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Book Review of A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh (Civil War, Western Theater, Bk 1)

A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh (Civil War, Western Theater, Bk 1)
hardtack avatar reviewed on + 2746 more book reviews


While Shaara has written other good fictional novels about the Civil War, I wasn't impressed with this one. While an author can take creative license in writing a novel about historical events and characters, I, as a devoted reader of Civil War history, had some problems with his writing here.

While I won't go into those, I felt his use of the dialogue he had his historical characters use was excessive. This turned me off.

Also, as a avid reader of books on Civil War medicine, I take exception to Shaara's frequent mention of doctors taking off wounded men's arms and legs as if that was a regular and frequent practice. You see this in some movies too. The books I've read required a surgeon on the battlefield needing the agreement of one, if not two, other doctors before preforming an amputation.

Sorry, but my copy doesn't meet PBS requirements for posting.