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70th out of 361 books
—
301 voters
No Less Than Victory: A Novel of World War II (World War II: 1939-1945 #3)
by
Jeff Shaara
No Less Than Victory is the crowning achievement in master storyteller Jeff Shaara’s soaring World War II trilogy, revealing the European war’s unforgettable and harrowing final act.
After the success of the Normandy invasion, the Allied commanders are buoyantly confident that the war in Europe will be over in a matter of weeks, that Hitler and his battered army have no oth...more
After the success of the Normandy invasion, the Allied commanders are buoyantly confident that the war in Europe will be over in a matter of weeks, that Hitler and his battered army have no oth...more
Hardcover, 480 pages
Published
November 3rd 2009
by Ballantine Books
(first published October 26th 2009)
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Another page-turner by Jeff Shaara. I started this book on CD on a trip up north. The story of the soldiers fighting during the winter at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge was so enthralling, the miles flew by. But I finished my trip only one-third of the way through the CDs, so I switched to the print version. The library book was no less exciting than the spoken one--minus the irritating fake German accent the reader assumed on dialog between German characters.
This impressive war sto...more
This impressive war sto...more
An outstanding effort by the prolific author, Jeff Shaara. This book is the third in his series about the European Theatre during World War II. This historical novel begins following the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Shaara focuses his writing around Private Eddie Benson, as well as Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower and Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, weaving accounts of personal confrontations and notable battles. Sprinkled throughout the book are some very spicy personalitie...more
15 Patton Near Metz, France December 19,1944 - The roads were mostly bad....driver had been chosen for his skills....he seemed able to miss of the rougher stretches..' 'Patton noticed the car already running, the good work of the driver, the car's heater doing its job.
17 Patton North of Luxembourg City December 24, 1944 - ....shouted dwon to his driver, the ever-patient Sergeant Mims. "John, I've had enought of this traffic jam....
My 2nd cousin, John Hart, was a driver for Patton - just wonderin...more
This is the third book of Shaara's WWII trilogy, and is a strong finish to that series. Shaara continues in the format he established earlier, switching between a select set of characters on both sides of the line, ranging from an American enlisted man, Eddie Benson, to the Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower or Von Rundstedt in the German High Command.
The story takes the reader from the near-disaster of the Battle of the Bulge to the fall of Berlin. From my perspective, this is as good as histo...more
The story takes the reader from the near-disaster of the Battle of the Bulge to the fall of Berlin. From my perspective, this is as good as histo...more
Shaara abandoned his nautical theme for the title of the last book in his trilogy but didn’t forsake his ability to weave a compelling story entwined around historical fact. The centerpiece of this work is the Battle of the Bulge where Americans initially suffered the greatest military defeat in their history before eventually throwing the Germans back across the Rhine River.
Shaara details Hitler’s strategy, which he executed against the advice of his most experienced generals. He also recounts...more
Shaara details Hitler’s strategy, which he executed against the advice of his most experienced generals. He also recounts...more
From the Battle of the Bulge to the end of the war against Germany. . . . Jeff Shaara here completes his World War II trilogy. His method is by now familiar. He takes a series of people and uses their view of the action as his narrative device. The strength? A personal view of the war. The weakness? We can only see the war through the eyes of those characters.
And who are the major characters? On the American side, Generals Eisenhower and Patton, for instance, whereas we see German commanders suc...more
And who are the major characters? On the American side, Generals Eisenhower and Patton, for instance, whereas we see German commanders suc...more
I think this book was the best of the series.
In his usual style of "historical fiction" Mr. Shaara takes us through the European theatre in WWII as seen through the eyes of its generals, politicians and, the parts I found most interesting, the soldiers themselves.
This is solid storytelling, primarily focusing on the Battle of the Bulge, as seen through the eyes of the grunts, and as managed by the generals on both sides of the fence. Unlike the authors other books, this book has less character...more
In his usual style of "historical fiction" Mr. Shaara takes us through the European theatre in WWII as seen through the eyes of its generals, politicians and, the parts I found most interesting, the soldiers themselves.
This is solid storytelling, primarily focusing on the Battle of the Bulge, as seen through the eyes of the grunts, and as managed by the generals on both sides of the fence. Unlike the authors other books, this book has less character...more
I found this book fascinating and was really a bit sorry to have it done. Especially interesting was the part about the Battle of the Bulge, which I hadn't known that much about. Mr. Shaara tells most of the story of this battle through the experiences of three soldiers, a sergeant Higgins and two privates Benson and Mitchell, who were green troops stationed in the Ardennes. Since no one expected the Germans to attack, especially in that area of very rough terrain, this line was held with mostly...more
I've raved about Jeff Shaara's historical fiction before and I won't let up this time either. Whether he is writing about the Civil War, World War II, or the American Revolution, I have always loved them. I think it's because of the way he relays the accurate history but in a style that is easy to absorb. He provides insights to the historical periods, helping the armchair historians to better understand what was happening and not bogging us down with the minutia of the moment. He also presents...more
Another amazing book by Shaara. What a writer. He does a masterful job of making me care about the wide cast of characters. I felt like I was there. And, when I finished the last page, I felt a sense of lost. I hope he'll continue and write about the Pacific phases of WWII. Really a masterful book. He doesn't flinch from the ugly horrors of war. This seems honest in that it doesn't glorify what is a supremely ugly thing. At the same time, he does celebrate the incredible courage and heroism of t...more
I jumped into the third book of this trilogy, without having read the first two books, because it was available for download from our library. I don't believe this resulted in a disadvantage for experiencing this book (except I missed out on learning some history about the start and middle of WWII). I'd read Jeff Shaara's Revolutionary War trilogy and really enjoyed that, so it was time to learn a little bit more about WWII. Reading Jeff Shaara's books are a great way to learn war history as he...more
This is another great book, along the same lines of all of the others written by this author and his father. The parallels between considerations in American foreign policy (both good and bad) from WWII and now are presented in a very interesting manner, as almost a sub-plot to the rest of the book. It was exceptionally interesting to me.
While there was very little in the book that was new, the subject has certainly been written about in great detail, in both fiction and non-fiction, the author...more
While there was very little in the book that was new, the subject has certainly been written about in great detail, in both fiction and non-fiction, the author...more
No Less Than Victory provided a painless look at the end of WWII in Western Europe. The construct of historical fiction with imagined reconstructed dialogs between historical players, officers on the American and German side and infantry and bombers on the American side, worked relatively well. I did feel at times that the dialog was a bit too contemporary on the American side, or a bit to stereotypical on the German side -- it felt like a movie script at times. I did listen to this on audio, an...more
This is book three of a trilogy on World War II in the European Theater of Operations. Chronologically, this book starts with the Battle of the Bulge (Bastogne)and concludes with the surrender of Germany. Told from the viewpoints of individuals (Field Marshall von Rundstedt, General Eisenhower, General Patton, Private Benson, Private Mitchell, and others), it is a firsthand account of the last major battle in the European Theater of Operations, the discovery of the first concentration camps, and...more
This is an interesting way to write a novel. The author says that everything that happens in the book has happened in real life, but he fleshes out detail and reveals what he thinks the actual characters internal dialogue may have been.
This story follows the action in WWII from the Battle of the Bulge to the May surrender in the ETO. It is a gritty and sometimes frightening recounting of the fear and misery that the average GI experienced in those last six months of the war. The first chapter h...more
This story follows the action in WWII from the Battle of the Bulge to the May surrender in the ETO. It is a gritty and sometimes frightening recounting of the fear and misery that the average GI experienced in those last six months of the war. The first chapter h...more
The finale to Jeff Shaara's trilogy dealing with the European front in World War II (No Less Than Victory) covers the finale phases of the war in Europe including the Battle of the Bulge, the march toward Berlin & the discovery of the concentration camps. The story itself is as engaging as the prior ones have been & Shaara does a decent job of wrapping up the stories of the generals we've followed across the war including a new one. The book is fast moving & interesting as we also go...more
This is the third of the Shaara books that I have read -- the first, Killer Angels, was written by his father and is the about the Battle of Gettysburg. There must have been, by now, a new genre to describe their books. This book is about the last phase of WWII and is probably largely accurate. However, dialogue between the principals is a creation of the author, though he attempts to reflect the reality from primary sources. So, they cannot be exactly categorized as historical fiction. The what...more
I have read all the books in this series, and the single book om WW I was one of the best military fiction books I have ever read. This one misses the mark by a bit. I don't think the author has quite the feel for the Pacific war as he did for the Eurpoean theater. While not as popular a subject, the Pacific campaign is big and complex, and the ramifications of that part of WW II, for the U.S. and other Pacific nations, are still being felt today. I wish the author had not approached this part o...more
As per usual, Shaara has written a very enjoyable, very readable novel about an American war or American's involvement in larger wars. Even though I enjoyed it, though, I felt there was something missing that has been in most of his novels-- especially the earlier ones-- but I couldn't tell you what that is. It may simply be that, while he writes well and obviously researches these novels extensively, the books end up being too similar. I was also disappointed with how the book begins with an ex...more
Apr 08, 2011
Erik
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2011,
shaara-novels
A good historical account of the period after the the completion of the Normandy Invasion to the German surrender in WWII. Although the book is fictional it provides som muc historical context that it almost reads as a non-fiction piece.
I have the same complaint with this book as I did with "The Steel Wave". The infantry characters he uses are not likeable. Obviously not all men in the infantry are likeable, but if you are going to write one into a book on WWII you would think you would give him...more
I have the same complaint with this book as I did with "The Steel Wave". The infantry characters he uses are not likeable. Obviously not all men in the infantry are likeable, but if you are going to write one into a book on WWII you would think you would give him...more
This book is a must read for the WWII buff. It is the third in a trilogy about the war by Jeff Sharra, and it centers around the Battle of the Bulge to the end of the war. It is not about the battle of Bastogne, but, rather, the men in the units that were overrun by the Germans on December 16. While these men were new to the battlefield, they were not the yellow cowards that history has made them out to be. They were units that were overwhelmed by the weather and surprise nature of the attack by...more
The third and final installment of Shaara's excellent historical fiction account of WW2. This one picks up after the Normandy invasion and tells the story of the events leading up to the fall of berlin and the end of the war. While it would be considered historical "fiction" because he recreates imagined conversations among guys like Eisenhower and Patton and so many others, he really does a great job with the facts of the battles and capturing the dynamics of the personalities involved. He's re...more
Hi Chris--you're my only hope for having an interest in this book...
It is the 3rd in a trilogy on WW II. The stories are told by regular
soldiers (paratroopers, infantryman) as well as Eisenhower and major
German commanders to get both sides. If you have an interest in history,these are great. I have read ALL of the authors books which
cover the Civil War, Spanish Amer War, Rev War and WWI. You have to
balance out Romance novels w/ a few war novels here and there. (prob
the reverse for me.) An intere...more
It is the 3rd in a trilogy on WW II. The stories are told by regular
soldiers (paratroopers, infantryman) as well as Eisenhower and major
German commanders to get both sides. If you have an interest in history,these are great. I have read ALL of the authors books which
cover the Civil War, Spanish Amer War, Rev War and WWI. You have to
balance out Romance novels w/ a few war novels here and there. (prob
the reverse for me.) An intere...more
I kept waiting and waiting for reference to the concentration camps (which, for a trilogy about WW II, had been surprisingly absent) and for some discussion beyond military strategy and history to ideology. How, after all, do you have an epic trilogy on Hitler without discussing ideology? But, when it came, it was powerful and moving and chilling and horrifying, and all of the things it should be. As an aside, I now fear that I resemble Patton in some ways (behaviorally/attitude-wise, that is).....more
This book details World War II from the Battle of the Bulge to the victory in Europe the following year. Like other Shaara books, it is told from several perspectives that provide a comprehensive view and context for the events. I picked this up and had not read the prior two books in this series, but had no problem getting in to this book. Even though I (obviously) knew the outcome, I thought Shaara made the subject really interesting and gripping: a couple of times I found myself wondering if...more
“With longevity came even greater superstition, especially for the ground crew. There was a desperate awareness of the odds, of fate. Thirty-one successful missions was an unnerving statistic by now, rarer by the week. It the reason for all the rituals, the most religious among them believing that God must somehow be paying particular attention.”
The third novel in Jeff Shaara’s trilogy of World War II in the European theater is, in my opinion, the best of the three. The book begins with a bomb...more
The third novel in Jeff Shaara’s trilogy of World War II in the European theater is, in my opinion, the best of the three. The book begins with a bomb...more
The third work by Jeff Shaara in his trilogy of the history of the European Theater during WWII. This book picks up after D-Day just after the Allies have established themselves in France. General Patton is given command of the American Third Army and races across central France to the borders of Germany. When the Germans break out through the Ardennes Forest in December, 1944, (the incursion became known as the Battle of the Bulge), Patton disengages 100 miles to the south, reroutes part of his...more
This book is the third volume of a planned trilogy, all by the historian and author, Jeff Shaara. The book is called No Less Than Victory. In this novel, a strong powerful voice tells the story of the end of the Second World War in Europe. This book was made not to be a comprehensive historical account of the war. As Jeff Shaara said, “there are lengthy shelves in every library and every bookstore packed with volumes that have tackled the subject in far more detail.” His goal is to take you bac...more
Shaara's usual recipe, one part foot soldier for every one part from a general's point of view, is used here again to advantage, mostly. Of course, Eisenhower had the hardest job, and Patton had the most interesting point of view and is the most fun to pretend to listen in on.
This covers the Battle of the Bulge and then end of WWII, and moves pretty well, if superficially at times. The shock of liberating the death camps is the moment the book moves toward steadily, and much after that is anticl...more
This covers the Battle of the Bulge and then end of WWII, and moves pretty well, if superficially at times. The shock of liberating the death camps is the moment the book moves toward steadily, and much after that is anticl...more
Although my father spent four years in the Pacific Theater, I am eager to learn as much as possible about those who fought in WWII, even if it is via fiction, which in the case of this book appears only mildly ficticious. Although I have the habit of researching events that appear as fact in such books, I must say that Shaara has his research down pat. Being that he has not picked up where his father left off, this series is much better, leaving no room fr disappointment.
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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
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