Article first published as Book Review: The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific by Jeff Shaara on Blogcritics.
“The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific” by Jeff Shaara (website) is a historical fiction novel which focuses on America’s war in the Pacific instead of Europe. Mr. Shaara points out that he didn’t intend to write this book but got many letters for fans and WWII veterans who fought there.
Good for us!
Buy The Final Storm from Amazon.com*
More Books by Jeff Shaara*
“The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific” by Jeff Shaara picks up where his World War II trilogy ended. The war in Europe is all but over; however Japan is stubborn as ever despite massive loses.
True to form, each chapter in the book introduces the war from a perspective of a historical figure. Most of the story is told through the eyes of Marine private Clay Adams and his fight on Okinawa. The battle is also told through the eyes of Japanese general Mitsuru Ushijima, commander of the forces on Okinawa. Both men are true soldiers who will do their duty or die trying to.
The last section of the book focuses on the atomic bomb, mostly seen through the eyes of President Truman and pilot Paul Tibbets. Mr. Shaara tries to bring in a few opposing points of view to the bomb, however he makes his position perfectly clear: the bomb helped save American lives, Japanese lives and ended World War II.
By contrasting the horrors of facing the soldiers on Okinawa and making sure the reader understands that the American soldiers will face these same horrors in every hamlet in Japan.
This is a moving and riveting book – one of Shaara’s best (and I thought most of them were very good). Mr. Shaara manages to show how otherwise decent people sometimes descended to atrocious acts when faced with the horrors of war.
A lesson we are still learning today.
As is done in all his books, the “Afterward” section is interesting and enlightening, letting the reader know what happened with those individuals they just read about after the war. It is important to remember that Mr. Shaara uses real people, even those we have never heard about, however are the backbone of our country.
So tell me, do you think the atomic bomb ended World War II early?
The book follows the battle of Okinawa through the eyes of the grunts on the ground and the commanders of both the American and Japanese forces.
The last part of the book follows the days leading to dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima mostly through the eyes of President Truman and pilot Paul Tibbets.
Buy The Final Storm from Amazon.com*
More Books by Jeff Shaara*
Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
About:
“The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific” by Jeff Shaara (website) is a historical fiction novel which focuses on America’s war in the Pacific instead of Europe. Mr. Shaara points out that he didn’t intend to write this book but got many letters for fans and WWII veterans who fought there.
Good for us!
Thoughts:
“The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific” by Jeff Shaara picks up where his World War II trilogy ended. The war in Europe is all but over; however Japan is stubborn as ever despite massive loses.
BOOK BLOGGERS – Have you read “The Final Storm”? If so link up your review below: This post is in the 69th
The plot might be overstuffed, but I enjoyed the new characters. Moneypenny is COO of…
A.H. Raskin (26 April, 1911 – 22 December, 1993) was a reporter, writer, and assistant…
I hated the author’s passive-aggressive agenda. It just rubbed me the wrong way and seemed…
Teachers can help kids stay strong in bad times, and together they can strive by…
Sarah Kemble Knight - teacher & diarist. Her journey from Boston to New York provides…
Billy Boyle wakes up in Sicily, with amnesia. He doesn’t remember what happened, or who…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Have enjoyed your reviews of his books- wouldn't have known about them otherwise! They sound quite good.
I love books like this, and while I didn't care for Jeff Shaara's Civil War books (his dad's Killer Angels is the best of the lot), I am willing to give him another chance with a WWII book. I like the real people aspect, and the various sides getting a chance to have their say.
Sadly, I do think that dropping the bomb did end the war sooner than not. Truman was faced with a horrible decision and I believe he did what he thought was right at the time. But it was horrible.
I also think that dropping the bomb was the right decision. Probably saved a million American life and 90%+ of Japan's population.