THE KILLER ANGELS Review By: Jared B
The
Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is the best war book I
have ever come across in my life. It is utterly brilliant and very accurately
and historically describes the Battle of Gettysburg in the Civil War. I was
constantly on hooked even thought I knew the outcome of the battle and the
ending. Shaara put such a vivid picture of the battle in my mind, I really felt
like I was in the battle. The Killer Angels is a must read to those who
like war and thrillers.
The author, Michael Shaara, was born in New Jersey in
1928. He started writing for a magazine in the 1950s. He has written other
books as well. He was influenced to write The Killer Angels when he
visited the battle site of Gettysburg and learned of the battle and the
importance of it. From there he would go on to write the book. He wanted to use
real life characters to make the book have more of an epic tone, which really
enhanced the book but caused problems with historical accuracy. All the events
and characteristics are accurate, but Shaara made up some of the emotions of
the soldiers on his own accord and I do think he was justified to so because he
had the details of the Battle, so he could assume the emotions based on his
research. The book would be published in 1974, and Shaara would die in 1988.
The Killer
Angels is the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the soldiers. It
begins with the Confederacy finding the whereabouts of the Union position. From
there they plan an attack, hoping that they can drive the Union away and force
the Union to sign a peace treaty or give up Washington D.C. The book covers the
three days from the first battle to Pickett’s Charge. It switches between the
Confederacy and the Union. It portrays the emotions and inner thoughts the
soldiers have before, during and after battles. The book pits friend against
friend and has one brother send his other brother to his death. It goes through
each day in epic detail, from when the soldiers wake up, to the planning, then
the battle and all the commotion, and finally the after battle. It portrays the
war in such a way that you almost feel like you’re there, how you can see what
the soldiers are seeing, what their feeling and what the horrors are going on
around you. It will show the battle field through a colonel, and give his
thoughts as he sees his men die, or through a general as he is planning, and
who he trusts in his mind, or simply a soldier reflecting on the battle or what
might come. I read this book knowing the outcome of the battle, yet it still
was able to keep me turning the pages because I felt the intensity of war. The
Killer Angels not only portrays the battle, but it shows of the love,
companionship and the memories that took place at Gettysburg. It really covered
every aspect that took part in the Civil Ear.
The book takes place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and the
surrounding area. The main characters are General Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy,
General James Longstreet of the Confederacy, and Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain
of the Union. These three men are the ones who are making the decisions and
planning the battles. They help save the day on some occasions, or they lead
their men into their doom on certain instances. Their men keep relying on their
leadership and what they decide to do is vital to the outcome of the battle.
These three men played a significant role in the outcome of the battle. Other
important characters are General John Hood of the Confederacy, General George
Pickett of the Confederacy, General J.E.B. Stuart of the Confederacy, General
George B. Meade of the Union, Thomas Chamberlain (Colonel Chamberlain’s
brother) of the Union and, finally, the two friends General Lew Armistead of
the Confederacy and General Winfield Scott Hancock of the Union. Each one of
these characters plays a role in the war and helps determine the outcome of the
Battle. The unique set of characters and their thoughts are what make seem so
realistic. I really enjoyed going from character to character and from the
Confederacy to the Union and back again.
I was interested in this book because it was about the
Civil War and I really like the Civil War. That is the reason why I picked the
book up in the first place. But this book was different than other Civil War
books that I have read. The text was through the eyes of the characters whereas
others have provided an eagle eye view. This book depicts each character, each
event so well that I couldn’t put it down. The fact that I like the Civil War
so much, I was really able to see what it was like to be in the war and all the
baggage it carried with it. It was like I got first-hand experience. This book
kept me so interested that it was truly able to put a vivid picture of what the
war was like in my head. That is how fantastic The Killer Angels was.
I would read this book ten more times and still enjoy it
just as much every time. It would recommend this book to most historians and
males because, even if you don’t know that much about the Civil War, it will
teach you about it and it will be a good read. The Killer Angels is a
remarkably wonderful and incredible book that is mind-blowing in how is depicts
the Civil War. This book is worth your while.