Delirium of the Brave

by William C. Harris Jr.

Savannah, 1864. Confederate Captain Patrick Driscoll and his dear friend and manservant Shadrack "Shad" Bryan leave their tearful families to help fight for the Southern cause. They are to set up fort at Raccoon Island off Georgia's coast in a last-ditch effort to save their beloved city from Union attack. But only days into their assignment, the two men die in each other's arms in a Yankee bombardment. Though the men are gone, their legacy will live on-as will the legend of the priceless Driscoll family treasure the two men have buried on Raccoon Island.Four generations after the Civil War, many Confederate families still remain in Savannah, struggling through the twentieth-century in a South rife with hardball politics, personal vendettas and the hangover of war.John-Morgan Hartman, son of a newspaper man and great-great grandson of Captain Patrick Driscoll, goes to serve his country in Vietnam, unaware of the physical and psychological wounds that will befall him...Tony O'Boyle is an ambitious young politician who will stop at nothing and spare no one to get ahead-but his family's dark past will come back to haunt him...Lloyd Bryan, descended from slaves, is determined to succeed where his ancestors didn't. But his celebrity as a professional football player immerses him in a world of temptation that ultimately turns him toward religion...Charlotte Drayton, a successful television reporter, has always used her beauty to get her way-but the one man she can't have is the only one she wants...After many years, four friends will meet on the very island where the two confederate soldiers died in each other's arms. To find where they buried Driscoll's treasure-and to uncover the dangerous secrets of a prominent Savannah family.A gripping novel of history, intrigue, war, and love, Delirium of the Brave follows four generations of families contemplating the pain of the past and the promise of the future. Get swept away by this glorious saga rich with the sights, sounds, flavors, and people of the South's most stunning locale.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

Reviews

[Graceann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up DELIRIUM OF THE BRAVE because I thought it was historical fiction. As it happens, the "historical" portion of the book ends with the first chapter. Then it becomes a generational saga reaching from the 1930s up through the 1990s. I quite enjoyed reading it, but I feel sorry for the agent who had to categorize this debut novel in their pitch to publishers, and the shortcomings to this book make it difficult for me to recommend it without several caveats.

It starts with a Civil War vignette, but it's not historical fiction. It has a brief mystery in it, but the mystery is solved almost immediately. There is a Vietnam character study, but it is so hastily and superficially written that it can't be measured as a major part of the work. There is a huge amount of a religiosity, focusing on Catholic guilt and redemption, but that becomes an annoying subplot rather than a narrative lynchpin. I came to look at DELIRIUM OF THE BRAVE more as a series of set pieces featuring the same characters than I did a truly linear novel. Some characters show up long enough to get you interested in them, and then Mr. Harris makes them disappear for 200 pages.

My writer friends tell me that it is imperative that you say dialogue out loud in order to determine if it feels and sounds "real." It is painfully clear that Mr. Harris either never heard or did not follow this advice. The dialogue is absolutely awful; nobody would actually speak in this stilted, herky-jerky fashion. He is much more successful with his characters' internal, emotional journeys. While some aspects of the story are rushed through in an obvious attempt to get to the next "big plot point," others are explored in an interesting way, and it is this that kept me turning the pages.

There were no surprises here for me - it was fairly easy for me to predict the sequence of events and how the book would end, but DELIRIUM OF THE BRAVE was still mostly pleasant to read for this frequent visitor to Savannah. I'm told that if you grew up in this gorgeous City and are familiar with its denizens, you can guess at the identities from whom Harris borrows for the accuracy of the story. I can make no such claim, but I know I'd be curious to hear what really happened.

Even though this debut had its problems, I'm still looking forward to reading Mr. Harris' follow-up, NO ENEMY BUT TIME. The stories he finds to share are excellent; it will be interesting to see if his writing style improves as he gains experience.

[Linda Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chest containing gold coins and Jewels is buried during the Civil War on remote Racoon Island near Savannah by the Driscoll family to protect it from Sherman. It disappears into history and becomes a legend. For years, four young men, all students at Benedictine Academy, search the island for the treasure and come up empty. Over the intervening years, as they grow up, fall in love, deal with the war in Vietnam and pursue their careers, they are too busy to thing about the treasure. But at a reunion during a St. Patrick Celebration, they go back to the island and find more than they bargained for.. . . a skeleton with a bullet in the head. As the search for the identity of the skeleton progresses, an old secret is revealed and the four young men have to do much soul searching as to what to do.

This book not only chronicles the story of the families of the these four young men but also a high ranking political family and the history of Savannah itself. It is beautifully constructed and written with a compelling plot and well developed characters. I have had this book on my shelf for years and am only sorry I ignored it up until now. I highly recommend it.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Really liked the ties of people throughout generations and the history that was incorporated. Often found myself googling to find out what was real and what wasn't. I truly couldn't put the book down; at the same time, the entire book felt a little like I was on the outside looking in, and felt that the ending was a bit out there. Rounding to 4 stars as I truly couldn't put it down.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by a doctor right here in Savannah; It follows a few families through a century or so. I loved this book for its descriptions of Savannah. It is also a book that appeals to a wide variety of people; everyone from my high society Aunt to my cowboy father enjoyed it.

[Julie Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was engaging but a bit stilted. Too much time spent developing minor characters just to dump them later in the story. There were moments of really great prose which made it worth the reading.

[Larry · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first 50 pages or so weren't bad but then the writing turned, it got amateurish with unnecessary detail that seemed to be designed to simply add words. I finally gave up.

[Karen Chamberz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great book about 2 generations of men and what they went through as boys young men in combat and adult men The journey they took to get them where they became outstanding men

[Anne Gerth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice change from historical fiction. It’s really a generational saga set in the lowcountry of Savannah. I wasn’t sure what to expect and it was a fascinating read. It’s not really about the Civil War. I did learn however, why Savannah has the second biggest St Patrick’s Day parade in the country!

[Julie Davids]

B: The beginning and end were really good; however, the middle was a bit lame.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a home-sick Savannah native, I gave this a 4 star because I enjoyed the over-arching story and the Savannah setting references and descriptions. I found myself wondering a lot about what parts were true and which were completely made up.
I do have to say that this book is in need of a good editor. There were portions of the book that were somewhat confusing due to the abrupt interjection of random characters that were never developed, tangent descriptions of unrelated scenarios and a lack of depth to certain descriptions etc. All that said, the book is still good enough to read and enjoy. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the South or Savannah in particular.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it begins with Civil War era events, most of the story takes place in the 60’s, and follows a group of young boys into manhood -- through Vietnam, romance and marriages (and divorces), local political issues, etc. Not well written -- the author’s style maintained a sense of distance between reader and characters, as if he were telling “about” the story rather than letting the story itself unfold.

[Allen Jeffreys]

This book began with a story of a Savannah, Georgia family prior to the Civil War. The story carries one through the Civil War and the characters are developed as family members grow old and new children are introduced. The story goes through World War I, World War II and Vietnam. The last part of the book connects with the first part to make the story complete.

[Sondra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like historical novels. This story is about Savannah, Georgia and a few of the families living there. The story starts during the Civil War and ends in the 1970's. Family treasure was buried to hide it from the Yankees, politics, love and murder, makes it hard to put this book down.

[MaryAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Raw Southern historical fiction, spanning generations of Savannah families from the Civil War to modern times. All the usual aspects are here: race relations and good old boy politics,plus murder and a buried treasure. Not great literature, but interesting enough to finish.

[Lorri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an ok story but as usual there was a bad family who got away with iuyt time after time. I thought in the end it would all work out like these stories usually do.but this time there was a surpriese. Parts of the book was history of the characters that could have been left out.

[Travis Washburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this one summer from Island Booksellers in the Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island.

A great book.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling story of politics, corruption, murder, romance and buried secrets involving some of Savannah's most prominent families.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun because of the Savannah - Catholic connection.

[flossie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story set in Savannah. Written by my dad's foot doctor,