Dumb

[Nydia]

What i thought about the killer angels was that it was too deep. the book wasnt really interesting, only sometimes. that made it seem as the book really wasnt for teens my age. i feel as if i would have read it again to understand what was going on. overall, the book is a 3/5 im not really a historical- fiction kind of girl so i wasnt on the edge of the seat as they say

If i had to read it again, i would really read just a couple of chapters every other month. that's exactly how i felt about the book. only a couple of chapters stick with me that made me really think. the only chapter i say was really good was chapter 1 because you dont know whats happening yet.

i was a little disappointed because i wanted there to be more war, more details, more deaths. something that would make me jump for the next chapter. but at some times the book got interesting. for example when lee and longstreet would talk. it seems as though they had a connection more that anybody

[Jodie]

Wow, seeing as how the book was about the men and the leaders of men, as opposed to focusing on the war itself, that's kind of the point...

[Meliss]

I read this book in 8th grade and I thought it was amazing. I haven't revisited it since then, but I remember having trouble putting it down. If it's not your taste, then it's not your taste; but that doesn't make it "dumb."

[Martin]

The Killer Angels was greeted with great applause when it first came out. It's still considered a classic in historical fiction. It was one of the first of its kind: a fiction study of the leaders in one of the most horrific battles in history. Once I read this book, I was hooked. Unfortunately, Michael Shaara died shortly after it was published. His son, Jeff, continued his work and I've read everyone of his books. In fact, I am currently reading his latest, "A Blaze of Glory."

[Lisa]

I look forward to reading this book soon. I decided to read Jeff Sharra's prequil "Gods and Generals" first, and I LOVE it! I did attend the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam in September and listened to Jeff Sharra speak for an hour about his father, the progression of these Civil War books, and the other historical wartime fiction he has written. He did mention that this book was completely ignored until after his father's death. Unfortunately, Michael Sharra's timing was extremetly bad and the topics he chose to write about were never popular with the masses. Michael Sharra won no awards or accolades and died having never known financial or professional success.

[Laura]

I read this book when I was about 12 the first time. That scene with Armistead left me in tears when I read it. It still does. I don't really like straight non-fiction historical books because you don't get a feeling of their personalities and back-stories and how they affect the current events. Watch the movie Gettysburg if you've got 4 hours to kill. Aside from Longstreet's crap beard it was a really good movie and you can put some faces with the names.

[Donna]

Nydia wrote: "What i thought about the killer angels was that it was too deep. the book wasnt really interesting, only sometimes. that made it seem as the book really wasnt for teens my age. i feel as if i would..."
The reason it won such an important award is that it is extremely deep, and the purpose of that is to make the reader feel as if s/he is there. It did that for me. You are correct in thinking it was not written for readers your age. If you are itching to see death as much as you say, see your local recruiter when you turn 17. You may go to Afghanistan. There's lots of death there. The purpose of the novel is not only to show that blood was spilled at Gettysburg--and a lot was, I can't imagine how you could feel it was lacking--but also why it was fought the way it was fought, and why it lasted so long. The Pulitzer is seldom given to inferior writers. If you are interested in history fifteen or twenty years from now, pick it up again. If not, read something else.

[Gary]

Nydia wrote: "What i thought about the killer angels was that it was too deep. the book wasnt really interesting, only sometimes. that made it seem as the book really wasnt for teens my age. i feel as if i would..."

Not everything is for everyone. That's OK. It probably just wasn't your kind of book at this particular time in your life.

You might think about giving this one another try in a few years. I think your future self might be surprised by how much more you enjoy it.

[Feliks]

What should have happened at Gettysburg was that Gandalf should have ridden in on one of the eagles and dropped the ring into Mt. Doom and saved the day that way

o_0

[Bill]

I read The Killer Angels way back in the late 1960's and found it to be one of the best, if not the best historical novel I had ever read. To this day I still consider it as the best historical novel that I have read.

The author brings the characters alive.

A great read.

[Trebor]

Nydia wrote: "What i thought about the killer angels was that it was too deep. the book wasnt really interesting, only sometimes. that made it seem as the book really wasnt for teens my age. i feel as if i would..."
To say there wasn't enough war is mind boggling. Probably the biggest loss of life in American war history!Dumb! I'm speechless.

[Frank]

The fact that it was I believe first published in 1974 and it's still being discussed must say something.

[Feliks]

Some of the boys who died in that war --14, 15 yr old farmboys--hadn't even had their first kiss yet; or their first girlfriend. They'd spend one day in battle and pfffft! Life over.

And now in some parts of the country where old Civil War battlefields stand in the way of shopping mall development (shopping malls owned by foreign companies) people aren't even aware enough, much less outraged enough--to vote against it. All they hear is, 'more jobs'.

[Dgm]

This is actually a pretty good book, chief. Just because it was slow at times doesn't mean that the whole book is dumb, that just means that it was a book that took a considerable amount of explaining and leading up to the action. Although I agree that it took a long time to build up to the action, I think that overall the book was pretty good.

[Dme]

I would have to disagree. I am a teenager and I could understand this book just find. I did not find it too deep. I understand that it could have potentially been difficult to understand at parts but other than that it is a very well written novel.

[B.A.]

I personally didn't find this book slow at all-rather, it was letting you take a break from the action and filling in with some awesome historical facts that you probably did not know. If you want a slow, boring book, read "Starship Troopers". Now THAT is a terrible letdown.

[Akivac]

B.A. wrote: "I personally didn't find this book slow at all-rather, it was letting you take a break from the action and filling in with some awesome historical facts that you probably did not know. If you want ..."

This book was incredible, and Jeff Shaara has only added incredibleness with "Gods and Generals" and "The last full measure". But I have to disagree with you about "Starship Troopers". That was the on;y one of Heinlen's that I actually liked.

[Kevin]

Loved this book and the fact that it wrapped the story around the real facts. It inspired me to read Shelby Foote's book on Gettysburg, which was also a treat. I suspect not liking this book is a matter of taste. Having a bit of a history bug helps, too.

[Rebekah]

Dumb? Really? Sheesh. I think it's a fantastic book. The "slow" parts are there to teach you something. To show you who these people really are, to explore these characters. It's everything historical fiction should be. Gettysburg is an amazing history to study. So many little things that went wrong. So many decisions that could have completely changed everything if they had been made differently. It's a detailed, in-depth look at the people who were there, at their personal struggles and motives and desires. I love it! It just makes history feel so real!

[John]

havent read a bad book by either shaara's im on the vicksburg one at the moment and just finished the shiloh book. if read all the civil war ones and cant put the down really enjoy there books

[Trent]

“The truth is, Colonel, that there's no divine spark, bless you. There's many a man alive no more value than a dead dog. Believe me, when you've seen them hang each other...Equality? Christ in Heaven. What I'm fighting for is the right to prove I'm a better man than many. Where have you seen this divine spark in operation, Colonel? Where have you noted this magnificent equality? The Great White Joker in the Sky dooms us all to stupidity or poverty from birth. no two things on earth are equal or have an equal chance, not a leaf nor a tree. There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't think race or country matters a damn. What matters is justice. 'Tis why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve, not as my father deserved. I'm Kilrain, and I God damn all gentlemen. I don't know who me father was and I don't give a damn. There's only one aristocracy, and that's right here - " he tapped his white skull with a thick finger - "and YOU, Colonel laddie, are a member of it and don't even know it. You are damned good at everything I've seen you do, a lovely soldier, an honest man, and you got a good heart on you too, which is rare in clever men. Strange thing. I'm not a clever man meself, but I know it when I run across it. The strange and marvelous thing about you, Colonel darlin', is that you believe in mankind, even preachers, whereas when you've got my great experience of the world you will have learned that good men are rare, much rarer than you think.”

that could be one of the best quotes of any book i've read

[Donna]

Lisa wrote: "I look forward to reading this book soon. I decided to read Jeff Sharra's prequil "Gods and Generals" first, and I LOVE it! I did attend the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam in Septemb..."
WHAT? Pulitzer for fiction, 1975.

[Donna]

Trent wrote: "“The truth is, Colonel, that there's no divine spark, bless you. There's many a man alive no more value than a dead dog. Believe me, when you've seen them hang each other...Equality? Christ in Heav..."
Thanks for posting. It's an awesome quote!

[Cheryl]

I have enjoyed all three of the books. I love reading about the civil war. (I am a southern girl) I especially love reading about the relationships, feelings and family backgrounds of the military . The actual battle plans, dates and strategies are not that important to me . I want to know what people felt and how they lived through such a horrible war.

[Fredrick]

Nydia wrote: "What i thought about the killer angels was that it was too deep. the book wasnt really interesting, only sometimes. that made it seem as the book really wasnt for teens my age. i feel as if i would..."

I first read this at ten and enjoyed this, and I've retread twice, so I find the age thing to be kind of an excuse for you not liking the book. But if you aren't a civil war "fan" then I can see it being a difficult thing to read, but age is no problem with this book. To clarify I re-read it twice for fun, not because I didn't understand it.

[Feliks]

Cheryl wrote: "I want to know what people felt and how they lived through such a horrible war.
..."

Then you want Andersonville

[Andrew]

If you want a detailed book on Gettysburg read a "History book" on Gettysburg not a "Historic Novel". My suggestions for a teenager would be "They Met At Gettysburg", for something more advanced Steven Sears "Gettysburg" or Noah Trudeau's "Gettysburg A Testing of Courage". There are of course many more but these offer a good atart.

[Janet]

I've found the Civil War interesting since I was a teenager. I've read a lot of historical novels and a few non-fiction over the years. I really liked "The Killer Angels" It made the generals more real.