Customer Reviews

Washington and Caesar

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Cameron's book is not only historically accurate but a great read as well. The novel's parallel and intersecting storylines between Washington (portrayed here in very human and historically plausible terms without the mythic quality so often attributed to him) and one of his slaves, aptly named "Julius Caesar" who escapes to join the British Army are compelling and offer a unique and welcome glimpse into the ironies of 18th century life. Cameron's well-developed characters represent the relative views "freedom" as it was interpreted by American rebels and their slaves in very different ways.

As a fan of Jeff Shaara's historical novels on the Civil War, I rate Cameron's attention to historical detail and writing style on an even higher plane. Military and social historians alike, as well as the casual reader just looking look for a great story, will enjoy this book.

As a Canadian with ancestors in the infamous Butler's Rangers and many relatives in the United States, I find this book fascinating, relevant today and holding me to the end. Cameron's research brings out the character of Washington and Caesar, two military men from classes at the opposite ends of society, with credibility. And in the dialogue with the captured British Captain Stewart comes close to making Patrick Henry's concluding remark in his famous speech, "Give me liberty or give me death" seem hypocritical. Douglas R. Kinsman

As an historian/author/interpreter of the Revolutionary War I give this book a stamp of approval. I usually shy away from fiction novels on history because they have a tendency to re-write history and take poetic license with facts. Nothing upsets a historian more than ready a story and having to correct every other paragraph. No one was more surprised than I that this was a wonderful book to read. Are there historic inaccuracies in the book? Yes, but not bad enough so as to take away from the overall content or flow of the story. As a previous reviewer wrote, "I found myself rooting for Caesar." I did the same thing and took it one step further, cheering for the Continental soldier, George Lake. The story was marvelous, pulling you in and taking you on ride that brought both up and down. A great villain in the book that really gets your blood boiling, beauties that the men are attracted to, but no steamy sex scenes and action that makes you feel like you are a British, Hessian or Continental soldier on the battlefields of Colonial America. I can pay this book and its author only my best compliment. Look for another book written by Christian Cameron.

Washington and Caesar is one of the finest pieces of historical fiction that I have ever read. Cameron's knowledge of the period is outstanding (I am speaking as a history teacher and Revolutionary War reencator of over eight years experience). W+C is filled with wonderfully developed characters and dramatic action sequences. I hope that Cameron plans to follow up W+C with more Revolutionary War period novels.

I can't give much better review than the previous reviews, but I can't tell you that it was hard for me to put the book down. Reading it was very easy and the text was flowing. I loved the back and forth of both sides of the story. It really draws you in. I even found myself rooting for Ceasar even tho I know the British were going to lose.. :P. This part of history is dear to me becuase some of my ancestors were involved thru the war or starting out the country. This book has driven my desires to learn more about this time of history to an all time high. I am currently tackling Young Patriots which is about Madison & Hamilton who were very close to washington.

There should be no question of your investment in this book.. by far the most excellant book I have read in a long while and you will become addicted. I hope to read more by this author!

What a very enjoyable story. The battle scenes are gripping, the villains are immensely hate-able, the heroes and heroines are hugely heroic AND human, and there is an air of authenticity to the setting and details that is just plain satisfying. I love that the story deals with some aspects of the American Revolution that are downplayed elsewhere. I love that the protagonist is a former slave.
The compelling everyday detail in city scenes and camp scenes makes you feel that you can smell the setting. Cameron's command of the historical big picture is enticing. I hope there will be a sequel. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next.

I am weary when selecting authors to start reading but never fear with Christian C. I started with the Tyrant series and couldn't believe how informed and entertaining they were. They have become one of my favorite series. "Killer of Men" is one of the best books I have ever read. Sorry to go on about the others. Wash. and Caesar is a great book with loads of amazing facts and great characters and plots. Put Christian at the top of your list for great books that you will keep and read more than once. Some of the best philosophy on the way men deal with war in a mental way.

This was a great read of some fascinating history.
I had only a very basic knowledge of the black soldiers in the civil war and this was very engaging.
Spellbinding to see two people, both fighting for their liberty, but in different ways and on different sides of the story.
I particularly loved the ending - I was worried about what would happen to Caesar.
I read Shaara's revolutionary war books but this was much more engaging.

I liked the concept, but the execution is what bothered me.

This book has WAY too much description in it. There is so much description it is unbearable. It would have been a lot better if the author let the reader's imagination have a chance at visualizing what was happening instead of describing every square inch of the scene.

I remember one part when he takes two paragraphs or so describing how Caesar makes a fire. Wouldn't it have been easier just to say, "Ceasar made a fire." ??

I liked the first 30 or so pages because it was something new. There also seemed to be less description. But now i'm on page 520, and there's been so much description in some parts that I had to put the book down after reading a single page. It was unbearable.

Also, Washington doesn't seem to be playing that much of a major role in the book. But whenever he's there, he's just the same old Washington we've seen and learned and read about a million times before. There's nothing new to him, there's nothing more special about the Washington in this book than there is in an average history book, except for the fact that he has dialogue in this book. But in my opinion, his dialogue is bland and uninteresting.

Caesar, on the other hand, is something new, and I think that the book would have been much better if the author left out all of the continental army scenes and all of the scenes where Washington wasn't interacting with Caesar. The continental army scenes and the Washington scenes serve no real purpose whatsoever. The book would have been a gem if it had been only about Caesar. But instead, there are two plots; the one I have already mentioned, and the plot about the continental army, which I couldn't care less about.

Now, the Caesar scenes are pretty good, but they still have one fatal flaw; there is still too much description. Now, I don't mind description that much, it helps me visualize the scene better, but I just can't bear it when there is an extreme overload of gratuitous description that really wrecks the story, like this one.

The book did offer a nice twist, about slaves joining the English army. But it didn't offer any new twist on the continental army. In fact, it didn't even need the continental army scenes, as I stated earlier. All it needed was Caesar, and nothing else, and it would have been great. But by adding the continental scenes and the Washington scenes, what we get are new scenes that we don't need that serve no purpose to the book except make it longer and bore the reader. It seems the author added these scenes just for the sake of adding them.

Revolutionary war buffs will probably like this one, cause that's what it's about: the Revolutionary war.

But as for everyone else, i'm not so sure. I, for one, find it unbearable.

The book could have been so much better had the author cut down on the description and left out all of the continental army scenes and all of the Washington scenes where Washington wasn't interacting with Caesar (which are only at the beginning (and end, from what I hear, I haven't reached the end yet)). That's how it could have been great. But that's not what happened. Instead, it got turned into a boring, prolonged, unreadable mess.

Again, Rev War Buffs may like it, but I don't think much of anyone else will.

1 out of 5