A Blaze of Glory: A No...

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Jeff Shaara

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A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #1)

by Jeff Shaara

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 676 ratings · 177 reviews

“[An] exciting read . . . [Jeff] Shaara returns to the U.S. Civil War in this first book of a new trilogy. . . . This novel is meticulously researched and brings a vivid reality to the historical events depicted.”—Library Journal

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Spring 1862. The Confederate Army in the West teeters on the brink of collapse. General Albert Sidney Johnston is forced...more

ebook, 480 pages

Published May 29th 2012 by Ballantine Books

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Jul 24, 2012 Christopher H. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, american-authors-translators, american-civil-war, historical-fiction, read-in-2012, acw-western-theater

I read this novel a couple of weeks ago, and my verdict? 'Meh!' I promptly sent it along to my mom and dad with a note that read, "A so-so novel about the Battle of Shiloh. Keep it, or pass it along to someone else..."

This is the second novel by Jeff Shaara that I've read (the first being Gods and Generals) and it will surely be the last. I have always been fascinated by Civil War battles and leaders, and especially with the Battle of Shiloh, Grant's first big action. Over the years I have read...more I read this novel a couple of weeks ago, and my verdict? 'Meh!' I promptly sent it along to my mom and dad with a note that read, "A so-so novel about the Battle of Shiloh. Keep it, or pass it along to someone else..."

This is the second novel by Jeff Shaara that I've read (the first being Gods and Generals) and it will surely be the last. I have always been fascinated by Civil War battles and leaders, and especially with the Battle of Shiloh, Grant's first big action. Over the years I have read several very well-done non-fictional accounts of the battle (e.g., Wiley Sword's book, Shelby Foote's account of the battle in his 3-volume narrative, etc.) and was excited to see this new fictional account of Shiloh at the bookstore.

Unfortunately, Shaara's writing is as flat as most of the characters in the novel. Frankly, I thought his characterization of Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston was maudlin, overly sentimental, and way too introspective. He didn't do any better with Union General William Tecumseh Sherman either; as Sherman comes across as peevish and an almost complete imbecile (and he chain-smoked cigars like a fiend in the novel!). Interestingly, to me, Shaara's characterization of the fictionalized enlisted men or officers from the various Union and Confederate units were, on the whole, done quite a bit better than his historical characters. For example, I actually did grow to like the Rebel cavalry Lieutenant, James Seeley, and the Yankee, Fritz Bauer; and found myself flipping pages just to get back to their respective points-of-view. Weird, huh? Even the battle/combat descriptions just weren't all that engaging, at least for me. In short, this book just never grabbed me, not one jot. I tried, I really tried to like this book, but I didn't.

I'm giving the book two stars, and--in my humble opinion--I'm being generous. I debated whether to even add this book to my 'bookshelf' here as it really is that bad, and I've not even kept it on my physical bookshelf at home, but I decided that I should just go ahead add it and write up and post my review. Ultimately, maybe my observations and opinions associated with this book will be helpful to someone else.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Sam Sattler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: civil-war

A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh begins the new Jeff Shaara trilogy focusing on events of the Civil War’s Western Theater. As fans of Shaara’s The Last Full Measure and his father’s The Killer Angels will attest, his return to the Civil War era is a welcome one. I was particularly pleased to see that the new series begins with the Battle of Shiloh because of the number of hours I have spent walking that particular battlefield site over the years. A Blaze of Glory leaves me with...more A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh begins the new Jeff Shaara trilogy focusing on events of the Civil War’s Western Theater. As fans of Shaara’s The Last Full Measure and his father’s The Killer Angels will attest, his return to the Civil War era is a welcome one. I was particularly pleased to see that the new series begins with the Battle of Shiloh because of the number of hours I have spent walking that particular battlefield site over the years. A Blaze of Glory leaves me with a better understanding of what happened during those two critical days in 1862 and, just as importantly, what might have happened if either army had been better prepared for the fight. (My interest probably stems from the fact that my great-great grandfather was a member of the 18th Louisiana Infantry Brigade that suffered a forty percent casualty rate on the battle’s first day – him not among them.)

Shaara, as in his past historical novels, uses a range of characters (some real, some fictional) to tell his story. This allows the author to offer insights into the personalities, motivations, jealousies, fears, doubts, and dreams that were carried to the field by all those soldiers on April 6-7, 1862. All told, more than 100,000 men fought on this relatively small patch of ground and almost 24,000 of them are counted as casualties of Shiloh (although less than 4,000 actual deaths are included in the total). The battle’s rotating points-of-view include those of Generals Grant, Sherman, Johnston, and Beauregard, along with those of a few lower-ranking officers and enlisted men.

Caught by surprise at dawn on the first day of the battle, Union troops, as dusk approaches, have been driven as far as they can go without drowning themselves in the rain-swollen Tennessee River. Unfortunately for the Confederacy, General Albert Sidney Johnston is dead (having bled to death from a leg wound he barely seemed to notice at the time) and has been replaced by his second-in-command, the more cautious General P.T.G. Beauregard. The battle will turn on Beauregard’s decision to rest and reorganize his men for what he sees as a certain Union surrender requiring only a last surge on his part the next morning. But the next morning, the reinforced Union army attacks first and the Confederates are the ones forced to concede the field to a victorious army.

One must remember, of course, that A Blaze of Glory is historical fiction and that Shaara uses the genre to speculate his way inside the heads of some of American history’s key players. His books, however, are not some alternate history version of America’s past. Shaara does not change historical facts. Rather, he uses his research and insight into the human condition to explain why things happened as they did. Naturally, his speculation and interpretation of events can be disputed, but without a doubt, he has humanized the Civil War in a way that even the best history books are unable to match. Shaara’s painless history lessons are so exciting that many of his readers will, I am certain, be compelled to pick up “real” history books for the first times in their lives.(less)

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May 14, 2012 Colin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just received the Advanced Uncorrected Proof from the First-Reads drawing! I am going to delve into this book tonight. I love reading historical fiction and this is going to be my 1st book by Shaara. I cannot wait to travel back to the Civil War and let his words put me into the lifes & times of the Battle of Shiloh. Will revise my review when I finish the book.

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May 10, 2013 Dick Gullickson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Many believe that if Lt Gen Albert Sidney Johnston hadn’t been killed leading an infantry charge on the first day of the Battle of Shiloh that the course of the civil war would have been different. Johnson’s aggressive campaign and sound strategy pushed Grant’s army back to Pittsburg Landing TN late in the afternoon. Johnston was close to flanking Grant’s Army at the TN river which would have led to surrounding and capturing Grant’s army, perhaps leading to a different outcome for the civil war....more

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Nov 27, 2012 Mat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Battle of Shiloh was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War when it was fought in 1862. Because of the communication of the time those in the east were only told that there was a victory by the Union forces somewhere in Tennessee. Jeff Shaara puts together a much more intricate and thorough picture of those two bloody days.

Shaara stays true to his Pulitzer Prize-winning father's style and tells the story of Shiloh through the eyes of those who were there. Intensely graphic at times combined...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Dale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Great Start to a New Civil War Trilogy

Published by Ballantine Books in May of 2012

Jeff Shaara returns to the familiar topic of the Civil War after writing two books about the Revolutionary War, one book about the Mexican War, one book about World War I and four books about World War II. Fans of Jeff Shaara and his father Michael know that they have a special feel for the Civil War and this book shows that Jeff's talents as a writer have only grown.

I don't know if Jeff Shaara could have written...more

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Aug 16, 2012 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Civil War buffs

Recommended to James by: review

Interesting novel about one of the most dreadful slaughters of the Civil War.

Jeff Shaara successfully captures the futility and carnage of the Battle of Shiloh in his novel A Blaze of Glory. With over 100,000 troops engaged and nearly 25,000 casualties (about 13,000 Union and 10,000 Confederate), Shiloh was earliest of the major slaughters of the Civil War (April 1862) with total casualties in this one battle that were said to exceed all of the casualties of the American War for Independence, Wa...more Interesting novel about one of the most dreadful slaughters of the Civil War.

Jeff Shaara successfully captures the futility and carnage of the Battle of Shiloh in his novel A Blaze of Glory. With over 100,000 troops engaged and nearly 25,000 casualties (about 13,000 Union and 10,000 Confederate), Shiloh was earliest of the major slaughters of the Civil War (April 1862) with total casualties in this one battle that were said to exceed all of the casualties of the American War for Independence, War of 1812 and Mexican War combined. As it was soon exceeded in bloodletting by Antietam and Gettysburg, battles captured by the eastern news media and photographers, Shiloh in far away western Tennessee became one of the lesser known major battles of the Civil War. Shaara’s novel is a welcome addition.

The generals, their various strategies and conflicting personalities are depicted along with the perspectives of young soldiers on both sides attempting to gain experience and preparation for the cauldron of battle into which they would be so suddenly thrown. Among the best depictions presented by Shaara is of little known, but highly respected Confederate commanding General Albert Sydney Johnston. Johnston decided to combine all available forces to crush Grant’s Union troops at Pittsburgh Landing before he could be reinforced by Union divisions commanded by Don Carlos Buell for a drive further south. Although slowed by logistical problems and bickering among commanders, Johnston’s divisions were assembled and launched their attack on the morning of April 6, 1862. Despite ample warnings, Union commanders Grant and Sherman were caught off guard and the Rebel attack nearly achieved complete success. After General Johnston was killed on the afternoon of the 6th, his successor, General Beauregard failed to follow up the assault. Reinforcements from General Buell enabled Grant to recover the lost ground on April 7 and drive the Rebel forces back. Although a Union victory, it was not decisive and came close to becoming a major disaster. The courage and steadiness of union foot soldiers (such as the character Private Fritz “Dutchie” Bauer of the 16th Wisconsin) in the face of fierce attacks by equally determined Confederate infantry saved the day for Grant and Sherman in what otherwise might have been an end to their careers (and/or lives) on that battlefield.

Shaara aptly describes the confusion, blunders and downright stupidity on both sides as well as the shock and terror of those young soldiers who were suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into a nightmarish slaughter the likes of which had never yet been witnessed in North America.

(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Carl Brush rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jeff Shaara has turned Civil War novels into his own personal franchise. Ever since his dad, Michael, authored the remarkable Killer Angels re Gettysburg, then died not long after, his son has carried on the family business and made a big success of it. Blaze of Glory explores the in’s and out’s of the 1862 Battle of Shiloh, which takes its name from a crossroads church where the invading federals first set up their headquarters.
Blaze follows the same formula as the rest of these books I’ve...more Jeff Shaara has turned Civil War novels into his own personal franchise. Ever since his dad, Michael, authored the remarkable Killer Angels re Gettysburg, then died not long after, his son has carried on the family business and made a big success of it. Blaze of Glory explores the in’s and out’s of the 1862 Battle of Shiloh, which takes its name from a crossroads church where the invading federals first set up their headquarters.
Blaze follows the same formula as the rest of these books I’ve read. We get scenes with the major generals, and we get scenes with Captains and Lieutenants, and we get scenes with common soldiers. By returning again and again to these characters we gradually develop sympathies and antipathies with folks on both sides, and Shaara is quite even-handed about portraying gray and blue in bad and good lights. Blazes is also said to be the first in a trilogy, which means, I guess that we’re going to be following Grant’s western campaign through to Chickamagua.
Well and good, and if I hadn’t read so much about this whole thing elsewhere and hadn’t read so much of these father/son novels already, I might be more enthusiastic. But I have, and I’ve grown a bit weary of the template. Moreover, Jeff is simply not the writer his father was. He’s ten or fifteen per cent less, which is the difference between apprentice and master. Case in point, the opening pages where a young Confederate cavalry officer is trying to stop a raid on the warehouses holding army supplies. The Union is coming, and the citizens of Nashville don’t trust their own troops to hold the enemy, and they think they’re about to starve, so they go after the soldiers’ provender. Our young lieutenant holds rather lengthy debates with a couple of rioters about what they’re doing and why. Now, who,I ask you, stops to talk in that situation? No one, except when the author needs to do an info dump and a bit of introductory exposition whether it interrupts the action and drama or not. And so on.
To his credit, Shaara, does everything he can to deglamorize war. Blood, savagery, piles of severed limbs, guts all over the place, wounded lying suffering and unattended for days. At some points, the descriptions get so frequent and intense they become numbing to the point of meaningless. Like “Earthquake: thousands killed.” But it surely is important to stop the idea that this conflict was a glorious affair in any way.
Also to his credit, he lays great blame on the bungling of high-ranking officers. From Grant to Beauregard, everyone in charge comes in for a heavy dose of responsibility for the carnage.
Awesome as the two-day battle was, it was in itself inconclusive. No ground was taken. No railroads destroyed. No ammunition captured. It was just a matter of ground taken one day taken back the next, then the armies separating to prepare for the next encounter. Of course, if X or Y or Z had or hadn’t done A or B or C, things might have been different, and the historical debate rages and the dead remain dead and lost to their families and friends. And the resentments remain 150 years hence.
And so it goes.
I gave it three stars, but wouldn't pick a fight with the guy who only gave it two.
(less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Socraticgadfly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

A solid Civil War era novel about Shiloh, the first truly bloody battle of the Civil War, prefiguring Antietam, and many others afterward.

Shaara does well in focusing much of the action on a couple of novelized Union privates, as well as adding novelistic detail to higher-level actors.

On the Confederate side, that means primarily focusing on Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, and then-Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest to a lesser degree. Shaara does a good job talking about Johnston's difficulties, at times...more

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Jul 30, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have read every one of Jeff Shaara’s historical fiction novels. These are well researched and put the reader into the mind of both the leaders and the shmucks on the ground during the key events of the wars. In A Blaze of Glory, Shaara begins a trilogy of books about the smaller battles of the Civil War, in this case the Battle of Shiloh. I do appreciate that there is value in bringing the story of this part of the war to life as many tens of thousands of Americans died. The difference in A Bl...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Jeff Shaara ("Gods and Generals," "Rise to Rebellion," "The Steel Wave") may be America's most prolific, studious practitioner of historical fiction. Using his father's patented "rotating perspective" technique, where each chapter is told from a different historical figure's point of view, Shaara has explored the American Revolution, both World Wars, and of course the Civil War. With "A Blaze of Glory," Shaara returns to the Civil War - this book is the first in a planned trilogy about the Civil...more Jeff Shaara ("Gods and Generals," "Rise to Rebellion," "The Steel Wave") may be America's most prolific, studious practitioner of historical fiction. Using his father's patented "rotating perspective" technique, where each chapter is told from a different historical figure's point of view, Shaara has explored the American Revolution, both World Wars, and of course the Civil War. With "A Blaze of Glory," Shaara returns to the Civil War - this book is the first in a planned trilogy about the Civil War as it was fought in the West.

"A Blaze of Glory" takes on no less than the infamous clash at Shiloh, where confusion reigned supreme and more Americans died in a single battle than (to that date) had ever occurred in American history.

The book is vintage Shaara - well-research, methodical in execution, and riveting in several sections. The first two hundred pages are rather pedestrian as the two forces gradually draw closer to the fateful battle. Shaara's rotating perspective technique actually serves a vital purpose here as it underscores how little each player knew about the drama that was about to unfold. Shaara gives us the perspective of such titans as U.S. Grant and Sherman as commanders on the Union side and Albert Sidley Johnston and James Seeley for the Confederacy. However, we also get several chapters from the "grunt's" perspective so we get the full horror of what Shiloh was like on the front lines.

The first day of the battle - where the Confederacy shocked the unprepared Union troops and won a decisive but not smashing victory - serves as the high point of the book. Shaara describes in great detail how Johnston and the Confederacy caught the Union forces (particularly Sherman and Grant) by surprise. Only the combination of some desperate fighting by the Union forces and a horrible miscalculation by the Confederate general Beauregard saved the Union from a crushing defeat - and indeed they won the battle the next day.

At Shiloh, the truth of the Civil War emerged - this was going to be a conflict far beyond the experience of any American. The vast scope of death and injury was laid bare for the nation, and Shaara's book puts us right there for all the horrors. While this may not be Shaara's best work, but it's still darn good. (less)

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Jun 16, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Come all you gallant soldiers, a story I will tell
About the bloody battle on top of Shiloh's hill
It was an awful struggle; it'll cause your heart to chill
All from the bloody battle on top of Shiloh's hill.

In 1974, Michael Shaara wrote an unparalleled novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, eschewing a traditional narrative and telling the story directly from the point of view of various generals and infantrymen who contended against one another amid Pennsylvania’s rocky hills and woodlands. The n...more

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May 18, 2012 Steven Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is another in a series of works by Jeff Shaara, whose father authored the well acclaimed work "The Killer Angels" (a novel of the battle at Gettysburg). Shaara has military historical novels on the American Civil War, World War II and so on. The mode of operation is the same, between both pere and fils. Several figures are selected to act as characters in their novels. We see the particular battle or campaign through their eyes. By, then, aggregating these individual views, we get an overal...more This is another in a series of works by Jeff Shaara, whose father authored the well acclaimed work "The Killer Angels" (a novel of the battle at Gettysburg). Shaara has military historical novels on the American Civil War, World War II and so on. The mode of operation is the same, between both pere and fils. Several figures are selected to act as characters in their novels. We see the particular battle or campaign through their eyes. By, then, aggregating these individual views, we get an overall sense of the nature of the battle or campaign. Generally, this has worked well.

This novel focuses on the first major bloodletting in the Civil War--making Bull Run seem like a skirmish. Shiloh. Here Ulysses Grant's forces met an equal sized army, led by Albert Sidney Johnston, a Confederate general who had a towering reputation--but who had not fared as well as what people had expected from him.

In this novel, there are more "ordinary" characters, "grunts" in both the Union and Confederate armies. Other characters who provide us their view of the battle include William Sherman, Albert Sidney Johnston, and so on.

The work gives is insights into the character of some of the major figures in both armies, from U. S. Grant to Pierre G. T. Beauregard, the hot tempered Braxton Bragg, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and on.

The novel takes us from the aftereffects of Grant's victories at Forts Henry and Donelson, which wrecked Johnson's defensive line from the Mississippi River to Eastern Tennessee. The story of his retreat, linking with forces led by Beauregard and Bragg, and his subsequent decision to mount a surprise attack on Grant's forces, now camping at Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh was a small church in the land above the Mississippi).

The surprise attack turned into a nightmare for the Confederates (the anger and frustration among Confederate generals is well told). Union forces seemed stubbornly resistant to recognizing signs of an imminent attack. Then, the battle.

The view from the ground continues to work well. Some issues did arise here though. There seemed to be an overemphasis on the humdrum lives of the grunts, which slowed the development of the action. It was fine for giving a sense of the private's perspective, but did it really add to the narrative?

The historical aspects of this novel seem pretty well done (I am an amateur in terms of history, but most of the book is consistent with my understanding of this sanguinary battle). (less)

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May 24, 2012 Debbie Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Because I teach United States History to 8th grade students, I was very excited to be selected as a Goodreads,First Read, winner of Jeff Shaara's "Blaze of Glory". I have read other novels by this author and they have helped me to make history come alive for my students. The Civil War battle at Shiloh is such a pivotal point in the war that I was thrilled to be able to get greater insights into the events and the minds of the men involved. Once again I have found Mr. Shaara's writing to be inval...more

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May 31, 2012 Benjamin Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: advanced-reading-copy, civil-war, historical-fiction

I am a Civil War buff and love to read novels set during those turbulent years. I have read most of Jeff Shaara's work and have come to rely on his factual backgrounds to engaging stories. In this first novel of a projected three book trilogy about specific Civil War battles in the "West" he treats us to an accurate, detailed account of the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.

This is not a quick read, not a book to devour after supper one evening. Rather, it is one to take your time with and savor the...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 110-books-in-2012-and-do-it-again, family-relationships, historical, read-in-2012

The battle of Shiloh is told from both sides of the conflict.

The southern forces are led by Gen. Johnston who surprises Gen. Grant's union forces and on the first day of the battle, they push the union forces almost back to the river. However, Gen. Johnston was mortally wounded and his replacement Gen. Beauregard was a timid man who seems to have lost his nerve. He ordered the southern troops to move back after the day was won.

On the second day, other units of Grant's army arrived on the scene...more

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May 14, 2012 R.A. Marsh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Knowing his father had won a Pulitzer, and never having read either the father or the son, I was quite excited to receive this advance copy of Jeff Shaara's, A Blaze of Glory, that I won on goodreads. Having now read it, I can safely say the younger Shaara will not any time soon be joining his father on that most esteemed of lists.

The prose is repetitive and drones on, all but a few of the characters flat, and the dialog almost laughable at times given the great men who were supposed to have sp...more

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May 17, 2012 Eileen Granfors rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: environment, historical-fiction, local-color, men, medical-issues, war

Jeff Shaara introduces a new Civil War trilogy with "A Blaze of Glory." Having read his World War I trilogy, I was excited to see him working with the tragedy of the American Civil War.

Shaara makes sure the reader understands the minds of the generals and the other officers. Although the primary generals were Grant for the North and Johnston for the South, we are introduced to the quirks of behavior and thinking in an array of other generals. In addition, Shaara brings in the common man, the inf...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Bob Fagan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Almost through it...decent look at the battle of Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing of the Civil War. The Western Theater of the Civil War has generally been ignored by many, but this is the first in three books that will cover it and I look forward to each one. These lesser known, yet crucial battles, were the ones that basically brought the southern rebellion down by dividing the confederacy and then gutting it's internal support system. The fictional account of a real battle tends to bring it alive. Th...more

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May 18, 2012 Charles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, historical-fiction, 2012

I'd like to thank Goodreads for having the First Reads program so that many of the average readers can read a book before it hits the stores. A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh is the first book I ever won from Goodreads' First Reads program and I hope to win future books and give a review for the book.

This book is the first book I've ever read from Jeff Shaara.

The story takes place with the events before Shiloh and eventually leads up to the battle of Shiloh. Portrayed by both No...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Ned rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Historical novel about the battle of Shiloh. The first major battle of the US Civil War, April 6, 7, 1862. Major in terms of soldiers involved and casualties on both sides. Inflated casualty count due to unbelievable incompetence by generals on both sides.

One of the featured commanders for the Southern Army is Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest survived the battle and after the war became the first Grand Wizard of the KKK; and later became the namesake of Forrest Gump.

My favorite genre is...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Jarom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

JEFF. SHAARA.
AMAZING.
As the Western Theater of the American Civil War has always been kind of a no-man's land in my mental fact book, this novel I found to be enlightening- 'enlightening' being an increasingly rare adjective in my references to history books. The desperate battle for Pittsburg Landing is now ranked among my stories to tell anyone who will listen- I have half a mind to ask my history teacher for a class period during which I could share.
The only disagreeable part with me was Sh...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, history

I love Jeff Shaara! This was a great book detailing the events surrounding the battle of Shiloh in 1862. Shaara does a great job of bringing the characters to life and helping the reader to see the war from the perspective of men who were actually there. While fiction, it is intriguing to me to see the events and thoughts from the mind of one who is actually participating. I love how Shaara looks at the war from both perspectives, north and south, and how he uses characters of various rank and d...more

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May 29, 2012 Sunny in Wonderland rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

UPDATED:
So as I laid in bed last night starting into a new book, my hubby turned on the television to watch a new History Channel show about the Hatfields and the McCoys. Starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. That's right - similar time frame, similar characters. And, I was distracted from my awesome new book by the awesomeness, the vividness, the intensity of the show. So, although I'm leaving this on the abandoned shelf for now, I'm only going to LOAN it out. I want to try this one again; pe...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Fred Ross rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ah, the tribulations of success! Jeff Shaara’s previous novels were so well done that the bar for his work has now been raised impossibly high. “A Blaze of Glory” is weak only in the sense that it’s not quite up to the level of his other novels. That’s because “Blaze” focuses on a single battle—Shiloh—rather than an entire war or campaign like his previous books, and so there is admittedly more “filler” (which is why I’m only giving it four stars), but the formula still works, and while I prefer...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

A Blaze of Glory doesn’t break any new ground, but it is a very readable account of the 1862 Civil War battle of Shiloh. Up to that time there had not been a battle on the North American continent that produced as many casualties – a combined 24,000 over two days by both the Union and Confederate armies. Even the generals with experience from the Mexican War were still feeling their way commanding armies of approximately 50,000 men each.
The cast of characters includes commanding generals from bo...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a Goodreads win and I'm really glad that I won it. I had never read anything by Jeff Shaara before but I definitely will read more of his books.

This book is the first in Shaara's trilogy of the Civil War and is about the Battle of Shiloh. I didn't know much about Shiloh and learned a lot. Shaara does his research and it shows. Even though the book is historical fiction, it is filled with facts and details that bring the battle to life.

One aspect of Shaara's writing that I like best is h...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Alan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book as much as I love his earlier Civil War books. Shaara gives the reader many perspectives on the way - the officers' views, the soldiers' views, and the historians' views. While reading this book I felt that I was in southern Tennessee in April, 1862. The battle scenes are described with a sense of horror, heroism, and chaos -- which I believe were all true feelings of those who were there. All the main characters - Sidney Johnston, PGT Beauregard, US Grant, and WT Sherman - are...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Mark Wright rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In another Civil War book Shaara writes a beautiful narrative about a soldier lying in a field seeing the oncoming, opposing army for the first time. I didn’t see anything like that in this one.

At the end when he brings us up to date on the later history of the principals of the story, as Shaara does in all his books, Bedford Forrest is curiously absent. Which I found odd because he leaves in a story about Forrest using a union soldier as a human shield to preserve his life when he charges, alo...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Russ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was pretty disappointed with this book. I've read Shaara's other nineteenth century historical novels, and his World War I novel as well, and found them all to be well written with pretty engaging characters. This book just didn't grab me. Of the point of view characters, Albert Johnston was the only compelling character, with Sherman and Grant being at least interesting. But the two "in the ranks" characters were dry and forgettable. The history behind Shiloh is, of course, interesting but if...more

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About Jeff Shaara

Jeff Shaara, a descendant of Italian immigrants, was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey ("Shaara" was originally spelled "Sciarra"). He grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Criminology. From age 16, Jeff operated a rare coin business, first out of his home, then in a retail store. After moving to Tampa, Jeff became one of the most widely know...more Jeff Shaara, a descendant of Italian immigrants, was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey ("Shaara" was originally spelled "Sciarra"). He grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Criminology. From age 16, Jeff operated a rare coin business, first out of his home, then in a retail store. After moving to Tampa, Jeff became one of the most widely known coin and precious-metals dealers in Florida. In 1988, Jeff's father, Michael Shaara, died, and Jeff made the decision to sell his business, and take over the management of his father's estate.

Onboard the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Mustin in the Persian Gulf.

In 1993, the motion picture "Gettysburg" was released, which was based on his father's classic novel, The Killer Angels. After the critical and commercial success of the film, Jeff was approached about the possibility of continuing the story, finding someone to write a prequel and sequel to The Killer Angels. After some considerable soul-searching, Jeff decided to try to tackle the project himself. The decision was difficult in many ways, but most challenging because Jeff had no previous experience as a writer.

In 1996, Ballantine Books published Jeff's first novel, Gods and Generals, the prequel to his father's great work. Gods and Generals leapt onto the New York Times Bestseller List, and remained there for fifteen weeks. Critics nationwide praised the book and Jeff's writing ability, and the book was awarded the American Library Association's Prestigious "Boyd Award". No one was more surprised than Jeff himself. In 1998, the sequel, The Last Full Measure, was published, with the same result: thirteen weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, and universal praise from critics and fans nationwide. Two years later, Jeff published his third novel, Gone For Soldiers, which followed many familiar Civil War characters back to their experiences in the Mexican-American War of the 1840's. Received with much critical acclaim, the book became Jeff's third bestseller.(less)

More about Jeff Shaara...

Books by Jeff Shaara

Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution

The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II (World War II: 1939-1945 #1)

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title link	preview: A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530764-a-blaze-of-glory?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]/assets/nocover/111x148.png[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530764-a-blaze-of-glory?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh by Jeff Shaara[/url]

A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #1)

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