| | The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II |  | Author: Jeff Shaara
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
Buy New: $9.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  42 reviews
Sales Rank: 81601
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 608
ISBN: 0345461398
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780345461391
ASIN: 0345461398
Publication Date: September 29, 2009 (In 301 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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Product Description
Jeff Shaara, America’s premier author of military historical fiction, brings us the centerpiece of his epic trilogy of the Second World War.
General Dwight Eisenhower once again commands a diverse army that must find its single purpose in the destruction of Hitler’s European fortress. His primary subordinates, Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery, must prove that this unique blend of Allied armies can successfully confront the might of Adolf Hitler’s forces, who have already conquered Western Europe. On the coast of France, German commander Erwin Rommel fortifies and prepares for the coming invasion, acutely aware that he must bring all his skills to bear on a fight his side must win. But Rommel’s greatest challenge is to strike the Allies on his front, while struggling behind the lines with the growing insanity of Adolf Hitler, who thwarts the strategies Rommel knows will succeed.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Jesse Adams, a no-nonsense veteran of the 82nd Airborne, parachutes with his men behind German lines into a chaotic and desperate struggle. And as the invasion force surges toward the beaches of Normandy, Private Tom Thorne of the 29th Infantry Division faces the horrifying prospects of fighting his way ashore on a stretch of coast more heavily defended than the Allied commanders anticipate–Omaha Beach.
From G.I. to general, this story carries the reader through the war’s most crucial juncture, the invasion that altered the flow of the war, and, ultimately, changed history.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 37 more reviews...
 great story told great November 26, 2008
This book is a great story told greatly. It is a true page turner. Every chapter, character, and situation is entertaining and never boring (for a story that has been told 100's of times). It brings fiction and history into a well written non-fiction genre(although 90% of the story is true). Can't wait for the final installment!
A great read November 12, 2008
Jeff Shaara continues the story of the European Theater of World War 2 with 'The Steel Wave'. This book focuses on the Operation Overlord and the D-Day invasion.
As with previous books by Shaara, he follows a style that takes historical information and adds in dialogue from the characters. The reader should keep this in mind while reading this book. This book is a novel with historical backing. It is not a history book. With the subject of the book, it is difficult for Shaara to avoid critical reviews. There are a number of books available that may be more accurate.
With the thought that this is a novel, I found this book to be very enjoyable. The characterization of Eisenhower, Patten, Rommel, etc are entertaining. The book moves along very well, switching from character veiwpoints. If you enjoy this book, you should move to other more historical accounts of these events such as 'Band of Brothers' by Ambrose.
Shaara's latest dives into well-worn field of D-Day & Normandy November 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Jeff Shaara continues to follow in the footsteps of his father, Michael ("The Killer Angels") with "The Steel Wave." The model is simple. Take a major event in military history and fictionalize it (slightly) by telling the story from the perspective of a revolving cast of characters from both sides, usually reflecting both the commanders and the low-ranking grunts. From the Civil War to WWI to the Mexican War to the Revolution and now to WWII, Jeff Shaara has turned out solidly entertaining, if not exactly exciting reads.
Nobody reads Jeff Shaara for operatic thrills or brilliant stylistic twists. Shaara's prose is workmanlike, at best - he is no Steven Pressfield or Bernard Cornwell. What makes Shaara's books so much fun is his amazing ability to put himself in the minds of such disparate characters and capture their unique perspectives. Each character brings his or her (usually his) own motivations and goals to the story, and Shaara blends all this into a cohesive whole that makes the pages fly by.
Shaara can do this because he knows his subject so well - the man has an amazing capacity for research. And while Shaara's prose may be workmanlike, it is also clear and precise, so the reader gets a terrific presentation of the chaos of battle. I might not want Shaara to write an angst-ridden novel about the troubles of an American suburban family over Thanksgiving weekend, but his style works for military historical fiction.
In the pages of "The Steel Wave," Shaara tells the story largely from the perspective of General Eisenhower, General Patton, and two front-line soldiers, Adams (a paratrooper) and Thorne (infantry). The Eisenhower chapters serve as a reminder that Americans have largely forgotten what an amazing man Eisenhower was, although it must be admitted that the Patton chapters won't surprise anyone who has seen the 1970 movie.
The most riveting chapters are told from the perspective of the Desert Fox, Field Marshall Rommell. On the "outs" with the German high command due to his brutal honesty and willingness to tell Hitler what Hitler does not wish to hear, Rommell is in a dangerous position. He learns of a plot to assassinate Hitler, and even though he believes Hitler is a monster, he is also a soldier, sworn to follow orders. Rommell's tale is the most tragic of the entire novel by far, and his fate provides much of the novel's emotional punch.
This is a must-read for fans historical fiction of a military nature, but should be read after Shaara's "The Rising Tide," which is the first in this planned trilogy. "SW" is much more exciting than "RT," but both books are excellent.
 SAUDIO BOOK REVIEW October 30, 2008
I have long been a fan of both Jeff and his Father; getting hooked on their style in reading Killer Angels. The Steel Wave used the same successful formula and I agree pretty much with the other reviewers. My difficulty was with the Audio Book. Knowing that the author moves from individual/situation to another, in previous books there was always a sequence to each situation. Not so in this Audio book. The stories were often out of sequence which caused confusion and did not lead to a smooth rendition. Often, The end portion of a particular narrative would appear before either an introduction nor middle portion or even in the middle. While I would give the book 5 stars, because of the limitations mentioned, I would only give the audio book 1.
Fantastic! October 17, 2008
This one kept me turning the pages! I've read each of Shaara's novels, and this is one of the best. This is not a book focusing just on the events along the Normandy coast on the morning of June 6, 1944; nor is it a story about one primary character. The strength of Shaara's writing is his ability to blend the stories of several key characters together, which, in the end, tells a greater story of a time in history. And it is anything but boring! The book is sewn together through the eyes of three main characters: General Dwight Eisenhower, General Erwin Rommel, and Sergeant Jesse Adams (a paratrooper dropped just behind Utah beach in the early hours of June 6). As the reader moves through the story, he/she sees events through the eyes of the various characters, lives the stresses, fears, highs and lows with each of them: Eisenhower's exhaustive communications with the likes of Patton, Churchill, Montgomery, and the strain of making decisions that can mean life or death to thousands; Rommel's frustration as he tries to field an army of men and armor to fight back the allied forces, only to realize that every movement must be approved by Hitler beforehand; Adams' exhaustion, fear, and apprehension as he and his men push deeper into enemy territory and encounter snipers, mortar attacks, and the loss of friends and countrymen. The stories blend well as Shaara takes you from one character to the next, allowing the reader to see the overall picture of what happened in France during that period. I highly recommend this book!
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