Writing style
Descriptive · Direct · Lyrical
Apple BooksThe Killer Angels
Historical fiction · Tragedy
- First published
- 1974
- Print length
- 337 pagesModern Library, 2004
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 1975
Description
In June 1863, Robert E. Lee leads the Confederate army into Pennsylvania, hoping to draw Union forces into a decisive defeat despite uncertain intelligence about their movements. At Gettysburg, Union cavalry commander John Buford recognizes the value of the surrounding high ground and acts before the larger armies arrive. Over three days, the novel shifts among historical figures on both sides as strategy becomes immediate human consequence. James Longstreet questions Lee’s determination to attack a fortified position, while Union colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain must defend the exposed end of his line against a punishing assault. By placing readers inside competing judgments, loyalties, and fears, The Killer Angels presents Gettysburg as both a military contest and a tragedy shaped by command.
Reading profile
About this profile
Collected’s assessment, not reader ratings. Complexity runs from 1 (least demanding) to 5 (most demanding).
- Writing
- How much attention the sentences and language require.
- Ideas
- How much interpretation or abstract reasoning the book asks of you.
- Structure
- How much you need to keep track of speakers, timelines and connections.
- Background knowledge
- Prior knowledge needed to follow the book, beyond what it explains.
- Emotional intensity
- Emotional pressure, from gentle (1) to intense (5). Separate from difficulty.
Pace
Moderate
Tone
Dark · Earnest · Reflective · Tense
Structure
Linear
Focus
Character · Ideas · Plot
Emotional intensity
4 / 5
Reading complexity
1–5 · higher means more demanding- Writing
- 3 / 5
- Ideas
- 3 / 5
- Structure
- 3 / 5
- Background knowledge
- 2 / 5
Themes
Book details
For the print edition listed above.
- Publisher
- Modern Library
- Language
- English
- ISBN
- 9780679643241
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