Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution [Kindle Edition]

Jeff Shaara (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Once more breathing vigor and passion into the dusty annals of our nation's history, the author of the bestselling Civil War trilogy (Gods and Generals; The Last Full Measure; Gone for Soldiers) demonstrates an ever-growing level of literary competence in the first installment of his projected two-volume saga of the American Revolution. Spanning the crucible years beginning with the Boston Massacre in March 1770 and continuing through the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July, 4, 1776, the story is told from the perspective of a handful of characters well known from our history books. In Boston, the Sons of Liberty activist Samuel Adams and his younger, more intellectual and oratorical second cousin, John Adams, speak out against King George III. In London there's aging Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin, who has resided for a number of years abroad, an agent for home colony Pennsylvania (and others). In New York, Gen. Thomas Gage is the ranking British officer on American soil. And heroic colonial planter George Washington has risen to full colonel in the Virginia militia fighting for George III during the French and Indian War. This masterful dramatization of the fateful escalation of the rebellion following the Boston Massacre moves from the battles of 1775 at Lexington, Concord, Fort Ticonderoga, Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston, through the convening in 1776 of the Continental Congress and the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Richly embroidered with portraits of such heroes as Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson, the tapestry chronicles America's plunge toward liberty. (July; on-sale June 12)Forecast: Ballantine is bringing out the big guns for this one: major advertising, a Boston launch, a 13-city author tour and Fourth of July Gettysburg media appearances. Simultaneous BDD Audio. Expect patriotic sales.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Shaara re-creates the American Revolution, starting with the Boston Massacre.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 1123 KB
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (July 6, 2011)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC1RTQ
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (171 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,752 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Jeff Shaara is the New York Times bestselling author of The Steel Wave, The Rising Tide, To the Last Man, The Glorious Cause, Rise to Rebellion, and Gone for Soldiers, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure-two novels that complete the Civil War trilogy that began with his father's Pulitzer Prize--winning classic The Killer Angels. Shaara was born into a family of Italian immigrants in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University. He lives in Sarasota.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful concept to lead to better understanding, July 3, 2001

By 

Laura Ellis (Dothan, Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution (Hardcover)

I was enamoured of The Killer Angels written by Jeff Shaara's father, Michael. He took the principals of the battle for Gettysburg and after extensive research wrote the story through their eyes, reliving their experiences. Jeff continues the saga through the Civil War with the subsequent books. Last year he came out with a history of the Mexican War, a topic sadly lacking in my education. Now we have Rise to Rebellion, a story of the AMerican Revolution as seen though the eyes of the likes of Adams and Franklin. Having just finished David McCollough's book on Adams, this novel reiterated the story I was familiar with but told it in a very engaging manner. I found that while I had knew most of the facts I understood what happened better.

His style is wonderful. Shaara said that when researching the Civil War books the likes of Lee and Grant visited him, as in a dream. I expect that Franklin (my favorite character) did likewise. I truly envy him!

This is volume one of an expected two volume set. I read this book quickly today (devoured it!) and am looking forward to volume two.

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The First Full Measures, July 16, 2001

By 

John W. Bates "jaydubyah" (Americus, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution (Hardcover)

Jeff Shaara may have started writing to finish his father's The Killer Angels trilogy with Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, but with Gone For Soldiers and now Rise to Rebellion he is firmly established in the novelized history genre in his own right. The first of two books telling the story of the American Revolution, Rise to Rebellion covers the period from the Boston Massacre through the siege of Boston and Washington's moving the fledgling Continental Army to New York and the Declaration of Independence. Shaara focuses on John Adams, Ben Franklin, George Washington, and, from the British side, General Thomas Gage, but the emphasis is strongly on John Adams. This is an odd coincidence, given that this book was released at about the same time as David McCullough's acclaimed biography of John Adams. I cannot compare the two, not having read McCullough yet, but Shaara does a wonderful job of making John Adams and Abigail very real people. There is also wonderful background on Ben Franklin's time in England during the years before he gave up on mediating any kind of accommodation. There is also informative background on John's cousin, Sam Adams, whose name is often mentioned but whose contribution is not documented very much in general literature. Washington is introduced, and background provided, and we will probably see much more of him in the sequel. I found the material on Thomas Gage is also very informative. American history does not generally give us much information on this man, other than the fact that he was in command of British forces at the beginning. This is a very readable and very interesting book, and I look forward to the next volume.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beginning the Revolution - Shaara style, July 19, 2001

By 

Frank J. Konopka (Shamokin, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution (Hardcover)

The Shaaras, father and son, have perfected a writing style for historical novels that is easy to read, and gives the reader excellent views of the human side of our history. In fact, their works "humanize" the great figrues of America's past, beginning with the three book series on the Civil War, the one book on the Mexican War, and now this first book, of two, on the Revolution. We get to peer inside the minds of some of our Founding Fathers, and their British adversaries, and all of these folks appear to be more like us rather than stiff figures read about in dusty history books. I like this type of writing, and as long as it stays as true as possible to the historical record, which it appears to be doing, I will continue to read these works. I hope Jeff Shaara does not run out of American history epochs about which to write, because he is doing all of us a favor in bringing these folks to life. We need lving, breathing people to admire, not icons who seem to be inaccessible.