A BLAZE OF GLORY A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh

There's a battle at the end of this book, but there's a lot of detail before listeners get there. Jeff Shaara dramatizes the obstacles Civil War soldiers faced, such as extreme weather, poor food, hostile civilians, fear, and rumors. Paul Michael's graceful narration of the routine aspects of war helps give depth to the battles and injuries when the novel turns to the Battle of Shiloh. Michael makes listeners feel the battle most in the small scenes, such as the discovery of a tourniquet on a dead soldier or a moment of stillness. His reading puts listeners in the heads of the soldiers. The result makes tangible the horrors of war while revealing life during a key era in American history. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]