Two Novels of the Revolutionary War: Rise to Rebellion and The Glorious Cause

by Jeff Shaara

From Jeff Shaara, the modern master of military fiction, whose father reinvented the war novel with his Pulitzer Prize–winning classic The Killer Angels, comes an exclusive eBook edition collecting two stirring novels of the American Rise to Rebellion and The Glorious Cause.   RISE TO REBELLION   “Gripping human drama.”—Baltimore Sun   Rise to Rebellion brilliantly brings to life the early days of the American Revolution, creating an unforgettable saga of the men who helped to forge the destiny of a nation—from idealistic attorney John Adams to audacious inventor and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. Shaara’s most impressive achievement reveals how philosophers became fighters, how ideas became their ammunition, and how a scattered group of colonies became the United States of America.   THE GLORIOUS CAUSE   “Vivid and compelling . . . Shaara reaches new heights here, with a narrative that’s impossible to put down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)   The Glorious Cause brings the saga of victory and defeat full circle, from the stunning victory at Trenton to the British surrender at Yorktown—a moment that changed the history of the world. This dramatic concluding volume is a tribute to the amazing people who turned ideas into action and fought to declare themselves free.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

1151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

JEFF SHAARA is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure—two novels that complete his father's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels. Shaara was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[TBV (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rise to Rebellion - 4-stars ****
In his Introduction to this novel Jeff Shaara states: “The American Revolution is not merely a story about great battles. The Revolution itself was about not just the power of armies, but the power of a people to decide their own future. This story allows you, the reader, to witness the very birth of our nation through the eyes of the wonderful men and women who by their integrity, sacrifice, and astounding courage caused it to happen.”

The Introduction then introduces the main protagonists:
Benjamin Franklin
John Adams and his wife Abigail
George Washington
Thomas Gage
Although there is a large cast of characters, those mentioned above are the narrators of the events described in this novel.

The narrative commences with the so-called Boston Massacre on 5th March, 1770, which is followed by an account of the main events that led to the Declaration of Independence.

“’We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal …’ ” The words reached out to each of them, the delegates, those above in the public seats, out beyond the walls of this one simple building. The words were carried by rider and post, copies posted in every town square, in every courthouse, every state house, every assembly hall. Like a great stone dropped into a vast deep pond, the impact of the Declaration of Independence would flow out in waves that would reach far beyond the colonies, far beyond the people who had brought it to life.”

This is faction rather than fiction; to my knowledge the characters mentioned were all actual people and the events were real. There is excellent dialogue and some good character sketches which express the individuals' doubts and determination.

In his Afterword Mr Shaara tells us what happened to the following people after the signing of the Declaration of Independence:
Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
Governor Thomas Hutchinson
Samuel Adams
John Dickinson
Royal Governor William Franklin
Mrs Margaret Stevenson (Benjamin Franklin's landlady in London)
Richard Henry Lee
Will Strahan
Major General Artemas Ward
John Hancock
Paul Revere
William Pitt, Lord Chatham
Thomas Paine

Mr Shaara also provides additional information about the actual document, The Declaration of Independence.


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The Glorious Cause - 5-stars *****

This novel tells the story of the American Revolutionary Wars. The main narrators are:
George Washington
Charles Cornwallis
Nathanael Greene
Benjamin Franklin
As the author did with the prequel, Rise to Rebellion, he provides a brief introductory biography of these people. All the main players of the revolution appear in The Glorious Cause.

The novel details not only the various battles between the British and the Americans, but also outlines problems with Congress and difficulties in obtaining funds and overseas support. The conflict is related from the points of view of both the British and the Americans. It depicts the brutality of the British allies, the Hessians, and it tells of the deprivations of the American soldiers. Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware on December 25-26, 1776, is particularly well described.
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Benjamin Franklin has to cope with old age, infirmities and the vagaries of the French king, but his mind remains as sharp as ever. His grandson presents Franklin with some delightful surprises and lessons. Franklin's relationship with his son may have been disastrous and distressing, but young Temple has a lovely relationship with his grandpa.
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“Far out in front of him he heard the sound of a single drum, a slow cadence, steady rhythm. Behind him came a sharp breath, someone reacting to the sound, and he smiled, his officers as nervous as he was. He could see the horsemen now, no sign of a flag, one of the conditions Laurens had insisted upon, thought so harsh by the British. But the horsemen were complying, and behind them he could see the column of red, following their commanders out of their works.”

In his Afterword Jeff Shaara tells us what happened afterwards to:
Benjamin Franklin
Nathanael Greene
Marie du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette
Henry Knox
Charles Lee
Daniel Morgan
Horatio Gates
Anthony Wayne
Frederick von Steuben
Tench Tilghman
Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee
Silas Deane
Robert Morris
John Sullivan
Alexander Hamilton
Charles, Earl Cornwallis
Jean-Baptiste, Count Rochambeau
François, Count de Grasse
Charles Gravier, Count de Vergennes
William Howe
Benedict Arnold
Henry Clinton
Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen
Banastre Tarleton
Charles O'Hara
George Washington

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These novels are an excellent starting point for learning about the American Revolution. The first novel in particular reads like non-fiction which reads like fiction. The second one is more descriptive. Mr Shaara does not digress with fictional characters. However it is fiction, and the characters are fleshed out and given dialogue. Both novels are amply illustrated with maps so that one may see what happened where to whom.

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Quotes:
Rise to Rebellion
Benjamin Franklin
"The word was still etched in his mind, and he closed his eyes, could see it spelled out on white paper. Slavery. He felt a cold stab in his stomach, his mind opening like some strange flower. So the English have taught us well. It has always been so simple for them to dismiss our protests, our noisy outrage about rights and liberties, simply by pointing a finger at the slavery we ourselves practice. Who are we to dare to make any claim for the proper rights of man when we enslave the Negro?"

""... It is simply beyond you to comprehend, you and your king. You may be an Englishman. But I am not. Every child born here is born American, shaped by the great differences in this land, in the culture, the beliefs, in the way their parents have learned to survive and prosper. They are growing up in a world far beyond the understanding of your king and his government. Do you not comprehend the significance of that? Can you not grasp that America has already moved beyond the control of England, of its corruption and its petty concerns?”"

John Adams
"He had practiced and perfected his speech, would probably never use the phrases again, but they stayed hard inside of him, drifting through his memory: Facts are stubborn things. The law, no passion can disturb. It is void of desire and fear, lust and anger. It is deaf, inexorable, inflexible.…”

"He wondered about the great speeches and parliamentary debates, decisions made in public, or private, by men so far removed from the consequence of their policies, so casual in their disregard for the passions of their colonies."

Abigail Adams
"...And if those men win this war, if your cause succeeds, then you will say to them, ‘Well, then, in our new government, all the power shall be held tightly in the hands of men of property, that only men of property can decide what is best for everyone else.’ If you attempt that, my dear husband, you will soon find there to be a second revolution. And it will have nothing to do with the king.”

Thomas Gage
""I think civilizing these people is a hopeless proposition. I think all their barbarism, their tendency to violence, has finally resumed its proper form. The very thought that they could stand united, that they could pretend to be one people, strike out at the king’s authority, rid themselves of our influence, is truly astounding. But the sanity has returned. The power of the empire has prevailed.""

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The Glorious Cause
Benjamin Franklin
“Mr. Gibbon. I have read your note with understanding. As much as I admire your previous work involving the fall of Rome, I should like to offer, that when you take up your pen to write the Decline and Fall of the British Empire, I shall gladly furnish you with the ample materials in my possession.

""How dare you, sir! You come into my home and insult me and my country with solicitous bribes? You suggest that under your control, we can become an empire to rule the world, and yet, I have seen Ireland, I have seen what your domination has produced! You do not cooperate, you do not create a marketplace. You take, you plunder, you strip the land of those goods which suit you. You return only misery and oppression!""

John Adams
"Adams moved slowly around the table, said, “Sir, congress has declared the independence of the American colonies. That declaration is not swept away because the king does not recognize it, or because his representative here finds it inconvenient to speak of it. It hardly matters to the congress if you dismiss us from legitimacy. The voice of the congress, the very energy that created the congress, comes not from a few like ourselves, but has risen from the voices and the energy of the American people. There is nothing you can do, no army, no amount of destruction can silence that voice.”"

George Washington
""... The English continue to perplex me with their misunderstanding of the American will. They come to us now, driven by the fear of a new and powerful enemy, and they offer those terms which we sought with such energy three years ago. They ignore that their armies have killed and maimed and distressed so many of us, and offer us a crooked and brittle branch from a poisoned olive tree.”"

Frederick von Steuben
"In Prussia, Austria, France, you instruct a soldier what to do, and he does it. Here, you tell them and they ask … why? Give us a good reason. If the reason is adequate, the deed is accomplished. It is a curious people."

Charles Cornwallis
"Now that I am here, I begin to understand how very far away it is. It is simply not real. To the ministry, even to His Majesty, it seems that America is only some place on a map, some piece of the empire that must be preserved because history demands it. But those men know nothing of this war. They could never imagine ten thousand rebel soldiers, they have never seen the king’s finest cavalry swept from their mounts by the muskets of farmers."

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it five stars if I could take the time to verify the historical accuracy of the content the author used to create the fictional accounts. It's an extraordinary insight to the the events of the times as related through the principle players in the American Revolution (I have only finished Rise to Rebellion to this point). The sense of the times is very similar to that of 1776, another extraordinary book that provides the details of just how fragile the beginnings of the American Revolution was and how close it came to failing.

This is how the history of the american revolution should be taught. The history I remember studying in high school was not nearly as interesting, facts and figures and dates. Perhaps it's the perspective of time which makes this account so palpable. Reading this adds the emotion to the words found in the declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

A truly extraordinary time with extraordinary leaders. Where have all such leaders gone?

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first novel in this two book combo is up there with the best I’ve ever read. I rated it separately under its title “ Rise to Rebellion” with 5 stars. Shaara does a fantastic job going between the halls of Congress and the battlefield and helps you understand exactly why the Revolution had to take place.

However, the 2nd novel is too long and tries to cover too much ground and feel like you are reading a lengthy report at times. I sometimes felt like it was intended to be a three book series because Shaara has to paint so broadly to get it finished. It was still riveting in parts. So, it is 3 stars for the 2nd book and four stars overall for the two book edition.

[Francis X DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book of Shaara’s American Revolution series follows Washington’s armies up to and beyond the climax of the war at Yorktown. Excellent dramatizations of the main historical figures,from both sides of the conflict, create another fascinating telling of US history from a personal level. Highly recommend!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rise to Rebellion

What an excellent series from Jeff Shaara. I highly recommend this book and it's author. It feels like you are transported to the Revolutionary War without it seeming like a text book.

[Kevin Tisdel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read and a great learning experience!

It read like a great historical novel. Every time I went to check some fact I was unaware of; the author's facts were always based on historical events. Well researched and a most enjoyable experience.

[Ernest Sowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by Jeff Shaara that makes history come alive. Historical figures that predate recorded audio or video are humanized allowing the reader can receive a deeper understanding into their struggles as well as their accomplishments. Highly recommended.

[Sarah Thoeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well written, and I learned so much. I'm embarrassed how little I understood about the Revolutionary War.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

精彩

[Chuck Ghastin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Mr. Shaara for peeling the real people of the American Revolution from their traditional portraits in the static, glorified paintings and crude wood-cuttings that our middle school history texts have relied on for generations.

I shall not tell a lie. I have no idea what your accuracy score is to academia and only regret that I have but one review to give for your book (irony intended as Hale's last words before the trap door dropped were clearly recorded as "WHUT THE....."). So without a doubt, if the ne'er uttered inner thoughts of Benjamin Franklin fail to match the historical record is without consequence. Of more interest is the period dialogue and it's contribution to the authenticity "feel" of the books. Well done and fun to read.

Also the pace and detail of the ferocious battle scenes contrasted with ruminations and internal struggles of your (maybe I should say "our") characters as they fought their internal confrontations added much drama for me. Finally my pent up admiration for George Washington has escaped the prison of hippopotamus teeth, cherry trees, and powdered wigs - with a new outlet in your account of his final dismissal of Charles Lee at Monmouth in a seething rage. Ahhh....an action hero-esqe portrayal of a man we Americans should admire, more than The Rock and and perhaps even Neo, at the risk of blasphemy and ridicule.

I know not what course others may take, but for me, I enjoyed the book. As a boy, I once imagined the American Revolution as a few guys who fired a unreasonably loud gun at some bridge, stood on a hill squinting at redcoats, and drove Washington around while he pointed in a boat for a couple weeks in 1776. (Eventually the realization hit that it was twice as long as the Civil War, although with like 1/10th of the hype). Thank you for writing it and for giving me a (reasonably accurate) appreciation of the real women and men who gambled their lives in a venture that was far from certain, and who feared the consequence of failure.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you wanted to know about the birth of this country... the events leading up to the Revolutionary War and descriptions of each of the battles from the viewpoints of both sides. Amazingly well written!

[Megan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Shaara's two-book series! It flowed very nicely and was extremely interesting. He kept close to history while introducing a very close view of the lives of those involved.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read 1776, this was a fun way to revisit that time period covering a wider time frame, and a more personal look at the personalities involved.

[Debbie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Shaara is fantastic in every way!