Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC.
Not having gone to school in the US, I had of course heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but didn't know many details. I was therefore thrilled to receive To Wake The Giant.
And what a great book it is - so intense, so well researched and written. Jeff Shaara puts you there...in the places and in the minds of the characters.
Even though you know the ending, you're still breathless; it's still shocking that the Japanese would target Hawaii. And the actual scenes of the attack were so intense, I had tears in my eyes. Definitely another win for Mr. Shaara. Wonderful, informative book that I recommend highly.

I seriously doubt if any high school or university class studying American history would use this book as its syllabus. But that’s not how or why it was written. Rather, Mr. Shaara has proven again that he’s cornered the market on placing his readers in a specific point in Time and Place perhaps better than any author of this genre. His recipe of concise, factual descriptions blended with an unwavering believable cast of fictitious characters is truly the work of a Master.
If you don’t feel as though you’re living in the ‘40’s as you read this epic novel, something is out of alignment with your imagination and emotional sensitivities:
The reader is in steamy Washington, in Pearl aboard the ill-fated Arizona, behind the scenes in Tokyo and gallantly battling the enemy in epic battles across the Pacific. He’s privy to an intimate relationship with Hull, Roosevelt, Yamamoto, and the mindsets of scores of other real and fictional characters brought on stage to present a masterful description of historical events.
This is not a one-off effort by any means. Jeff Shaara has proven time and time again to be an extraordinary student of history with the uncanny ability to captivate, stimulate and invigorate his readers. Historical fiction has never been done better, and probably never will be. “To Wake the Giant” eloquently describes what has come to be known as The Greatest Generation, by one of our generation’s most extremely gifted authors.

This book was a little different from most of Jeff Shaara's other books in that most of it was taken up by the characters talking and and carrying out mundane actions and only a short part at the end had any action. This made the book seem very slow and badly paced. I think it couldn't really be helped though as the whole point of the book was chronicling the slow slide of the US into World War II. I do hope the other book/books in this series will be a little more action packed though!

528 pages

5 stars

This book deals with three personalities in the main: Secretary of State Cordell Hull President Franklin D. Roosevelt's right-hand man, Seaman Tommy Biggs who is a Hospital Apprentice and baseball batter with talent and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who thinks the only hope that Japan has of maybe winning a war with the United States is to make a preemptive attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Admiral Yamamoto wants to buy Japan maybe six months with his planned attack, but the rest of the military is against his plan. He must convince them that it is the only way.

Cordell Hull is beset with problems. A good friend of President Roosevelt's, he must deal with various dispatches that mean not what they say, disingenuous ambassadors, and a severely divided military. Those that think Japan is a real threat, those that don't and just where they may attack is given the opportunity.

Tommy Biggs escapes a dying little town in Florida with his best friend to join the Navy. He has some real talent as a baseball player, but he knows there is no hope of going to college or being scouted in his little town. He gets his wish when he is assigned as a Hospital Apprentice – and on the Arizona ! His only problem is a petty officer named Kincaid who seems to hate him. Why he has picked Tommy out of the several thousand men on the ship is anybody's guess.

These three personages, as well as other well known Americans and Japanese come to life in Mr. Shaara’s latest novel. I can well appreciate how difficult this book was to write. It was such a milestone is so many Americans' lives. The author brings color and life to all of his characters. They are so very real that the reader really gets insight into their actions and motivations. As the old television show used to tout: “You are there!” We are in the offices, wardrooms and all other locations described. My hat is off to Mr. Shaara for the energy he brings to all his novels. He is a very fine writer.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine for forwarding to me a copy of this very fine book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I love historical fiction but I must admit I am picky about what I read. I try never to miss a book by Jeff Shaara though, and was very happy to be able to read this ARC from NetGalley. Once again he brings his literary skills to bear on a singular novel of the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Using historical figures of the time interspersed with fictional characters this story is told with clarity and exceptional knowledge of the subject matter. The majority of us know the event that took place on December 7, 1941, we know how it ends and the toll it took on our military. But you can't help but be immersed in Mr. Shaara's version and it will hold you spellbound until the bitter end. Even though you know what happens to the U. S. S. Arizona you can't help but find yourself there that fateful day when the world changed.

I highly recommend this book!