The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II | Jeff Shaara

The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II | Jeff Shaara | New the story and still enjoyed the read

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The Steel Wave: A ...

	The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II Jeff Shaara Ballantine Books, 2008 - 528 pages average customer review:based on 45 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Superb historical fiction

Jeff Shaara is unequaled in his ability to turn the dry stuff of history into compelling fiction.

In "The Steel Wave", Shaara turns his attention to the WWII D-Day period, the time leading up to and shortly after the invasion of France over the beaches of Normandy.

He tells us the story through eyes of only a few protagonists: Eisenhower, Rommell and to lesser extents, other leaders such as Churchill, Bradley and Patton. But the bulk of the story rests on the shoulders of Sergeant Jesse Adams, a soldier of the 82nd Airborne Division, whose troops were the first to drop into occupied France.

Shaara's skill is taking the dry stuff of history and turning it into fiction. Here we have Eisenhower in the well documented meeting with meteorologist Captain Stagg deciding whether or not to launch the invasion fleet on June 5, 1944 despite the awful weather. Every one of us who has studied WWII history knows this scene well. But what Shaara does is infuse emotion to Eisenhower that we don't read in the histories. Invented? Yes. Plausible? Wrapped in Shaara's words, very much so.

And so we see things through Rommell's mind as he attempts to carry out his orders to make all of Western Europe's coastline into an impregnable barrier to Allied invasion. Again, the obstacles Rommell faced are well known to history buffs, but it is Shaara's dramatization of Rommell's thoughts that makes for compelling reading.

When Shaara deals with Patton, although to a lesser degree, every student of history will recognize the words and deedsa of Patton as published in a number of books, but what makes this different is Shaara's treatment of Eisenhower's thoughts as he deals with his brilliant, but difficult to handle general. Likewise, Shaara joins with contemporary historians in deflating the balloon that was built around Montgomery, the British commander. Montgomery here comes across as a sniveling, whining leader who was promoted past his competency, protected surprisingly by Eisenhower against Churchill, Bradley and others.

But the bulk of the story rests on the shoulders of Jesse Adams, introduced in Shaara's first installment of his planned WWII trilogy. Adams is the ground soldier, smart, recognized for his potential, but a man who prefers to be sergeant, slugging it out on the battlefield.

Through Adams, we see the horror of war and its attraction to men. Through Adams, we feel the rain, the heat, the dust, dirt, mud of the slog from one engagement to another. We see the terror of leaping out of an airplane into the darkness of night over a land where the enemy is waiting to kill you.

Jesse Adams is an Everyman: through his thoughts, we experience the nature of battle, the nature of real soldiers. And it is a searing experience, leaving the reader to wonder how men could do so much, endure so much in the name of an abstract idea like "freedom".

This is, indeed, a wonderful work of historical fiction. Shaara brings to life the spirits and beliefs that animated tens of millions of Americans to support the war, though it ultimately cost us the lives of over 400,000 Americans. As we sit here almost seven decades later with so many of the participants passed on, we may well wonder if the nation can ever again raise a generation like the one chronicled in these pages.

A marvelous book.

Jerry

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New the story and still enjoyed the read

Am an absolute Shaara fan, first the dad and now Jeff. It is interesting to read a story that you basically know about from history class, yet you find yourself completely wrapped up in this book. Yes it is a fictional acount of a true event, but it is so well told that you overlook the fiction and imagine that this was the way it probably was. Looking forward to the next installment.

Amazing - from beginning to end

One of the best books I've ever read. With such an accurate portrayal of D-Day and events surrounding it, Jeff Shaara has created a masterpiece. Familiar characters from 'The Rising Tide' return in an intricately woven storyline that takes the reader from the war rooms of Eisenhower to dinner with Hitler and Rommel, from the shores of Normandy to the German countryside. Events follow Eisenhower as he prepares for the coming allied invasion of France and all the problems that he encounters. Rommel is also closely examined, bringing you closer to understanding 'The Desert Fox' than ever before. All the meanwhile the reader is thrust into the battlefield, examining the art of warfare and all the chaos it ensues. I would highly recommend reading the first novel of this series by Shaara, 'The Rising Tide', before attacking 'The Steel Wave'. Although I found 'The Steel Wave' to be superior, the first is not to be missed either.

10/10

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Behind the scenes-and at the front line of WWII

So many books have been written about World War II that there are entire bookstores devoted to this single subject. I am please to announce that they will have to stock yet one more title.

In The Steel Wave Jeff Shaara, brings an accounting of D-Day that surprisingly has not been done before.

This account takes the reader for the first time, into the lives, hearts and minds of all the major players. You get a detailed perspective from the Allied side by sitting in a canvas tent with Dwight Eisenhower on June 5th, 1944 as American, British and Canadian forces are crossing the channel to strike at Hitler's Atlantic Wall.

You are taken into the minds of Erwin Rommel, the Commander of the German Army Group tasked with defending the beaches-and his frustrating conversations with Berlin and his immediate superiors as well as unfulfilled requests for more supplies, men and weapons to halt the Allies on the beaches.

You will drop into France with a unit of the vaunted 82nd Airborne and experience their fears first hand, as the first waves of American paratroopers are thrown into the French countryside that is teeming with German defenders.

As you can expect from his previous works, Jeff Shaara has done meticulous research, had countless meetings with surviving veterans, and compiled a very thorough account of this day that changed history. This is a necessary read and a must have for any WWII aficionado.

Armchair Interviews says: Check your bookshelf and make room for 5-star read!

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