" I have been led to expect little from Jeff Shaara, especially in comparison with his father's masterful "the Killer Angels". Having said that, I have read nearly all of his books because his approach to history is so accessible and it's a nice break from "real" history. I read Eugene Sledge's book and have some relatives who fought in the Pacific theater of WWII and so have some familiarity with that foul conflict. This book does the reality of the conflict great justice as it portrays a young Marine as he fights his way across Okinawa, losing his friends and, at one point, his sanity along the way. This accurate portrayal of conditions on the ground in Okinawa helps to understand the ethos of the Japanese defenders, the determination of the Marines, and underscores the massive differences in the value systems of both warrior systems. Neither side understood the cultural underpinnings of the other, and the brutality of the battle is the most basic distillation of the result. Jeff Shaara's best book, in my opinion. "
— Randall, 2/8/2014