THE RISING TIDE A Novel of World War II

Jeff Shaara's WWII work, the first of a series, follows selected people--some famous, others more intimate--from the battle for North Africa to the beginning of the Italian campaign. Shaara is forced to spend a lot of time explaining the war's history, and the personal novelized stories lose their continuity. This problem is exacerbated by the abridgment. The story jumps from battle to battle, historical figure to historical figure in an almost jump-cut fashion. Larry Pine is an able reader. His tone is clear, and his pacing is appropriate. He gives just a hint of accent to the characters, such as a bit of an English lilt to Britain's General Montgomery and a gruffness to America's General Patton. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]