Negative Positive
Title: What if, not
Review: I am a big fan of alternate history. This process, if done well, makes one think out the actual history then what could have been if... The success of this process rests on the fact that the writer takes an event and reshapes it via a turn of events that did not, but could have happened. When a writer makes characters change their personalities, this loses its credibility. Gingrich and Forstchen made such a change in Robert E. Lee's personality. There was never a chance that REL would have listened to Longstreet's idea of flanking. REL never could conceive of losing a battle with the north, at this point. He could, however, conceive losing the war, due to attrition but not this battle. The tactical changes post-Jackson were never the same for the Army of Northern Va., as they were prior to Chancellorsville. With 100 pages to go, I put this book down. I just could not get past the issue of Lee's personality.The Killer Angels book by Sharra puts Gettysburg to shame.
Is the review positive or negative? 