Chancellorsville

The Civil War Battle Series Book 4

By: James Reasoner

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Chancellorsville is the fourth book in a series of historical novels spanning the Civil War and describing its effects on one southern family.

As Cory Brannon has a chance to assist the South with supplies brought in by blockade-runners, back home in Virginia a sense of obligation and duty stirs in the hotheaded Titus, and the Confederate cause claims another Brannon son, this one a gifted rifleman.

In early 1863 a fitful calm pervades the Virginia front until another Union commander is named. Joe Hooker leads his army into the wooded wilderness and confidently stakes his fortunes on an encounter with Robert E. Lee near the roadside inn at Chancellorsville. As the battle rushes toward them, Will and Mac Brannon witness the boldest move a field commander can make and the greatest loss the Confederacy can struggle to bear.

Find out what happens to the Brannon family in the rest of the Civil War Battle Series.

©2000 James Reasoner (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks

Being in the right place at the right time

If you have gotten this far into the series you are as bitten by the Civil War Battle series as I am and it keeps getting better. The host of characters are well rounded and by now like friends and I find myself caring about their welfare both while suffering lack of supplies and particularly in the battle scenes which are particularly well written. This is good stuff and Lloyd James is going a great job of narration with each character having his own voice. It brings it all very much alive.

Good Story

As with the 3rd book - the author has done a nice job of "spreading out" the Brannan family members to get some interesting perspectives of different theaters of the Civil War. Very good description of the battles of Federicksburg and Jackson's death.

More research on the firearms used

Enjoy the series so far other than the glaring lack of knowledge of the firearms of the period. One section had a woman sitting on a porch and she sent a load of buckshot into the Union soldiers. She was shot “ as she broke open the shotgun to reload”. Kinda tough for that to happen seeing that break open shotguns weren’t invented until well after the war. Also, the Sharps rifle of the Civil War was accurate to 600 yards, not a mile! And, you could never shoot a Sharps until the barrel was red hot!! I’m not even going into how long it takes to load a cap and ball revolver. May not be a big deal to most, but to a firearms enthusiast it spoils things a bit.

The Brannon family saga continues..

I can‘t stop reading about the Brannon family. These brothers certainly lead adventurous lives. They‘re always getting into scrapes of one kind or another. The progression of the Civil War in the timeline narrative is gripping.

Great Civil War Series!

Let me start off by saying I really love history...and listening to it. People's lives, and how they affect history. I love a cause and people's struggle with it ...and in it. At first the book seemed a little slow, but I appreciate the family's development. And now I want to know how the family survives the war! I want to hear the whole thing!

Forest Gump

Did anyone else think that Pie sounds like Forest Gump? I kept waiting to here “stupid is a s stupid does.”