Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Rally Cry by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0-451-45007-8 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: September, 1997 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.56 (43 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Good Story, But Overrated & Predictable .....
Comment: I am by no means a dedicated reader, but I have found myself polishing off about 2 books a week for the last month. So, having read 6 consecutive David Gemmell novels, I thought to give myself a change of pace by reading this highly rated book.
What a disappointment. Yes the story idea is very good, but the character degvelopment left much to be desired. Dozens of pages go on & on with the sole purpose of showing the writer's knowledge of 1860's history & Civil War facts. Nothing was added to the story by this; and it was very boring (I could care less how a grain mill worked in 1865). I will not give away the ending, but anyone with even a little imagination could see it coming 2/3 of the way thru the book. If you are a Civil War fan, you most likely will enjoy the book with many of it's historical facts & technical details.
Rating: 2
Summary: Not sure why all the glowing reviews
Comment: This was a really great idea for a book, that was rather poorly executed. It is painfully obvious that Forstchen doesn't know squat about life in the 1860's, Civil War regiments and technology of the day. If he did any research at all, I believe it was simply by watching the movie "Gettysburg". Keane & the 35th Maine bear a striking resemblance to Chamberlain and the 20th Maine, though the 35th is apparently the super, mega, ultra, completely unbelievable regiment of the Union army. Even the characters' behavior wasn't believable at many times (how many people from the 1860's would just instantly recognize and accept that they were on an alien world most likely in another galaxy inhabitted by medieval Russians and uber-orcs?)
I won't go into detail of all the erroneous information/assumptions Forstchen relies on, as some folks will probably just call me a nit-picker--let's just say that the "Ogunquit" was nowhere near realistic and the knowledge-base of the 35th was astronomical by ANY standards let alone for a group of 19th century Mainers. I am by no means an expert on the Civil War, nor do I usually care about historical inaccuracies in a non-historical book. But when they are as glaring as in this novel, and when the writing is sub-par, they tend to grate on my nerves. If I had found the story to be truly engaging, and the writing well-done, I could overlook the inaccuracies.
It also appeared to me that the book must have been put out under extremely tight deadlines, as towards the end of the novel there were several glaring editorial mistakes (like when Houston is declared dead after the battle of the Ford only to resurface and command a unit during the battle of Suzdal, or when Keane calls Qubata by name then a few moments later asks what his name is). Either the last third or so of the book was presented rather late and rushed through editing, or the editors found the story rather mind-numbing and overlooked things.
I will give credit, however, to Forstchen's battle sequences. They were engaging--the right mix of detail and information while keeping things moving at the appropriate pace. Very well done in those parts of the book. But the rest of the book isn't really worth the time.
Rating: 5
Summary: "Yes, we'll rally round the flag,boys... "
Comment: Being a fan of Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Harry Turtledove lead me to this book. I had just finished Mr. Forstchen's book "1945" and was curious of his other work.
When Union Colonel Andrew Keane along with his regiment the 35th Maine borded the transport ship "Ogunquit" they had no inkling of their fantastic journey would take them to the alien land of Valdennia filled with many pockets of humanity stolen from time to be mere herds of cattle for the violent, war-mongering, nomadic tribes of the Chosen Race of Valdennia. He doubtless would have been horrified at the lot humans had been cast in this alien society.
This engrossing well written tale begins the saga of the 35th Maine (along with the 44th New York Light Artillery) as they bring hope and new ideals of freedom to the thousands of "Rus" peasants citizens of the city of "Suzdal" living in fear from the tribe of the Chosen Race known as the Fearsome "Tugars". Under Col. Keane they teach Kalenka and the peasant Suzdalians about freedom, and how to get out from under the oppresive yoke of the "Boyar" (leader) Ivor and the Church Patriarch Rasnar.
The first half of this exciting book tells of the Rus peasants overthrow of this serfdom, and preparation for the coming battle with Muzta Qar Qarth (chieftain) of the Clan of the Tugars, a viscious alien race nearly ten feet tall! This powerful, fiersome foe, a vanquishing army of over 200,000 armed with ax,spears, catapults and bows pits itself against the army of 10,000 "freemen" consisting of the combined strength of the 35th Maine, the 44th New York (L.A.), the crew of the transport Ogunquit, along with Kalenka and the citizens of Suzdal.
We read of the ingenuity of 19th century science and tech- "no how" brought by the brave Union soldiers to this vast medieval Russian society, one of many time torn pockets of humanity that are food to the Tugars. We read also of the brave citens of Suzdal, their dreams of freedom and the terrible price to be paid for it.
The second half tells the breath taking horrific onslaught of the mighty Tugars, and of the valiant fighting spirit of this "Lost Regiment". I highly recommend this book to fans of military fiction, civil war buffs, and to science fiction fans. A great page turner, an exciting well crafted read!
 |
Title: Fateful Lightning (The Lost Regiment, No. 4) by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451451961 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: January, 1993 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Battle Hymn by R. William Forstchen, William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451452860 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: January, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Men of War by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451457706 Publisher: Roc Pub. Date: December, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Never Sound Retreat (The Lost Regiment Series , No 6) by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451454669 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: January, 1998 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Down to the Sea: A Novel of Lost Regiment by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451458060 Publisher: Roc Pub. Date: 12 December, 2000 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
