Review: Reads like a History Book Not a Novel
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 11 5, 2012
What would have happened if Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson had not been killed at Chancellorsville? How would the history of the Civil War been changed? This book doesn't deal with that but, for the most part,  only with a one day battle around Harrisburg, PA.  The novel reads mostly like a history book or documentary recording of the facts concerning that battle.  The first half of the book consists of mostly full or half page paragraphs and any dialogue was half page soliloquies.  As a history book, the author does a good job of recording the troop movements and tactics involved.  After a while I got tired of trying to keep up with this regiment moving here, that battalion going there, another reserve unit being sent to fill this gap, etc. etc. The battle covers an area encompassing several towns, bridges, creeks, streams, rivers,  fields, roads and railway lines.  After a while I got tired of trying to remember who and what was where and just plunged ahead reading.This is supposed to be an alternate history novel. Instead it is  a faithful recording of the events that transpired in an alternate battle. Where is the human interest? It would have been better if  some of the story were told through the eyes and situation of a green militia foot soldier.  What are his thoughts? Perhaps a few subplots should have been included.  In the book, a train from the North pulls into a town after it has been taken by the Confederates. No more is told about that. What did the passengers do?  Many of the townspeople left before the Confederates arrived.  How would a man on that train go about finding his family? Or a woman her sweetheart?  What struggles and problems would they have to overcome?If this battle had really taken place then this book would be a valuable and accurate factual record.  But as a novel it misses the mark.