Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh
    Unavailable
    A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh
    Unavailable
    A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh
    Audiobook18 hours

    A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh

    Written by Jeff Shaara

    Narrated by Paul Michael

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In the first novel of a spellbinding new trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Jeff Shaara returns to the Civil War terrain he knows best. A Blaze of Glory takes us to the action-packed Western Theater for a vivid re-creation of one of the war's bloodiest and most iconic engagements-the Battle of Shiloh.

    It's the spring of 1862. The Confederate Army in the West teeters on the brink of collapse following the catastrophic loss of Fort Donelson. Commanding general Albert Sidney Johnston is forced to pull up stakes, abandon the critical city of Nashville, and rally his troops in defense of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Hot on Johnston's trail are two of the Union's best generals: the relentless Ulysses Grant, fresh off his career-making victory at Fort Donelson, and Don Carlos Buell. If their combined forces can crush Johnston's army and capture the railroad, the war in the West likely will be over. There's just one problem: Johnston knows of the Union plans, and is poised to launch an audacious surprise attack on Grant's encampment-a small settlement in southwestern Tennessee anchored by a humble church named Shiloh.

    With stunning you-are-there immediacy, Shaara takes us inside the maelstrom of Shiloh as no novelist has before. Drawing on meticulous research, he dramatizes the key actions and decisions of the commanders on both sides: Johnston, Grant, Sherman, Beauregard, and the illustrious Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest. Here too are the thoughts and voices of the junior officers, conscripts, and enlisted men who gave their all for the cause, among them Confederate cavalry lieutenant James Seeley and Private Fritz "Dutchie" Bauer of the 16th Wisconsin Regiment-brave participants in a pitched back-and-forth battle whose casualty count would far surpass anything the American public had yet seen in this war. By the end of the first day of fighting, as Grant's bedraggled forces regroup for could be their last stand, two major events-both totally unexpected-will turn the tide of the battle and perhaps the war itself.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 29, 2012
    ISBN9780307989475
    Unavailable
    A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh
    Author

    Jeff Shaara

    JEFF SHAARA is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure - two novels that complete his father's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels. Shaara was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

    Related to A Blaze of Glory

    Related audiobooks

    Action & Adventure Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The March To The Sea

      Aug 9, 2018

      The March To The Sea
      10 min read

    • Article

      Plenty of Fight Left

      Aug 18, 2020

      Plenty of Fight Left
      8 min read

    • Article

      High Stakes

      Aug 18, 2020

      High Stakes
      4 min read

    • Article

      War Comes To The West

      Nov 1, 2022

      War Comes To The West
      11 min read

    • Article

      Fishing Buddies

      Aug 18, 2020

      Fishing Buddies
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Dream Denied

      Jan 18, 2022

      The Dream Denied
      8 min read

    • Article

      Plucking The Bloom Of Youth

      Jul 18, 2023

      Plucking The Bloom Of Youth
      10 min read

    • Article

      America’s Zouaves

      Mar 17, 2022

      America’s Zouaves
      9 min read

    • Article

      Nashville

      Aug 5, 2021

      On the fog-shrouded morning of 15 December 1864, the soldiers of the 14th US Colored Troops broke through the thin screen of Confederate skirmishers posted in the rifle pits, in front of the Chattanooga & Nashville Railroad. After regrouping, they su

      11 min read

    • Article

      Closing the Great Divide

      Dec 15, 2020

      Closing the Great Divide
      9 min read

    • Article

      Shared Quest

      Jan 17, 2023

      Shared Quest
      4 min read

    • Article

      Multifaceted Diamond

      Jun 25, 2019

      Multifaceted Diamond
      6 min read

    • Article

      War’s Endgame

      Apr 25, 2023

      War’s Endgame
      5 min read

    • Article

      ‘Carnage Infernal’

      Oct 4, 2022

      ‘Carnage Infernal’
      8 min read

    • Article

      The William Henry Harrison Medal

      May 29, 2020

      The War of 1812 is perhaps one of the least-known periods of American history, yet it produced some of the most interesting medallic work in our numismatic past. One such medal went to an individual who should have received one earlier, did not, but

      8 min read

    • Article

      Thomas Custer

      Dec 29, 2020

      Thomas Custer
      5 min read

    • Article

      Heart Of A Regiment

      Aug 24, 2021

      This is the story of the 107th Ohio Infantry, just more than a thousand men in an army of just over two million, and mainly composed of ethnic Germans from northeast Ohio. It’s the story of fear, perseverance, and dedication to duty. Brian Jordan cra

      2 min read

    • Article

      PATTON “OLD BLOOD & GUTS”

      Jan 20, 2022

      PATTON “OLD BLOOD & GUTS”
      11 min read

    • Article

      Unit Histories

      Jul 5, 2022

      Students of Cold Harbor have understandably focused mainly on the Union assault of June 3, 1864, that led Ulysses Grant to later declare, “I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made…. No advantage was gained to compens

      4 min read

    • Article

      George Henry Thomas

      Apr 16, 2020

      George Henry Thomas
      9 min read

    • Article

      Enlarging The Kill Zone

      Mar 24, 2020

      Enlarging The Kill Zone
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Civil War At 30

      May 4, 2021

      The Civil War At 30
      4 min read

    • Article

      Sherman In The Balance

      Dec 15, 2020

      Sherman In The Balance
      9 min read

    • Article

      Dig Deep To Survive

      Jan 22, 2019

      In the spring of 1864, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman conducted a carefully choreographed campaign of engagement and maneuver through northern Georgia with the objective of capturing Atlanta. A master tactician, Sherman used the changing terrain

      2 min read

    • Article

      Lasting Void

      Apr 6, 2021

      Lasting Void
      11 min read

    • Article

      Last Resort?

      Jul 5, 2022

      Last Resort?
      12 min read

    Reviews for A Blaze of Glory

    4/5

    104 ratings14 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      I always enjoy a Jeff Shaara novel. His books always make me want to learn more about history, and I find myself engaged in whatever particular battles and characters he is writing about. This book is the first in the start of a 3-4 book series on the Western theater of the Civil War. This novel focus on Shiloh and Shaara uses his typical format of having each chapter written from the perspective of one of the participants. He uses lesser known figures from history for many of the chapters, and while I enjoy the idea, I prefer seeing things from the major players point of view.

      Of all of Shaara's books I have read, this was my least favorite. It took quite some time to really get going. The setup for the battle was half of the book, and there really wasn't all that much to that part of the story. The battle itself was well written, but the actual battle of Shiloh did not involve a great deal of strategy as much it was just two armies slugging it out. I am still looking forward to the rest of the books after this slow start.
    • 3/5
      Jeff Shaara recounts the horrific Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. Although this is a novel, it appears realistic and meticulously researched. As a novel, the author is able to humanize the historical characters by addition of dialogue. this adds to the reader's enjoyment. The irritant for me was that this book had too many in depth descriptions of battle movements, action, hospitals and inner monologues of "is he going to run away or not?" That's just not my thing.
    • 4/5
      Jeff Shaara has produced a riveting account of The Battle of Shiloh, an important campaign during the Civil War. All of the historical facts are there, with the added bonus of Shaara's imagination filling in the dialogue, which really brought the history to life. This is the first volume of a trilogy, and I am eager to read the next two books in the series. Highly recommended for those interested in Civil War History, American History and well written Historical Fiction. #MyLibraryThing
    • 5/5
      Congrats to Jeff Shaara. I've read a lot of non-fiction about Shiloh and recently was able to visit the battlefield and cemetery. Thought I knew everything there was to know. But this is historical fiction by a master and really offers some unique insights by letting the reader inside the participant's mind. Don't read this and think you've got it all, read the non-fiction stuff as well (preferably first). But this is like icing on the cake.
    • 3/5
      This a gritty tale of one of the more bloody battles of the Civil War. Though this is billed as a novel, it lacks a cohesive narrative. Moreover, the exposition is so dry that it reads very much like a boring old textbook. At the same time, there are parts in the description of the battle that are downright haunting. One gets a sense of the time and the experience - the utter terror of being a mindless cog in the whirring machine of war.
    • 4/5
      Continues the story of the Civil War in the historical fiction based on fact series. Shiloh was a horrible battle. It was mis-fought by almost all the generals. It was an expensive lesson for the generals who survived. More to the point, it took boy out of the farm boys who fought it and made them into battle hardened veterans.
    • 4/5
      I have read some of Jeff Shaara's Revolutionary War novels, which were quite good, so I was looking forward to reading this novel that takes place during the Civil War at the Battle of Shiloh. After abandoning the city of Nashville, General Johnston and the Rebel troops are hunkered down in Tennessee. Meanwhile General Grant and Buell are planning on combining their forces and crushing Johnston. When Johnston gets wind of this, he sneak attacks Grant while he is still waiting for Buell. This starts the Battle of Shiloh, perhaps the bloodiest battle of the Civil War.There was a lot to like about this novel. Shaara does a great job with historical research, and I certainly appreciate that. The battle itself was dramatic and intriguing from a historical perspective. But what I think that I most liked about this novel was the humanization of some of these historical figures. It's hard to capture that just by reading a history book. I knew about the basic things that happened in the Civil War and who were the main players, but Shaara really brought these people to life with his writing. General Sherman was battling a confidence crisis with a loss at the Battle of Bull Run. General Grant was the brilliant mind who had to watch his steps with his superiors or risk being removed again from the field. Johnston was the strong-willed guiding force, who had he lived, could have guided the South to victory. Beauregard was the arrogant general whose hubris may have cost them the battle. On the down side, I thought the novel was overly long, and there was a decent bit of fluff that could have been cut out of this. In all, this was both informative and entertaining--a book that I recommend.Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity
    • 4/5
      Jeff Shaara has written a number of books, all focusing on wars or specific battles, usually involving the Civil War. The subject of this work is the Battle of Shiloh, one of the early major conflicts in the western theater of the United States Civil War.Sharra tells the story through the eyes of several characters, from commanding generals to front line troops, a device first used so successfully by his father Michael Shaara in Killer Angels, a dramatized look at the Battle of Gettysburg and one of the best books I’ve ever read. Sadly, the father overshadows the son, and though this is a good summary of the events leading up to and through the Battle of Shiloh, it pales in comparison to Killer Angels (possibly, in part, because the Battle of Gettysburg provides a richer cast of characters and events).Nevertheless, it is a good history lesson for those interested in Civil War history or some of the major characters active in the western theater of the war.
    • 5/5
      Anothe good book from Jeff Shaara. This one is a dissection of the events and personalities surrounding the battle of Shiloh Church. The Union won this battle, but much could have been done to alter the outcome. Shaara does a good job of bringing these possibilities to the fore. Several different persons are followed theough the whole of the battle and what they did and the impact they had. Four and one-half stars
    • 4/5
      I so enjoyed the second volume in this trilogy that I decided to read this first volume--the third volume has not yet been published, but when it is I expect I'll want read it. This volume covers the battle of Shiloh, and one certainly feels one is in the battle as the experiences fo the characters are related. And Shaara leaves no doubt of his view on controversial aspects of the battle. For instance,his account makes it seem certain that Beauregard's failure to attack further on the first day when yet an hour of daylight remained was a fatal error for the Confederates. This is a lively and fast-moving account and plays no tricks with history--so it is historical fiction as it should be written.
    • 4/5
      I learned quite a bit about the battle of Shiloh which I had never really studied. I now look forward to Jeff Shaara's next installment.
    • 4/5
      Jeff Shaara recounts the horrific Battle of Shiloh where thousands of Union and Confederate troops lost their lives. Mistakes were made on both sides and both sides still claim a victory. Engrossing tale of the early throes of battle during the Civil War.
    • 4/5
      The battle of Shiloh told from officers and enlisted men on both the north and south.The southern army is led by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston with Gen. P.T.G. Beauregard as the second in command. Johnston is a true leader and catches the northern forces unprepared so routs them on the first day of the battle. The main part of the southern surge is against the forces under Gen. William Sherman. He doesn't believe that the enemy is in force and about to strike so when the Confederates do attack, they swarm all over Sherman's men.Johnston is a true leader but late on the first day, he falls, mortally wounded. Beauregard assumes command and it seems as though he has lost his nerve so pulls his forces back.Grant accepts responsibility for the losses on the first day and is surprised when the Confederates don't continue their attack. However on that night, additional regiments of Grant arrive. The next day, a stronger and more prepared northern army strike back against the Confederates, many of whom are low on ammunition after the first day.We follow the action not only by the officers but hear the story of enlisted men of Wisconsin and of a Cavalry unit of the south.Very well done and entertaining.
    • 5/5
      A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh begins the new Jeff Shaara trilogy focusing on events of the Civil War’s Western Theater. As fans of Shaara’s The Last Full Measure and his father’s The Killer Angels will attest, his return to the Civil War era is a welcome one. I was particularly pleased to see that the new series begins with the Battle of Shiloh because of the number of hours I have spent walking that particular battlefield site over the years. A Blaze of Glory leaves me with a better understanding of what happened during those two critical days in 1862 and, just as importantly, what might have happened if either army had been better prepared for the fight. (My interest probably stems from the fact that my great-great grandfather was a member of the 18th Louisiana Infantry Brigade that suffered a forty percent casualty rate on the battle’s first day – him not among them.)Shaara, as in his past historical novels, uses a range of characters (some real, some fictional) to tell his story. This allows the author to offer insights into the personalities, motivations, jealousies, fears, doubts, and dreams that were carried to the field by all those soldiers on April 6-7, 1862. All told, more than 100,000 men fought on this relatively small patch of ground and almost 24,000 of them are counted as casualties of Shiloh (although less than 4,000 actual deaths are included in the total). The battle’s rotating points-of-view include those of Generals Grant, Sherman, Johnston, and Beauregard, along with those of a few lower-ranking officers and enlisted men.Caught by surprise at dawn on the first day of the battle, Union troops, as dusk approaches, have been driven as far as they can go without drowning themselves in the rain-swollen Tennessee River. Unfortunately for the Confederacy, General Albert Sidney Johnston is dead (having bled to death from a leg wound he barely seemed to notice at the time) and has been replaced by his second-in-command, the more cautious General P.T.G. Beauregard. The battle will turn on Beauregard’s decision to rest and reorganize his men for what he sees as a certain Union surrender requiring only a last surge on his part the next morning. But the next morning, the reinforced Union army attacks first and the Confederates are the ones forced to concede the field to a victorious army.One must remember, of course, that A Blaze of Glory is historical fiction and that Shaara uses the genre to speculate his way to inside the heads of some of American history’s key players. His books, however, are not some alternate history version of America’s past. Shaara does not change historical facts. Rather, he uses his research and insight into the human condition to explain why things happened as they did. Naturally, his speculation and interpretation of events can be disputed, but without a doubt, he has humanized the Civil War in a way that even the best history books are unable to match. Shaara’s painless history lessons are so exciting that many of his readers will, I am certain, be compelled to pick up “real” history books for the first times in their lives.Rated at: 5.0