The Rising Tide

By: Jeff Shaara

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 22 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

A modern master of the historical novel, Jeff Shaara has painted brilliant depictions of the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, and World War I. Now he embarks upon his most ambitious epic, a trilogy about the military conflict that defined the 20th century. The Rising Tide begins a staggering work of fiction bound to be a new generation's most poignant chronicle of World War II. With you-are-there immediacy, painstaking historical detail, and all-inclusive points of view, Shaara portrays the momentous and increasingly dramatic events that pulled America into the vortex of this monumental conflict.

As Hitler conquers Poland, Norway, France, and most of Western Europe, England struggles to hold the line. When Germany's ally Japan launches a stunning attack on Pearl Harbor, America is drawn into the war, fighting to hold back the Japanese conquest of the Pacific, while standing side-by-side with its British ally, the last hope for turning the tide of the war.

More than an unprecedented and intimate portrait of those who waged this astonishing global war, The Rising Tide is a vivid gallery of characters both immortal and unknown: the as-yet obscure administrator Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose tireless efficiency helped win the war, and his subordinates, clashing in both style and personality, from George Patton and Mark Clark to Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery. In the desolate hills and deserts, the Allies confront Erwin Rommel, the battlefield genius known as "the Desert Fox", a wounded beast who hands the Americans their first humiliating defeat in the European theater of the war. From tank driver to paratrooper to the men who gave the commands, Shaara's stirring portrayals bring the heroic and the tragic to life in brilliant detail.

A new level of accomplishment from this already acclaimed author, The Rising Tide will leave readers eager for the next volume of this superb saga of the war that saved and changed the world.

©2006 Jeffrey M. Shaara (P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews

"The wonderful first volume of a planned trilogy....Shaara evokes the agony of desert warfare and the utter chaos of an airborne assault....[A] sprawling, masterful opening act." (Publishers Weekly)

You Are There

In the Rising Tide, Jeff Shaara continues to chronicle the spectacle of American war. This time it’s WWII, from the front lines in North Africa through the invasion of Sicily to the buildup in England before Operation Overlord. He drops you right in the middle of the action, whether it’s through the eyes of a paratrooper, Sgt. Jesse Adams, or the future Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, you are there. The superb actor/reader, Larry Pine, does a phenomenal job with the many varied voices and accents. He is able to transport the listener through time, adding immeasurably to the ultimately satisfying listening experience. I eagerly await the next volume from Shaara. 5 stars.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

A front row seat to history

Any additional comments?

I want to start by saying that Paul Michael is one heck of a narrator. By the end of the book, I could audibly distinguish between characters just by the various accents spoken by the narrator. How anyone can keep two dozen different character accents clear and consistent throughout a 25hr storytelling is beyond me. Five stars!!

The book was great. A few commenters complained about the fact that the novel doesn't concentrate on one character - that it is too broad of a narrative and not enough of a story. But the book wasn't written to be about one or two men. It covers the North African campaigns and the plights of several key figures from that period, and judged in that light, Shaara wrote an amazing novel. From the frustrations of Rommel to the brashness of Patton, to the as yet untested Eisenhower trying to make the coalition function - it's all there.

I'll definitely be ordering the next book in the trilogy.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Good but not Great

I was hoping for a story about the soldier. While there is a dusting of storyline regarding their story. It is for the most part a Rommel, Patton, Ike, and Monty storyline. The reader is fantastic, he changes his voices to cover several German characters, several American, and several British.

I found the story alive and interesting when it dealt with generals and above. The soldier parts were short and weak.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

GREAT!

A Marvolous historical novel! From inside Eisenhower’s Headquarters to uncontrollable tirades in Hitler’s Bunker, to North African battles between the armies led by Montgomery, Patton and Rommel, to Colonel Gavin’s Airborne holding off the Panzers from the American infantry landing in Sicily, Jeff Shaara graphically takes us from battles in North Africa to the beginning stages of Operation Overload in England. Meticulously researched and wonderfully written...absolutely worth the 2 credits. Just a great listen.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Now I have been there

Shaara makes history come alive with his novel style of putting us inside the hearts and minds of all of his characters. The mixture of high level decision makers and frontline troops doing the dirty work made for a compelling presentation.

The narrators ability to consistently carry out so many different accents made it so by the end of the book, I knew who was talking without being told. He was also able to communicate emotion with subtle tone changes that made the listening even more riveting.

As good as this book was, I do belive it would be more fairly priced at one credit. Nevertheless, it now stands beside Jeff Shaara's father's work - Killer Angels - as one of my two favorite pieces about war and the warriors who fight them.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Thoroughly Enjoyed

I love history - especially the 19th and 20th century history. This is the first book I have read written by Jeff Shaara. He has done a supreme job telling the story of the beginnings of WWII through the eyes of real characters. The events and campaigns of the Africa and Italian campaigns were depicted through the eyes of not only Heads of State, and Generals, but Colonels, Captains, Sargent's, and the little men made the history come alive for me! The reader, Larry Pine, was great, his Churchill,Montgomery,and Patton impressions were PERFECT! This is a great listen especially for history buffs! The only reason I did not give it 5 Stars is that nothing beats Robert Kurson's "Shadow Divers" for real life drama and fascinating adventure! I highly recommend "The Rising Tide" as a truly great audio book.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

World War II Alive Again Excellent!

When I first heard Jeff Shaara tell me about his new World War II novels, I was very excited since this topic has always been high on my list. I had the pleasure of meeting him at Gettysburg, PA. When audible picked them up (even at 2 credits each) I purchased them immediately since I travel extensively.
What makes a good audio book...the reader is excellent, clear voice, engaging, and very good at accents. I am glad to see Paul Michael reads other Shaara novels.
Second the story must entertain and keep us engaged, since we are not visually committed, the audio content must be rich, informative, and masterfully told.
Third the story must be fresh, and on a subject material known so well, Shaara brings back North Africa and all our famous generals and characters fully to life.
I do agree that it would have been nice to bring more of the Citizen Soldiers into the story and present more of their daily life, but still the humanizing of military legends also satisfies that area.
A great book and highly recommended for all readers. His future novels will focus on the Pacific World War II and the Korean War...can't wait and hope the credits are 1.
JDM

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

History lesson at it's best

This was a great listen. It was not so different from growing up listening to the stories my father told us about his 4 years in the army and fighting in Europe during WWII. My kids have been fortunate enough to learn much of this from both their grandfather's perspective too.

The author was able to write the facts as those who lived it, saw it, and presented it in such a way as to make the reader understand what it was like to be there. All in story form which made it extremely well written.

I thought the narrator did an outstanding job with all the voices, so that I too was able to identify them as they spoke. He made it a story as well as a lesson in history. Especially with the ending and telling us how all of these men lived after the war.

I hope the author can take on the great war WWI with as much vigor as he has with the Rising Ride, because much of what happened there brought the world to this story.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Up close and personal information and story making

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

While I found some of the character descriptions amusing, there was incredible sadness in this story. Solders, human beings advancing directly into the path of bullets, and certain death was an emotionally taxing read. So much life spent and lost during the carnage of war..

Any additional comments?

For those of us who seek understanding and entertainment in relation to the epic events of our lifetimes..

We will appreciate this work!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

intensely personal

Great book, really pulls you into the action like your there experiencing it yourself. It really makes the story personal.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fantastic

I have learned so much about the second world war listening to this book. Simply wonderful