Stephen E. Ambrose, Band of Brothers Review

Overall Rating

This epic war novel graphically portrays the advance of GIs from D Day right through to the penetration into Hitler's mountain retreat. Combat scenes are realistically described with enough technical detail regarding weaponry to keep nerds happy. It's very much based on fact and all the references ring true. There's an understanding on the part of the author of the importance of company morale as he focuses on 'Easy' Company.

There are a lot of names of characters who aren't always well characterised - but this is in the nature of the material. Sadly some soldiers were killed before anyone had a chance to get to know them. The soldiers of Easy are generally superb - other allied soldiers are sometimes referred to in a disparaging sort of way.

Band Of Brothers is a good antidote to the all the face saving analysis of Dunkirk as it lists allied success after success. With the exception of operation Market Garden - and even this is treated in a balanced way - the superiority of the allied soldiers even when well outnumbered is amply displayed.

The hardships the soldiers suffered especially during the Battle of the Bulge is described so thoroughly that one is left wondering how they managed to endure.