued. ( )

I received a complimentary e-book copy of Galveston from LibraryThing and the author P.G. Nagle.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It was my first as an e-book and I really wanted it to be a good experience.

Despite several attempts I couldn't get into this book. There were far too many characters for me and I really wasn't sure who was on which side. I have no knowledge of this particular period of American history and I felt that that contributed to spoiling the story. I can appreciate the skillfull writing and assume that it's historically correct, but this really wasn't a book for me. ( )

P.G. Nagle is a historian. "Galveston" is truly a historical novel which falls mostly in the "history" category. With detailed descriptions of the Civil War, language and syntax relative to the 1800's and customs of the times, Nagle's book is a triumph. However, the number and complexity of the characters takes away from the book at the beginning. Were the novel simplified in this area more closely, it would have had a better flow of storyline and would, I think, capture a wider reading public.

What's so admirable about "Galveston" is the expansive story and information we learn about soldiers and the battles of the Civil War. The book is one of a series, and I think those who love historical novels of this sort need to find and read them all to get a full picture of the War from Nagle's perspective. It may also give a more complete understandig of the main families profiled.

The story between brother and sister, James and Emma, was interesting and tender, and saved the novel, I felt, from being too dry. I have to say that it was the only part of the book that kept me reading, as I found much of the other historical information heavy. I'm not a student of the Civil War battles and generals. That material just isn't of interest to me on a whole.

All in all, I would only recommend this book to those who truly want to read history with a bit of novel included. I would recommend it to Civil War buffs. I think it's a heavy book for most novel readers who are looking for a historical romance.

The last thing I must mention is that I was given this book from a LibraryThing Early Reviewers win. It was an ebook format. As a reviewer, I'm not comfortable with ebooks. They seem to distort the stories somehow in my mind. I'm not able to makes notes as easily, nor am I able to flip back and forth to connect parts like I'm accustomed to doing with hard copies. This may have affected my review of the book. While I have and use a couple of Readers, I don't use them as a rule for my reviews.

Written by a gifted author, though, and one whose talent cannot be dismissed. Nagle is a descriptive and capable writer. It's just that not every book is everybody's cup of tea.

Deborah/TheBookishDame ( )

I don't know enough about the American Civil War (not being American myself) to vouch for the historical accuracy of this book. Despite that I enjoyed it, it's well written and very detailed. The characters are interesting, although it is a bit stressful to keep track of them all. The plot starts a bit too slowly but the pace picks up later. ( )

Galveston is the account of the taking of Galveston by the Union and then the recapture by the Confederates. It is told from the perspective of fictional characters on both sides of the civil war.

I found the details intriguing. I had not previously known of this conflict. I found it interesting to see the development of the characters and how each viewed the conflict.

It is a book that will enlighten and entertain. I recommend this book for those who love history told with fictional characters.