Ike's Final Battle: The Road to Little Rock and the Challenge of Equality

Book Description

He called it one of the hardest things he ever did - as difficult as leading the D-Day invasion. When Dwight Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne to Little Rock to integrate Central High School in September 1957, he couldn't know that he was fighting the last great battle of his career...one that would change forever both him and his country. This is the story of how one of America's greatest leaders confronted America's greatest sin. This is the unlikely tale of how Ike became a civil rights president.

Ike's Final Battle represents a revolution in scholarship on Eisenhower and civil rights. Though not uncritical, the book credits his steady personal advance on the issue as well as his accomplishments in the military and as president.

Drawing on thousands of primary documents (including newly released material), Ike's Final Battle builds to its climax at Little Rock - one of the most pivotal events of the civil rights movement. Little Rock is at the epicenter, but the book will also look at the cause, and the aftermath.

* With the 50th Anniversary of Little Rock approaching in 2007, the timing is perfect. This is the last priceless nugget of civil rights history.

* The book draws on thousands of newly released documents, many never before made public.

* This is the first book on the subject in 25 years. It disproves the claim that that Ike didn't care about civil rights.

From The Wall Street Journal

D-Day in Little Rock, A Civil-Rights Showdown

By FRED BARNES, March 8, 2007

In spring 1954, as the Supreme Court was deliberating on Brown v. Board of Education, President Dwight D. Eisenhower invited Chief Justice Earl Warren to a stag dinner at the White House. He seated Warren at the same table as John W. Davis, the lawyer who had argued against school desegregation before the court. Eisenhower proceeded to tell the chief justice what a "great man" Davis was.

As it happened, Eisenhower had authorized his Justice Department to file an amicus brief in the case opposing Davis and public-school segregation. And he specifically allowed his solicitor general, Lee Rankin, to tell the justices during oral argument that "separate but equal" schools were unconstitutional. Yet he sympathized with the segregated South. "These are not bad people," he told Warren at the dinner. "All they are concerned about is to see that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school alongside some big, overgrown Negroes." Warren was appalled.

To put it kindly, Eisenhower was ambivalent on civil rights. "Conservative by nature, he hoped that the advance of the civil rights movement would be gradual, allowing time for the South to change," writes Kasey S. Pipes in "Ike's Final Battle." Most of all, Eisenhower didn't want to lead a civil-rights crusade from the White House. "The only crusade he had ever wanted to lead was liberating Europe in World War II," Mr. Pipes says.

But when necessary -- or when steps toward desegregation were relatively painless -- Eisenhower acted. He broke the color barrier in the military by deploying black soldiers alongside whites to win the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. As president, he integrated the schools and movie theaters in Washington, D.C., and federal installations around the country. Most important, he sent U.S. Army troops to Little Rock, Ark., in September 1957 to escort nine black students into Central High School after days of violent protest. It was a defeat from which segregationist forces never recovered.

"Little Rock represented something else as well: the culmination of Eisenhower's own attitude toward racial justice," Mr. Pipes writes. "Ike had enjoyed the luxury of endorsing civil rights in broad terms, knowing full well that much of segregation law was a state and local matter. Little Rock ended that."

Two days after the Army troops arrived in Little Rock, Eisenhower decided to address the nation on prime-time television. This surprised his attorney general, Herbert Brownell, who had been prodding Eisenhower for years to act more boldly on civil rights. The president wrote most of the speech himself, including a passage, suggested by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, arguing that violent opposition to racial integration was weakening America's influence and prestige in the world.

In the speech, Eisenhower lauded the desegregation efforts of other Southern communities and their willingness to comply with federal law. This was a new tack for the president, who had refused to endorse Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court's decision declaring segregated public schools unconstitutional. Nor had he denounced the murder of Emmett Till by racist thugs in Mississippi in 1955, despite pleas by the teenage boy's mother.

"He feared that moralizing from the bully pulpit would raise not only awareness, but also the collective blood pressure of the South," Mr. Pipes writes. "He saw no point in riling an already angry population. . . . To put it bluntly, Eisenhower had little interest in trying to change the minds of millions of Southerners."

But he had learned a lesson from Little Rock. His view had been, as Mr. Pipes puts it, that "segregationists and civil rights advocates were cut from the same cloth." In his dealings with Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus, he learned otherwise.

Faubus betrayed Eisenhower. In the midst of the Little Rock crisis -- as Arkansas's National Guard was blocking the nine black students from Central High -- Faubus had agreed to meet the president in Newport, R.I. At the end of their 20-minute talk, Faubus gave the president the clear impression that he would change the National Guard's orders, requiring it to protect the black students as they entered Central High. But Faubus didn't follow through. Eisenhower felt double-crossed and told Brownell: "You were right. Faubus broke his word." The president then took the next step, dispatching the 101st Airborne.

Mr. Pipes is not a professional historian. He is a public-relations consultant and speechwriter who worked in the Bush White House from 2002 to 2005. But he has written a highly readable and credible account of Eisenhower's struggle with race and civil rights. While sympathetic, he doesn't sugarcoat Eisenhower's qualms about desegregation or excuse his unwillingness to move decisively before Little Rock.

Eisenhower famously regretted his appointment of Earl Warren as chief justice. (Warren served in that role from 1953 to 1969.) Warren confronted Eisenhower about the president's feelings toward him when they flew together to Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965. Eisenhower explained that it was Warren's liberal rulings on national security that had upset him. He didn't mention Brown v. Board of Education, and understandably so: Years earlier Eisenhower had told an aide, privately, that he thought the Brown decision was wrong; by 1965, he had concluded that it was right.

Customer Reviews:

Pipes extracts the true Eisenower regarding civil rights.......2007-07-05

This book is a fast 300 pg. narrative on Eisenhower's nuanced positions regarding civil rights. The nuance is not whether equal rights for African Americans were right vs. wrong, but instead Eisenhower's struggle on how best to protect the rights of these Americans against the prejudice of southern conservatives who controlled the southern states and the relevant committees of the Senate.

Pipes begins with Eisenhower's experiences and contributions to the cause of equal rights in the military and ends in his retirement, with the climax happening 2/3 of the way through the book when Ike sends federal troops to Little Rock, AK to defend the right of African American students to attend a whites-only public school in spite of a bigoted governor who sends the national guard to keep them out. The book finishes with reflections on his contributions looking back from the time of Kennedy and LBJ moving the ball forward even further.

Pipes provides an incredibly fair report on President Eisenhower's policy positions and actions given the frequent opaqueness of his position depending on the situation and the company he was keeping. Many have attempted to paint Ike as a racist political opportunist or a courageous leader of the civil rights movement, with both positions given to hyperbole. Instead, Pipes portrays a man who respects majoritarian positions while realizing in his heart the wrongness of institutionalized bigotry even though Eisenhower, a man of his time, shares some prejudicial beliefs. The struggle for Eisenhower is often how to move the majority to his position without his having to depend on fiery rhetoric to change hearts and minds.

While Eisenhower was never a die-hard politico, he left the GOP with a wonderful legacy inherent in republicanism as a form of government instituted in 1787. Reading this book in 2007 shows how far the current majority of Republicans have mutated away from the principles of republicanism and Eisenhower, mostly due to the Southern Conservative Democrats who emigrated to the party after LBJ signed the Democratic party up to support civil rights as a party platform plank and due to his passing the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts being the current majority within the party and their shunting aside traditional Republicans from the North.

Pipes only flaw in the book, so minor it's not worth knocking down a star, is a weak-hearted to attempt to define Eisenhower as a conservative even though all empirical evidence in the book and other studies on Eisenhower provide ample evidence that he was a moderate who "got it" regarding our founding ideal of republicanism that limits government power and that our liberty comes through each of us individually reserving our rights along with Eisenhower's actions following the examples of previous Republican presidents using federal power to protect individual and minority rights (e.g., Madison, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt).

An extensive bibliography, notes, and an index round out this welcome addition to American history shelves........2007-06-10

Written by former Bush White House worker Kasey S. Pipes, Ike's Final Battle: the Road to Little Rock and the Challenge of Equality is the amazing and unlikely true story of how Dwight D. Eisenhower became a civil rights president. Chronicling the landmark desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, which forced a historical confrontation between state and federal authorities and set an engraved precedent that the federal government would intervene for the sake of racial justice if necessary, Ike's Final Battle meticulously recounts events in unfolding detail, with an inset section of black-and-white photographic plates. An extensive bibliography, notes, and an index round out this welcome addition to American history shelves.

Ike's Struggle.......2007-05-29

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It tells President Eisenhower's story very well, and it kept my interest throughout the narrative.

Pipes' thesis, that Eisenhower went through a significant "struggle within himself" about his belief in civil rights (requiring significant social change) and majority rule (which did not support significant social change at that time), is also well argued. I especially appreciate the honesty in which the author tells Ike's story, including his strengths and weaknesses.

Also, Pipes does an excellent job of noting the number of significant Republican policy makers who were strong advocates of civil rights legislation during the 1950s and 1960s.

While I think everyone will benefit from reading this book, it especially should be read by all Republican office holders and candidates, today.

Outstanding.......2007-04-24

This is a very readable book from an outstanding young author. He gives an insight to Ike that most people don't remember. I can't wait for his next book!

A Good Man's Inner Stuggle .......2007-04-23

This is a very well written, highly engaging book about Eisenhower's inner struggle with racial equality. Generally, historians give President Eisenhower low grades for his handling of civil rights: too slow, too reticent, no vision or leadership. But this was not Ike's way, Kasey Pipes argues. He was a conservative, 19th century man who believed in low-key, incremental progress, in changing people's minds before changing laws. As a military man, he was taught to manage problems, not lead a revolution. The only crusade he was prepared to lead, Pipes says, was the one that liberated Europe.

Ike did boldly effect change where he could: giving African-Americans a combat role during the Battle of the Bulge, desegrating Washington DC as well as military bases in the South. These progressive moves were often made with little fanfare, as Ike believed (probably correctly) publicity would simply stir up a backlash of opposition. However, when the Big Test came at Little Rock, in 1957, he passed with flying colors, sending in the 101st Airborne. Indeed, Pipes observes, Ike's performance at Little Rock compares favorably with President Kennedy's five years later at Ole Miss. (There were no major casualties at Little Rock versus hundreds at Ole Miss).

Pipes, a Republican speechwriter, is a gifted wordsmith, and his first book has a brisk narrative pace. A terrific read.

Tales from the Odyssey: The Final Battle - Book #6 (Tales from the Odyssey)

Average customer rating:

Son loves it

Tales from the Odyssey: The Final Battle - Book #6 (Tales from the Odyssey)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786809949

Book Description

After struggling against the gods and his fate for more than twenty years, Odysseus has returned to Ithaca at last.But things have changed: what used to be his island has been overrun by suitors who clamor for his wife's hand in marriage and plague his son, Telemachus.With the help of the gray-eyed goddess, Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus set out to regain control of Ithaca. In the last book of the series based on episodes from Homer's Odyssey, Mary Pope Osborne brings one of the greatest adventures of all time to a dramatic climax.

Customer Reviews:

Son loves it.......2007-01-12

My son absolutely loves this series, he read the whole thing in no time.

Average customer rating:

A gorgeous book, from presentation to content.
too esoteric to feed my apocalypse-hungry soul
These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor

The Apocalypse Reader

Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Summer of the Apocalypse
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Eeeee Eee Eeee
Bed
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ASIN: 1560259590

Book Description

These are the ways the world ends.
Thirty-four new and selected Doomsday scenarios: an enthralling collection of work by canonical literary figures, contemporary masters, and a few rising stars, all of whom have looked into the future and found it missing. Across boundaries of place and time, these writers celebrate the variety and vitality of the short story as a form by writing their own conclusions to the story of the world. Obliteration has never hurt so good.
Contributors include Grace Aguilar, Steve Aylett, Robert Bradley, Dennis Cooper, Lucy Corin, Elliott David, Matthew Derby, Carol Emshwiller, Brian Evenson, Neil Gaiman, Jeff Goldberg, Theodora Goss, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Jared Hohl, Shelley Jackson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Stacey Levine, Tao Lin, Kelly Link, H.P. Lovecraft, Gary Lutz, Rick Moody, Michael Moorcock, Adam Nemett, Josip Novakovich, Joyce Carol Oates, Colette Phair, Edgar Allan Poe, Terese Svoboda, Justin Taylor, Lynne Tillman, Deb Olin, Unferth, H.G. Wells, Allison Whittenberg, and Diane Williams.

Customer Reviews:

A gorgeous book, from presentation to content........2007-09-19

"THESE ARE THE WAYS THE WORLD ENDS--THIRTY-FOUR NEW AND SELECTED DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS"

This is a gorgeous book, from presentation to content. The selections are humorous, serious, simple, complex, and much more--thirty-four stories, some short, some long, make for a wide spectrum of apocalypses. Taylor, in the foreword, expounds on his conception of an apocalypse:

"It's worth pointing out that the word Apocalypse comes from the Greek, and literally means "a revelation" or "an unveiling." It can be used to describe cataclysmic changes of any sort. Revolution, for example, or social upheaval. [...] There are micro-Apocalypses that mark moments in our lives: childhood's end, a relationship's sudden implosion, Death."

The selections do span the gamut--some were written so long ago as to be in the public domain, and some were freshly minted in the late 2000's; some focus on religious upheavals, some macro, some micro; there are personal upheavals, student rantings, surreal recountings of madmen; and of course many take the reader through more conventional "end of the world" scenarios. And even with all that diversity, perhaps guided by the introduction, the theme of the anthology runs strong.

If there were a criticism I could make of this volume, that, ironically, would be it. I consider myself a bit of an Apocalypse afficionado--I particularly enjoy reading such stories, along with dystopias--and I would have thought that I could never grow tired of reading well-wrought incarnations of such--and these stories were all well-wrought and well-edited, there is no doubt about that--but this volume overwhelmed me. I was tired, even weary, by the time I had wended my way through the collection (and that in the course of several "sittings")..

The lead story, a piece of flash fiction by H. P. Lovecraft, starts the anthology out elegantly, and slowly. It warns you, implicitly, that you're in for some heavy reading, even if you're a fan of Mr. Lovecraft's writing (and not just his mythos, which more people are familiar with, and is much easier to get into third hand). On that end of the scale, there's also a piece from Edgar Allan Poe that is ponderous but worth an examination, entitled "The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion".

Some of my favorites included:

"The Apocalypse Commentery of Bob Paisner" by Rick Moody -- This is an essay detailing the allegorical depths of the Book of Revelation with regard to Bob Paisner's life. The tone is both erudite and a bit delirious, and the piece as a whole is both informative and immersive--I found myself eagerly wondering where Moody was going to take us next, what dark or clinical humor would next be presented.

"Fraise, Menthe, et Poivre 1978" by Jared Hohl -- Another piece of meta-fiction, this follows a group of people through the more traditional trope of being the last survivors in a ruined post-apocalyptic city. What makes this piece stand out is the manic bent of the narrator and the push for the show to go on--the story weaves the primary narrative with a small handful of abbreviated stageplays that emphasize much about human nature, hope, and despair, while retaining a very human humor.

"An Accounting" by Brian Evenson -- An "honest" accounting of how one explorer fell into becoming a reborn Jesus and how he helps his flock survive. I don't want to say too much about this, but the voice is clear, the narrative is well woven and unrolls at a compelling pace, and other than, perhaps, the initial fanaticism he encounters, it is all quite believable.

"Some Approaches to the Problem of the Shortage of Time" by Ursula K. Le Guin -- This is a clever set of abstracts that are ever timely and consider a novel scenario for the end of the modern-day universe. The shortage of time is pervasive, and this story is brief to give you a maximum pleasure for what it takes.

"Think Warm Thoughts" by Allison Whittenberg -- A bite-sized slice of apocalypse that is poetically poignant; every word counts.

"When We Went to See the End of the World by Dawnie Morningside, age 11 1/4" by Neil Gaiman -- This is the end of the world, everyone and everything together, through the playful, somewhat naiive eyes of an eleven year old. It's told in the vein of "What I did over Summer vacation", and is very evocative, sweet, and strange.

"The Escape--a Tale of 1755" by Grace Aguilar -- This is an elegant tale of a woman's love for her husband, religious persecution, and a prison escape. It is written with a very modern feel despite its age (originally published in 1844).

That's not to say I disliked the other stories; and on another day I would have different favorites, though there were some pieces that didn't work for me. But I hope this selection will help give you a feel for the collection as a whole, beyond my simple regard for it. In all, it's a beautiful collection, and I recommend it strongly, with the caveat that you may want to take it in small doses.

too esoteric to feed my apocalypse-hungry soul.......2007-09-12

I was initially excited to discover the collection and didn't see how such a broad-based compilation could go wrong. I'm an avid reader of post-apocalyptic fiction, science fiction and futurism, so I'm no slouch, but this turned out to be quite different from what I was hoping for.

While a few of the pieces are good reads, so many of them are abstract, esoteric, or even reminiscent of the scribblings from slightly disturbed angst-ridden teenage diaries. There's no good "meat" here, no concrete scenarios, suspense or drama to drive fear into your heart and make your mind race. The circumstances under which "apocalypse" occurs are rarely even revealed. Even the subject matter is open to interpretation - "apocalypse" is made to mean many things, not simply the end of the world. Which it does, of course, but that's not what I was hungry for when I picked up this book. The book description should have done a better job of managing those expectations.

Perhaps if you are looking for a broad literary "treatment" of the subject, that kind of interpretation will appeal to you (or if you enjoy the just plain bizarre) then this collection is for you. It was not for me.

These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor.......2007-05-16

This is a fun collection of stories from some well known and serious talent (Gaiman, Lovecraft, Poe) and some newly minted authors. I found myself particularly amused by "These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor," the work of one of the new authors named Jeff Goldberg. I'll be keeping an eye peeled for future work from him.

Battle for the Ruhr: The German Army's Final Defeat in the West (Modern War Studies)

Average customer rating:

Informative...A Great Historic Read
Starts with a Bang and Ends With A Dud
The Impression of one Familiar with Wuppertal:

Battle for the Ruhr: The German Army's Final Defeat in the West (Modern War Studies)
Derek S. Zumbro
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0700614907

Book Description

With Allied armies poised on the banks of the Rhine, Nazi Germany tottered on the brink of collapse. The ensuing battles on German soil--especially those in the so-called Ruhr Pocket--were as fierce and hard-fought as any in the European theater. Going well beyond previous accounts, Derek Zumbro chronicles this key military campaign from a unique and fresh perspective-that of the defeated German soldiers and civilians caught in the final maelstrom of the war's western front.

Best known for his translation of In Deadly Combat, the bestselling World War II memoir, Zumbro chronicles the relentless assault on the Ruhr Pocket through German eyes, as the Allied juggernaut battered the region's cities, villages, and homes into submission. He tells of children pressed into service by a desperate Nazi regime--and of even more desperate parents trying to save their sons from sacrifice at the eleventh hour. He also tells of unspeakable conditions suffered by foreign laborers, POWs, and political opponents in the Ruhr Valley and of the mass graves that gave Allied soldiers a grisly new understanding of their enemy.

Zumbro also recounts the story of Field Marshal Walter Model's final hours. His eventual suicide effectively ended the existence of the Wehrmacht's once-formidable Army Group B after being pursued, methodically encircled, and finally destroyed by U.S. and British forces. Through interviews with surviving members of Model's former staff, Zumbro has uncovered the attitudes--and harrowing experiences--of beleaguered officers that official records could never convey.

Other interviews with former soldiers reveal the extent to which Allied bombing contributed to the rapid deterioration of German combat effectiveness and tell of civilians begging soldiers to abandon the war. Zumbro's deep research reveals the identities of specific characters discussed in previous works but never identified, describes the final hours of German officers executed for the loss of the bridge at Remagen, and offers new insight into Model's acquiescence to Hitler in military affairs.

By taking us inside the first-hand experiences and memories of Germans from Reichsmarshals to Burgermeisters, Battle for the Ruhr gives a profound and harrowing ground-level view of the enormous destructive power of war.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

Informative...A Great Historic Read.......2007-07-25

[When looking at the destruction done by the few that ran this small Pennsylvania-sized country, I am always bowled over. And, above and beyond the horrendous dismissal and destruction of the Jews, and the Polish, the Russian, and those who had any kind of alternative lifestyle, and on and on, until we come right down to the Native German People Themselves, these few who were in charge Stole and Destroyed Everything that any of the general populace owned, believed in, or held dear. The level of fear that would cause a people Not to Rise Up against their oppressors must have been terrible. Of course, after reaching a certain level of weakness, there would have been NO way they could have stopped the Nazi leadership as badly as I believe a majority would have liked to.]

~the Greek/Middle English descriptive "Holocaust" did have it right..."to destroy by fire"; "to burn"; "destroy completely"; "mass murder"; "genocide"

Zumbro writes this truly great narrative of the Battle for the Ruhr Valley, the final days, of course, of Germany in World War II, from the viewpoint of the natives, which puts the Allies as the invaders of thier land. Certainly, a Most Interesting Viewpoint, and I must say I thought it works very well. I think we must legitimately recognize that the vast majority of German natives were, in most cases, helpless pawns under the thumbs of the Nazi leadership. So, after having been robbed of Everything they had, including their dignity, from their leaders, the Allies rolled in, destroying their last possessions, their homes and housing, in most cases because the German Field Officers were fearfull NOT to defend towns and villages, knowing they and their troops would be executed by the Nazi leaders. In a great many cases, these people did surrender themselves and their towns to the Allies, to much less damage, etc. It is heart-rending to see the level of loss that these unfortunate country-people, for the most part, suffered. Also, it was most interesting to see the workings/thought processes of the collapsing Nazi leadership in Berlin. This was also recently shown vividly to me by the movie "The Downfall" a couple years ago. I feel that Mr. Zumbro has certainly done his homework for this book, and also, he has not glossed over the wrong-doings that the Allies did, either, putting it right out there, as it should be, that we, ourselves, in many cases did wrong and committed crimes against these people that should not have been done.

A Great, Informative Book. I Highly Recommend IT! ~operabruin

Starts with a Bang and Ends With A Dud.......2007-03-05

I served in the Army in the area that this book takes place (Buren, south of Paderborn), long after it took place, and enjoyed learning what happened to the towns and cities nearby. This book locks you in early on and is quite a page turner. My biggest fault is that it falls in the last 75-100 pages with what basically becomes the same story with a new town name. Something like, town prepares...Germans run....Allies roll in....next town....town prepares..... Nonetheless, I would recommend the book to others, as it was recommended to me by another who served in the same area before I did.

The Impression of one Familiar with Wuppertal:.......2007-01-22

The main problem with writing a book like this is that most of the oral sources are now dead. This last September, I attended the Knohl family re-union, in Wuppertal, and there was only one man there who could remember anything about the battle for the Ruhr. He would have turned nine in 1945.

Our Uncle Herbert(Knohl) was in the US Army CIC; and although he resented his tour of duty in the US Army, he talked about almost nothing else for the next fifty-three years. One of the things he mentioned was his shooting of two, high-ranking Nazi officials from Cologne. He told me his commander--a Texas Ranger was duly impressed; so much so, that he sent our uncle to Wuppertal to look at a prison facility there.

While there, Uncle Herb met his father(our grandfather) on the street, and found that his parents had had nothing to eat for some time. He was able to get them food. My grandparents belonged to the Gemarkekirche in Barmen, which was quite notable in its opposition to Hitler. In fact, there was mention of a "death list", and that our grandparents' names were on it.

I realize the author had quite a bit of information to cover, and he had to cover--mainly--the capture of the Ruhr, by the allies--and didn't have space to cover much of the aftermath. However,the author does mention a number of atrocities, by the Nazis, against the slave laborers, Soviet POW's, and those who dissented from the Nazi way of doing things.

The author also mentions thefts, and atrocities commited by our side--which our Uncle Herb mentioned, but have been under-reported by the literature, until recently.

In short, the book covers quite a bit of material; and I would recommend it to anybody interested in the era.

Hitler's Last Bastion: The Final Battles for the Reich 1944-1945

Average customer rating:

Excellent account . . .
Hitler's Last Bastion
Hitler's Last Bastion by Franz Kurowski
Not a bad book. Translation - poor.
A Big Disappointment

Hitler's Last Bastion: The Final Battles for the Reich 1944-1945
Franz Kurowski
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bridgehead Kurland: The Six Epic Battles of Heeresgruppe Kurland

ASIN: 0764305484

Book Description

The final stage of the Second World War, with the enemy across the Reich's borders, saw final desperate battles for numerous "fortified places" and blocking positions. Hitler ordered the defense of these fortified places such as Kšnigsberg and Breslau, Wesel and Kolberg, Danzig, Posen and many others. In these isolated bastions the war-weary German units offered desperate resistance, offered for good purpose. This stubborn holding-on to the last round saved hundreds of thousands of women and children, made possible the evacuation of hospitals and the transport out of surrounded Wehrmacht female auxiliaries. The fates of German soldiers were realized in bunkers and caves, in tunnels and fields of rubble. In the HŸrtgenwald as in the Reichswald, during the crossing of the Rhine between Wesel and Emmerich, in the Remagen bridgehead, on the hill at Keppeln, in the Ruhr pocket, as well as in the east of the Reich in the East Prussian pocket, in Pomerania, in Silesia and in the Reich capital. Shocking scenes of apocalyptic battle were played out wherever Hitler's last bastions held out against the onrushing enemy, whether at the frontiers of the Reich or inside Germany itself., over 110 b/w photographs, charts, maps, 6" x 9"

Customer Reviews:

Excellent account . . ........2005-01-25

Excellent book. Easy to read account of the final months of the Third Reich and the desperate battles fought to stave off defeat.
The unfolding events described are interspersed with personal accounts by the combatants and civilians, which adds additional and welcome detail to the book.
The book also recounts, in very readable fashion, the efforts by the German military to assist civilian populations in escaping the onrushing Soviet onslaught. These accounts alone made the book a worthwhile addition to my library.
The book details troop activities at various organizational levels, from Corps and Division level down to Battalion level and smaller. It would have been very helpful for there to have been more detailed maps to assist the reader in following the described actions. Other than that slight shortcoming, the book will find a welcome place in my library.

Hitler's Last Bastion.......2004-02-07

It is a good book, which gives us a global vision of the operations without going into too many details. Easy to read. I recommend it

Hitler's Last Bastion by Franz Kurowski.......2000-04-03

This book is definately worth the cost, if you want to learn of the final battles of Hitler's third reich, get this book. I am an avid reader of books dealing with the German military in WWII and this is one of my favorites. Very informative.

Not a bad book. Translation - poor........2000-03-05

The problem with this book and many others published by Schiffer is not the books themselves but their translations from German into English. It is, to say the least, poor. I advise you to avoid Schiffer books translated by Joseph Welsh, as this one.

A Big Disappointment.......1999-12-01

Having read Kurowski's "Infanterie Aces" and "Panzer Aces", I was expecting this book to be action-packed and filled with first-hand personal accounts of fighting from the German side. I was severely disappointed as this is not the Kurowski I know. It was overall not a readable book even for the lack of battle action. I would not recommend this book to anyone. But I do highly recommend Kurowski's other books that I have mentioned.

To the Bitter End: The Final Battles of Army Groups North Ukraine, A, Centre, Eastern Front, 1944-45

Average customer rating:

Just the facts and little else
Title Says It All
Maybe it's poorly translated
Rare information on overlooked battles
expert on books from Whermacht prespective

To the Bitter End: The Final Battles of Army Groups North Ukraine, A, Centre, Eastern Front, 1944-45
Rolf Hinze
Manufacturer: Helion and Company Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Ukraine | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Slaughter at Halbe: Hitler's Ninth Army in the Spreewald Pocket, April 1945
Bridgehead Kurland: The Six Epic Battles of Heeresgruppe Kurland
Red Storm over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944 (Modern War Studies)
The Tragedy of the Faithful: 3rd SS Panzer Corps
Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knight's Cross

ASIN: 1874622361

Book Description

This is a penetrating and detailed account of the climactic battles of the German forces in Slovakia, the Carpathians, parts of Poland, Silesia and Saxony, from autumn 1944 until the end of the war.

The author provides excellent detail on the movements and actions of numerous German units, and the text covers all major actions including the battle for the Vistula bridgeheads, the epic siege of Breslau, and the final desperate actions around Bautzen and Dresden. Appendices include comprehensive orders-of-battle.

A large number of detailed battle maps are also included. Key sales points: Continues Helion's translation of key German texts on the last phase of the war on the Eastern Front. Presents information previously unavailable in English.

A detailed text is accompanied by photos and maps along with extensive orders-of-battle.

Customer Reviews:

Just the facts and little else.......2006-11-10

No great moment by moment accounts here,only an overview of what units and divisions were where and what happened to them.Very brief combat accounts such as " they were heavily engaged before being pushed back to the river Bug" are most of what you will find along with an some short equipment notes such as " a hetzer group of 12 units was added until sent elswhere" Not what I was hoping for after reading books like "HELLS GATE" and "TIGERS IN THE MUD".The most interesting part is a sideline about the Slovack uprising at the time and it's key players.This book does suffer from some translation problems that do not improve it's flow.Treat this as reference material not the defining account of the end of Army Group Center.Maybe Douglas Nash can tell this story next...

Title Says It All.......2006-07-12

The title does indeed say it all. An excellent book you won't put down "To The bitter End". This really is a superb addition to the literature in English about these battles, and all credit to the translator!

Maybe it's poorly translated.......2006-07-03

On the first page the author claims that the withdrawal of the SS Pz Korps upon the termination of Citadel left a gaping hole in the German front that the Soviets promptly poured through, leading to the collapse east of the Dneiper. He goes on to say that, in one action or another, many Soviet tanks were knocked out by Stukas, some at close range. What is close range for a stuka?

Rare information on overlooked battles.......2006-06-27

Considering how little is published English on this phase of the war, the publishers really should be congratulated for doing a superb job! There is loads of detail covering these rare battles, and it really is nitpicking from another reviewer to give the book only two stars for not including personal accounts. Personal accounts on these battles are not easy to come by at all, and I understand the author died some years ago, so the publishers were unable to revise this English edition. As it stands, it provides a lot of information completely unavailable elsewhere, and is recommended to those who are interested in researching some of the less well-known aspects of the War on the Eastern Front in World War II.

expert on books from Whermacht prespective.......2006-06-20

I hate to be negative about a book from the German prespective, as they are rare, but I feel I must for others not to waste
their money. The book is a general and basic operational
overview of the end stages of combat in the Silesia area. If you
are only looking for dates, places, and names of units involved
this book is for you but, if you are like me, there are ZERO
personal accounts included, which are needed to "flesh" out a
book like this, to give you a better understanding of the various battles described.

Battle For Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown

Average customer rating:

Brilliant book
Excellent book for a select audience
Indeed worth reading!!!
A solid piece
how Zimbabwe's struggle for freedom was betrayed

Battle For Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown
Geoff Hill
Manufacturer: Struik Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

South Africa | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

Zimbabwe | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Our Votes, Our Guns: Robert Mugabe and the Tragedy of Zimbabwe
What Happens After Mugabe?
Where We Have Hope: A Memoir of Zimbabwe
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa
Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa

ASIN: 1868726525

Book Description

Geoff Hill takes the reader inside Robert Mugabe’s party, ZANU-PF, and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The author has met with members of both parties who have been prepared to talk candidly with him, giving him behind-the-scenes information. The book considers the role of critics and observers - the role and treatment of the press within Zimbabwe, and the often contradictory responses to Mugabe from the international community. It also looks at the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans living in a collapsing economy. Finally, it considers Zimbabwe’s future - the challenge that lies ahead to rebuild the country.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant book.......2007-06-25

I absolutely loved this book. I read it with amazement as I compared the events of my time in Zimbabwe to the behind the scenes information presented in the book. I was amazed at just how much was never put on air for the general public to be aware of and also to know the depth of the people's convictions (even when they are wrong) and their willingness to act it out was very intriguing to me. Well written book I even learnt some things about my history I was unaware of. I can't wait for the next book.

Excellent book for a select audience.......2007-02-03

The title says it, his book is excellent, written very well, blending the facts and interviews in a flow that makes it easy to read, but i would say it could prove very hard reading if you are not familiar with the area or African politics. I would not give this book to someone to read unless they were from Zimbabwe or studying the history of the country.

What i enjoyed most, having lived in Zimbabwe until 2004 is the book explains the reasons behind what happened, even living in Zimbabwe all my life i have learnt facts i never knew before, it does not change the way i feel but it does give me greater understanding.

As i said, unless you are Zimbabwean, have lived in Zimbabwe or studying the history of the area, this book may prove tough going.

Indeed worth reading!!!.......2006-09-28

I am originally from Zimbabwe, but left in 1981. I was looking for
a book on the history and current situation on Zimbabwe that would
be informative and not dry. I feel very much more educated about
the various issues that have led this beautiful country to the
very sad situation it now finds itself in. I definately would
suggest others read it.

A solid piece.......2006-04-09

With a deep understanding and love for this magnificent country, Hill lays out an excellent expos? over Zimbabwe's rise and unfortunate fall under the rule of President Mugabe. By elegantly blending historical events with a large number of interviews from both ZANU-PF officials and the MDC opposition to ordinary Zimbabweans, Hill has created a solid piece that is thorough and analytical but yet easy-to-read. Highly recommended for any reader in search of the root and underlying causes to Zimbabwe's worsening plight.

how Zimbabwe's struggle for freedom was betrayed.......2005-08-30

Africa correspondent for the Washington Times who grew up in different countries of southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, Hill gives a detailed account of the overthrow of the white-controlled government when the country was known as Rhodesia by indigenous black rebels and the subsequent cementing of the autocratic, often brutal rule of Robert Mugabe. Mugabe was one of the leaders of the insurrection and political leader of Zimbabwe (as the country was named after the end of white rule). To a large extent, this is the story of the murky circumstances whereby Mugabe became leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), including the assassination of its leader, and its role in helping to keep him in power. Instead of a bona fide political party in a democratic system, ZANU became the enforcement arm of Mugabe's one-man rule. Hill's chronicle of unfortunate Zimbabwe and biographical portrayal of its autocratic leader is a set piece in how things have gone wrong in many countries in Africa.

With Sheridan in the Final Campaign Against Lee

Average customer rating:

With Sheridan in the Final Campaign Against Lee
Frederick C. Newhall
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Life & Institutions | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Union Calvary Comes Of Age: Hartwood Church to Brandy Station, 1863

ASIN: 0807127566

Book Description

After enlisting in the elite Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment of the Army of the Potomac, Frederick Newhall (1840-1898) quickly rose to company commander and eventually to provost marshal and assistant adjutant general at Cavalry Corps headquarters. There, riding alongside Major General Philip H. Sheridan- the dynamic, inspirational bantam who led the Union cavalry to glory in 1864 and 1865-Newhall witnessed the inner workings of Union cavalry operations and many of the important events that spurred the end of the Civil War. A highly intelligent observer, he published the details of his experiences in 1866, before time could dull his memory. This new edition of Newhall's memoir, carefully edited by Eric J. Wittenberg, makes his revealing eyewitness account widely available once again.

Newhall had both Sheridan's ear and confidence during the campaign from Petersburg to Appomattox in April 1865. He was sent by the general to convey information directly to Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade, and he was present with Sheridan during Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House. Loyal to the last, Newhall vigorously defended Sheridan's controversial relief of Major General G.K. Warren from command of the Fifth Corps after the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865.

Wittenberg has carefully transcribed and annotated Newhall's original text, adding maps, photographs, a preface, a biographical sketch of Newhall, an order of battle, and a selected bibliography. He also includes the text of a pamphlet that Warren printed defending himself and criticizing Sheridan, and Newhall's response to it.

Customer Reviews:

Covers the Subject & Enjoyable Read!.......2007-09-11

McDonough is a fine Civil War author, and "Nashville: The Western Confederacy's Final Gamble" is no exception to his previous works. The Tennessee Campaign is one that has not been beaten to death like so many of the ANV battles, yet it was as significant, if not more than many of those in Virginia. Adequately mapped and illustrated, the read was an enjoyable one. The author was more than fair and accurate in his assessment of Hood who mismanaged, waisted and destroyed the superb Army of Tennessee, in effect throwing away the Confederacy's most viable hope. I don't think the reader will be disappointed with this work, and it certainly ranks near the top of a short list written on a significant campaign. It's also great to get a nice large book for your money these days too!

Typical Hood Bashing .......2005-04-09

Author James McDonough's most recent work on the Battle of Nashville is yet another version of the tried and true formula of successful Tennessee Campaign authorship: ignore ethical historiography, and attack the character and ability of Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood. The typical rumor mongering, fact filtering, and censorship is apparent to any knowledgeable and dispassionate reader.

For a fair and complete presentation of the important Battle of Nashville, read Thomas Hay's "Hood's Tennessee Campaign" or Winston Groom's "Shrouds of Glory."

Traces the Last Gasp of a Forlorn Hope.......2005-01-24

   In 1863, with the defeat of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at the Battle of Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg, the "Gibraltar of the Mississippi," the tide of the Civil War turned disastrously against the Confederacy

   Now, in the fall of 1864, Atlanta was captured by the bluecoats and the railroad hub of Petersburg, a crucial link in the lifeline supplying the Confederate capital at Richmond, was besieged by the Army of the Potomac, led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

   Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman had his army poised to make their famous (or, to Southerners, infamous) march from Atlanta to the sea, cutting a sixty-mile-wide swath of destruction through the Rebel heartland, "making Georgia howl."

   The Confederate leader John Bell Hood believed that by attacking the railroad that stretched from Nashville through Chattanooga to Atlanta, he could destroy Sherman's supply line and force Sherman to withdraw from Atlanta and pursue his (Hood's) army.

   Hood's "grand vision," a dream that turned into a nightmare, was to invade Tennessee and recapture Nashville, which was occupied by Yankees under the command of Gen. George H. Thomas ("the Rock of Chickamauga"). Then, if all went well, he would continue on through Kentucky to the banks of the Ohio.

   This final gamble of the western Confederacy was a forlorn hope, an ill-fated mission that would virtually destroy Hood's army.

   Nashville tells how Hood's ill-equipped, ill-clothed, and ill-fed army stalled at the Duck River in Columbia and incredibly let Schofield's federals pass him during the night at Spring Hill, joining Thomas's regiments for the defense of "fortress Nashville."

   The heart of the book describes how the Confederate army was decimated in a horrendous bloodbath at the Battle of Franklin (Nov. 30, 1864) and was routed at the Battle of Nashville (Dec. 15-16, 1864).

   The book includes maps of the Battle of Nashville, showing where the fighting was the hottest, to a large extent along present-day Woodmont Boulevard where that thoroughfare intersects Franklin Pike, Granny White Pike, and Hillsboro Pike, and particularly at Peach Orchard Hill (Overton Hill), where the Confederate right flank was anchored, and at Shy's Hill (formerly Compton's Hill), where the Confederate left flank was anchored.

   The central player in this volume in Gen. John Bell Hood, a fierce, aggressive fighter who lost the use of his left arm at the Battle of Gettysburg and who sustained life-threatening wounds at the Battle of Chickamauga, resulting in the amputation of his right leg. During his subsequent military service, he had to be strapped in the saddle in order to function.

   McDonough asserts that Hood, a commander who was physically unfit and who (possibly) deadened his pain by the use of alcohol and/or pain-killing drugs such as laudanum (a tincture of opium), should not have been entrusted with decisions that meant life or death to his troops.

   John Bell Hood is a prime example of the Peter principle: he had been promoted to a level of incompetency. "It was Hood's tragedy," writes one of Hood's biographers, "that he was such an excellent soldier, but such a poor general."

   Hood blundered terribly at Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, and his shattered army retreated southward along the Franklin Pike, back through Columbia, to the Tennessee River, where it crossed into Mississippi and finally collapsed in Tupelo.

   Civil war buffs with relish this spirited account of the western Confederacy's last gasp. And Nashvillians particularly will find many historical facts about Nashville, its founders and famous residents, such as James Robertson, John Donelson, and Andrew Jackson.

   The book is illustrated by numerous photos of the people and places involved in these battles, such as the William Harrison house, the Fountain B. Carter house, and the Carnton (John and Randall McGavock) House in Franklin and the Belle Meade mansion in Nashville.

   Roy E. Perry of Nolensville is an advertising copywriter at a Nashville publishing house. He may be reached at rperry1778@aol.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: James Lee McDonough is a retired professor of history from Auburn University. He is the author of numerous books on the Civil War, including Shiloh--In Hell Before Night; War in Kentucky: From Shiloh to Perryville; Chattanooga--Death Grip on the Confederacy; and Stones River--Bloody Winter in Tennessee. He is also the co-author (with James Pickett Jones) of War So Terrible: Sherman and Atlanta and (with Thomas L. Connelly) of Five Tragic Hours: The Battle of Franklin.

Gambling With Credibility.......2004-11-06

The relentless attacks on the character of Confederate General John B. Hood is perpetuated by author James McDonough in this book on an important, yet often ignored battle. Like arch Hood-slanderer Wiley Sword, the author slyly conceals much historical evidence that justifies Hood's positions, or supports his decisions.

The most vivid example of factual illusion is the author's utterly unfounded assertion that Gen. Hood was under the influence of the opiate laudanum during the Nashville Campaign. Although this Hollywood-style hyperbole has been completely discounted by all responsible Civil War historians, McDonough nonetheless chooses to include the rumor of a drug-impaired Hood. Curiously, the author offers a modern editor of Blue and Gray magazine as the only source of the slanderous accusation. Elsewhere McDonough states that Hood was most certainly under the influence of laudanum, since it was "widely known" that he used it. Although McDonough declares this without ambiguity, he offers no source or footnote whatsoever. No source is provided because nowhere in the vast universe of contemporary Civil War historical records is there a single mention of laudanum usage by John Bell Hood, either during or after the war, by anyone, friend or foe.

Students of Civil War history should demand objectivity and full evidenciary disclosure from Civil War academicians and authors. Historical writing should involve more than proper grammar and a large vocabulary. It should also be complete, objective, and accurate. "Nashville:The Western Confederacy's Final Gamble" gambles precariously with its own credibility.

Fury of Shadow: The Final Battle of Erethor (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Midnight Setting)

Average customer rating:

Take the Fury
THE WAR AGAINST THE ELVES
Sticker Shock!
Plenty of good ideas
Overpriced

Fury of Shadow: The Final Battle of Erethor (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Midnight Setting)
Fantasy Flight Games , Iain J Brogan , Eric Olson , and Greg Benage
Manufacturer: Fantasy Flight Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Midnight, Second Edition
Midnight: Sorcery and Shadow (Midnight)
Midnight: Steel and Shadow
Midnight: Minions Of Shadow
Under the Shadow (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Midnight Setting)

ASIN: 1589941969
Release Date: 2004-12-01

Product Description

FFG is proud to present a major event in the bestselling and award-winning Midnight campaign setting product line. This limited edition boxed set will be a must-have for every fan of the Midnight world. The endless hordes of the Shadow in the North are marshaling for one final thrust into the heart of Erethor, the vast forest homeland of the elves. If this epic military campaign is successful, it could mean the end of organized resistance to Izrador in Eredane.

Customer Reviews:

Take the Fury.......2007-07-08

I bought this box set when it was firs published. Read it and loved it; and over the next several years flipped through it from time to time. Recently, I have re-read the book and have fallen in love with it again.

The box contains the following: a big map of Eredane, character sheets, DM screen, map booklet, and 160 pages soft cover campaign book (the meat of the box).

I must confess that the while the big map is nice, it is really just a blown up image of the map from the Midnight campaign setting book, with no additional information; the character sheet did no impress me much (and I do not even know where they are now), and the DM screen serves its purpose as long as it hides my notes and dice rolls (I don't really care what is written on the inside of it).

The most important part of the box is of course the campaign book. This book is a must for any DM who plans to run a campaign in Erethor, or who just wants to expand his/her knowledge of the elves and what they are facing.

I'll break down the chapters for you:

Chapters 1 to 3 describe the various regions of the elven forest Erethor that are directly affected by the war with the Shadow (Izrador): the Caraheen (central), Veradeen (north) and the Arrun jungle and Druid's Swamp (south). The Caraheen receive the most attention with a page count that almost equals both the south and northern area, which is a shame. The relatively quite coastal area of western Erethor, the Miraleen, does not receives it's own chapter, and while it get several other mentions in other areas of the books, I think that some more information on this area of Erendane would have been welcomed. Even though, all three chapters a choke full of great locations and interesting personalities with enough quirks and twists that a cunning DM could have his players constantly on edge and asking themselves whether they should truly trust\hate\love\etc. that particular person (and in my opinion, one of the most important parts of a Midnight campaign)

Chapter 4 goes into a little more detail about the various elven societies (all four), their strength and how they fight the Shadow, what could happen should the Shadow succeed in corrupting or defeating some of them, as well as some adventure hooks. The chapter also provides on some other groups that help/hinder the elves in their fight such as the Cult of the Witch, Roland's Raiders, and the Pirate Princes.

Chapter 5 provides an excellent recounting of the war on Erethor for the past 99 years, an Arc by Arc (months in Midnight) description of the Shadows "final" and greatest offensive against the elves, and some of the Witch Queen plans to counter such an offensive. It is important to know, and the authors keep reminding us, that this chapter is a possibility of things to happen to provide adventure seed and\or a backdrop to the party's adventure in the elven forest.

Chapter 6 describes the Shadow's forces besieging Erethor, the location and difficulties these forces have, their plans of conquest, the personalities and ambitions of the various captains (with all the conflicts between them), giving us a better understanding of how they might react; and as well as the elven forces and how they try to counter the Shadow's minions. This is another excellent part of the book with plenty of ideas.

Chapter 7 provides general adventure ideas in Erethor for both good or evil parties, and three short encounters taking advantage of the various areas described in the book. Chapter 8 gives us the new monsters and several important NPCs complete with their personalities and quirks. Chapter 9 is the shortest and gives us a handful of feats and one Prestige Class, the Erunsil Blood.

The book on the whole is very well written. Short stories (several paragraphs at most) dot the chapters and give readers a more in-depth look at what the elves and orcs fighting in this warfront feel. You cannot read a page of this book without an adventures idea, if not a whole campaign, jumping out at you (in fact, I recommend reading this book with a notebook and pen on the side. Just in case).

There are no meta-plots in this book. The authors keep reminding the reader that everything written down are suggestions and ideas, a possibility of things to come, nothing more. They leave enough gray area for the DM to run around in and fit and mold into his/her own campaign.

The book in black and white (as all Midnight books are) and I like this because I believe it very fitting for this dark setting. While I do not like the cover art of the book, I do like the interior art. The map booklet is also black and white, and I have no problem with that either; I do not think it detracts from them, and still believe they are very good.

The original box set cost $50, and I do think it was a little too much for what the box offered. But, at the current price here on Amazon ($33), this box set is good value for your money.

THE WAR AGAINST THE ELVES.......2005-09-12

If you've seen my previous reviews for the Midnight Campaign setting or some of its supplements you know I've had nothing but great things to say about this dark, foreboding, and enthralling fantasy campaign. The Fury of Shadow box set continues to keep the bar set very high as this supplement moves the battle for the world of Aryth into Erethor, the homeland of the elves. The first three chapters of the guidebook details the various Elven lands and how the evil of the Dark Lord Izrador has already affected the lands. Major points of interest are including in the descriptions of each land and also serve as adventure hooks for the GM. Areas such as the Spider Haunted Thorn Webs of Tanglehorn, The Darkening Wood, and the massive, steel tree known as Silverthorn all make wonderful jumping off points for the GM to begin an adventure. And then there is the ominous Obsidian Spire that churns with foul magic and evil creatures.

Succeeding chapters detail the free Elven peoples and their struggles against the dark forces as well as documenting the history of the war within Erethor and the forces that the Dark Lord has brought to bear against the Elves. This is where the Midnight products really shine. There is a depth and richness to the history and people of the Midnight setting is lacking in many campaigns. You can tell that the designers spent a great deal of time developing the milieu rather than just cookie cutter places and names. Rather than do all the work for you, Fury of the Shadow outlines several adventures that the GM can then flesh out and develop further. These outlines also include encounters to help the GM out.

The final chapters provide a wealth of resource material including the new monsters you'll encounter such as Bog Hags, as well as major NPCs, new feats, and new prestige classes. The boxed set comes with a beautifully illustrated poster sized map, a regional map book, a GM screen, and character record sheets. I would concur with some of the other reviewers that at $50, it may be a bit on the pricey side but you can get it for about 33% off at Amazon which definitely makes it worth the money. As with all their Midnight products, Fantasy Flight Games spares no expense in the production. The cover art to the box and books are first rate as is the interior art. It's perhaps a small thing, but one that sets them apart from other companies producing RPGs. These really catch your eye when you see them. It's for this reason that Midnight has moved to the top of my list of favorite campaign worlds.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Sticker Shock!.......2005-02-08

First of all...I agree with the person who said this was overpriced. It's one of the reasons I don't like boxed sets. And I see no reason for this to be a boxed set, to be honest. The maps aren't very detailed, and not created by a professional cartographer, which I would expect for a product in this price range. The writing is choppy, and the plot lines are overly complicated.

The screen, from what I saw, wasn't very helpful, and the character sheets don't seem any different than what I can get online. This product in no way lives up to the hype.

If it is true, and this is being produced by the official fan site...then I can certainly see why the quality has gone downhill. That particular site is cliqueish, and the members are rude. It's sad, to see this line marginalized this way, not to mention that FFG seems to have been hit with the whacky stick of profit.

Plenty of good ideas.......2005-02-08

Fury of Shadow has many good points, but it has a couple annoyances that could have been cleared up to make a better product.

First, the good. It is filled with details for a large swath of the continent of Eredane. By combining the stories and ambitions of several key characters (both friend and foe), an overriding campaign is instantly created. Plots within plots, character scheming, and political intrigue are all readily available for the DM to place the characters into truly epic setting-altering events. Details of the geographical regions and locations can be used as miniature settings- i've already got many ideas for the Plains of Blood and Ash.

There are a few minor scars on this product though. The localized maps in the book are in black and white, but contain such detail it becomes difficult to read. The giant poster map of Eredane is very nice, but because Fury focuses on the war upon Erethor, the new details are limited to the center of the map. The result is a map with plenty of detail in the center, but with no new information on the edges. The writing is good, though with so much detail a reader might get confused- i often found myself asking, `now who was that character again?', and then flipping back through the book to keep things straight.

But overall, an impressive product. Even if you're not running a Midnight campaign, I don't see how you could not find good ideas for your own campaign from this set.

Overpriced.......2005-02-05

While in physical quality, this is a very attractive set, it is overpriced, and the writing is flat. The quality of this line seems to be going downhill with each publication.

The booklet of character sheets are the same sheets that are available online, and seem to have been put in as filler. The GM screen is of the odd, horizontal design, and seems to be rather random in it's placement of information. On some occaisions, the information on the screen contradicts what's in the main book. The maps in the map booklet are too tiny, and the poster map included lacks the one inch squares so it can be used with miniatures (which is a personal preference, but I also found the map lacking in detail as well).

The book itself is attractive, as is most of the artwork, but the writing is flat. The authors seem to be trying to turn the setting into more of a Tolkien clone, and the elves end up feeling very distant from the players. I believe this setting has been turned over to some sort of fan site to be produced, and the quality has suffered for it.

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