Dark Eagle [Hardcover]

John Ensor Harr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999 | Age Level: 1 and up

An epic novel of the American Revolution, and the dramatic story of the rise and fall of Benedict Arnold

The Indians called him "Dark Eagle" out of respect for both his military genius and his ruthlessness. His men worshipped him as a hero--the legendary general of the Continental army who led them against formidable British forces. But as he neared the pinnacle of success, things began to go wrong, drawing Benedict Arnold inexorably toward the greatest crime of the age, one that would forever make his name synonymous with the word "traitor." Meticulously researched and brilliantly rendered, Dark Eagle encompasses the action on both sides of the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1780. John Ensor Harr traces Arnold's spectacular rise--outwitting the British at Valcour Bay; the relief of Fort Stanwix; and a stunning victory at Saratoga, the turning point of the war. And he also traces Arnold's decline--a wound that nearly cost him his life; harassment by the radical government of Pennsylvania; his sense of betrayal by Congress and his Commander-in-Chief,George Washington; and finally the treasonous triangle with his new wife, Peggy Shippen, the beautiful daughter of a prominent Philadelphia family, and Major John Andre, the Englishman she loved.

From the glory of Arnold's early days on the battlefield, to the wrath he incurred as he attempted to deliver West Point and three thousand American troops into the hands of the British, Dark Eagle is the extraordinary story of one of the most complex, tragic heroes in history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Harr's ambitious attempt to capture the first six years of the American Revolution, and to clarify the role of infamous traitor Benedict Arnold through historical fiction, is an admirable effort. His clear and lucid account of one of the most misunderstood periods in American history has moments of epic grandeur. He acquits himself well in tracing Arnold's career from his rise to prominence as the Continental Army's most successful combat general to his disillusionment with the American cause and ultimate (and aborted) attempt to betray Washington's army. There are textured portraits of British spy Major John Andr?, and of Generals Washington, Gates, Howe and Burgoyne, and colorful animation of minor characters, particularly the beautiful and intriguing Peggy Shippen, who loves Andr? but marries Arnold. Settings, particularly the topography and atmosphere of old Philadelphia, are described with meticulous care, and battle scenes, though muted, are cogently rendered. It is unfortunate, then, that toward the end of the book, Harr abandons his leisurely approach and resorts to summarizing and glossing events and conversations, with only the occasional snatch of dialogue to maintain the drama. While his experience in nonfiction (he is coauthor of The Rockefeller Century and The Rockefeller Conscience) is evident in assiduous research, his tendency to qualify, explain, define and render historical observation from the comfort of two centuries' distance clutters and compromises the story. Puzzling anachronisms and overwriting stalk the narrative. Characters often speak in 20th-century parlance (Peggy questions Andr?'s "sexual orientation"); the point of view drifts, and character motivations are rendered as facile impulses, rather than rationalized actions. Yet the ending brings a redeeming boost of drama, as Andr? meets his fate and Arnold becomes "the most reviled person in American history." Author tour. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

At first, Benedict Arnold was a hero. His march to Canada was epic, and his actions at Valcour Island and Saratoga may have saved the Revolution. But he was also a complex, mercurial, and driven person whose temperament and needs caused his self-destruction. Narrated from multiple perspectives, this is a strong, fictional retelling of Arnold's descent into treachery. Harr, who has an extensive background in both government and history, manages to avoid the pitfalls that inventing dialog for historical characters contains; his writing rings true and humanizes a cast of otherwise distant historical figures. History buffs, particularly Revolutionary War devotees, will appreciate this effort. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.ARobert Conroy, Warren, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First edition. edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670887048
• ISBN-13: 978-0670887040
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,537,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FASCINATING, February 13, 2000

By 

Luddite Charioteer (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Eagle (Hardcover)

I've never been fascinated by the Revolutionary War, being content with a sketchy high school history and mental images of the Minutemen at Lexington, Washington at Valley Forge, and Cornwallis at Yorktown. Some latent interest in the wild card of the war--Benedict Arnold--prompted me to pick up DARK EAGLE from the shelf. Glad I did!

Beginning with the known facts of the life of Arnold and his peers, Harr has woven a lively portrait of a tactical genius and future traitor into a colorful narrative of the crucial war years. We get to see the man and his conflicts from many viewpoints, including that of his young second wife, his superior officers, even his British adversaries. I also found the converging story of young Major John Andre to be an engaging, though tragic, story in itself. All in all, a rewarding read for buffs - and semibuffs like myself.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Look at a Once Great American., December 14, 2000

By 

Rheumor (New Orelans) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dark Eagle (Hardcover)

No doubt the case of Benedict Arnold gets short shrift in most elemental high school text books. As a result, Arnold is seen as a murky figure (Dark Eagle?) who betrayed his country at the very moment of its birth in order to improve his own lot. This is a partial truth. In fact, Arnold was America's greatest fighting General throughout the early years of the Revolutionary War (as Washington was the greatest retreating General in that same conflict....no disrepect intended), and for multiple, purely political reasons dealing with the different states' insecurities, he was perhaps the least recognized. In fact, he financed his entire army, and never received adequate recognition or reimbursement from the Congress. In any event, the book makes a compelling case for Arnold. It is wonderfully written, hard to put down. The reader is mesmerized by the injustices done to General Arnold, and saddened by his ultimate treason. Brought sharply into focus are many other players on that stage, including Washington, Major John Andre and a host of mediocre Generals who were green with envy at Arnold's prowess. There is a reason for such books to be written: we must learn from our errors and see that they are not repeated.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Behold! The Power of the Amazon Recommendation..., January 14, 2002

By 

Martin P. McCarthy (North Chili, New York) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Eagle: A Novel of Benedict Arnold and the American Revolution (Mass Market Paperback)

I would say about two months ago when I visited Amazon.com to order a book to send to a friend of mine, a recommendation popped up. The recommendation was John Ensor Harr's "Dark Eagle." I must say that the recommendation was right on the nose.

Harr's novel is a masterpiece. In brilliant strokes he painted an accurate and even-handed portrait of the American Revolution and of that tragically reviled character, Benedict Arnold.

Tragically reviled is the term of art and is so because, unless you believe in historic inevitability, his fate did not have to turn out like it did. Harr's portrayal of Arnolds wrangling with the Continental Congress provides great insight into the role and function of that body. The awe and power of Congress' issuance of the Declaration of Independence belies the fact it was an extremely weak body with very little power. The book does well to portray the struggles between Congress and Genereal Washington, between Congress and its citizens, between the newly formed States and Congress, between General Washington and the States and finally, how all of those struggles were inter-related and formed the basis and antagonism for the struggle between Washington and the British. It is against this backdrop that citizens and soldiers like Benedict Arnold had to deal with the Continental Congress and, in the case of Arnold, makes it all the more understandable why he found such difficulty in dealing with Congress.

Second, Harr's portrayal of the Continental Army's Officer Staff provides another source for Benedict Arnold's tragic fall. For those who may wonder whether General Horatio Gates truly was the destructive force for the army that John Ensor Harr made him out to be, he was. His portrayal reminds me of a line from "The Patriot" (an enjoyable, but not truly accurate depiction of the American Revolution) when Mel Gibson asked cynically, "Where's your General Gates now?" after Gates' rout in Trenton.

The intellectual fulcrum of the book actually appears towards the end of the novel: (pg. 431)

Arnold: What do they call it [changing one's allegiance]
Peggy: It depends on who wins
Arnold: What do they call it until someone wins
Peggy: They call it treason.

"They call it treason." One should always bear in mind the fact that we all accept today the proposition as true that what occured upon American soil beginning in 1775 was a revolution fought by patriots. However, in 1779 the issue was not at all clear. Had the "revolution" failed; had Congress been captured and Washington's army defeated, those same patriots who drafted the Declaration of Independence would now be judged as traitors.

"Dark Eagle" is as much historical fiction as it is a good old fashion morality play and demands that the reader make the same hard choices that Benedict Arnold made and in so doing, allows the reader to truly judge Arnold.