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Summary: "A Thick Murmurous Forest of a Book"...
Review: ...That was how one reviewer described Rabble in Arms upon its publication in 1930. This is a good book, there's no doubt about it. And it has substance, unlike a lot of other books of its genre. But it is a thick, densely populated forest of a book! I think it's probably about 150-200 pages too long. I read one Amazon reviewer's complaint that you don't really get on the inside of Roberts' characters. At the end of this book, and Arundel, you don't get the feeling that you really know these characters. And I think that's why we read books, not so much for plot, or historical accuracy, but so we connect with the characters and they come to life in a special way. Roberts' characters definitely do come to life, but I never got the feeling that I had gotten to know them. But still a good book!
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Summary: Excellent story about the revolutionary war
Review: A great novel of the revolution. Kenneth Roberts brings the characters and the country to life. After reading this book, you'll never think about Benedict Arnold in the same way. This story of the battles of the northern campaign, and the men from Maine who were involved in them, will give a greater understanding of what war was like, and what was faced by those involved in it
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Summary: The heroic side of Benedict Arnold
Review: Although we are all familiar with the traitor Benedict Arnold, many of us are unfamiliar with how much of a hero he was prior to his infamy. After reading this novel I gained an appreciation for Benedict Arnold that I would never have dreamed possible. Prior to this novel I read Robert's Northwest Passage and loved it. As a result I decided to read Rabble In Arms. More than glad I did. Arundel, Lydia Bailey, Oliver Wiswell are all in my queue. Kenneth Roberts has a following but unfortunately is overlooked or unknown by many.
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Summary: KENNETH ROBERT'S BEST!
Review: AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR HISTORY, LEADING UP TO AND CULMINATING IN THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA. A NORTH COUNTRY GUIDE TO HISTORICAL PLACES IN NEW YORK STATE.ROBERTS GIVES A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF BENEDICT ARNOLD'S ROLE IN THE REVOLUTION. ONE OF THE FEW SUPPORTERS OF OUR FIRST GREAT GENERALS AND MOST FAMOUS TRAITOR. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ BY ALL REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY LOVERS. ANOTHER MUST READ BY KENNETH ROBERTS IS "OLIVER WISWELL", WRITTEN ABOUT LOYALISTS IN BOSTON AT THE TIME OF BUNKER HILL.
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Summary: I am very ambivalent about arnold
Review: benedict arnold should be respected,but there are people who should be respected more such as Thomas leffingwell and sam huntington
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Summary: american history that is fun to read
Review: Going through the US school system, both public and private, I thought American history was the most boring of subjects. In college I started to read James Michener's books, and was surprised to find that our history was actually pretty interesting. Now I consider myself fortunate to have discovered the works of Kenneth Roberts -- a magnificent writer who brings the Revolution to life and makes me angry at a school system that couldn't spark my interest. Why is it that a novelist can teach me more in one book than what I gleaned from years of tedious instruction? Rant aside, let me say that Roberts' work is as compelling as Michener's but differs in scope. The latter's books sweep across aeons and generations, plucking and delving into personal stories, while Roberts stays within a brief span of years but sweeps broadly, at the same time telling the story believably through one person's experience. Roberts is a gifted writer relating an account of the Patriots' Northern army through the first-person narration of Peter Merrill, a sea captain from Arundel, Maine, who has joined the army with his brother and finds himself a scout under the command of the brilliant and volatile, pre-treasonous General Benedict Arnold. The narrative of this sequel to Roberts' novel ARUNDEL is immediately interesting. At first I was disappointed that the narrator was not the same as that in the previous book, Steven Nason, but I came to enjoy Merrill's voice as well, and was very happy that characters from the previous novel were also here -- Nason, Cap Huff, Phoebe, Natanis and of course Marie de Sabrevois (aka Mary) -- as well as interesting new characters like Doc Means and Verrieul. I disagree with other reviewers in some respects. Against all past experience and inclination, I find I actually enjoy the outspoken buffoon Cap Huff who, in his way, captures a rough-and-ready spirit and is resilient in any situation. I also think that Marie is an intriguing character but that her distance from the narrative recreates the mystery and consternation that these characters would feel about her. This book makes you realize that Congress hasn't changed much in over 200 years. A map helps you place the action, and if you are on the fence about whether or not to read this or any other Kenneth Roberts book, please take the plunge. You won't be sorry. Highly recommended.
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Summary: american history that is fun to read
Review: Going through the US school system, both public and private, I thought American history was the most boring of subjects. In college I started to read James Michener's books, and was surprised to find that our history was actually pretty interesting. Now I consider myself fortunate to have discovered the works of Kenneth Roberts -- a magnificent writer who brings the Revolution to life and makes me angry at a school system that couldn't spark my interest. Why is it that a novelist can teach me more in one book than what I gleaned from years of tedious instruction? Rant aside, let me say that Roberts' work is as compelling as Michener's but differs in scope. The latter's books sweep across aeons and generations, plucking and delving into personal stories, while Roberts stays within a brief span of years but sweeps broadly, at the same time telling the story believably through one person's experience. Roberts is a gifted writer relating an account of the Patriots' Northern army through the first-person narration of Peter Merrill, a sea captain from Arundel, Maine, who has joined the army with his brother and finds himself a scout under the command of the brilliant and volatile, pre-treasonous General Benedict Arnold. The narrative of this sequel to Roberts' novel ARUNDEL is immediately interesting. At first I was disappointed that the narrator was not the same as that in the previous book, Steven Nason, but I came to enjoy Merrill's voice as well, and was very happy that characters from the previous novel were also here -- Nason, Cap Huff, Phoebe, Natanis and of course Marie de Sabrevois (aka Mary) -- as well as interesting new characters like Doc Means and Verrieul. I disagree with other reviewers in some respects. Against all past experience and inclination, I find I actually enjoy the outspoken buffoon Cap Huff who, in his way, captures a rough-and-ready spirit and is resilient in any situation. I also think that Marie is an intriguing character but that her distance from the narrative recreates the mystery and consternation that these characters would feel about her. This book makes you realize that Congress hasn't changed much in over 200 years. A map helps you place the action, and if you are on the fence about whether or not to read this or any other Kenneth Roberts book, please take the plunge. You won't be sorry. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Perhaps the greatest of all Revolutionary War novels
Review: Having first read this book 30 years ago, I was pleased to discover I loved it even more the second time around. Funny, moving, romantic, and historically accurate, Rabble in Arms reveals the political intrigue and pettiness that characterized the Continental Congress, derailed Benedict Arnold's military career, and led (in part) to his treason. I recommend first reading Robert's Arundel, which introduces several of the major characters of Rabble in Arms, and details Arnold's march to Quebec through the wilds of Maine and his assualt on the walled city.
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Summary: Loved it, but. . .
Review: I don't think there is too much I can add to the judgement of my fellow reviewers to the fact that "Rabble in Arms" is a terrific work of historical fiction. I read it in less than three days, and I think that is all evidence needed to show how much I enjoyed this book. I simply could not put it down! However, I do have some complaints. First and foremost is that the book features too much of the imbecilic and irritating Cap Huff and not enough of the vastly more intriguing Marie de Sabervois. The more I read "Rabble in Arms", the more I became annoyed with the character of Cap Huff and its boring, man-child, comic-relief antics. (And how many times can Roberts apply variations of the word "bawl" to this mentally challenged character?) If I was going to be really cruel I would describe Cap Huff as the literary equivilent of Jar-Jar Binks, but that would be really cruel. On the other hand, I found the character of Marie de Sabervois to be extremely interesting, but Roberts' features her only fleetingly throughout the novel. One of the big reasons I read "Rabble in Arms" was that I wanted to read more about this captivating character who was introduced in "Arundel." Roberts, however, gives the reader plenty of Cap Huff's "bawling," but keeps Marie de Sabervois a very enigmatic character- a real disappointment. Also disappointing is that Phoebe Nason, another extremely interesting character from "Arundel," is seen only briefly in the pages of "Rabble in Arms." I would have given "Rabble in Arms" five stars, but too much Cap Huff and too little Marie and Phoebe required a star to be removed. Also Roberts' treatment of Benedict Arnold is a little hard to swallow at times. Even a person with only a casual interest in the Revolutionary War is aware that Benedict Arnold was one of the Patriots' best commanders and bravest soldiers before he commited his act of treachery. Roberts' uses "Rabble in Arms" to reiterate that point; but I think he "doth protest too much." Roberts' paints a picture of Arnold that borders on god-like. He's shown as a genius, a hero, and one of the few decent men on tbe Patriot side. Maybe this view of Arnold is understandable since Arnold is described to the reader through the eyes of one his adoring soldiers; but it would have been more believable if at least some cracks were shown in the coat of shining white armor that Roberts places on Benedict Arnold.
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Summary: a well done historical novel
Review: I enjoyed every page of this great book at age 14 when I discovered it at the public library in my hometown. It truly made history come to life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the northern campaigns of the War for Independence. There are some historical errors as well as a hero worship of Benedict Arnold. However no one can deny that Arnold was the driving force in the success of the northern army at the Battle of Valcour Island and the next year at both battles at Freeman's Farm. The historical characters jump off the page like Arnold, Daniel Morgan, Horatio Gates, Philip Schuyler, John Sullivan, and James Wilkinson. We get some insight into their character and thinking through Roberts' accessible writings style. Roberts builds on his previous novel of Arundel by utilizing many of the characters such as Cap Huff and Steven Nason of that fine book. His narrator is a Maine sea captain Peter Merrill who enlists in Nason's company in early 1776 and follows his travails including a long captvity with western Indians after Valcour Island. We meet up again with Marie de Sabrevois who works her nefarious schemes on the gullible brother of Merrill. How that all turns out is the underbook of the whole novel.
But the real story is the that of the Northern Army who after 2 years of disease, retreat, incompetent leadership, limited food and clothing supplies and military disaster showed amazing resilience in 1777 and defeated the British at the critical phase of the war. Do yourself a favor and read this great book. You'll enjoy every page.
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